Searching for a tent camping spot near Charlottesville? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Search nearby tent campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
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
Camping Lake Anna Campground offers sites with and without water and electric hookups, centrally located restrooms with hot showers, fire-rings, picnic tables and lantern holders. Half the sites may be specifically reserved; the rest are assigned upon arrival. A table showing site-specific sites can be found here (PDF). Click here for pictures of the sites. Bunkhouse One bunkhouse - No weekly requirement. The park rents a camping lodge (bunkhouse) that's next to the bathhouse in the north camping loop. The bunkhouse is not a full-service lodge. The north loop's bathhouse includes the only restroom facilities for your stay. It's a two-room trailer with seven bunk beds, a refrigerator, a microwave oven, a coffee pot and an air conditioner. The bunkhouse also has a charcoal grill and deck outside. Cooking and smoking are not permitted inside the lodge. Five vehicles are permitted with rental of the lodge; the daily parking fee must be paid for additional vehicles. Yurts Recreational yurts are a modern adaptation of an ancient nomadic shelter. Functionally speaking, it's a cross between a tent and a cabin. Lake Anna has four yurts in the back section of the campground and tucked neatly into a wooded area for privacy and extra shade. Each yurt has a large wooden deck and includes a ground-level picnic pad with a picnic table, fire-ring and separate cooking grill. Reservations are required. Parking for two cars per yurt is at the beginning of the "yurt village," and carts are available for moving items from there to the yurts on a gravel trail. Those with more than two vehicles must pay a daily parking fee and park in overflow lots located throughout the campground. Check-in is 4 p.m. and checkout is 10 a.m. The rental season begins on the first Friday in March and ends on the first Sunday in December. Cabin rental and cancellation policies apply. There is a two-night minimum rental during the rest of camping season.
Camping reservations are highly recommended, and all campgrounds are site-specific - call 1-800-933-7275. The park has five campgrounds. Three of them, Branch Pond, Walnut Grove and Canoe Landing, are open year-round for primitive camping. There are primitive restrooms at those campgrounds. Drinking water is unavailable in the primitive campgrounds, but potable water is available at five of the six picnic shelters. Canoe Landing is the only campground on the river. Please note that primitive sites do not have electricity.
$15 - $18 / night
Camping reservations are highly recommended, and all campgrounds are site-specific - call 1-800-933-7275. The park has five campgrounds. Three of them, Branch Pond, Walnut Grove and Canoe Landing, are open year-round for primitive camping. There are primitive restrooms at those campgrounds. Drinking water is unavailable in the primitive campgrounds, but potable water is available at five of the six picnic shelters. Canoe Landing is the only campground on the river. Please note that primitive sites do not have electricity.
Branch Pond - Seven primitive sites in a wooded area about two miles from the river (BranchPondPrimTent). Tents only. Each site has a tent pad.
$15 - $18 / night
Retreat in our forest! Great for couples, families, and groups! No camping gear? No problem. Sites are stocked with kitchen essentials including dishes, utensils, pots and pans, a grill with propane, insect screen, chairs, hammocks, and much more! We have games you can borrow and a recreation area. Just bring a tent, sleeping bag, and food.
Come enjoy Warren Ferry Landing, our expansive and shaded property just steps from the James River! Our property boasts 400+ feet of river frontage for you to enjoy and you can swim, fish, or even launch a canoe directly from our sites. There are TWO available camping sites on this property.
About the property
Our property is located adjacent to the historic Warren Ferry crossing of the James River. This is one of two historic ferry crossings near Scottsville, VA! The other, Hatton Ferry, is located a little bit down river from this location.
Our property is only 8 miles from Scottsville so if you need to pop into town for something you forgot it is quite easy. There are many other activities that you can partake in nearby or on our property. There is fishing, swimming, hiking, and kayaking all within easy reach of our property.
We do not live onsite but we aim to be easily reachable over the phone or text. If you have any questions before or during your stay please don’t hesitate to reach out. Keep in mind that during the night it is possible to hear some train activity from across the river.
$21 - $60 / night
I grow mushrooms and sell them at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market. The camping area is about an acre and is beside the house. Park under a canopy of red cedar trees which are bug resistant so very few mosquitoes. Two fireplaces, first come first serve. No neighbors yet close to Harrisonburg. Free firewood. No curfews. Tent camping and conversion vans only. No RV's.
$25 - $30 / night
Braley Pond Day Use Area is a very popular access to multiple trailheads including Ramsey's Draft Wilderness. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy this universally accessible area perfect for family picnics, or plan to stay overnight in the adjacent dispersed camping site.
Back-country Permit Required - https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/bc-permit.htm
Each year thousands of people spend a night or more in the Shenandoah’s backcountry. While visitors seek the backcountry for isolation, the cumulative actions of everyone in these areas can have dire effects on the resources we seek to enjoy. We can mitigate these effects by following Leave No Trace principles, as well as observing park backcountry regulations. The following regulations exist to keep Shenandoah's wilderness wild and untrammeled for you and for future generations of hikers and campers.
