Best Equestrian Camping near Madison, VA

BOTTOM LINE: 3.5 Stars. We had a fine time camping here, but probably would not stay again unless some friends were going and wanted to stay. Not bad, but not great and not my personal preference for camping. Any recommendation to stay would be dependent on what you're looking for--it might be for you, but just wasn't for us. 

Acknowledging that reviews are totally subjective, here is a brief summary of some of the pros and cons (in our humble opinion):[

PROS/CONS

Pros:

• Beautiful mountain views
• charming brook and farm (i.e. things to do for young kids), and okay hiking trails
• friendly campers and staff
• ease of check-in process
• low cost
• Can (technically) hike intro Shenandoah National Park

Cons:

• campground bathrooms and port-a-jons in poor condition
• street lights in primitive camping area
• yellow jacket nests in primitive camping area (with no warning signs)
• the gnats and flies were bad (way worse than I've ever experienced; probably due to the horse and cow poop)
• decent amount of horse/cow manure in the primitive camping area
• camping area is mixed with RVs, equestrian trailers, & tent campers
• camping area was restricted to a smaller area, forcing camps a little too close together (so much room that wasn't allowed for pitching camp and spreading out)
• few trees in camping area (more of an open field)
• 35-40 min drive to either entrance of Shenandoah National Park (then you still have to drive to the trail you want to hike)

Again, we recognize a lot is subjective; but it just wasn't for us. We'd camp here again if others wanted to, but wouldn't choose to come back.

I'm happy to elaborate on any particular bullets.

HELPFUL TIPS:

• Sites are first come, first served -- there are a few "primo" spots, but get there before noon to nab them
• There is local firewood available at the General Store/Post Office in Syria, VA (~0.2 mi from campground); about $7/bundle (you'll probably need 3-4 bundles for a night)
• Use trees to block out some of the light from street lights (only a handful of spots can do this bc few trees); or try to get a spot as far away as you can get
• 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.
• Free range horses (they're penned-in) come back at dusk and head out at dawn -- fun to watch from the campground, especially for kiddos
• Bring your own water, if possible

I grew up going to this campground. It's located in Gordonsville, Virginia. There's not much to do in the area, but the campground itself is nice.

There is a nice pool, arcade, camp store, horse riding, and the camp sites are pretty nice.

All around good place to camp.

Lovely time in the yurt! Walked around the property and saw the horses and checked out the primitive sites.

Salt water pool, horse rides, go karts, mini golf. Definitely more than a campground. It’s actually a Bluegreen Resort. Cabins are awesome and equipped with everything you need. Onsite restaurant/tavern is great. Also you can paddle around the lake - small boats avail for rent.

We have stayed here several times. Big beautiful paved sites with furniture to boot. Complete with gas grills and outdoor sinks. Plenty to do at the resort..... 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. My favorite campground hands down!

Beautiful sunsets over the stables and horse pastures. We reserved a “pull-through” RV site which ended up being a back-in site that was very uneven and nowhere near level. Also, 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 (nice) and use the showers there. Inconvenient, but we made it work.

Looked forward to camping at Graves Mountain and enjoy the festivities. 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. We set up away from everyone to properly distance ourselves due to their covid protocols. They told us to move next to others but there was no space. We got our money back and moved to another site. I would avoid this campsite. If you want to visit it for the apple or Fall festival just camp somewhere else and drive to it. No amenities. No cell service.

We camped several nights in our 23ft. travel trailer.  Our site A85 was just long enough to fit our trailer and truck. We were able to use our generator at this site.  The bathroom  was just a short walk away.  There are no hookups in this campground.   We did drive to the shower house and paid a fee to take a shower.  They were clean and even though the campground was nearly full we never had to wait in line.  We also did our laundry one evening. The machines were all working and it was quite reasonably priced.  Big Meadows campground is so conveniently located to the Visitor's center and many local trails. The horse stables were just down the road.  The lodge/restaurant was near the campground and we enjoyed a special dinner out one evening on the deck overlooking the beautiful Luray Valley.

We were there in March so it was still a bit cold and not really sitting outside and enjoy it weather. The campground was nice and very clean. Our site was not exactly level but I think it was because we were in the first spot on a row and it had a slant. The others looked pretty level. The staff everywhere was amazing and eager to please. I can’t say enough good about the hospitality there! The sites were full hookup. A grill and table and chairs were also available. A fire ring was there also. The laundry facility was very nice and clean... and free. We didn’t take advantage of the multiple activities there but we did see people riding horses. Looked like a good time! We drove about 25 minutes to the Monticello and enjoyed it a lot! Would definitely stay again if we ever find ourselves in the area.

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.

Great site to camp. Dog friendly. Bathrooms available. Lodge close by if food, warmth, or better restroom desired.

