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Brigid K.
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TravelerFlag Rock Recreation Area Campground
Easy to get to, cheap, good bathrooms.
Tent Camping near St. Paul, VA
1 campground with availability next weekend
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Scattered throughout the forests and mountains surrounding St. Paul, Virginia, tent campers will find several primitive and established camping options within Jefferson National Forest and nearby state parks. Washington & Jefferson National Forest offers free dispersed tent camping with access to creeks and wooded surroundings, while Kingdom Come State Park Campground provides tent sites with picnic tables, fire rings, and food hangers to protect supplies from bears. These tent-friendly locations offer various amenities and levels of seclusion for overnight stays in southwestern Virginia's mountain terrain.
Tent sites in this region typically feature natural, ungraded surfaces with minimal site development. Most dispersed camping areas in Jefferson National Forest provide fire rings but lack drinking water, picnic tables, and toilet facilities, requiring campers to pack in all supplies and practice proper waste disposal. Kingdom Come State Park offers more amenities with toilets, trash service, and in some cases, free firewood provided by rangers. Some tent campgrounds experience significant road noise due to their location in valley areas, while others offer more secluded experiences. Campers should be prepared for variable conditions, including possible wildlife encounters, particularly bears in certain areas.
Sites along creeks provide natural water sources that can be filtered for drinking and cooling during summer months. The area offers excellent access to hiking trails, including connections to the Appalachian Trail and Virginia Creeper Trail for day hiking from tent campsites. Many tent camping areas have shaded sites under mature forest canopy, providing natural cooling during hot summer months. Areas farther from main roads offer greater seclusion but may require hiking gear in rather than parking directly at the site. A recent review noted, "Most of campsites are large, very shaded, and have at least one fire ring. A handful of sites have direct water access, and are more private." Cell service is limited or non-existent at most tent campgrounds in the region, creating a true disconnected wilderness experience for tent campers seeking to escape everyday connectivity.
Best Tent Campgrounds near St. Paul (20)
1. Cliffhanger Ranch Adventure Outpost
"Staying at The Cliffhanger Ranch places you in a quiet area surrounded by forests and a small downtown nearby, perfect for adventuring around a new area. "
"What makes this place great is that the entrance is directly across from the Jefferson National Forrest."
Check Availabilityfrom $20 - $35 / night
2. Royal Oak Campground — Hungry Mother State Park
"Most cabins also have covered porches, exterior picnic tables, and exterior fire rings. The Creekside Campground loop has water and electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings."
"It has 11 car camping platforms for tent only camping . There is no electric or water at each site. There is a bath house for the 11 sites."
Check AvailabilityCampground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $27 / night
3. Jefferson National Forest High Knob Campground
4. Moody Bluff Campground — Warriors' Path State Park
"Quiet neighbors. All around wonderful place to camp"
"updated bathhouses lots of shady sites sits on Patrick Henry Lake - no boat that’s ok rent paddle boats and kayaks at the Marina or just have lunch and watch the ducks on the water!"
5. Bellebrook Acres
Check Availabilityfrom $50 - $70 / night
6. Washington & Jefferson National Forest Dispersed Sites
"The Appalachian Trail and Virginia Creeper Trail are just minutes away, as well as some easy whitewater paddling fun on the White Top Laurel Creek."
"Only downside was the spot I set up camp was very close to the road and headlights from passing cars would light up the spot. However the road was quiet most of the night."
7. Kingdom Come State Park Campground
"This campground in the Kingdom Come State Park has about 6 or 7 sites, and they are primitive with no running water, but good pads, picnic tables, food hangers, shade from trees, and fire rings."
"There are 6 tent sites (7 if they allow you to reserve the one next to the duck pond), each with a gravel drive, mulch tent pad big enough for two smallish tents, fire ring, and picnic table."
Check Availabilityfrom $14 / night
8. Blackberry Blossom Farm & Campground
"There’s a covered outdoor space for small events, too. For me however, the huge draw is the natural beauty of the place."
"to get away to some quiet (NO traffic noises!) and decompress. Janice and Ed are the kindest, most considerate hosts you could imagine. "
Check Availabilityfrom $24 - $55 / night
9. Little Stony Creek Road Dispersed Area
"Stayed a night out here while traveling, scary narrow rocky trails, but beautiful streams and mountains"
10. Scales Trailhead Basecamp
"Once reaching the off road trail my partner got nervous, feeling as if our Forrester wouldn’t make it up. My advice… come prepared. I got. Flat on the way up and was able to make it to my campsite."
