Tuckahoe State Park - Youth Group Campsite GPS

Tuckahoe State Park offers a dedicated Youth Group Campsite area designed specifically for non-commercial youth organizations looking to immerse themselves in Maryland’s natural beauty. Located within the scenic confines of the park on the Eastern Shore, these sites provide a quiet, secluded environment separate from the general family camping loops. This makes them an ideal choice for Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, school groups, and other youth-oriented non-profits in Maryland. The park itself is a mosaic of wooded marshlands and quiet country streams, offering a serene backdrop for leadership building, environmental education, and outdoor recreation.

For Maryland residents and community leaders, the youth group area at Tuckahoe is a valuable resource for fostering a love of the outdoors in the next generation. The sites are tucked away in a heavily wooded section near the non-electric camping loop, ensuring that groups have the privacy needed for team-building activities and educational sessions. While the park is famous for its 60-acre lake and extensive trail system, the group campsites serve as a private "home base" where young campers can learn essential survival skills, practice Leave No Trace principles, and bond over a communal campfire in the heart of Caroline County.

Location and accessibility are key advantages for groups traveling from across the state. The park is located at 13070 Crouse Mill Road, Queen Anne, MD 21657, though the specific youth group area is situated near the non-electric loop off Cherry Lane in Ridgely. For groups coming from the Western Shore, the park is approximately 35 miles east of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, making it a manageable drive from Annapolis or Baltimore. Accessibility within the park is well-maintained, with on-site parking available for large vehicles and school buses. The park also provides wheelchair-accessible restrooms and parking lots near the main visitor hubs, ensuring that the Maryland outdoors are open to all youth participants regardless of mobility needs.

To support a successful and safe group outing, Tuckahoe State Park offers a variety of services tailored to the needs of larger organizations. These services are designed to simplify the logistics of group camping so that leaders can focus on their participants. The services offered include:

• Dedicated campsite reservations for groups of up to 30 people per site, with a total of four youth group sites available.
• Maryland State Park Youth Group Pass integration, allowing eligible non-commercial groups to access special rates and day-use entry.
• Self-guided program kits available for checkout, covering topics like orienteering, wildlife identification, and environmental conservation.
• Pre-arranged group canoe and kayak rentals at special rates, facilitating water-based educational tours of Tuckahoe Creek.
• Standard on-site amenities for group use, including large fire rings, multiple picnic tables per site, and lantern holders.
• Waste management services including centralized dumpsters for overnight guests and recycling stations.
• Access to potable water spigots and modern restroom facilities located within a short walking distance of the group sites.

The features and highlights of Tuckahoe State Park make it one of the most diverse recreational areas in Maryland. For youth groups, these highlights provide endless opportunities for physical activity and nature-based learning. Key highlights include:

• A 60-acre man-made lake perfect for fishing, canoeing, and observing local wildlife like bald eagles and herons.
• Over 20 miles of multi-use trails suitable for hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian use, including a dedicated fitness trail with animal-themed exercise stations.
• The Scales & Tales Aviary, where groups can see native Maryland birds of prey and reptiles up close through scheduled ranger programs.
• An 18-hole disc golf course located in the Cherry Lane area, providing a fun and competitive outdoor activity for older youth.
• A large, lakeside playground and open grassy fields for sports, kickball, or organized games.
• The Lore of the Land Nature Trail, a self-guided sensory trail that is particularly engaging for younger children.
• Dog-friendly policies that allow leashed pets to join the group, provided they are supervised by an adult at all times.

To coordinate a trip to the youth group area, leaders should contact the park office well in advance, especially for summer weekends. A valid Maryland State Park Youth Group Pass is required to book these specific sites and receive the associated benefits.

Address: 13070 Crouse Mill Road, Queen Anne, MD 21657, USA (Main Office)

Campground Address: 13450 Cherry Lane, Ridgely, MD 21657

Phone: (410) 820-1668

What is worth choosing about the Tuckahoe State Park Youth Group Campsite is the exceptional value and the quality of the educational environment. For many Maryland organizations, finding a safe, regulated, and affordable place to host a large number of children can be a challenge. Tuckahoe solves this by offering a space that is specifically "good for kids," featuring diverse ecosystems from upland forests to marshy wetlands. It is worth choosing for leaders who want to move beyond the traditional "parking lot" campground feel and give their students or scouts a true Eastern Shore wilderness experience.

Furthermore, the availability of professional ranger-led programs—such as the "Amazing Race" team-building challenge or "Canoeing 101"—allows groups to add a layer of expert instruction to their trip without excessive cost. The park’s commitment to stewardship and education ensures that every group leaves with a better understanding of Maryland’s natural heritage. Choosing Tuckahoe means choosing a partner in youth development, providing a setting where young Marylanders can disconnect from screens and reconnect with the land, the water, and each other in a clean, quiet, and beautiful state park setting.