Are you planning a camping trip to Big Island with your dog? We've got you covered. With The Dyrt, it's easy to find campgrounds near Big Island that allow pets. Whether you're looking for a quiet location in the woods or a happening campground near the attractions, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to go camping with your dog.
$35 / night
Cave Mountain Lake Group Camp is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and welcomes visitors to enjoy the rustic beauty and peacefulness of the area. Easy access from the interstate and close proximity to historic Lexington and Natural Bridge State Park make Cave Mountain Lake an ideal destination. Cave Mountain Lake covers seven acres and was built in the late 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps, using existing natural rock buttresses to form the 35-foot dam. A grassy field extends from the lake's sandy beach to forested hills that paint a scenic backdrop.
The 7 acre lake offers opportunities for swimming in a designated area which includes a sand beach. Fishing for youth only (ages 15 and under) is open from April 1st through June 15th, then fishing is open to anglers of all ages with a valid Virginia fishing license for the remainder of the season. There are several piers around the lake for better fishing access. A number of opportunities for photography, birding, and wildlife viewing are available along the trails and water's edge. Hiking trails surround the area, offering everything from a short walk around the lake to an all-day hike along the nearby ridges. The Panther Knob Trail starts beside the group picnic shelter and skirts the edge of the lake to the dam. Visitors may also enjoy a day hike or backpacking trip on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the James River Face Wilderness, or the Thunder Ridge Wilderness.
Cave Mountain Lake covers seven acres and was built in the late 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps, using existing natural rock buttresses to form the 35-foot dam. A grassy field extends from the lake's sandy beach to forested hills that paint a scenic backdrop.
This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (540) 291-2188.
Lexington, Virginia, just 20 minutes away, is home to several historic sites including the Stonewall Jackson House, George C. Marshall Museum, and the Virgnia Military Institute Museum. It's a charming town with horse drawn carriage rides through the streets. Ice and other sundries can be found at small stores along State Route 759 as you drive to Cave Mountain Lake Recreation Area. Natural Bridge State Park is a short 8 mile drive away and offers visitors views of the 215 foot tall Natural Bridge and limestone gorge, 6 miles of hiking trails, a Monacan Indian village, and the 30 foot cascade of Lace Falls.
$20 - $40 / night
The Peaks of Otter Campground is nestled between the bases of two dominating mountains in the rolling hills of Virginia. Campers enjoy a rare serenity in this rustic setting. Relax, and leave your cares behind!
The 24-acre Abbott Lake is one of the biggest attractions the Peaks of Otter Park has to offer. The lake is well-stocked with small mouth bass and bluegill. A crystal-clear mountain stream winds through the nearby picnic area. Numerous hiking opportunities range from demanding, scaling the area's high mountain peaks, to the moderate short, flat trail around Abbott Lake. Hikers are likely to stumble upon one of the mountain meadows, filled with wildflowers and migrating butterflies in the spring and a fantastic assortment of colors in the fall. Abundant wildlife like deer and wild turkey are spotted daily at the Peaks of Otter Campground, and many rare species of birds reside or migrate along the mountain ranges. Summer interpretive programs are provided for visitors to learn about the wildlife as well as the history of the area.
Three mountain peaks sitting atop a thick blanket of forest make up the Peaks of Otter-- a recreational oasis spanning acre upon acre of rolling landscape along the famous Blue Ridge Parkway. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic byway that follows the high crests of the central and southern Appalachians for 469 miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.
The Peaks of Otter Lodge and Restaurant are located within walking distance of the campground, as is the Sharp Top Country Store. Restaurant dining, grab-and-go meals, snacks, souvenir items, camping supplies, firewood, and ice are all readily available to campground patrons. The Johnson Farm, an old mountain farmstead restored and preserved to look as it did in the mid-1800s, is just a short walk away. Another restored historic structure, Aunt Polly's Ordinary, sits on the northeastern shore of Abbott Lake.
$30 / night
Otter Creek Campground is located at the Blue Ridge Parkway's lowest elevation, only 649 feet above sea level. Picturesque Otter Creek winds through this quiet, rustic campground. Night skies are spectacular here, and there are several nearby trails to hike including the Otter Creek Trail, which is accessible from the campground. Just imagine enjoying the crackle of an evening campfire with the murmur of the creek in the background! Relax....
The James River/Otter Creek recreation area has fishing in Otter Lake and a number of hiking trails including Trail of Trees, Otter Creek, Otter Lake Loop, and James River Canal. Hike the Otter Creek Trail to James River Visitor Center. There visitors can view a restored canal lock from the Kanawha Canal, part of the historic James River transporation artery which was once the primary commercial route in the state of Virginia.