Drive Time
- 53 min from Kingsport, TN
- 1 hr 4 min from Johnson City, TN
- 1 hr 38 min from Morristown, TN
- 2 hrs 5 min from Beckley, WV
Recent Tent Camping Photos near St. Paul, VA
30 Photos of 20 St. Paul Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Cliffhanger Ranch Adventure Outpost
Kingdom Come State Park CampgroundS
Washington & Jefferson National Forest Dispersed Sites
Little Stony Creek Road Dispersed Area
Royal Oak Campground — Hungry Mother State ParkC
Misfit Farmz CampgroundS
Cavitts Creek ParkK
Blackberry Blossom Farm & Campgroundg
Scales Trailhead Basecamp
Tent Camping Reviews near St. Paul, VA
511 Reviews of 20 St. Paul Campgrounds
Windy W.
ScoutDoe River Landing
Beautiful Place, Ugly host, Oct 2026
Let me first start by saying that this campground is absolutely beautiful. I have lived in this area my entire life and the Doe is one of my favorites. I am a avid camper and have camped all over this area. I decided to give this place a try, I own a small pop-up camper and knew it was going to get cold 10/20/2026-10/22/2026, so me and my sister rented the RV at Doe River. #1 check in is not until 3pm, I always order a load of wood from a local guy who delivers to camp sites, I do all my cooking in a Dutch oven over the fire or burgers and dogs in the fire, what is a camping trip without a nice warm fire. The owner came over to my campsite and asked if I had ordered this wood and I replied yes, she then asked what I was going to do with it all, I replied I am going to burn it. So, I told Carl (the wood guy) where to stack it, the owner then said that I need to leave it in my truck bc if I didn't use it all I would have to put it back on my truck and take it home with me, I said really? It's just a unspoken rule that if you don't use all your wood that you pay it forward and leave it for the next camper?? She said absolutely not, So we moved the wood from his truck and into mine. She then asked again why I needed so much wood and that most ppl just buy small bundles from her. And just like that I understood! Carl the wood man and his wife also made a comment about how rude she was about the wood. It does not end there, Not only does she have camaras on some of the out blds which I get, but I don't get why they are pointing directly at camp sites, We felt like we were in a fish bowl the entire time. Every single time we went to the bathroom she showed up abt 5 mins later, There is a camara right above the bathroom door, One on the pavilion, and one on each side of the bathhouse, at the entrances and who know where else. So much for privacy in the great outdoors. I didn't even feel comfortable hiking, we felt like we were being watched constantly. She was constantly there, walking her dog which was not friendly and so big she could hardly control him on the leash which was really scary, she also was driving through several times throughout the day. Then came the kicker, about 1 o'clock in the morning we were freezing, I had turned the heat on in the camper before going to bed and heard it come on, Well the propane ran out between 11pm and 1am, I called her at least 10 times we had every blanket and was still freezing, We decided we would go to the bath house bc it had a mini split hanging on the wall, Out of luck there, it was set on air conditioning with no way to change it, so we found a blow dryer trying to get warm, still the entire time trying to call the owners, We finally ended up in our car until the husband arrived. He acted so annoyed at us and said all u have to do is fip the switch on the propane tanks outside! We had never stayed in a travel trailer before and according to them all we had to do was show up and start glamping!! So, I was supposed to know to go outside at 1 am and switch over propane tanks?? No, It should have been FULL when I got there!!! With attitude he said,"Its Basic Camping" No sir it's not, what I do is basic camping, I was told on the phone that I was glamping, She, the owner also said we should have called 911 when we could not get hold of them so that Carter County police officers could come and wake them up!!! Not sure if that is putting our tax dollars to good use?? Like I said it is truly a beautiful place and has great potential, we left that second night at 11pm because again the heat was not working, we have not asked for any refund we just took the loss. it would be to much of a hassle. We just know better next time. With owners like that they can keep it. Windy Wells/Debra Price
Bonnie H.ScoutDoe River Landing
Kylie T & Andrew W. Review not accurate
My husband and I arrived at Doe River Landing for 3 nights and enjoyed everything the resort offered. While there we read the 2 reviews posted by Kylie T, and by Andrew W, who gave the resort a 1 star rating. Not knowing the facts that caused the rating by them, and occurred prior to us, we approach the owner and asked.
The owner showed us videos from their security cameras. These adults has stated in Kylie T review and confirm by Andrew W review that they were a group of 20 adults and "every single one of us is over 21 and family". So why are these adults playing "hide and seek" under the pavilion as they stated? Andrew W stated, "It was not blocked off", yet they had to crawl on the ground and around bushes to get under the pavilion. When the owner yelled at them approximately 10 adults that were under the pavilion crawled out which was captured on the security cameras. Andrew W stated in his review the owner called them hooligans, which is rowdy, destructive persons and from the security cameras, that description is correct. There was no mention of damages in their reviews such as the Adirondack chair they broke or possible damage to the water pipes and electric wires under the pavilion, which the owner was currently checking.
