Cedarville State Forest - Brandywine, MD
Cedarville State Forest is a serene outdoor getaway just 30 minutes outside Washington, DC, and is an excellent destination for dog lovers looking for a pet-friendly park in Brandywine, Maryland. Known for its scenic beauty and peaceful surroundings, the forest offers miles of dog-friendly hiking trails where pets and their owners can explore the lush woods, spot wildlife, and enjoy a day out in nature. The park is a top choice for those seeking dog-friendly hiking or pet-friendly trails near the DC metropolitan area.
Amenities at Cedarville State Forest include wheelchair accessible entrances and parking, onsite picnic tables and barbeque grills, public restrooms, and reasonably spacious, separated campsite areas if you’re considering camping with your dog. While there isn’t a dedicated fenced dog park area or off-leash section, leashed dogs are welcome throughout the park, making it a wonderful option for dogs who love to hike and explore the outdoors with their humans. Families will also appreciate the playground, well-maintained facilities, and abundant natural shade from the forest canopy.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are dogs allowed at Cedarville State Forest? Yes, dogs are allowed and the park is dog-friendly. Please keep dogs leashed while enjoying the trails and campsites.
- Are there restrooms available for owners? Yes, public restrooms are available onsite.
- Is the park wheelchair accessible? Yes, both the entrance and parking lot are wheelchair accessible.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, there are several easy and scenic hiking trails throughout the state forest that are perfect for walking your dog.
- Are picnics or BBQs allowed? Yes, there are picnic tables and barbecue grills available for use.
- Is there a playground or activities for kids nearby? Yes, the park offers a playground and is considered good for kids.
Reviews
Went down there for my birthday. Man had an awesome time down there first time camping. I will be back. I didn’t wanna leave very peaceful and quiet.
The natural beauty of the area was spectacular. The only reason for four stars instead of five was that the personnel was not there. We arrived around 3 PM on a weekday and posted on the Ranger station/gift shop were hours till 5 PM. But it was closed. Our check-in information was in a box. That in of itself wasn’t terrible but I noticed a campsite very near mine that had random junk all over it. The fire pit was full to overflowing of trash. The picnic table had all sorts of items, including a suitcase piled on it with a tarp over it, there was a plastic clothes basket with various clothing items stuffed in it and there was no tent or car or anything else. It looked abandoned. If there had been some staff around, I think they would have dealt with this. Later on that night, a vehicle did pull up but again no camping equipment.
Good park outside DC. Only a 30 min drive from the city this park offers a relaxing walk through the woods with all easy trails. I recommend the orange trail that is the longest trail but take you around everything this park has to offer. Dog friendly! Make sure to carry out your trash – There are no garbage cans
My son and I had a great time here. The trails were nice for walking or bike riding. The animals in the office were cool to visit. Showers didn’t have a lot of hot water but were well maintained. The sites are large and spread out, and the playground was great too!
I go here for birding. Cedarville Pond way in the back is a fantastic spot for this. Check the eBird hot spot map for “Cedarville State Forest (Charles Co.).” I would love it if they groomed the trail around the pond a bit more. You can’t get down to the south side of the pond without walking through brush that’s overgrown the trail but it’s absolutely worth it to go back there.
Last time I went I found 17 species in a 2 hour walk around the pond that included shore birds, warblers, vireos, tanagers, thrushes, flycatchers, and even a banded osprey.