Best Campgrounds near Chatham, VA

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!

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.

Our family recently had an excellent experience camping at Goose Point Campground. Nestled along Philpott Lake, the campground offers stunning views and a tranquil atmosphere. The well-maintained, spacious campsites provided privacy and convenient water & electric hookups for our camper.

We enjoyed a variety of activities, including swimming, fishing, and jet skiing on the lake, as well as hiking on nearby trails. The clean facilities and friendly, helpful staff made our stay even more enjoyable.

Overall, Goose Point Campground is perfect for both a peaceful retreat and lake life adventure. Highly recommended!

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.

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!

Chris is establishing a couple of sites on his private property and getting organized. Simple and just off the road, but quiet. Chris is friendly and reachable by phone. A short 100 yards to a rushing creek. We needed a last minute spot during Memorial Day weekend and Chris set us up. Now showers, flat gravel site with pull through between hookups and picnic table platform.

Peaks of Otter is a Blue Ridge Parkway must see. The campground sits at the foot of the iconic Sharp Top mountain but there is hiking galore here.

Caught the foliage here in October and it was amazing and not too crowded! Facilities are clean and in good shape, you can buy firewood down the road, and there’s nice hiking nearby.

I stay here at least once every summer. Has beautiful pool and lake, playground, arcade, and boat rentals. Fishing, hiking, basketball. Very friendly staff all the time. Close to stores and restaurants but far enough out to not hear any noise. Phone service is superb. Clean shower and restrooms. Hot water. Electric tent sites!!! Has everything I live and will continue to go here as long as I’m in the state of Va. def recommended

We spent 2 nights away from any road with lots of deer and beautiful mountain views! The owner is very friendly and so accommodating! our 40 ft rig is maybe not the right camper for this area but we enjoyed every minute of it! We had a beautiful hike in Fairystone Park and relaxed the rest of the time.

We will come back!!

We love coming to Lake Reidsville. We have tent camped many times there and now have been with a camper. It was peaceful and the view is always amazing.

The pros:

• Clean Bathrooms with flushable toilets
• quiet campground
• close to the lodge and “store” if you need firewood or other items
• bear boxes scattered throughout the campground
• $20 per night
• BEAUTIFUL in the fall!
• they have more campsites available on FCFS basis than they do for reservations on recreation.gov

The not so great:

• the campsites can be tricky to get into depending on your vehicle. Many of the parking areas are on a hill.

Overall, I would stay here again!

Jake from the Dyrt here! Pop's Place in Blue Ridge is a simple spot where you can bring your tent or RV to spread out and enjoy the mountain views from your site.  Although it feels like another world, this campsite is still close to local shopping & the Blue Ridge Parkway for those needing to get their nature fix!  Check them out and leave a review about your stay on the Dyrt!

We didn't visit the park itself so can't judge on RV overnight stays. We kindly asked if we could fill up water and dump our RV (as you can do in a lot of campgrounds for a small fee), they refused to do so.

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.