Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Amherst, VA

Join the fun near Amherst. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Amherst. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Virginia camping adventure.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Amherst, Virginia (70)

    1. Canoe Landing Group Campsite — James River State Park

    27 Reviews
    Greenway, VA
    13 miles
    Website

    $15 - $80 / night

    "We spent one night with our dogs at the walk-in campground at James Lake. It is a wonderful piece of nature. The campsites are far away from each other. Everything was very clean and taken care of."

    "Campsite was right next to lake, beautiful views and easy water access. While we were there in April we only saw a couple other groups, and no other campers were anywhere near us."

    2. Red Oak Campground — James River State Park

    17 Reviews
    Greenway, VA
    13 miles
    Website

    $35 / night

    "Lots of beautiful hiking/biking/equestrian trails to explore. Bathrooms were very clean and nice. Bundles of firewood sold $7 each. Nice fire ring at each site. Pet friendly."

    "Nice campground in line with expectations for most Virginia state parks."

    3. Devils Backbone Camp

    39 Reviews
    Nellysford, VA
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 817-9708

    $25 - $140 / night

    "Pets welcome and camping can be made through site. Good for probably new campers or those looking to camp but have a more relaxed trip."

    "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. "

    4. Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA

    14 Reviews
    Big Island, VA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (434) 299-5228

    "The ere is a pool and an area near the office with lots of childrens activities; playground, shuffleboard, basketball, gem mine, horseshoes, jump pad, and a fishing lake with large fish."

    "We stopped here overnight on a trip from Chicago to Virginia Beach. We had reserved a pull through but were just short in length and had to disconnect the tow vehicle for the night."

    5. Otter Creek Campground — Blue Ridge Parkway

    14 Reviews
    Big Island, VA
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (434) 299-5125

    $30 / night

    "Great all around virginia campsite"

    "Very relaxing surrounded by trees. The sites had great space. Dog friendly."

    6. Walnut Grove — James River State Park

    11 Reviews
    Greenway, VA
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (434) 933-8061

    $15 - $18 / night

    "Most of the sites were huge and level, and we were able to choose a mostly-shaded site with water and electric near the bathhouse."

    "Lake James is a true gem, clean and beautiful, with amazing views of Linville Gorge, Shortoff Mountain, and Table Rock. The State Park has several camping areas."

    7. Crabtree Falls Campground

    20 Reviews
    Montebello, VA
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 377-2066

    $28 - $55 / night

    "My husband and I recently stayed overnight with our two dogs. The campsites run along a river, which provides great back drop for getting away from the city."

    "The tent sites we stayed in were 10 ft away from the Tye river, we literally fell asleep to the sound of the water every night."

    8. Oronoco Campground

    15 Reviews
    Buena Vista, VA
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 291-2188

    "Only thing is that there’s a dog, we think from a property nearby, that acts aggressive towards campers."

    "I love this campground, it’s 5 to 10 minutes from BV, right on the river, primitive with bathrooms, which is fine with me, I sleep in my forerunner with my two dogs, plenty of land and trails, it’s perfect"

    9. Sherando Lake Campground

    33 Reviews
    Tyro, VA
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 291-2188

    $25 - $47 / night

    "Sherando Lake is a well-maintained, popular campground located in the George Washington National Forest near Lyndhurst, VA."

    "The lakeside is wonderful for sitting, reading and swimming.  The "upper lake" is great for fishing. "

    10. Branch Pond — James River State Park

    9 Reviews
    Greenway, VA
    14 miles
    Website

    $15 - $18 / night

    "Located in the middle of nowhere off of narrow Virginia secondary roads, we were surprised to get good Verizon reception. We stayed on site 15 which is a long pull-thru."

    "Private, flat, and well maintained sites with great facilities, hiking/biking trails, and floating opportunities make this campground a good one to visit with family and friends!"

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Amherst, VA

656 Reviews of 70 Amherst Campgrounds


  • Francelia A.
    Jul. 27, 2025

    Misty Mountain Camp Resort

    Mom and son new adventure

    Misty Mountain Camp Resort is located in Crozet, Virginia, off of 250 below Afton Mountain. I'm familiar with this resort. Many, many years ago, when it was Yogi Bear's park, a lot of updates since then. Great accommodations. I've not enjoyed camping as much as I have these last 2 weeks with my son Matthew, who is 30 years old down syndrome, autism and a leukemia survivor. I am 66 years old. I'm on the best adventure of my life. Just bought a new motorhome after my partner of 15 years passed away. I'm on a new journey. And taking care of my life with good health. I recommend this park to anyone. Friendly staff, accommodating, pet friendly dog parks, bathhouse, laundry, sun, and shade, with 30 and 50 amp hookups with sewage. I couldn't ask for a better place. Have a fun-loving life, I am!

