Camping options around Craigsville, Virginia extend from established campgrounds with modern amenities to primitive sites in nearby natural areas. The region includes Walnut Hills Campground with 139 sites for tents, RVs, and cabins, located in Staunton approximately 25 miles northwest of Craigsville. For those seeking a more rustic experience, Braley Pond Dispersed Camping Area offers free primitive camping with basic amenities. Several developed campgrounds in the area feature cabin rentals, including Sherando Lake Campground in George Washington National Forest and Shenandoah Valley Campground, both within 30 miles of Craigsville.
Road conditions and accessibility vary throughout the region, with most developed campgrounds offering paved access suitable for all vehicles. Primitive camping areas like Braley Pond may require high-clearance vehicles during wet conditions. The camping season typically runs year-round at some locations like Walnut Hills and Shenandoah Valley Campground, while others like Sherando Lake operate seasonally from April through October. Weather patterns follow typical Virginia mountain conditions with hot, sometimes humid summers and relatively mild winters. Many campgrounds require advance reservations, especially during peak summer weekends and fall foliage season. A visitor noted that "Sherando Lake is a well-maintained, popular campground located in the George Washington National Forest near Lyndhurst, VA. Convenient to both Richmond and Charlottesville, it brings people in for camping and day-use alike."
Water features represent a significant draw for campers in this region. Sherando Lake Campground provides access to a 25-acre lake with swimming areas and fishing opportunities. Several visitors highlighted the peacefulness of waterfront sites. A camper described Crabtree Falls Campground as having "tent sites 10 ft away from the Tye river, we literally fell asleep to the sound of the water every night." The majority of developed campgrounds offer modern amenities including showers, flush toilets, and electric hookups, while primitive sites typically provide only basic facilities such as pit toilets and fire rings. Cell service tends to be limited at more remote locations, particularly in the national forest areas where terrain creates coverage gaps.
$45 - $99 / night
"You can fish in the lake though we didn't catch anything. Wifi is free and open so no password and therefore, not secure. Trash picked up each day."
"Good location close to I81 but little road noise. I did hear a train."
"Car could be parked right next to us on site 2. Next to a creek, so good sounds and cool environment 3. Some walking trails 4."
"the pond has a great little trail you can walk around and at night the stars are gorgeous. the water is also stocked with fish!"
$25 - $47 / night
"Sherando Lake is a well-maintained, popular campground located in the George Washington National Forest near Lyndhurst, VA."
"The lakeside is wonderful for sitting, reading and swimming. The "upper lake" is great for fishing. "
$36 - $132 / night
"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."
"It was clean, but had a trail of ants get into my belongings. Sites are close to one another and the cabins are not near the water. They are near the bath house though."
"Beautiful surroundings. No phone signal and wifi was a joke but that's not a bad thing!"
"Ate at their on-site restaurant while a local band played outside. Mostly used by local folks as a seasonal CG. Lots of semi-permanent fixtures attached to rigs. Did get a PassPort America discount."
$28 - $55 / night
"The tent sites we stayed in were 10 ft away from the Tye river, we literally fell asleep to the sound of the water every night."
"I’ve camped at a completely different part of this place before which was a site without access to bathrooms and showers."
$25 - $140 / night
"First time camping in any part of Virginia, very nice and clean campground, not too much outside noise besides the random car driving on the one road near by."
"We set up camp then walked over to the brewery/ restaurant for some flights and dinner. I recommend grabbing some growlers to go. Showers and restrooms were clean."
$37 / night
"Kid and pet friendly, this park has a nice lake for Kayaking/canoeing, multiple hiking trails with views, excellent opportunities for wildlife watching, and great biking trails."
"General: There are four campgrounds in Douthat State Park - White Oak, Whispering Pines, Lakeside, and Beaver Dam (equestrian), each in a separate location. This review is for White Oak."