A free back country camping permit is required: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/bc-permit.htm
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!
Each year thousands of people spend a night or more in the Shenandoah’s backcountry. While visitors seek the backcountry for isolation, the cumulative actions of everyone in these areas can have dire effects on the resources we seek to enjoy. We can mitigate these effects by following Leave No Trace principles, as well as observing park backcountry regulations. The following regulations exist to keep Shenandoah's wilderness wild and untrammeled for you and for future generations of hikers and campers.
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.
Scout
The tent sites are ON TOP of each other. No trees. Zero seclusion. This is an rv resort.
Scout
Loved 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.
Legend
Present! Lytle noise..
Traveler
Camped here as a plan B, but it was still a great time. The lookout over the mountain about 5min drive from the campground was breathtaking. As far as camp went, it is a bare bones site with two port a potties (well maintained) and a couple water spouts that didn’t work. The sites are right next to a road, so expect some noise all night. Maybe because of rains there were flying bugs everywhere. Sites were spacious and level, no large rocks. Fire pits were very large and have grates for cooking. First CCC site ever made so there is some cool history if you’re into that.
Traveler
Reservations are made through the National parks service "recreation.gov" website. Arrived for tent camping for 2 nights and found that my original planned site wasn't very hospitable to tent camping due to the slope, Conferred with park ranger who easily changed my site to a better one with no fee. My stay was quiet and the bathrooms were clean and well stocked. This is a great base camp for getting out to hike the Appalachian trail and the local water falls in the area. Firewood and some camping supplies can be obtained onsite and there is a park wayside store and cafeteria a short distance away (i highly recommend the honey breaded chicken).
Traveler
If you live in Harrisonburg, Bridgwater and any surrounding area, this place is amazing. Fair warning, this place is DARK DARK, but your campers, so. The campsites are clean, $5 a night will get you a place to stay. Payment box upfront. There’s a pond up the road to fish.
Scout
The resort is beautiful. Pulling up and checking in, a host takes you to your site. Sites are spacious and there's lots to do! We loved our site because we are the only one on the right side of the hill. I did not get any info email though which I had to contact about. Other than that, everything was great. Drove around the campground to see which other sites I would like to try and get! I def would return.
Traveler
Bennies has a cool spot by the creek for tent camping. I was the only one there - after having driven through the aging RV neighborhood. Check-in was mystical, but finally reached the groundskeeper by phone and left money in a mailbox. "$40 cash money..." Way overpriced considering the unsanitary (gross) showers and restrooms. I think I felt cleaner before the shower. If you don't need a shower and don't mind dropping $40 for a place to pitch your tent then Bennies may be for you.
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.)
Ranger
I have to say this campground had plenty of staff working, the grounds were kept clean and maintained. They have 3 pools, watersides, and a splash pad, which were very busy but kept clean. They offer tons of other adventures like laser tag, arcade, mini golf movie theatre, gem mining, playgrounds, jumping pillows, ziplines, and then tons more to do in the craft center. They had plenty of appearances of Yogi or Cindy bear at activities and just driving around the park on a golf cart. The store had everything in it you would need, and the snack bar had so much to offer from wraps to ice cream. I thought the sites were a little close, and some didn't have enough trees for my personal liking, but also, you need to pick your site wisely. I liked that we had a nice concrete pad, which was above the grade in case of some rain it wouldn't flood. They offer golf carts for rental, so you can roam anywhere and have tons of cabin options. The staff were friendly and great and only stepped in when absolutely necessary. They weren't overbearing or annoying and let people have fun. The campground itself was very quiet at night, and of course, the kids lived on the playgrounds after the pool was open, but the noise was not ever excessive but just expected. The bathrooms were clean and all in working order. The app can be accessed, or you can pick up a paper schedule to see all the activities for the day. The cell service and wifi left a lot to be desired, but for me, I like to not be glued to my phone when away, especially camping. The area had fun things to go to explore, like Shenandoah National Park and the Luray Caverans, if you do like to chase some natural beauty.
Scout
Like most Virginia state parks the River Bend campground is well spaced out and great for RV camping. Verizon service was stable enough to work all week with a Jetpack without the need for a directional cell booster
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
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.
TravelerWe loved our 4-night stay in Big Meadows. I definitely recommend booking a site on the outer part of the loop, or one of the walk-in sites, if you are tent camping. A lot of the interior sites seemed very close together, but the farther out you get, the more spaced out they seemed to be, we could see a couple of other campsites from ours but generally felt we had plenty of space and privacy.
Campsite facilities seemed pretty clean and well-maintained, and there is the campstore at the front of the campground with necessities, laundry and shower (for a fee). And if you need more the Big Meadow visitor center, and Wayside souvenir store/snack bar are just a mile or so from the campground where it meets Skyline Drive. They even have a gas station there. We went and did several hikes, including Dark Hollow Falls, and spent a late evening in the Big Meadow on a picnic blanket stargazing, all very close to the campground.