  • Carey R.
    Aug. 4, 2022

    Natural Bridge KOA

    Perfect for Visiting Natural Bridge with Kids

    We stayed in a Pull Through, Full Hookup site on the hillside. It was surprisingly very level. We just used this as a base for visiting Natural Bridge State Park, so it was only an overnighter. The bathrooms & private showers were amazing & clean. The laundry room looked just as nice, but we didn’t use it.
    We didn’t use the pool, but the kids enjoyed the Gameroom! Of everything we used there, the only thing to mention that was dirty was the game room. But I’ll take that, we were very impressed with the playground, dog park & they even had chickens & a petting farm upon entry.
    This KOA seriously restored my faith in KOA’s. I will renew our membership, (which is about to expire), based on this visit. There are great ones out there!

  • Bridget H.
    Nov. 17, 2020

    Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA

    Right off highway with great amenities

    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.  It's an old school playground but the gkids love it.  They also have a couple of walking trails and a small dog park.  It is roadside so expect just that for this campground.  It has plenty of trees and sites for all different sized vehicles and tents.  The cabins and bathrooms are nice and clean.  The employees are always nice and helpful.  We have stayed here several times and have always had a good time.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 14, 2025

    Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA

    Convenient and easy

    Lots of pull thru sites, full hook up, even have dog park and laundry.

  • Beth B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 9, 2025

    Sweetwater RV Park

    Great location at SML

    Really well thought out campground for RV. Plenty of pull through and back in sites. Level sites, utilities are well placed and good height. Well maintained…you can tell staff takes pride in campground. Multiple dog parks….so convenient so you have one close to your area. Lots of recreation, great pickle ball area and pool. Laundry is honor system per load …pay in office.

  • A
    Nov. 28, 2021

    Walnut Hills Campground & RV Park

    Will definitely return!

    Pros outweighed the cons.

    Good: Staff was amazing! Trash pickup daily. Level sites. Nice little general store. 9-hole disc golf course. Dog park and playground centrally located. Quiet. Close to shopping, restaurants, etc.

    Bad (if they can be called “bad”): We were excited about cable and wi-fi as a new perk. Could not get cable to work and wi-fi was spotty at our site. Had great signal in other parts of the campground though, and cell reception was strong. Roads were narrow to navigate and some sites quite short in length.

  • G
    Oct. 14, 2021

    Walnut Hills Campground & RV Park

    Scenic clean campground

    Enjoyed our stay at this campground! Office is open until 8pm which is rare. Sites are clean and flat. Pull thru and back in slots available. There is a lovely creek running through portions of the campground. Showers and bathrooms were relatively clean. Didn't use the pool. Dog park and playground were nice features. Overall, good value for the sites and amenities.

  • Mimi B.
    Sep. 25, 2020

    Walnut Hills Campground & RV Park

    Very nice clean rv park

    Located within minutes of I81. We stopped for 2 nights to see the Shenandoah National Park on our way to NC. Called last minute and got a site. Very nice customer service. Grounds were very well kept. Our site 112 had water, 50amp and cable. Dump station on premises. Nice dog park for our fur babies and doggie duty stations with bags in several locations throughout the park. Also had a cute playground for kiddos. Didn't use the pool so can't comment. A little highway noise but when windows and door were closed couldn't hear a thing. We'd stay here again. They honor Good Sam discount. Paid $38 with discount.

  • Gary G.
    Aug. 29, 2020

    Douthat State Park Campground

    Outstanding State Park!

    Douthat (Doubt-that) State Park is a campers dream!  Level sites with or with out hook ups, well spaced apart, fairly private, and in the middle of a pretty good forest!

    Kid and pet friendly, this park has a nice lake for Kayaking/canoeing, multiple hiking trails with views, excellent opportunities for wildlife watching, and great biking trails.

    It is off the beaten path so it appears to be less visited than other Virginia State Parks.


Guide to Amherst

Discover the best spots for pets-allowed camping near Amherst, Virginia, where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.

Tips for camping with dogs near Amherst

  • Ensure your pet is comfortable with camping by taking them on shorter trips first, and consider visiting the well-reviewed Sherando Lake Campground, which offers spacious sites and a friendly atmosphere.
  • Bring plenty of water and food for your pet, as amenities can be limited; Devil’s Backbone Camp provides drinking water and a welcoming environment for pets.
  • Keep your dog leashed and clean up after them to maintain the natural beauty of the area, especially at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Natural Bridge, which has numerous activities for families and pets alike.

Pet owners like the spacious sites and natural surroundings

  • Many campers appreciate the large, shaded sites at Sherando Lake Campground, perfect for letting pets roam while enjoying the scenery.
  • The peaceful environment at Otter Creek Campground allows for relaxing walks with your dog along the trails and creek.
  • Campers at Montebello Resort enjoy the tranquil setting, which is ideal for pets to explore and play.

Pet-friendly campgrounds include great amenities

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Amherst, VA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Amherst, VA is Canoe Landing Group Campsite — James River State Park with a 4.7-star rating from 27 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Amherst, VA?

TheDyrt.com has all 70 dog-friendly camping locations near Amherst, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.