Once we read these two reviews by Kylie T and Andrew W and saw the owners security videos, we felt future customers deserved to know another opinion based on our findings.
These entitled adults justified their review of a 1 star by stating they paid money to use the campground.
I would ask these adults "why do you think it is OK to treat someone else's property in this destructive way?"
Kyle T.ScoutDoe River Landing
Unprofessional hosts that ruins a place with good potential
We brought our whole family out and rented almost every cabin on the property, plus the event center, for the weekend— we gave this place a lot of business. And honestly, the stay itself was great— nice place, no complaints about the cabins. The owner is the problem. He came flying in in his blue F-150 doing 20–30 mph where the posted speed limit is 5, and started screaming at us over something that could've been handled with a simple conversation. His exact words:"Where are your parents? This is a family establishment. I will not have hooligans running around here." Every single one of us is over 21 and family. All we were doing was playing hide and seek— which isn't against any of the property's rules— and there were no other guests to disturb, since we had the entire area rented. He still threatened to call the police, even though it wasn't even quiet hours. Before anyone could get a word in, he peeled out so fast the gravel sprayed up at us and our cars. Then on his way out he drove the wrong way down the property's one-way road, so apparently the rules only apply to guests. It's sad, because the property itself is great, and we were never anything but nice to the owners the whole weekend. To be treated in such an unprofessional manner— screamed at, threatened, and never given so much as an apology afterward— put a real dent in the weekend. We won't be back
- AAndrew W.Scout
Doe River Landing
Beautiful place ruined by unprofessional ownership
Our group of about 20 rented nearly every cabin at Doe River Landing for my friend's wedding weekend, with the reception held on site. The cabins were nice and well-equipped, and the only other guests were in a cabin half a mile away through the woods. Unfortunately, the hosts ruined the stay. One night, some of us were playing hide and seek in an area that wasn't blocked off or against any rule. The host's husband came speeding in at roughly 30 mph(the posted limit is 5), jumped out of his truck screaming that he"will not have child hooligans running around the campground," told us to"go back to the motel we crawled out of," and demanded to see our parents— despite all of us being adults in our twenties. He then peeled out so aggressively he sprayed gravel at us and our cars. It wasn't even quiet hours, and we weren't disturbing anyone. Afterward, the host called us again, passive-aggressive, and questioned our ages— even though you have to be 21 just to rent a cabin there. The property is lovely, but the hosts' behavior put a real damper on what should have been a joyful wedding celebration. It's a shame they treat people paying good money this way. We won't be back.
Juliana J.
RangerWashington & Jefferson National Forest Dispersed Sites
Epic Spot Near Iron Mountain and Rush Trails
I wandered a bit and took a left up a gravel road near where the sites indicated were located and just drove for a few miles. Found an awesome spot with a fire pit and lush surroundings. The road was unpaved (but as are all to the best spots) and there were definitely some large rocks and potholes to navigate. Would suggest higher raised vehicle. Saw nobody else and felt like I had my own slice of paradise.
- April V.
GuideLakeview RV Resort
Nice little campground
Clean nice little campground for the weekend.
- Kim H.Guide
Breaks Interstate Park Campground
Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful!
We camped in pull-thru A43. The site is decently level and spacious. The other campers were very friendly. The bath house was modern and clean.
There was so much to do here! We ventured out to most of the overlooks; the views were breathtaking! There were plenty of hiking opportunities on trails from easy to difficult. Kayaks also were available for rent.
There is a hotel in the park, but it's far enough from the campgrounds (A, B, C, and D) that the guests don't bother the campers.
I can't imagine how glorious this place must be in the fall!
David P.ScoutWoodsmoke Campground
Wooded Getaway
This is a nice wooded campground with nice shelters next to most campsites. Bathrooms were clean. Check in was easy. Owner did not require a deposit, made reservations by phone. I did have to change the check in time and communicated with owners easily. Gates close around dark so late check in is not possible. Only negative feedback I have is that owner requested not to use the campground bathrooms if fully hooked up and bathrooms are for tent camping purposes. This was not explained or advertised prior to reservations. Im paying for the convenience of not using my black tanks. Overall would stay here again.
