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Shenandoah National Park has 196,000+ acres of backcountry and wilderness and over 500 miles of trails to explore. Backcountry camping is, by its very nature, a primitive experience that allows you to immerse yourself in the beauty and challenge of Shenandoah's wild side. Before you head out on your trip, however, be sure that you understand all of the information below so that you'll be prepared to safely discover a brand new world beyond the pavement!
All sites are within 5-8 miles of Skyline Drive, starting from mile 21 in the North District. All are near creeks (runs) and completely undeveloped. Check with the Visitor Center for permits and camping regulations within the park. Many, but not all trails, allow dogs.
Gravel Springs Hut is 0.2 mi south of Gravel Springs Gap and another 0.2 mi down
Scout
Great Hammock camping off the trail near shawls gap
Traveler
Breathtaking views of the Shenandoah River and surrounding mountains. Very much worth the 4 mile hike up to the site. 1,200ft elevation difference from the trailhead to the site. Cell service at the top (not during the hike or on the road to the trailhead so prepare directions). Went up in November with beautiful weather, fall leaves changing and great company. Couldn’t have had a better experience.
Legend
Not our favorite campground. If you’re a through hiker, it’ll get the job done though. There were three other people camping the night we were there. Lots of bugs. Hiked in from the Dickey ridge trail parking lot.
Guide
There are a lot of dispersed camping spots in VA, Especially in this region! I’ve camped all over the area and have seen many amazing sights! This pinned location doesn’t take you to a specific campground tho!
You’ll have to do some digging (google free camping VA) and you’ll find plenty of spots! Many spots say they charge a fee but don’t as well so be on the look out!
One of my favorite spots isn’t on The Dyrt but it’s free and in the Bath County area, It’s called Blowing Springs Campground, located near Covington VA. I also recommend seeing Falling Spring Falls almost a 100 Foot waterfall!
Very hilly roads leading out to this part of the state but beautiful none the less! No cell service but plenty to see!
GuideI've both day hiked this and backpacked here several times. You will want to drive in and park at the Veach Gap Trailhead which is listed on Google Maps, then follow the trail and make the left when it comes to the intersection. It is about 4 miles up, so not too bad, but there is no water after the first mile. I have seen a small trickle part way up the mountain, but don't count on it. Pack up all the water you will need for the day/evening/morning. Once you get to the top there are several sites with little fire rings, and since it is on the ridgeline, the views are breathtaking. I've had good luck finding wood from dead trees at the top, but just make sure you're being safe and treating nature kindly. Follow the Leave no Trace rules so the next campers can enjoy this spot too.
GuideWe only stayed one night, but wish we could have stayed more! The campground offers so many different trails and breathtaking scenic overlooks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. As soon as we got there, we saw several deer. I’d almost say they were friendly :) No electric hookups, but the weather was beautiful! We hiked part of the Appalachian Trail which gets pretty steep. I didn’t use the bathrooms or the coin operated showers as we have them in our RV, but they had the services available. It is a drive through the mountains to get to the campsite, but very well worth it for us!
GuideThis place was $30 just to enter and it was super duper packed. We turned around and found a great boondocking site nearby.
TravelerEnjoyed our time here and decided to stay an extra night. Will return and definitely recommend!
GuideAbsolutely stunning views and most definitely worth the drive ! DON’T FORGET GUM!!!Chewing gum the entire time you are changing altitudes helps by causing you to swallow often.
GuideHappy accident that we were able to stay at the park on a weekend. We drove up and they had availability. Nice & clean and it wasn’t crowded when we were there. No electric or water on our site. So it was pretty rustic camping.
LegendIncredible views and worth the trip.
LegendBe mindful of bears! If you’re going to invest in a portable bear box for your food, check out http://igbconline.org/certified-products-list/.
There are especially so many incredible hikes on Skyline Drive! I recommend the AllTrails app to search by distance, difficulty, views/waterfalls, etc. I’ve included photos of some of my favorite hikes in the park.
GuideFound this from a different platform. There it's called South Fork Shenandoah River. 38.769895, -78.394634
I have mixed feelings about this place. Yes it is beautiful, and for the most part quiet. There is a campground across the water a d the sounds do carry. You'll here gunshots as hunting is ok in the area. You still get traffic noise, you'll know when someone is getting too far out of the right lane.
Airport is too close so plenty of light pollution to block out the true beauty of the night sky.
There are about 5 campsites, one was reclaimed by Mother Nature. But you can still find a bench right in front of a fire pit. There could be more past the boat ramp, but didnt bother to go there didnt ant to end up on the 6 o clock news since there was a tent down that way.
Have two toilets that are pretty gross and I dont think Im tall enough to squat over that composting toilet.
2 deers came to visit us at night. Killed a cottonmouth buried it since I didnt know how to properly cook and eat it. Saw Momma and two baby black bears.
Verizon gets no service whatsoever not even the hotspot.
Yellow flies and mosquitos are bad out there.
No upkeep of the area.during my 10 day stay did not see a single ranger, but did see a cop that only came out in response to a 911 call from a now disconnected phone.Locals will party here and leave their traces. One ever put a candle in a tree and almost made it catch on fireballs they will also try to bully you and lie to your face for their favorite spot.
Big thing to note is that the locals will hog up the sites sometimes coming out at least a week in advance to set up a tent. One guy was smart enough to hang a barely used trash bag from a tree to make it seem like the site was being used.
Would I stay here again? Yes and no. Might be better once its cooler, during the week, and if there's no major holiday within a week of when you plan on going.