The James River/Otter Creek recreation area has fishing in Otter Lake and a number of hiking trails including Trail of Trees, Otter Creek, Otter Lake Loop, and James River Canal. Hike the Otter Creek Trail to James River Visitor Center. There visitors can view a restored canal lock from the Kanawha Canal, part of the historic James River transporation artery which was once the primary commercial route in the state of Virginia.
This area's abundant water and warmer temperatures support plant and animal communities that are unlike those found at other areas on the Parkway. A short walk along the Trail of Trees or a hike along the clear, cool waters of Otter Creek will give ample proof that there is more to the Blue Ridge Parkway than mountain-top vistas.
Otter Creek Trail (3.5 miles/5.6 km) parallels the Parkway road as it meanders from Otter Creek campground to the James River Visitor Center. Most sections of this trail are easy to hike and can be reached from many points along the motor road. Otter Lake Loop Trail (0.9 miles/1.4 km) provides scenic views of Otter Lake. This is also a good trail for watching wildlife. Look for beaver lodges and dams along tributary streams. Early morning and late evening are prime times for wildlife observations. Trail of Trees (0.4 miles/.6 km) begins near the James River Visitor Center and wanders through a shaded stream drainage. Trail signs identify many of the trees and shrubs of the river valley. This trail also affords a handsome view of the James River water gap, a rare geological feature. Canal Lock Trail (0.4 miles/.6 km) begins at the visitor center and crosses the James River on a walkway beneath the bridge. The restored Battery Creek Lock, located a short distance from the bridge, is typical of those constructed in the 1800s as part of the James River and Kanawha Canal. This canal, with nearly 100 locks, helped make the river a major transportation corridor before the Civil War. Exhibits at the Battery Creek site explain how locks were used to raise and lower boats to adjust for the changing elevation of the river.
$30 / night
The famed Blue Ridge Parkway is right outside your door (or tent flap) at this KOA. Scenic hikes, waterfalls, caverns, ATV trails and historic sites lie within an easy drive down one of America's most picturesque roads, which winds along the backbone of the Appalachian Mountains. Highlights include Natural Bridge, the James River and Peaks of Otter near Bedford. Historic Lexington, Appomattox and Lynchburg keep history buffs enthralled. After a day exploring the area's beauty/heritage, this KOA offers you level RV sites, tent areas and Camping Cabins. Kids are delighted by free train rides and mini golf, hayrides and a catch-and-release fishing pond. Pool: Memorial Weekend - Labor Day Weekend. Max pull thru: 80 feet. Your hosts: the Boswell family.
$39 - $241 / night
Sherando Lake Recreation Area's Family Campground provides an ideal camping destination. It is situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains and is known locally as the jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where visitors enjoy hiking, picnicking in the shade, fishing in the lakes, or swimming and relaxing on the sandy beach.
The 25 acre Lower Lake offers opportunities for swimming in a designated area with a sand beach, accessible ramp to the water's edge, and a beach bathhouse with changing and shower facilities. Fishing and boating are also available outside the designated swimming area of the lake. Fishing is in stocked trout waters during the spring and fall seasons. Visitors will need to have the appropriate Virginia fishing license, National Forest stamp, and trout stamp. Boats with gasoline motors are not permitted on the lower lake - electric troll motors, canoes, kayaks, or similar boats only. A hand-carry ramp is available for access to the lake adjacent to the parking area. Fishing only is available at the 7 acre Upper Lake. This lake is also stocked during the spring and fall seasons and the appropriate licenses are required. Boats are allowed, but there is no launch access - hand carry only. Parking is available at a small area below the group camp area and a walking trail will lead you to the lake. Swimming is not allowed in the upper lake. Hiking trails surround the area offering everything from a short walk around the lake on the Lakeside and Cliff Trails to a day hike up the mountain on the White Rock Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway. For the more adventurous hiker, more challenging day hikes and backpacking trips are available by heading up the Blue Loop Trail to the Torry Ridge Trail to Bald Mountain and beyond.
The campground sits between Lower Sherando Lake and Upper Sherando Lake at an elevation of about 1,800 feet in the shadows of Torry Ridge. The Upper Lake is 7 acres and is fed by the waters of the North Fork of Back Creek. The Lower Lake is 25 acres and is fed by springs, the North Fork of Back Creek, and Williams Branch, so the water stays refreshingly cool all summer long.
