Smith Mountain Lake State Park offers rustic campsites and water-oriented amenities within a 45-minute drive of Altavista, Virginia. The campground sits at 795 feet elevation and features over 40 campsites and 20 cabins spread across 1,248 acres along the second largest freshwater lake in Virginia. Late spring through early fall brings average temperatures between 70-85°F, creating ideal conditions for camping, swimming, and fishing.
What to do
Kayaking and canoeing: Smith Mountain Lake State Park provides paddle craft rentals directly at the park, with rates typically between $10-15 per hour. "Perfect clean clear water to fish, swim," writes William P., who gave the park a 5-star rating for its water activities.
Stargazing: At Staunton River State Park Campground, visitors can take advantage of the International Dark Sky designation, with telescope rentals available at the visitor center. "If you love stargazing this is the park for you. It is an International Dark Sky Park. The park offers rentals of telescopes too," one visitor notes about this special feature.
Hiking and nature exploration: The Otter Creek Campground along Blue Ridge Parkway offers access to multiple trails of varying difficulty. "This site is close to the AT and blue ridge parkway and about an hour from Shenandoah Nat'l Park. Clean bathroom, spacious sites, very pretty creek," shared Catherine S.
Wildlife viewing: At Holliday Lake State Park Campground, campers can observe various bird species and other wildlife. "We watched a Bald Eagle and an Osprey for over an hour while kayaking on the lake," reports Jennifer K., who visits the park regularly.
What campers like
Large, spacious sites: Many campgrounds near Altavista offer generously sized camping spots. "Tent sites are large and a good distance apart. RV sites are good and have decent privacy. Power and water are reliable," Scott B. shares about Smith Mountain Lake State Park.
Water activities: The Middle Creek Campground offers a swimming pond with inflatable slides and a separate fishing lake, providing diverse water recreation options. "They had a fishing pond, lake to swim in with fun inflatable slides and trampoline and a pool. We made use of all them during our stay," Amanda writes in her review.
Clean facilities: Salthouse Branch Campground maintains well-kept amenities despite its remote location. "The bathrooms are very clean with great showers," notes a camper, while another mentions "Facilities are clean, staff is friendly and helpful."
Privacy between sites: At Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Natural Bridge, tent sites offer good separation between neighbors. "Loved the hillside spots because of all the trees and the multiple levels that the spots are on. They are all built out and flat," explains Paula J., who appreciated the campground layout.
What you should know
Seasonal operations: Most campgrounds around Altavista operate on limited schedules. For example, Otter Creek Campground is only open "May 6 to October 29," while others like Salthouse Branch Campground operate from "March 22 to October 31."
Cell service limitations: Many parks have limited connectivity. "No cell service to speak of. WiFi is available outside the contact station," George L. explains about Holliday Lake State Park.
Weather considerations: The mountain climate can change quickly. "We ended up getting in late but the place was very quiet and clean. Perfect for our first night in the woods. Nearest cell signal is about ten miles up at the House Mountain Overlook," shares Nicole D. about Otter Creek.
Alcohol restrictions: Some campgrounds have strict rules. At Salthouse Branch Campground, "The police visited us because we were drinking outside of our camper. He was very nice and explained no alcohol allowed. This is clearly stated and we were in the wrong," advises Anne F.
Tips for camping with families
Water-focused activities: For family glamping near Altavista, Virginia, consider parks with diverse water features. "The kids loved the water park! So much for them to do! There were craft nights, build an ice cream sundae night, dance parties! Giant inflatable trampolines were a blast," Cat R. shares about her experience at Jellystone Park.
Educational opportunities: Look for parks with ranger programs. "My gkids and I stayed here one night because they wanted to earn a winter camping badge and it was so worth it! The park offers rentals of telescopes too. They also have a nature learning lab, some cool animals, and a fantastic gift shop," reports Bridget H. about Staunton River State Park.
Kid-friendly amenities: Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA offers several features specifically for children. "This campground is open year round and is right off the highway. There is a gas station right next to it as well as a safari park. The campground itself has a pool, open seasonally, a game room, and a playground," notes Bridget H.
Safety considerations: Check for lifeguard schedules at swimming areas. "There weren't any lifeguards on duty during our stay, but the beach was still open. Plenty of families were in the water. The sign says swim at your own risk," explains one reviewer about Smith Mountain Lake.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling: Be prepared with leveling equipment at most area campgrounds. "Bring leveling supplies! Some sites are reservable, some are not," advises Marcy S. about Holliday Lake State Park.
Access challenges: Some campgrounds have difficult approach roads. "The roads going into the campground is very narrow and steep up and downs. My breaks were gone by the time I got to the entrance," cautions a reviewer about Salthouse Branch.
RV size limitations: At Thunder Bridge, larger RVs may struggle. "The campground is mostly tenting sites and rustic cabins, but there are RV sites in the open area," explains Eben O., noting that big rigs might not be suitable for this more primitive setup.
Hookup availability: Check for specific utility connections. "We had a Pull Through, Full Hookup site on the hillside. It was surprisingly very level," shares Carey R. about their stay at Natural Bridge KOA, which offers full-service RV sites with reliable hookups.