$29 - $45 / night
"And of course their lake that has two jumping decks, water slide, snack bar , restaurant and off to the side a little store for floats with putt putt golf and Jenna,etc."
"Lots for them to do, great swimming lake, employees were a pleasure. Trash pick-up was awesome !! Our site was gorgeous. Not a full hook up(more on that later), but absolutely perfect."
$35 / night
"This campground is open year round and is right off the highway. There is a gas station right next to it as well as a safari park. "
"Located in a beautiful part of central Virginia, this campground gives you lots of options for sightseeing. It is definitely worth a trip to the Natural Bridge."
ScoutNeeded a spot to get off the road for the night while traveling through area. It served the purpose. Road noise is real. We ran a fan off our generator. Donuts made in same lot for breakfast and Buckeyes is close by.
GuideRelaxed and quiet campground. No hookups Fire rings And a stream
RangerThis campground is one of our stops coming from VT or going back home - would love to spend more time then just passing through
ScoutI loved this camp spot, easily accessible with any vehicle (no need for 4 wheel drive). There are a couple trails near the campground that you could take and do an early morning sunrise hike which was beautiful. I tent camped, there was plenty of flat space to set up the tent. Quiet area overall with a nice creek running nearby.
LegendThis is the first site after you leave Douthat State Park. It is on the left and large enough for a small to medium camper or a few tents. Good flat area between Wilson Creek and Douthat State Park Road. There may been an area in the woods for this site but I wasn't able to explore to check it out.
TravelerThis place charges $100 a night after fees and taxes. Decent enough place but definitely not worth the money. Not one working toilet or shower and if you want some firewood it costs $1 per piece. You can do so much better than this place.
TravelerThe road to drive down to the lake is really rocky and not paved, make sure you have a good car (we did not)! There are multiple campsites that are all beautiful, the forest is really fun to explore. You can see lots of stars if the night sky is clear, which to me is always such a plus! Overall a great low-key campsite with great nature and easy set up! Also if you go camping bring a trash bag from home and collect your trash littering is not okay. There was lots of litter around the campground but we had brought a trash bag and collected the litter that had been left there. Be kind to nature!!
LegendThis is the first of 10 sites on Hercules Road, Route 812. This Forest Service Road #36 runs along Rocky Row Run Creek and is open all year long. This site is on the right and sits along the creek. There is a fire ring behind the barrier rocks and flat areas for tents both inside and outside of the rocks. There is also two more fire rings and tent areas as you walk along the creek.
Check out site 1 and all the others on this road in our video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjBE-ASivns&t=36s
ScoutI haven't stayed a night here but have walked the entire camping area and camped near here many times. Most people access by water but there is also a trail that provides access to this location. It runs through Bolar Mountain Campground #2 & #3 and connects up to the beach area.
In the summer when the grass is high there can be a lot of ticks. Can get crowded on weekends. I've noticed it's a popular group spot - I mainly see groups of 6+ there at a minimum with multiple boats. Can get kind of trashy (littered) too. Beautiful setting though.
Craigsville camping options range from rustic dispersed sites to full-service family campgrounds across the George Washington National Forest and surrounding areas. At 1,500 feet elevation, the region experiences wide temperature variations, with summer days reaching 90°F and dropping to 60°F at night. Winter camping requires preparation for temperatures that can drop into the 20s even when nearby valleys remain milder.
Hiking from your campsite: At Braley Pond Dispersed Camping Area, trails connect directly to your camping area. "There are pit toilets down the road that weren't terrible. The only downside was that someone painted bright orange smiley faces on several of the trees. Not cool. But overall it was a clean, peaceful place to camp for a few nights!" according to Sarah and James H.
Fishing opportunities: The area's stocked ponds provide accessible fishing without leaving camp. "The pond has a great little trail you can walk around and at night the stars are gorgeous. The water is also stocked with fish!" notes Cara P. about Braley Pond.