Guide to St. Paul
Tent campers in southwestern Virginia find both free dispersed sites and established campgrounds throughout the densely forested hills around St. Paul. The region sits within the Appalachian Plateau at elevations ranging from 1,500-3,000 feet, creating moderate summer temperatures that average 10-15 degrees cooler than nearby lowland areas. Road access varies significantly between locations, with some campgrounds requiring high-clearance vehicles to navigate unpaved forest roads.
What to do
Hiking to waterfalls: Little Stony Creek Road Dispersed Area provides access to scenic waterfall trails. A visitor noted: "Stayed a night out here while traveling, scary narrow rocky trails, but beautiful streams and mountains."
Kayaking nearby lakes: Cliffhanger Ranch Adventure Outpost offers convenient lake access. As one camper explained: "What makes this place great is that the entrance is directly across from the Jefferson National Forrest. There we were able to kayak at Bark Camp Lake which was not busy at all and hike at Little Stoney Falls."
Wildlife viewing: At Kingdom Come State Park Campground, bear sightings are common but generally safe. A camper reported: "We saw a bear across the valley, so take the warnings seriously and follow the instructions."
Trout fishing: Stocked ponds and streams are available at several campgrounds within 30 minutes of St. Paul. One reviewer at Kingdom Come mentioned: "If you like fishing there is a small lake which is regularly stocked with Trout. Bass, Blue Gill, Sunfish, and a few others. It's just a short walk from the campsites."
What campers like
Natural water access: Many tent sites offer creek-side locations. At Washington & Jefferson National Forest Dispersed Sites, a camper shared: "We got lucky and parked right next to a swimming hole, had a gorgeous swim and enjoyed our time. No service, off-grid, really lovely."
Remote locations: Several campgrounds provide true isolation from crowds. One camper at Washington & Jefferson noted: "We stayed at this camp for 3 weeks during the pandemic shutdown and it was a perfect place to ride out this crazy storm and decompress from some anxiety."
Ranger assistance: Some established campgrounds offer unexpected amenities. A Kingdom Come visitor explained: "The local ranger was most helpful in providing firewood (free!) and offering to bring us water to wash up with or for drinking."
Mountain views: The best tent camping near St. Paul, Virginia includes ridge-top views. At Scales Trailhead Basecamp, a camper appreciated: "Our favorite parts are the beautiful views, wild ponies, & it's (usually) relatively quiet!"
What you should know
Road conditions: Many dispersed sites require appropriate vehicles. A Scales Trailhead reviewer warned: "The road in is....rocky. High clearance 4wd needed. Not ADV friendly, unless you're very adventurous."
Bear safety: Food storage is crucial at the best tent camping locations near St. Paul. A Kingdom Come visitor advised: "The campground has 7 sites each with its own picnic table, fire ring, and pole for stashing your food away from bears."
Site preparation: Some areas have challenging terrain for tent setup. At Cavitts Creek Park, a tent camper suggested: "Bring a hammer or find a rock to hammer your tent stakes in because the ground where you would want to pitch a tent is mostly rock."
Site selection timing: Proximity to water affects site availability. As one Washington & Jefferson visitor observed: "A handful of sites have direct water access, and are more private" requiring earlier arrival to secure these premium spots.
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly water activities: Look for shallow creek areas for safe play. At Blackberry Blossom Farm & Campground, families appreciate that sites are "near a small babbling creek" perfect for young children to explore.
Campground amenities: Some locations offer unexpected comforts. A Blackberry Blossom visitor highlighted: "I found the dishwashing station (with hot water!) to be especially convenient."
Safety considerations: Choose established campgrounds for more security. One Blackberry Blossom camper noted: "If you're looking to enjoy your time in pristine wilderness of the Appalachian mountains yet want a CLEAN bath house and safe environment, this is the spot."
Trail difficulty assessment: Check trail ratings before heading out with kids. At Cliffhanger Ranch, a camper recommended the "hike at Little Stoney Falls" as manageable for families with older children but noted some steep sections.
Tips from RVers
Space limitations: Most tent-focused sites can't accommodate larger RVs. At Cavitts Creek Park, a visitor observed: "The RV parking was a gravel lot with large RVs packed in tight."
Site terrain challenges: Even established campgrounds can be difficult to navigate. A Cavitts Creek reviewer explained: "The tent sites were spaced a decent distance apart. Most were treed and had some shade during the day."
Dump station availability: Few campgrounds in the area offer full hookups. Cavitts Creek Park is an exception, with one camper noting it has a "sanitary-dump" station for RVs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent
campsite near St. Paul, VA?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near St. Paul, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near St. Paul, VA is Cliffhanger Ranch Adventure Outpost with a 5-star rating from 2 reviews.
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tent camping near
St. Paul, VA?
What is the best site to find tent camping near St. Paul, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near St. Paul, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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