Bear boxes are big and sturdy, fire pits are on the smallish side but fine. Honestly this place is pretty tough to beat in terms of facilities, value, and proximity to a lot of beautiful and fun national park hikes and sights.
Guide
This was our first KOA experience. I liked the pool, camp shop, and proximity to Massanutten water park. I also liked the size of site.
My wife didn’t care for the lack of grass (mostly gravel) or the guy who took us to site that worked there talking over her when she was helping me back in.
Most people know this but if a couple is backing in just let them figure it out.
Other than price and backing in annoyance, I thought it was good place and would go back.
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.
Guide
We spent 2 weeks at SVC while our trunk was in the shop(our travel trailer got towed there- highly recommend Good Sam Roadside policy). Everyone on staff was accomodating, helpful and friendly. Very nice campground ammenities- stocked fishing pond, big swimming pool, and really nice creek for tubing with waterfall to cool down on the hotter days, horseshoes, mini golf and more. The biggest negative is lack of cell service/internet. Luckily it's a short drive to get service. Weekends were packed(esp. Memorial Day), but much quieter during the week. Many sites are tight and no walking paths between rows so people regularly walk through occupied sites when it's crowded. Smaller negatives- some washer/dryers out of order and litter left by campers wasn't picked up. Overall, a nice place to stay.
GuideA beautiful campground with everything a tourist could possible want for a spectacular vacation. Surrounded by dairy farms, the fields of grains leave open space that enables each campsite to have a view of the Blue Ridge mountains in the distance. Each evening, people would come out and turn the colorful patio chairs towards west and enjoy a spectacular sunset. During the day, there is so much to do at the nearby Shenandoah Nation Park, drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway, or visit the caverns or the Artisan Trail businesses full of local handcrafts.
GuideWe were the only campers on a giant spot right on the river. The grounds are well maintained and stunning. Water is crystal clear and everyone is respectful
ScoutMy wife and I booked this location as an opportunity to camp memorial weekend affordably. The site definitely had an old school feel to it, overall well maintained and clean. Our biggest concerns was there was 0 over site to those staying. There were 2 large family gathering going on which is fine, however blasting music, screaming all day and into the evening to include a megaphone is just not our type of fun. Our first night we were kept up until easily 2am due to this. We ended up leaving a full day earlier than planned.
If you are booking this location for easy access to the water from the campground be weary it’s overgrown and full of ticks.
RangerCampground with tables, fire rings, running water bathrooms, utility sinks. Store has showers and laundry for $1.
Traveler
This resort is 5 Star in amenities. Indoor pool in the lodge, restaurant, outdoor pool connected to the indoor one. Another outdoor pool area by the general store (wasn't open yet) has a large pool and kids pool. The activities center has things going on every day. They also have a large room with a large screen that you can reserve to watch movies. There is a stable for horse riding. Also, there's miniature golf. They have cabins, yurts,and a tree house for rent. The laundry is free. Our campsite, lowest level, has a table with four chairs, two Adirondack chairs, and a propane grill. The higher level has an outdoor sink. The top level has a jacuzzi. The grounds are well designed for landscaping and kept trimmed. Now, for the cons. Our back- in site isn't level. We were told that is by design so water will flow off. Maybe. Our loop doesn't have any bathhouse, while the one next door has two. We did take a shortcut that went over a clay hill. Probably not safe if it's raining. The shower looks nice. Would stay drier if people would put the curtain inside the barrier. Shelves and benches in the showers are nice. Water pressure is mediocre to good. We're still waiting for hot water. I do say the help keeps it clean. There are sanitizer bottles left in the bathrooms and showers. Overall, it is a nice place to sit and relax.
Scout
Did two nights at Butterfly Camp while hiking Old Rag and other trails in Shenandoah. Great experience, site had everything you would need and more for tent camping and enjoying some peace and quiet.
ScoutNice camping spots on the pedlar river in Amherst county. Multiple spots along reservoir rd.
Ranger
This campground had some good features: hookups and bathhouse were good, location is very pretty, staff clearly take good care of things. Mostly older folks mid week so pretty quiet.
But for some reason there is a path that goes through several campsites. We booked one of these sites without knowing (B12), which meant we had strangers walking through our campsite all the time. Our dogs hated it and so did we! Also sites are close together, most aren’t level, and some are in clear disrepair. They also do a good job cleaning the bathhouses, but they do it from 8-9am which is also when many people are trying to use them.
Camping near Charlottesville, Virginia, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping around Charlottesville, Virginia, has something for everyone, from families to RV enthusiasts. With a variety of campgrounds to choose from, you can find the perfect spot to enjoy the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Charlottesville, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Charlottesville, VA is Canoe Landing Group Campsite — James River State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 28 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Charlottesville, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 19 tent camping locations near Charlottesville, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
