Are you an equestrian lover who prefers a more rustic experience when you visit Catawba? Equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. You're sure to find the perfect site for your Virginia horse camping excursion.
Campground and Cabins: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/staunton-river#cabins_camping
This recreation area is part of John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir
5 Acres of private property.1 minute away from the boat ramp. A few Miles walk to Buffalo Springs park .At Kerr Lake V A.RV parking.Kyacking.Canoeing.Boating.Hikeing.Trail riding.GolfCart.4miles to Historic Clarksville VA . On the lake.
$22 - $53 / night
Red Oak Campground (30 sites, RedOakEW40ft)
Electric and water hookups; the sites are shaded and can accommodate various equipment (tents, pop-ups and RVs) up to 40 feet. The sites have large tent pads and wide driveways for bump-outs.
All sites have electric pedestals, which have 20, 30 and 50 AMP outlets. Campsites have fire-ring grills, one picnic table and a lantern hanger. Full-service bathhouse with hot showers and wash sink for dishes; the bathhouse has four unisex showers, one of which is universally accessible. Coin laundry facility, two washers and dryers Showers are for campers only
All equipment must be set up within site borders. Tent pads are about 15 by 24 feet.
Two vehicles are allowed per campsite. A parking fee is charged for additional vehicles, which must park in designated areas. Guests visiting campers must pay a daily parking fee, park in designated areas and leave by 10 p.m.
A dump station is free for overnight camping guests; non-overnight guests must pay a small fee to use the dump station.
A boat launch is free for overnight guests.
Firewood is available for a small fee; fire starters are available at the contact station and visitor center.
Keep pets on a leash no longer than six feet when outside, and keep pets inside at night.
$35 / night
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the park features rolling grasslands, quiet forests and beautiful views, as well as 3 miles of shoreline along the James River. Visitors can hike, bike, canoe, kayak, fish or tent camp on the banks of the historic river or at Branch Pond
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
Traveler
Spent 4 nights here (during a heat wave, no less) and really enjoyed it. Campsites are large and not right on top of each other, and especially if you can book one of the campsites that are on the water, they really do have beautiful views (see pictures).
Pros:
Kid-friendly. We spent an afternoon at the splash pad, which is a great way to cool off in the summer and free once you're in the park. I never felt unsafe with my kids running around up to the bath-house or the loop, felt very secluded and safe.
Lake is scenic, we saw fireflies at dusk, it was a great setting for a camping trip.
Everything seems pretty well-maintained. Bathrooms are aging but were cleaned at least once a day, it was fine. There is firewood at every bathhouse you can take on the honor system and pay for via cashbox, which is nice. Campsites are clean and well-maintained.
Lots of lake recreation options (boat rental, fishing, etc.) in or near the park.
Cons:
Maybe it was just our campsite, which backed up to a large wooded area, but they were the most aggressive squirrels I've ever come across. If we went to the bathroom for five minutes and left food on the table, the squirrels would be there eating it when we came back. And would hover at the edge of the campsite or get into the car if the hatchback was open.
Camp store is....fine, pretty minimal in terms of provisions. But not a big deal because Clarksville is five minutes or so away and has plenty of stores.
Tents pads are all gravel. Didn't bother us but definitely would not want to tent camp here if you didn't have a good high-quality sleeping pad.
The biggest con was that there is no swimming area/beach in the park. You can try to wade in from the campsite but that generally requires scaling up/down some fairly treacherous rocks, and navigating driftwood and rocks in the water. We drove a few minutes away outside the park to find one, but would be really nice to have some kind of little swimming area inside the park, very strange to me they don't have one.
But all in all a lovely place for a camping trip, we all had a great time.
Scout
He never responded to the reservation request or my email. Dont waste your time, find somewhere else.
GuideThis is a real gem in the woods . I have no idea why it is listed as closed when it is open and very nice. Call them to book a site as the apps will not let u
Ranger
The campground needs some updating- there’s only one bathhouse with just 2 showers- if the campground would’ve been full, it would’ve been miserable. Also only one dumpster and it’s on the way out of the campground. BUT it’s a designated dark sky park & the stars were amazing. They also lend out telescopes. They also have nice walking trails & if you like to paddle, the river is nice & flat. There is little to no cell service.
