NPS · Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park · West Virginia

Spring Gap Campground

The Spring Gap Campground is located at Mile 173.3 on the C&O Canal Towpath, near the city of Cumberland on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

More like this: reservable in West Virginia · pets allowed in West Virginia · group sites in West Virginia

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Cumberland, MD panorama from C&O Canal TowpathBoat Ramp at Spring GapCampsite with picnic table and fire ringMultiple Campsites in the distance
Photos courtesy of Steve Dean · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups13
Group sites1
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 20 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

14 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteTypeEntryFits, ftShadeWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresRating
01StandardBack-inPartialRiverfront8 / 2YesStandard
02StandardBack-inPartialRiverfront8 / 2YesStandard
03StandardBack-in20PartialRiverfront8 / 2YesStandard
04StandardBack-in20PartialRiverfront8 / 2YesStandard
05StandardBack-in20PartialRiverfront8 / 2YesStandard
06StandardBack-in20PartialRiverfront8 / 2YesStandard
07StandardBack-in20PartialRiverfront8 / 2YesStandard
08StandardBack-inPartialRiverfront8 / 2YesStandard
09GroupBack-in20PartialRiverfront30 / 3YesStandard
10StandardBack-in20PartialRiverfront8 / 3YesStandard

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length20 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Spring Gap Campground offers 12 single drive-in campsites and two drive-in group sites. Campsites 1, 2, 8, 11 and 13 can fit a single vehicle (i.e. car/pickup/van). Campsites 3-7, 12, 14 can fit a small 20 ft. length or smaller RV/trailer/pop-up. Single sites can accommodate up to eight people. Each single has a picnic table, fire pit and grill. Campsites 9 and 10 are group sites capable of holding 30 people each. The group site has room for two vehicles. The group site has four picnic tables, a fire pit and grill. Pit and portable toilets are available. Hand pump water is available April 15 - November 1.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Spring Gap Campground30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 2.79 inches of precipitation, 8.2 inches of snowFebruary: 2.38 inches of precipitation, 7.7 inches of snowMarch: 3.42 inches of precipitation, 6.8 inches of snowApril: 3.41 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowMay: 4.22 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 3.87 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 3.73 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.40 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 3.55 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.82 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 2.58 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowDecember: 3.05 inches of precipitation, 5.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.8°F averageFebruary: 33.7°F averageMarch: 42.1°F averageApril: 53.6°F averageMay: 62.9°F averageJune: 71.3°F averageJuly: 75.8°F averageAugust: 74.0°F averageSeptember: 66.8°F averageOctober: 55.0°F averageNovember: 43.7°F averageDecember: 35.0°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 in10 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Cumberland 2, 6 miles from the campground at 730 feet, station USC00182282 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 39 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 29 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Cumberland, MD: Follow MD State Route 51 South/East Industrial Road for approximately 7 miles (11 km). Spring Gap Campground will be directly off 51, on the right side of the road.

Coordinates39.5646° N, 78.7179° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗19.1 mi
Outdoor gearTrail Depot ↗26.7 mi
RV sales & serviceBear Creek RV ↗59.7 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Picnic Spring Campground - Campground Review

Natural features

Tucked in the mountains of Western Maryland and adjacent to Cumberland, MD, experience the history and culture of the area as well as its natural beauty, which is plentiful all times of the year but, especially during autumn.

Recreation

The most popular activities for Spring Gap campers are hiking the local trails, biking the C&O Canal Towpath, paddling and fishing. The campground has a boat ramp for easy access to the Potomac River for kayakers and anglers alike. Be sure to acquire a Maryland Fishing License for those age 16 or older.

Nearby

The C&O Canal National Historical Park Cumberland Visitor Center is in Cumberland, MD, open seven days a week. Also in Cumberland, MD: the Allegany Museum, Gordon-Roberts House, Gilchrist Gallery and the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad are all worth a visit.

Guidebooks for West Virginia

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Camping Virginia and West Virginia
    Desiree Smith-Daughety, 2013
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best tent camping
    Johnny Molloy, 2014
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Paddling Virginia and West Virginia
    Charli Kerns, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Spring Gap Campground?

Sites at Spring Gap Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Spring Gap Campground?

Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Spring Gap Campground have?

14 sites, including 13 standard sites without power and 1 group site.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Spring Gap Campground?

The longest site here provides 20 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Spring Gap Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Spring Gap Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Spring Gap Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Spring Gap Campground?

The most popular activities for Spring Gap campers are hiking the local trails, biking the C&O Canal Towpath, paddling and fishing. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Spring Gap Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Irons Mountain Hiker-Biker Campsite (1.8 mi, first-come), Evitts Creek Hiker-Biker Campsite (3.7 mi, first-come), and Pigmans Ferry Hiker-Biker Campsite (4 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby

Which national park is Spring Gap Campground in?

Spring Gap Campground is a Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park campground. Entrance fees, alerts, and hours are on Park Atlas.

Source: Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park