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Pet-friendly camping near Breaks, VA spans primitive sites to full hookups with electric, water, and sewer connections, giving dog owners plenty of options across four distinct camping loops with tent, RV, and cabin sites. Dogs remain on leash while exploring the park's trails and common areas. Bathhouses stay extremely clean with immaculate facilities, making longer stays with pets comfortable. Several campers reference the abundance of wildlife in the park, including numerous deer that appear quite tame and comfortable around visitors. Campers traveling with dogs should be prepared for potential wildlife encounters during their stay.
The surrounding area provides numerous pet-friendly hiking opportunities with well-marked trails distinguished by colored blazes. Trails range from casual strolls to very difficult routes, with some taking 4-5 hours to complete. Park staff and camp hosts prove helpful with trail recommendations suitable for dogs. The landscape offers gorgeous mountain views with several overlooks providing excellent vantage points. Weather conditions can change rapidly in the mountains, so pet owners should bring appropriate gear for their animals. The nearest town with supplies is approximately 20 minutes away via winding mountain roads, requiring advance planning for pet food and supplies. Bears are active in the region, presenting an important consideration when camping with dogs in this remote Appalachian setting.
"Been caravaning with "Sister" campers this week, and Breaks was our final stop over."
"The Breaks are considered the “Grand Canyon of the south”. Great mountaintop views, hiking, geocaching, kayaking, paddle boats, a zip line, and seasonal white water rafting all available."
from $20 - $38 / night
Check Availability"There is no bath house, just a couple of porta potties surround by a structure with a handwashing station. The host informed us that a new bath house was in the works and coukd be open in November."
from $20 - $24 / night
Check Availability"Locating directly in the river makes it a very serene atmosphere. We enjoyed fishing and kayaking during our stay."
from $20 - $26 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $20 - $24 / night
Check Availability"The staff are very easy to work with - they will sell and chop the wood you need, let you put your tent in any of the open grass areas around the lot and they are flexible on arrival."
from $10 - $160 / night
Check Availability"The park’s along the lake and has hiking, birding, a restaurant, and a nice surprise: an open air theatre with shows outside all summer."
"I lived in the Dewey Lake-JWSP area with family members, until 2002. Currently, I live about 10-15 minutes away from JWSP and visit the park at least once a month, depending on the weather."
from $35 - $45 / night
Check Availability"This spot is very nice, close to the water’s edge (although no camping allowed lakeside). There’s quite a few rings, bear bins, and a porta-loo. We had the place to ourselves which was really great."
"I have camped at this location multiple times. There used to be portable potties and trash cans. No longer. Pack in pack out now. Regularly patrolled by officers who are fantastic."
ScoutBeautiful lake surrounded by gorgeous mountains, hiking, fishing and boating, amazing staff, very clean shower houses and laundry facility! Very family oriented and pet friendly!
GuideThis was my third visit to the NTSP - I really enjoy the camping, and the pool and Natural Tunnel are great fun. Each time I've camped in Lover's Leap, and all the sites are well spaced. Have stayed in #3 and #5, and #12 which is even more private. The restrooms and showers are always clean, and there is a nice laundry area as well. This trip we took a car ride to Big Stone Gap, a thriving little town about 30 minutes north of the park - it's a nice quiet but interesting town, with a nice dog park. Took a car ride to Gate City, south of the park - wouldn't recommend it. It's a city on it's way down. The short ride to the Blockhouse in the park is interesting, with nice views of the mountains. The ride and hike up and down to the tunnel is always fun. In the summers they light the tunnel one Saturday night each month, so it's worth trying to plan for that.
GuideThe views are spectacular, Camping with electric, water and showers was just a bonus to all the beauty around us and pet friendly. Great people all around and we felt so welcomed.
ScoutOverall; nice place, bathrooms get gross quickly when campground is at full capacity. Not handicap friendly. Good cell service, 4G. Small beach area, clear water for swimming, but have quite a few steps to walk down to the lake. Playground equipment was taken down, only had a couple of swings. All sites have electric and water, picnic table, two poles to hang garbage or lantern, also fire rings with grates for cooking on Pets allowed on leash. Firewood and ice available.
Attendant on site, not a ranger, maybe a "workamper?" Bathrooms cleaned only once in the midmorning. The commodes have a button to flush which is difficult to push. I think young children couldn't push it, so the toilets got nasty and full. Toilet paper ran out by early evening. There was no commode in the handicap stall in the women's room. Hot showers with regular handle for continual flow (as opposed to some places that only run a couple of minutes before you have to push the button again.