ScoutNice well kept park and campgrounds. Most of the sites looked pretty level. Sites in B are small and mostly have deep drop offs beyond the railroad ties. Sites are a little more spread out in C but still pretty small. But plenty of oversite parking. Both campgrounds very wooded. Beware there are LOTS of squirrels and not too afraid of humans. If you have dogs like we do that hate squirrels they drove them nuts- squirrels running around in our campsite and up trees in our campsite. And while walking around. They also climbed on a small table right next to the rv door and shredded my paper towels! Lots of areas to walk. Campground C had only two clean bath houses with only two toilets and two showers. Which I imagine with the many no hookup sites could get pretty busy.
LegendThis is a pretty standard campground. Sites are extremely close together and campground is kind of tiny. One bathhouse for the whole campground. This park would probably appeal to equestrians, boaters, and RVers over tent campers. Unfortunately the promixity of other campers was stressful this weekend because of the screaming family right next to us. River views are nice. Probably won’t return.
GuideWe stayed in a tent, and enjoyed the quiet and the bird, but especially the skies. This is part of the International Dark Sky Association. We brought stargazing folding chairs (Nemo Stargaze Luxury Recliner, find on Amazon, et al) and binoculars. The campground will loan very easy-to-use telescopes, too! That was really cool. It was clean and quiet. The camp host was very nice as were the rangers and the Park Manager.
They have public star parties there, so check with the park on when they are.
Guide25 ft motorhome fit nicely into
Site, very wooded nice and peaceful, showers clean and within walking distance
LegendI camped at this campsite in the fall last year and the colors as I drove in from the main road were stunning. Very clean and well maintained campsite, with lake front sites. There were spots for tents and longer ones for large rigs. There were also Yurts to rent to stay as well. Clean bathroom facilities. I fishing from my kayak and had a very relaxing stay here.
ScoutVery nice place to walk and lots of sight seeing close by and shor t walk or drive to the water
ScoutOne mile walk to Buffalo park a beautiful place with lots of history. I love it .Great day for a picnic .
GuideNice camping. Great programs. Beautiful scenery.
GuideNice park. Huge lake. Peaceful fishing. Enjoyed the hikes. History is interesting.
GuideThis state park was a great find on my way south, Off the beaten path with plenty of river frontage and ponds around.
There are plenty of places to fish! The ponds are full for Largemouth Bass and Bluegills, The river has plenty of fish in it too! Only thing is, if it just rained the current will be pretty quick.
There is camping sites all around the park, Some with water frontage, There are bathrooms, fire pits and picnic tables at the sites. I camped along the James river in a pull in spot and had a great time!
Little cell service there but the radio came in fine, There are some bumpy trails and paths within the park but I recommend you check out the pond on the first right turn after you leave the front entrance. Beautiful gazebo overlooking the pond with picnic tables.
Guide/wo areas to camp B is small and sedate with clean bath house. Camp host was the best Camp C is larger and some sites are close to the water. No camp store.
TravelerI stayed at Occoneechee state park and was pleasantly surprised by not only the staff but the whole park. I stayed at campsite B and was right by bathroom which I thought would be a problem but didn’t bother me and it was honestly nice in the middle of the night. You could see the water through the trees however if you’re up for the hike; follow the trail and the campsite located at the end of the loop and the trail will take you to the water for a beautiful view… if you go to the right and hike around you’ll find a wood chair that you can rest on if you would like. (the one that wasn’t burnt down by irresponsible campers) hiking on, if you cross the trees that are down and a little water there is a rock that sit and allows you to get a private and breathe taking view.
LegendWe camped here again at Staunton River State Park, this time we stayed in site 21, which is an electric site near the bathrooms/showers and one of the best for viewing stars. There is little tree cover and a sort of field behind the campsite where you can set up your telescope and see the stars really well. We were also able to rent one of the telescopes they have at the Visitors center (for free!) and use it throughout the stay.
We came the weekend after the fourth of July which was hot but surprisingly not too crowded. We participated in some of the parks' programs this time around and it made it such a great experience, especially for the kids. They had smores around the fire on a Friday night, where they handed out smores ingredients around a big campfire near the visitors center and you could chat with other campers. It was so nice! Then they had a outdoor movie afterwards. The next day we went to a "feed the animals" program, where the kids got to meet and help feed all the animals in the visitors center and learn more about them. There were turtles, snakes, fish! The kids loved it! We did the Junior Ranger hike and the kids all got badges. Hopefully the pool will be open next summer because it was so hot and that would have been awesome! But there is another Virginia State Park nearby, Occoneechee, that has a splash pad that we went to. Such a fun time!
TravelerMy husband and I love this park. Small campground only 2 loops. We like to go during the off season when there are less families. If you like star gazing the park is one of very few that is a certified dark sky park.