GuideI recently led a large group of Scouts to the Mathews Arm Campground in SNP. We spread out over 4 RV/camper/tent sites as our base camp. There was definitely a lot less privacy/space between sites here at SNP than I’ve noted at other parks across Virginia. I suppose it’s because it’s a national park, with a big draw and higher volume of visitors. The roads were well-marked and paved nicely. The bathrooms were okay, I’ve been in better-maintained/cleaned ones and worse ones, so I’m not going to complain. They were quite prevalent though. The staff that circulate around the park were quite friendly! We had a lovely hike to a nearby waterfall that was gorgeous. We even took a group out hiking across the AT and did some backcountry camping. I was impressed by how well-maintained the trails were! We had a really nice time and I look forward to returning again soon. I will note that our original reservation was for the Southern Section, but because of the winter storms, there was a lot of storm damage which caused them to close down quite a bit of Skyline Drive and they automatically shifted our reservation (with the option to cancel) to the Northern Section of the SNP. So, we didn’t hike what we expected to, but we still had a nice time, regardless. Plus, a couple days before our trip they did open the Southern Section, but we left our reservations and plans alone.
Ranger
The hut is 3 sides and open on the 4th, the open side faces the fire pit. There is a picnic table, privy, bear locker, and bear pole to hang additional items at the site. The hut sleeps 8 and is first come, first serve. You may end up meeting some new friends there because of this. If the hut is full, there are some tent sites available. Also the spring for water is located very close by.
RangerI absolutly love this national park! The facility is clean, trails are well marked and there are plenty of different day hikes and camping grounds. My favorite is Old Rag Mountain. It is a pretty decent hike that requires a good amount of climbing and has great views at the top. There is a bathroom on the back end of the trail but it was a little dirty. Parking is a struggle sometimes as it is a good 1 miles hike to the trail head. There is a 10$ entrance fee per person. Overall a great day hike and a great national park. Highly recommend this
GuideThe Shenandoah mountains and the NPS's campgrounds never get old. They always offer a unique experience offering several campgrounds giving different experiences each time. They also offer camping for backwoods camping. It is suitable for novice campers to experienced off-trail campers. You'll never tire of the wonders this beautiful piece of America has to offer.
GuideThese sites are backcountry meaning they are not established sites. You just wander down the trail and pick your favorite spot with consideration to not disturbing as much nature as possibe. I got to sleep listening to a river all night. It is also convenient since most places are not far from the trails.
TravelerThere are so many trails to hike throughout the park and with a backcountry permit, you can find countless campsites. I stayed in the area of overall run falls. Make sure to hang your food. There are plenty of black bears in the area.
LegendCampground Review:
Starting at Milepost 21 on Skyline Drive, at the highest point in the park, we spent 5 nights and 6 days of glorious backpacking in the North District of Shenandoah National Park. As we descended from the highest elevation in late April, you would have guessed by the state of the trees that it was still winter. As we hiked down through the life zones to our first camp along Overall Run, a nearly 2000+ foot elevation change, the seasons changed from winter to spring! Check out more on our blog on The Dyrt's Online Magazine about our experience in the Shenandoah's.
Some things to consider when backpacking in April:
Night 1: Overall Run Camp: This is the third established site along the trail downhill from Overall Run Falls, near the junction of the Overall Run Trail and the Tuscarosa Trail. It has great water access in the spring, easy trail access, a small fire ring (though fires are not currently allowed in the park), and room for 2 backpacking tents. Not great “bear hang” options, but we found one down the trail a bit. Beautiful and serene with lots of sun and shade. Didn’t see another hiker the entire time we were there, as this spot is beyond where most day hikers turn around.
Nights 2 & 3: Jeremy Run Camp: This is the first established campsite on the Jeremy Run Trail, just above the creek. Easy trail and water access and room for 2-3 backpacking tents. There are decent bear hang options uphill from campsite, but a very public site as this is a popular trail for both day hikers and backpackers, with easy access (less than 1 mile) from the Appalachian Trail. Lots of sun and shade. Instead of moving camp on Day 3, we did a day hike up to Knob Mountain Summit and returned to Jeremy Run for the night. Given that this was the first backpacking trip of the year, this was a great way to ease our bodies into the elevation changes within this park.
Night 4: Thorton Run Camp: This site was the only option we saw along this trail, tucked between 2 creek crossings and about 4 miles from where the Thorton River Trail meets Skyline Drive. Lots of rocks, roots, and downed trees, so difficult to find space for more than 1 or 2 tents. Easy access from the trail, great creek access and good bear hang options in the area. Lots of sun, but not much shade.
Night 5: Piney Branch Camp: Just about ¼ mile downstream from the gorgeous Piney Branch Falls and very easy trail access, this was our favorite site of all, with spring springing all around us…leaves and flowering trees, wildflowers, fiddlehead ferns unfurling. Good creek access, though a bit steeper than the others, and some good bear hang options. Lots of sun and shade. Has an established firepit, but not in use due to fire ban.
Product Review:
We received this Primus Campfire Cookset for product testing as Rangers with the Dyrt. We've used it on our 2-burner propane stove in our adventure rig, over an open camp fire, and on our backcountry stove. We’ve had the same backcountry pot set for nearly 20 years and it’s held up well, but this one has some extra features which we like even better! We’ve made everything from soup to pasta to chili to omelets so far, and our creative “foodie juices” are flowing.
What we like about this product:
What could be improved:
Product Link: https://primus.us/products/campfire-cookset-s-s-large-5?variant=17262723333
Product Video: https://youtu.be/euqTm-HuZbU
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Ashburn, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Ashburn, VA is Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park with a 4.4-star rating from 15 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Ashburn, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 dispersed camping locations near Ashburn, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