Most sites are shaded and grassy areas. Sites 7, 8, 26, 28, 31 are washed out, not good for putting up a tent. Lake surrounds campground but not visible through the trees. A few very steep trails from some sites down to the lake.
Beach is about 100 yds long. Water was clean and clear. It might be a slight challenge walking back up the steps to the parking lot if you're not in good shape. If you plan on hanging out at the beach area for awhile, I suggest bringing a beach tent, it gets hot. There is a drive way down to the beach for handicap access, but the gate was locked. There is a marina on the other side of the road. I believe you can rent a pontoon there.
While we were there, somebody with a super loud speed boat was racing around, so be aware that if you're wanting peace and quiet, there is boating noise. There was also a group of campers that had speakers set up and played their music Sat night that was annoying. Not super loud, but we just didn't care for their style of music. We tolerated it, but don't know why they weren't asked to turn it down. To me, music shouldn't be heard much past your own site.
It's about 5+/- miles in either direction for a store. There is an ice cream place about 2 miles away that also sells basic prep fried food and breakfast.
Our electric didn't work (site 33) but we were with another couple and plugged into theirs next to us. We usually primitive camp, but because of the Aug heat, it's nice to have a fan at night.
We might camp there again. The main thing is that the bath house needs to be updated and attended to more than once a day. It's better than nothing, but I'd rather go in an outhouse than see an overflowing toilet.
GuideThis spot is very nice, close to the water’s edge (although no camping allowed lakeside). There’s quite a few rings, bear bins, and a porta-loo. We had the place to ourselves which was really great. Camping is free, technically. (you need to purchase an Access pass from Virginia Wildlife for 4 dollars online, and add a camping authorisation to your account). The road was clear of Hurricane damage and very easy to get to. Would stay again!
ScoutIn nature, not to close together spots, affordable (20/night).
Im in a 25ft class c, always looking for a more nature forward spot, trees out my door. There’s phone service and Wi-Fi in some spots. A few will fit a larger rig, many will fit my size. A few are flat already and some will need leveling. Tons of sites, fewer ‘ideal’ ones but there will be something.
Trails right off the campground to walk around the park, not huge but nice. Close off the highway but no road noise.
Water available but not at your site(mostly, if you have an extension you you make some work) Electric at most sites.
Close to abingdon and Virginia creeper trail. Also close to a Target, makes a convenient stop.
LegendBeen caravaning with "Sister" campers this week, and Breaks was our final stop over. This is just an amazing park, full of history, great trails, friendly staff (with the exception of the manager at the Lodge!!) The climb up the mountain to get here is worth it. We were in campground A, the bath house was very nice h well cleaned. The sites are well marked with wide spaces. For pulling through or backing in. Trails are well marked at trail head & with colored blazes. Info boards are at most over looks so you know what you are looking at. Wildlife is not fearful of us, or the dogs.... lol!! We will definitely come back
LegendThis campground is minutes from Asheville, offering all urban amenities like nearby grocery, Starbucks, etc for last minute errands.
You share the campground with permanent residents, RV's, and primitive campers. Campsites are relatively flat but a little gravely. Sites are pretty close together but each one has a fire ring and picnic table.
You can't get any close to the water, being right on the French Broad River. Sling up a hammock for serious relaxation.
We enjoyed this campground as a large group and rented out 4 adjacent sites. Dogs are welcome. Firewood can be purchased, but we never saw anyone in the office so I would suggest bringing your own.
Bathrooms are at the front of the park, a 10-minute walk from the primitive sites. Bathrooms are not spotless, but they do the trick.
RangerThe Breaks are considered the “Grand Canyon of the south”. Great mountaintop views, hiking, geocaching, kayaking, paddle boats, a zip line, and seasonal white water rafting all available. A few miles from the campground you’ll even find river access with a sandy beach for summer fun. A wonderful getaway when you want to be away from it all. Several campground sections to choose from with primitive sites to full hookup with electric, water, and sewer. Dump stations are available also. There are laundry facilities and bathhouses (didn’t use either so not sure on condition), playgrounds, picnic shelters, cabins, and inns. Each campsite had a fire ring and picnic table. Spots are definitely not level, so bring a variety of blocks—you’ll need them. No outside lights at the sites so when it’s dark it’s d-a-r-k. Beautiful campground.
