Crimora, Virginia sits at approximately 1,300 feet elevation in Augusta County, nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley. The area experiences four distinct seasons with hot summers reaching into the 90s and cold winters dropping below freezing. Winter camping requires extra preparation with nighttime temperatures often dropping below 20°F, especially at higher elevations.
What to do
Stargazing opportunities: James River State Park, located about 60 miles from Crimora, offers exceptional night sky viewing. The park "has been named an International Dark Sky Park" according to Daryl L., making it "a wonderful spot for viewing the stars because of the lack of light pollution."
Visit local farms: Graves Mountain Farm Campground provides camping alongside farm experiences. "For kids, there is a duck pond, chicken coop, shallow brook, disable farm tractor, and some other stuff to play with/on/in across the street near the lodge," notes Matt, who adds that "free range horses come back at dusk and head out at dawn -- fun to watch from the campground, especially for kiddos."
Explore hiking trails: Big Meadows Campground in Shenandoah National Park offers numerous hiking options. Tom C. explains, "I like this campsite particularly because its close to one of my favorite waterfall hikes in VA... Lots of beautiful hikes and bike course with awesome views of the valley."
Water recreation: James River State Park Campground provides river access for paddling and floating. Conni B. describes the river as "absolutely clean, crystal clear water and never crowded... My boys are excited to rent the kayaks again."
What campers like
Private camping spots: Many campsites near Crimora offer good separation between sites. At Big Meadows Campground, Veronica S. notes, "Though this campground is HUGE, the sites are not piled on top of each other. Our site was surrounded by shrubs under the canopy of trees which provided tons of privacy."
Wildlife viewing: Deer sightings are common at several campgrounds. Rachel M. reports at Big Meadows, "We saw many deer and bear while camping. Just being in Shenandoah is a soothing experience."
Clean facilities: Red Oak Campground at James River State Park maintains excellent facilities. Kaylee S. appreciates the "large bathhouses and the large tentpad spots!" while Virginia G. notes that primitive campsites have "well-maintained pit toilets" and "well spaced apart" sites.
Dark skies: For astronomy enthusiasts, Bridget H. recommends James River State Park: "The park is part of the Dark Sky Parks Association and if you are into astronomy and stars this is the place to stay."
What you should know
Limited equine facilities: While some properties accommodate horses, dedicated horse campgrounds near Crimora, Virginia are limited. At Shenandoah Crossing, guests report seeing "horses and checked out the primitive sites," though specific horse accommodations require advance arrangements.
Seasonal challenges: Weather impacts comfort significantly. Carol B. notes that at Big Meadows Campground, "It was an especially cold night hitting a low of 14F. Very happy for the nearby heated restrooms with hot running water."
Insect concerns: Bug activity varies by season. At Big Meadows, Veronica S. warns, "The bugs when we got here were kinda crazy. They don't bite but they swarm your head and try to enter every orifice for some reason. A head net was helpful to get the tent and screen room set up."
Campground layout variations: Some campgrounds offer dispersed sites while others have more organized layouts. At Graves Mountain Farm Campground, Joe B. cautions, "The campsite is very very small. They say dispersed, but it is a small field as you can not access the others fields. Horse trailers, rvs, tents, and overland trailers all park right next that to each other."
Tips for camping with families
Look for educational activities: Shenandoah Crossing offers various family-friendly activities. Nicole P. recommends, "Kayak, putt putt, tennis, swim in one of the pools, hot tub, work out in the gym, walk on trails, ride horses, take a carriage ride or eat at the 'real' restaurant."
Consider cabins for comfort: Red Oak Campground provides cabin options. Jamie B. shares, "We rented a cabin with fantastic sunset views. This park has great walking and equine trails, a fantastic visitor center, and a wonderful outdoor park/adventure zone for the kiddos."
Check for ranger programs: Big Meadows Campground offers educational opportunities. Kim L. mentions the "nice amphitheater with interesting ranger programs" and notes the campground is "meticulously clean with daily restroom cleaning and trash pick up."
Balance hiking difficulty: When visiting with kids, match trail difficulty to ability. Jeremiah E. notes about Red Oak Campground, "The hiking trails were a short distraction, but not long or difficult enough to wear them out."
Tips from RVers
Site levelness varies: At Graves Mountain Farm Campground, RV sites may have leveling challenges. Jed observed at Shenandoah Crossing, "We reserved a 'pull-through' RV site which ended up being a back-in site that was very uneven and nowhere near level."
Amenity access may change: Seasonal closures affect facility availability. Jed adds, "After staying for two weeks, the bathhouse next to our site was closed because of lack of electricity. Which forced us to drive up to the indoor pool and use the showers there."
Check cell service: Connectivity varies greatly between campgrounds. Micah B. reports at Red Oak Campground, "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."
Full hookup availability: Some campgrounds offer premium amenities. Gary G. describes Shenandoah Crossing as an "excellent site complete with out door kitchen and hot tub" and notes the availability of "pools, horseback riding, mini-golf, boat rentals, golf cart rentals."