There are opportunities for gas, groceries, and firewood at convenience stores and local vendors along the state road to Sherando Lake. Ice can be purchased at the Sherando Lake Visitor Center during operating hours, which vary seasonally. Additional supplies can be obtained in Stuarts Draft, about a 15 minute drive away.The Blue Ridge Parkway, with its scenic overlooks and ridgetop views, is a short 3 mile drive up State Route 664 from the Sherando Lake entrance. The Wintergreen Resort offers a golf course and ski area within 10 miles of Sherando Lake. Cabin rentals are available near Sherando Lake from local private vendors.
$32 / night
Canoe Landing Group Campsite (one primitive site) - There's a group site near the canoe landing. The site accommodates up to 42 people - no hookups, tents only. It's near a restroom and features a fire ring with a flip grill, picnic tables and a pedestal grill. There's a $30 fee for canceling a group-camping reservation.
$15 - $80 / night
Devils Backbone Camp is a 73 site campground featuring full hook up RV sites, standard, non-electric RV sites and tent camping. Within walking distance to the Devils Backbone Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows, Devils Backbone Camp offers you a unique camping experience like no other. Spend the afternoon hiking on the AT trail, grab dinner at the brewpub, and play corn hole in the Meadows. Experience the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the comfort of Devils Backbone.
$55 / night
Guide
This place has tons of activities for kids and teens. This place has a family feel to it.
Traveler
We had the absolute best time. It was so peaceful being by the creek and just relaxing. You are off the road of the national forest so cars come by but nobody bothers you and it stays quiet. Will definitely be back soon!
Guide
Went in August and it was very buggy, also had someone park pretty close which when I drive down a really long dirt road that is questionable for my van, i want it to be private and this was about 5 miles of dirt road to get to it.
Traveler
This is a very well maintained& clean campground. The owner is great and the camp host was very attentive. There is a good sized catch and release pond, we were at site#17 that was one site from the pond and not sure if you could see the water from#18 but the short walk to the pond is up a small hill/bunker like thing so there’s not a direct view of the water from#17 if that’s what you are looking for. There is a good play area and nice pavilion for groups and a smaller camping area down from the bathhouse. We have a 22’ TT, but I imagine the turn into the campground with a large motorhome would need some consideration for the driver to take their time. The drive to Smith Mountain Lake is not bad. The entry road off of RT 40 is at an angle, not a 90 degree turn so if you are coming from the East, it’s at the top of the hill but more than a 90 deg turn, coming from the West on 40 it’s an easy turn but you can’t see the traffic coming up the hill so be careful. There’s a convenience store, Penhook store, on 40 and it does have some raw and frozen meats, bait, ice, charcoal and the other basic store stuff. We came from the West and Rocky Mount has a Kroger and Wak-Mart. Wi-Fi was standard campground speed, didn’t use the bathhouse,power and water presser were good, site could have been a bit more level but they may work on that over the winter. Check in was a breeze, directly to the site but still greeted and checked on by the host. Some full timers and seasonal trailers but they were in good shape and clean. September stay so still had mosquitoes and fresh stink bugs, yeah! Have fun!
GuideMultiple road sites that fit my van with room to spare - 80% were full on a beautiful fall Friday evening around 6pm but still snagged one
Traveler
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 for what I need👍
TravelerLess than 10 campsites, all with fire circles and a public bathroom site. each campsite is on the river, very beautiful.
ScoutLoved this little campground. Nice and quiet, toilets available (though not very clean but good enough). Only thing is that there’s a dog, we think from a property nearby, that acts aggressive towards campers. Luckily it went home around 18h, so we had a great night, but it was back the next morning and immediately had aggressive behavior. So watch out and be careful with your food!
Scout
My Rv sustained damage from a tree. The staff were awesome but the owner wasn’t. She wouldn’t even acknowledge me or say how sorry she was. Then she had me assigned to the worst site in the park. I have never been treated so terribly. She was only interested in her revenue and not the people.
Scout
Not sitting in a field!!! Pretty and quiet. Lovely
Scout
Staff were friendly campground was nice with shade pull throughs and fairly level.
Traveler
Nothing to write home about but it’s pretty. There’s a road that runs right in front that has some noise. Not all that different from most national forests, which isn’t bad.
Scout
Douthat is really four separate campgrounds. Three of them (i.e. not Whispering Pines) are located near the lake. Each one had a campground host (volunteer) and wood for sale.
White Oak Campground is larger, wooded, and has a significant elevation change between different sites. Caution should be used with large rigs as the low-water bridge to White Oak has steep approach and departure angles.
Beaver Dam Campground is relatively flat and similarly wooded while also providing equestrian facilities.
Lakeside Campground is smaller but the front row sites provide great lake views. Unfortunately swimming is only allowed in the Beach area which is not directly connected to this campground.