ScoutJames river very good river to kayak. Lots of trails and wide open fields to look at stars. I would highly recommend this state park.
GuideWe had a great weekend here. Enjoyed outdoor movie on Friday. Park rangers had great kids programs including animal feeding frenzy where we learned about snakes and turtles and we invoked in feeding. Also lots of any pelts to learn about. Park is part of international Darksky Association, great for stargazing and viewing. Telescopes for rent. Great water access for kayaking . Sites were nice and level with some having separate area for tent/camper and terrace for picnic table and fire ring.
GuideThis was a great campground. We were tent camping, so the humidity was a bit rough the first week of June. The camp sites were very well maintained and the bathrooms were clean, although lacking some hot water for showers. The camp site map can be a bit confusing as the colors don't always match, which can be misleading for getting a site on the water. I suggest getting a site specific site to guarantee your spot on the water. The bugs were a bit much, but manageable. The splash pad was a great option for kids, but could get a bit crowded mid afternoon on the weekend. There are plenty of boat launches; not much good shore fishing in off season, but boaters seemed to be doing well. Most, if not all the sites, were very well shaded and most were very good in size. Overall great campground with plenty to offer.
GuideThe sites were very generous in size - not cramped at all! Sites were partially shaded and backed up to woods. Lots of beautiful hiking/biking/equestrian trails to explore. Bathrooms were very clean and nice. Bundles of firewood sold $7 each. Nice fire ring at each site. Pet friendly. Will definitely return!!
GuideWe stayed a few years ago during Arbor Day so we helped plant trees. That was fun. Even better was the stargazing they offered.
GuideIt was absolutely beautiful. They claim to be a very dark camp ground at night and they were right. Stars every where!
Camp ground was very clean and we'll maintained. Each camping area has a Camp ground Host that would help you out if you had questions. What a great experience we had!
RangerMy gkids and I stayed here one night because they wanted to earn a winter camping badge and it was so worth it! We were there on a beautiful chilly clear night and the sky and stars were amazing! If you love stargazing this is the park for you. It is an International Dark Sky Park. There is a large open field by the park check in and store. The park offers rentals of telescopes too. They also have a nature learning lab, some cool animals, and a fantastic gift shop. This was our first time here and we are definitely going back. Since we only stayed one night we didn't get to explore the park much but it looks fantastic and we can't wait to go back some time this summer. The gkids brought their bikes and loved riding around the park. It was rather empty since it was still technically winter. The showers were hot and the bathrooms were clean. The rangers were nice and helpful. I can't wait to see this park in the summer in all of its lush and leafy splendor.
LegendWe stayed in Cabin #3 and it was perfect. It’s a 3BR/2BA spacious cabin, wooded and lakeside. Great sunsets and nice big deck (some areas of the porch are covered, and have rocking chairs). Kitchen is equipped with microwave, toaster, coffee pot, water glasses, coffee mugs, plates, bowls, utensils, can opener, etc. If you have the space to pack them, I recommend bringing a couple of your own pots and pans; limited options there. Bring your own dish towels, dish rags, linens (including pillowcase if you don’t have room to pack your own pillow), towels/wash rags, etc. We loved the coziness of this cabin without the cramped feeling. High ceilings, open floor plan, and fireplace were lovely. The bundle of complimentary wood was very nice. 🪵🔥
Next time we tent camp we will definitely stay in Campground C where the sites are RIGHT on the water. Check out spaces 25-31, my personal faves. Since with these sites you’re kind of out in the open, I wouldn’t book these in the heat of the summer. The wooded sites in Campground B looked really nice and well-spaced. It was closed about halfway in, so we couldn’t see all of the sites. It looks like some of them might be wooded with water views. Would be nice and shady🌲
We hiked the Plantation Trail, a large historical site that was once a homestead. Mellow, family-friendly walk with a cemetery, historical markers, and an old chimney. Lots of old growth - from the gigantic boxwoods (hundreds of years old) to the wild daffodils growing in the woods. 🌼🌳
On our last day, we paddled around Bugg’s Lake. Used the boat launch near the office - nice place to put in. The whole trip we saw lots of birds, squirrels, deer, and raccoons. Occoneechee is a spacious park with lots of day-use facilities. Would be a great place for socially distant outdoor gatherings 💚. Lots more trails to visit when we come back! 🛶🥾
Oh, and the campground has a few yurts that have excellent “backyard” wooded views! There’s also a good bit of space between them. Lots of porch space, too. 🛖
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Catawba, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Catawba, VA is Staunton River State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Catawba, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 5 equestrian camping locations near Catawba, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
