Campsites at Fifteenmile Creek Drive-In Campground in Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

NOTE: Sections of the towpath, locks and other historical structures, trails, campgrounds, picnic areas, boat ramps, and visitor centers are constantly being closed due to damage and/or repair. When planning an adventure within Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, make sure that areas you plan to visit are open by checking the National Park Service’s official Current Park Conditions web page.

Fifteenmile Creek Campground is one of five “drive-in” campgrounds within Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park that is accessible to those in vehicles.

OPERATING SEASONS

Fifteenmile Creek Campground is open year-round. April 15th through November 15th is considered peak season and camping fees are higher.

LOCATION

Fifteenmile Creek Campground is located in Little Orleans, Maryland, at Mile 140.9 on the C&O Canal towpath. See the Camping web page for an interactive location map.

TYPE OF CAMPING

All standard campsites can accommodate tent campers, small RVs, and other self-contained sleeping vehicles. Trailers (sleeping unit or boat) can be no longer than 20 feet. There is a loop at the end of the campground road, so turning around is easy.

There is one group campsite that is for tent campers only.

NUMBER OF SITES

There are nine standard campsites and one group campsite. Standard sites allow up to eight people and two tents or one RV and a tent. There is parking for one vehicle at each standard site. Extra vehicles can be parked in the large parking lot near the entrance to the campground.

The group campsite can hold up to 30 people, and you must have a least 9 people to use the site. There is no limit on the number of tents other than what space allows. If the group site is taken when your group wants to camp, feel free to reserve multiple standard sites.

Group campers must walk from the parking area and cross Fifteenmile Creek via the Fifteenmile Creek Aqueduct, a distance of approximately a tenth of a mile. All equipment must be carried to the site.

AMENITIES

All campsites have a picnic table, grill, and fire pit. There is an indoor chemical toilet (i. e. an indoor fancy outhouse) located between sites #3 and #4 that is shared by all campers. There is also a hand-pumped water spigot that produces water treated with iodine so that it is drinkable, provided you are not physically adverse to iodine. The water is available from April 15th through November 15th and turned off the rest of the year. There is no electricity.

There is a boat ramp next to the campground.

TERRAIN

The Fifteenmile Creek Campground is situated on a large, level field. Most of the sites have some shade, but a few are out in the open. There are no barriers between sites, so there is no privacy. The ground is covered with grass, and there are gravel areas for parking and where the picnic tables and grills are located. While you can see Fifteenmile Creek from some of the campsites, none would be considered “on the water.”