Devils Backbone Camp

This was such a awesome campground!! First time ever staying and everybody was so helpful and friendly. He had the camp host come and check on us to see how things were. We stayed at the group 105 site and could not have been happier with that pick. It was off all by itself with the other 4 group primitive sites. Sites were huge and you could arrange and set up however you liked. Really loved that having 2 vehicles and 3 tents we had so much room. Loved the bathhouse being close too. Just a quick little walk/or drive around the corner the showers and stalls were so clean as well. Fire ring was huge too and they have wood on site. We even checked out the restaurant and bar/brewery on site. Everything looked so cool loved the way everything was set up. We will 100% be coming back and do the group site again. ur original plans of going off into the national forest and dispersed camping got canceled so we hated we couldn't do that. But this site the way they are set up really makes you feel like you are still out there disperse camping but with the luxury of a campground being so close. Loved it so much!

The campground is small and well-kept. It has an incredibly chill and laid-back vibe.

You are a quick walk to the brewery and café, where you can grab breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is nice and dark at the campground, so great for star watching. 

There are several small walking paths throughout the property. 

It is very pet friendly. 

It is very quick drive to lots of hiking, including the Appalachian Trail. 

You are also a stone’s throw away from a ton of other really great breweries and wineries. I highly recommend visiting Blue Mountain Brewery and Bold Rock cidery during tour stay for some great food and beverage.

Cell service and wi-fi are spotty at best, but what do you expect? You are in the middle of the mountains. 

Each full hook up site has a picnic table and fire ring. Fire wood available for purchase.

*Warning, if you stay at a full hook up site and are parked in an odd number spot, you will need an extra long sewer hose to reach the connection. For example, we have a small travel trailer and we needed a 30 foot hose. The sewer connection for the odd number sites is on the opposite side of the RV than the electricity and water. The good news is that in a pinch, and your sewer hose does not fit, they do have a dump station on site.

This campground has full-hookup sites, tent-only sites, and some hip camp sites as well. We tent camped here in January at a full hook-up site so we could have heaters in the tent. During the summer we would definitely choose one of the tent only sites because they have more privacy and are more so in the trees. Site 23 is a pull-through site. It was super cold and windy (it snowed while we were there!) and being out in the open like that is not ideal but it was ok for what it was! We set up close to the electric outlets and didn't have any issues with that. This campground is so fun! There are trails in the campground a beautiful view of the mountains all around. It is really in the best location. You are in walking distance to Devils Backbone and Blue Frog Cidery and a short drive to Wintergreen Resort, awesome restaurants, amazing hiking, and so many places on the Brew Ridge Trail. I can guess that during the summer this place is probably very busy but in the middle of winter it was pretty quiet! The bathrooms are nice and new looking but really far away from the RV sites, so keep that in mind. Fire wood was available for a fee. Self check-in to the sites because of COVID and masks are required in bathrooms. Reservations required if you want to eat or drink at Devils Backbone Restaurant and Brewery :)

Devils Backbone Brewery and Basecamp is amazing! This a great concept to put a nice campground right at a brewery/restaurant. 

The campground is only about a year old and has nice variety of sites. Full hook-up sites are all pull through, large, and flat. The tent sites are large and situated in the tree line for added shade. The bathhouse is one of the nicest we’ve ever visited. There is no wifi and limited cell phone service at the sites, but wifi is available at the main brewery compound. While we loved this campground and can’t wait to return, the one drawback that may take some planning is the hookup situation. There is a tower between two sites with water and electric and depending on the way you pull through the sewer hookup could be on the other side of the rig. This could be an inconvenience if your hoses are not long enough to reach under your rig to the hookups. The even numbered sites appear to be the best with all hookups on one side. 

One of the best parts of this campground is you can just walk to the main compound, which houses the brewery restaurant, distillery, two outdoor bars, fire pits and fire places, and chairs/seating. This area was amazing and nice to eat, drink, and relax. There is also a large stage area for the bands that regularly play. The food and drink were very good and reasonably priced. The price of the campground site was only$55 per night for full hook-ups within walking distance to the main area! 

Additionally, the campground is a prime location for exploring the other numerous wineries, cideries, and breweries in the area. We loved Devil’s Backbone and can’t wait to return!

**Campground Review: **

Devil’s Backbone Camp is a unique outdoor retreat that includes a campground at a large brewery complex. This was the best of both worlds, because we are beer enthusiast and avid campers. The campground includes 75 sites split between primitive tent sites, non-electric RV sites, and full hookup RV sites. All site types included a picnic table and fire ring. Check in for all camping is at the brewpub. I’ve included a picture of the map in my pictures for you to get a better understanding of the layout. 

We stayed on site 4 on this visit, which was a full hook up site. All the full hook up sites are pull thru and in an open field so limited shade. The hookups in this area where different than I have ever experienced as the hookups were shared between two sites. If you were on an even number site, this was no problem. However, if you were on an odd number site, you either had to hope you had the length on your water and power lines to run to the opposite side of your rig or you had to pull into the site the opposite way to get the connections on the standards side of your rig. The non-electric sites were back in and had a little more shade. The tent sites were in the woods so full shade. 

The camp is also just miles from the Appalachian Trail, so they provide a free shuttle to the camp, as well as group tent area for registered AT thru-hikers. 

There is single bathhouse in the camp area that is near the tent area and a good walk from both the RV areas. The bathhouse was clean and functional. 

Firewood is available at the camp host.

A short walk through the tent area brought you to the large brewery area. This area includes a brewpub, large outdoor seating area with fire pits and an outdoor stage, a distillery, cigar and cocktail lounge, an additional outdoor bar and grille, a breakfast building with craft coffee, and a gift shop. They also have their own green house to grow vegetables and source local farms for ingredients that they use in their brewpub kitchen and grille. 

The property also included two large cabins to rent and two hiking trails (one 3km and another 5km). 

We found good cell phone service with Verizon throughout the property. The camp area did have Wi-Fi, but it was a little bogged down on this Fourth of July stay (full campground). 

While we camped, we also had the opportunity to check out a few of the local attractions. Being at the base of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, there are many outdoor activities to take advantage of. We hiked to Humpback Rocks which is a decent climb, so be prepared, but once you summit, the views are amazing. The area around the camp also had many other breweries, ciderys, wineries, and distilleries. One cidery is right across the street from the campground, was fun to visit, and has lots of outdoor seating. We did enjoy our visit here and do recommend this campground. 

The main reasoning for the 4-star rating instead of a 5-star is due to the single bathhouse that is a good walk from the RV areas and the very unique water and power hookups in the full hookup area.

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**Product Review: **

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. At this campground, I tested the Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier. The variety pack from Liquid I.V.  includes powder packs in the flavors of lemon lime, acai berry, and passion fruit. The packets are very easy to use (just mix one packet with 16 ounces of water) and are small enough to pack in your backpack, purse, or even your pocket so you have it with you when you want to use it. With the hydration multiplier, drinking one 16-ounce bottle of water is equivalent to drinking three bottles of water. I found that I enjoyed all three of the flavors in the variety pack. I am not a big regular water drinker, but having a little flavor made me drink the water quicker and more frequently. Having this while hiking in the area and after enjoying the large selection of adult beverages in the area made me feel rejuvenated and ready to get out and see more of the area.