Whispering Pines is a few miles away along the entry road and has a different character. It’s a very flat and wide-open campground perfect for big RVs with much larger sites.
The Lakeside Camp Store is nice and has a to-go counter for food. The facilities, overall, were well maintained and clean. Firewood is for sale for $6 per bundle.
TravelerThunder BRidge is a unique property tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Near Natural Bridge State Park in Virginia, the campground was once a CCC camp. Now it is home to many quiet tent sites, screen cabins, log cabins, and even some fully furnished rental cabins.
The campground is about 60% wooded, the rest is open ground with buildings from the camp's earlier days. The open area includes several artists' studios. At one edge is a forest creek, great for wading.
The campground is mostly tenting sites and rustic cabins, but there are RV sites in the open area.
This is not a "resort" but you won't find a more beautiful, quiet campground!
ScoutAugust 31, 2024, Labor Day weekend camping trip. Spent a night here camping with my younger sister. She could only do one night, as she lives up north and had to be back up by Monday to go back to work on Tuesday. We arrived around 10:30am, we got everything set up before we ventured out. Very nice spot we found, very quiet except for nature. Best sounds ever. We visited the Natural bridge, which was about 20 minutes or so from the camp site. It did some light rain from around 8p til sometime after midnight, but stayed comfy and dry.
Traveler
Pretty much what a campground should be. Absolutely 0 service. No place to get ice if you’re out. Make sure you have a full tank of gas.
ScoutWe came for this site specifically but it was already occupied so we kept going down the road. Luckily there were 4-5 additional site & we got one for 3 nights. They are all lovely & creekside with fire pits & there is a hike at the end of the road that takes you to a gorgeous summit & links to AT!
Guide
Campsite was clean, campsite were close to other campsite. There are no showers. The staff were friendly and were able to help with all questions I had. They went above and beyond to help make you stay a good experience.
Traveler
Probably a great place to camp during the fall. During the summer they lease space to the 4-H club that teaches people to shoot black powder muskets for the civil war reenactments. From 8:30am until 3-5pm it sounds like a gun range. It’s not a shot here and there, its volleys of black powder guns (think cannons) being shot all at once. It echos off the water and is the opposite of peaceful. The ranger said it would only be for an hour a day, unless it was a competition day, well for the 5 days we were there it must have been competition. We ended up leaving the park during the day.
The sites are good. Most need lots of leveling help (bring spare wood!). The newer part has a nice bathhouse. The older part had a really old bathhouse. (So old it’s hard to tell if it’s dirty or just old.)
It’s not a bad place to visit. But combat veterans should avoid during the summer months.
The sites are nice. The ones in the newer area (laurel ridge) are close to the nice bathhouse. Both bathhouses have WiFi. No cell service to speak of. (We have Verizon but most of these places have none.)
Scout
Nice campground in line with expectations for most Virginia state parks. Verizon service is spotty 1 to 2 bars and unreliable data but with a directional cell booster we are able to get enough signal for our Verizon Jetpack to work
Guide
The staff is friendly and go out of there way to answer questions you may have. The camp site are spaced out good. They do have showers and rest rooms and water near your camp site. Can’t wait to visit again.
Scout
$150 per night is crazy. Nothing special about the campground except proximity to devils backbone. This is a parking spot in a field with no trees and the sewer likely on the wrong side. There are no amenities. We’ve stayed many times but plan to go elsewhere going forward.
Ranger
This campground was really great for a family with small children. There were events the entire time we were there and the staff were awesome. The only detractors were that our site (52) was tiny so it was a tad stressful having kids running around right beside the road, the smell of weed that was prevalent (not the campground’s fault) and the motorcycle noise from the nearby interstate.
Scout
The VA will need to Wear Together ❤️
Guide
Tina is a very nice lady! Camp in her house driveway, it is my first time, but quiet and safe neighborhood. We arrived very late evening, after nine o'clock. she help us hoop up the electricity and water.
It is a nice alternate campground!
Ranger
Awesome large spaces. Camped with 8 people/ 2 tents and had room for more if needed. Secluded enough but a lot to do. Will definitely return!
Traveler
For $43.24 we got a pull through site with full hookups. However, we had to disconnect shore power because we kept tripping the 50A service even when we turned our draw down to 30A. As we head into 2 weeks of sewerless sites, this made sense for us to stop, shower, laundry, and top up on power and water. If you don’t have that sort of limitation ahead, this gas station truck stop likely isn’t worth your money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Big Island, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Big Island, VA is Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA with a 4.6-star rating from 29 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Big Island, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 74 dog-friendly camping locations near Big Island, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