Mountain biking: Douthat State Park Campground offers dedicated biking trails for various skill levels. "We did a decent amount of biking here, the main road is nice for road biking, we rode out about 15 miles and back, saw a black bear. Beautiful country roads. And the trails are great for mountain biking. Bring your legs, lots of climbing!" says Robyn S.
Riverside camping spots: Crabtree Falls Campground provides sites directly alongside running water. "The campground did have facilities that were about a quarter mile walk away from our sites; this is something to consider if you are camping with older folks or children. The vibes were peaceful, no loud or wild campers," writes Britt S.
Brewery access: Devils Backbone Camp combines outdoor recreation with craft beer access. "A short walk through the tent area brought you to the large brewery area. This area includes a brewpub, large outdoor seating area with fire pits and an outdoor stage, a distillery, cigar and cocktail lounge, an additional outdoor bar and grille, a breakfast building with craft coffee, and a gift shop," notes Steve V.
Lake activities: Swimming beaches provide summer cooling options at several campgrounds. "There are two lakes--the lower lake is the largest at 25 acres, and while the beach can get crowded during peak season, it's an easy walk from the campground, with a large swimming area roped off," writes Stephanie J. about Sherando Lake.
Cell service limitations: Communication can be difficult at some Craigsville area campsites. "There is no cell signal here (at least with Verizon as of 3/2020)," reports Dave P. about Braley Pond. Many forest service campgrounds have similar coverage gaps.
Reservation requirements: Peak summer weekends fill quickly at established campgrounds. "The window opens six months out and are usually booked for the high season summer months," mentions Linda C. about reservations at popular campgrounds.
Wildlife awareness: Bears actively visit campgrounds in this region. "A young bear was repeatedly visiting site A9 up the road from me and I had to chase him off when he came near my site!" warns Lisa M. at Sherando Lake Campground.
Weather considerations: The mountain climate can create challenging camping conditions. "This area is fairly low, and the road and sites can easily be soaked, if not underwater after really heavy rains," notes Dave P. about Braley Pond.
Swimming options: Shenandoah Valley Campground provides multiple water features for children. "They have it all. Fishing lake, river to swim and tube down, They have a store, a grill, a game room, and a big swimming pool. And large beautiful fields. You can even have a tent right on the river. Across from a beautiful waterfall," Joy A. explains.
Activity variety: Look for campgrounds with structured recreation programs. "They have an incredibly chill and laid-back vibe. You are a quick walk to the brewery and café, where you can grab breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is nice and dark at the campground, so great for star watching," recommends Erika S. about Devils Backbone Camp.
Bathroom proximity: Choose sites strategically near facilities when camping with young children. "The sites were level and everything looked recently upgraded. We didn't get in the water, but we saw the beach and it looked perfect for kids," Mike G. observes about Sherando Lake.
Hookup locations: Stoney Creek Resort offers well-spaced hookup sites. "Hook ups were good, site was somewhat level. The staff are just lovely people, very friendly, helpful, and they go out of their way to do the next right thing," mentions Aaron S.
Site selection: Reserve based on specific needs and unit size. "All sites are back in and some can be difficult due to some trees but all are manageable and they base your site based on your rig size so they know their site sizes well," explains Sammii D.
Spacing considerations: Some campgrounds offer more privacy than others. "This campground is so big. I believe they currently have around 400 spots. It is divided into upper and lower sections. The lower is much more wooded and gives off more of a camping feel while the upper is much more open," adds Sammii D. about Stoney Creek Resort.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Craigsville, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Craigsville, VA offers a wide range of camping options, with 161 campgrounds and RV parks near Craigsville, VA and 29 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Craigsville, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Craigsville, VA is Walnut Hills Campground & RV Park with a 4.3-star rating from 20 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Craigsville, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 29 free dispersed camping spots near Craigsville, VA.
What parks are near Craigsville, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 23 parks near Craigsville, VA that allow camping, notably George Washington & Jefferson National Forests and Monongahela National Forest.
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