Breaks Interstate Park sits on the Virginia-Kentucky border at an elevation of approximately 1,600 feet with canyon walls that plunge up to 1,650 feet deep. The park is surrounded by the dense forests of the Cumberland Mountains where temperatures can vary significantly between seasons. The area offers multiple camping options ranging from well-developed campgrounds with full amenities to more remote sites that provide greater solitude.
Kayaking and canoeing on Dewey Lake: Located at Jenny Wiley State Park Campground, the lake provides boating opportunities for campers seeking water activities. "The fishing on Dewy Lake is awesome. The water is muddy a lot. But if you like catfishing, this is your Lake," notes David O.
Chairlift rides: Natural Tunnel State Park Campground offers a unique chairlift experience. "A hiking trail ran behind the cabins, past the campground to the tunnel. It is a great hike and even better when you use the ski lift going up. The tunnel is at the base of a massive rock and a train drives through it very slowly each day," shares Kim A.
Geocaching adventures: Several parks in the region offer geocaching opportunities. "Geocached here. If you don't Geocache, never heard of it, your in for a treat. It's like treasure hunting and you get to see some sights/facts/history you may have missed otherwise," explains Shelly S.
Clean facilities: At Thunder River Campground, facilities receive praise for their upkeep. "The owners and host are very nice, they even brought a trailer of firewood for campers to use over the weekend. The campground has wifi. RV sites have electric, water and sewer," reports Laura E.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Breaks Interstate Park Campground offers abundant opportunities to observe native species. "This is a very well maintained park, with many hiking and overlook opportunities. White tail deer are frequent, and very tame," says Carol J.
Outdoor theater experiences: Some parks feature unique entertainment options. "The park's along the lake and has hiking, birding, a restaurant, and a nice surprise: an open air theatre with shows outside all summer," Kim B. mentions about the performances at Jenny Wiley State Park.
Limited supplies nearby: Plan ahead for camping necessities as stores can be distant. "The things one must take into consideration is that you need to bring ANYTHING you might need for groceries and there is limited cell coverage for ATT," warns Eric W. at Breaks Interstate Park.
Off-season facility closures: Backwoods Camping & RV Park and other area campgrounds have seasonal schedules. "Several cabins, RV spots and grassy tent areas. The staff are very easy to work with - they will sell and chop the wood you need, let you put your tent in any of the open grass areas around the lot and they are flexible on arrival," notes J A.
Weather preparedness: Mountain conditions can change rapidly. "I spent a Friday night there in late June 2020. Most of the campers were in RVs. I found a site at the end of a cul-de-sac away from the other campers," shares Marc H., describing his experience finding a quieter spot during busy periods.
Swimming options: Several parks offer swimming facilities for families. "We spent the weekend with several families for the weekend of the Lord of the Fork race. Pros- beautiful setting along the river at the base of the mountains," Laura E. describes at Thunder River Campground.
Educational activities: Look for parks with interpretive programs. "This is a very well maintained park with many hiking and overlook opportunities. There is a pool and waterpark on site, and a gift shop and camp store," notes Carol J.
Pet-friendly trail selection: When camping with pets near Breaks, Virginia, choose appropriate trails based on difficulty. "Canoed Clinch River, caved in the park, and took a short guided hike through Stock Creek to backside of tunnel," reports Rob J. about pet-friendly camping activities at Natural Tunnel State Park.
Leveling requirements: Prepare for uneven terrain when setting up your RV. "Very scenic place!! We spent 6 nights here, hiked & biked a lot. Off season, so some of the amenities were closed. The campground itself isn't really all that great, prepare for some levelling," advises Bob M.
Water hookup positioning: Some campgrounds have unusual utility layouts. "Older campground but quit and peaceful. Not much to do. No WiFi no tv reception. Campsites are set up were the water hookups at in front of your camper. Bring long water hose," suggests Frances F.
Campsite selection strategies: At Lower Twin Campground (VA), careful site selection matters. "Great host, very clean. Has showers, boat ramp, hiking, etc. ONLY downfall about the place is SNAKES. Be on the lookout for copperheads and rattlesnakes!!!" warns cyndy B. about an important consideration when camping with pets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Breaks, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Breaks, VA is Breaks Interstate Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 24 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Breaks, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 41 dog-friendly camping locations near Breaks, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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