Best Campgrounds near Ararat, VA
Campgrounds near Ararat, Virginia range from established RV parks to rustic tent sites, with several options along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Homeplace Recreational Park in Ararat offers tent and RV camping with full hookups, while Fancy Gap Cabins and Campground provides cabin accommodations approximately 15 miles from Ararat. The region includes multiple KOAs and state park campgrounds within a 30-mile radius, including Hanging Rock State Park and Pilot Mountain State Park in North Carolina. Most campgrounds in the area accommodate both tent and RV camping, with several offering cabin rentals for those seeking more comfort.
Seasonal considerations affect camping availability throughout the region, with many campgrounds operating on limited schedules. Rocky Knob Campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway operates from May through early November, while others like Mayberry Campground remain open year-round. The mountainous terrain creates variable weather conditions, particularly at higher elevations along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Many campgrounds require reservations, especially during peak summer and fall foliage seasons. Road access varies significantly, with some campgrounds requiring navigation of steep mountain roads. As one camper noted about a local campground, "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."
Campers consistently highlight the natural beauty and peaceful settings of the area's campgrounds. Several developed campgrounds provide amenities like electric hookups, showers, and dump stations, though amenity levels vary widely. The Blue Ridge Parkway campgrounds tend to offer more rustic experiences with fewer hookups but better access to hiking trails. Water features are common attractions, with some campgrounds offering pond or river access. A reviewer of Homeplace Recreational Park gave it five stars, describing it as having "drinking water, electric hookups, fires allowed, firewood, market, pets allowed, picnic table, reservable, sanitary dump, sewer hookups, showers, toilets, trash, and water hookups." Noise levels vary by location, with campgrounds closer to highways experiencing more traffic sounds than those nestled deeper in the mountains.