We stayed here in August 2021. There was only one other camper there so we had plenty of privacy. We enjoyed the peace and quiet and the lovely mountain views. We also enjoyed access to potable water to fill our tank. I was quite grateful we had brought our own port-a-potty because the one provided at the farm was filthy. We didn’t try to go in the bathhouse after seeing how nasty the port-a-potty was. I would only suggest staying here if you’re just passing through and only need a place to pull over.

The listing made this place sound really exciting and convenient. When we arrived the store/clubhouse/bunkhouse? Was very cute and friendly, once we visited the camping area we were quickly disappointed. It was essentially a 500’x500’ field with little to no trees, hills, anything except buildings. We went on a windy weekend and do more tent camping, and quickly realized this kind of exposure is not what we wanted. I think the current campsite layout would be appropriate for those with trailers/campers with indoor space stopping though. I wouldn’t consider this much of a campsite, more of a field to park and sleep. We were very exited for our trip out here, and ended up going to Elizabeth furnace an hour away and got a much more private/established campsite, that was also free.

This is a glamping site! coin operated showers, camp store open during the day. This is a much bigger campsite than the others in shenandoah and you should reserve spots a week or more in advance. This site generally has more RVs and people than the others.

This campground is very clean. The bathrooms were clean and the campground had coin operated showers which was a plus. The firepit has grates to cook your food on which was good. It also had a camp store which sold basic camping supplies and food and of course Shenandoah National Park merchandise. It was also nice because it sold wine and beer, which we liked because we went there for our wedding anniversary and wanted drinks for our anniversary dinner. They also had a cafe that sold lunches, dinners and ice cream. The views of the park were great and the trails were very close by, we enjoyed Stony Man and Dark Hallows Falls. The Park Rangers and employees were very friendly! The wildlife is great, we saw plenty of deer and pretty birds. We would definitely go back.

The campground was beautiful and peaceful. We stayed for 5 nights and it was a great location in the park with easy access to trails and amenities but also to see other areas of the park.

Be prepared for bear country and bring cash for showers, laundry. firewood and ice are available to purchase in the campground too. neighboring lodge features a farmers market on fridays. great hiking, AT runs right along the campsite.

Spent a steamy night here early in the season, and plan to return when it's cooler. Not too crowded, but I reserved in advance. Very convenient to Frazier Discovery and RipRap trails.

VERY busy and loud over Memorial Day weekend; but GREAT hiking and AMAZING scenery throughout the Shenandoah area!

This campground is very very popular and the sites are very close together so it’s a bit overwhelming. Definitely avoid major holidays if you camp to get away from it all. But it’s perfect if you like glamping. You’ll never be at a loss for things to do: hiking, birding, Ranger-led programs, blueberry picking in July, and a Junior Ranger patch program for kids. The wayside has a sit down full service restaurant plus the most heavenly homemade blackberry ice cream. Hot showers are available ($1.50 for 5 minutes so bring quarters) and bathrooms are always close by.

I have to give Big Meadows 4 stars simply because it’s so crowded and busy.

The drive in was spectacular. Skyline drive lives up to it's name. It was hot and humid the day we arrived but the humidity was reduced as we headed higher into the mountains.

We arrived after the registration booth had closed but the self check-in instructions were clear and easy to follow. I made the mistake of forgetting to look at my site number before dropping the registration card into the mail-slot. I had to look up my confirmation email from recreation.gov which took a while because the cell phone service(Verizon) is spotty in the park.

Camp was clean and well kept. Lot's of families and kids. There was a small blue-grass band playing at one site and it made the whole campground resonate with pleasant music. They played right up until quiet hours at 10pm. I thought it was sweet... maybe other people would think otherwise.

On our way to buy fire wood (which is available at the Lodge - open 24-hours) my son spotted a black bear. It was just off the campground road not more than 50 feet from the nearest campground. it seemed to keep to itself. We also saw several deer eating grass amongst the sites.

Bathrooms were clean. Showers were clean and there was enough that you didn't have to wait long.

In the morning we hiked the Dark Hollow Falls trail just outside the campground. It was fairly steep but short enough that my 7-year-old was able to do it. Cool waterfall at the end.

I would visit again.

Really great stay! Very large and clean campground and the bath house seems new and very clean! I’ll definitely be going back, soon!

Skyline drive is beautiful and has many over looks to stop and take those panorama pictures! Be aware though that the road curves the entire way, so prepare if you get motion sick.

The people at the campground registration are very nice and helpful, even got a "y'all come back now" at our check out.

Campsites are at least partially shaded and while close together, are at least big enough for two tents and all have a picnic table and fire ring. Fire wood is available for sale within the campground along with ice and other necessities. There are also two places to eat on site if you don't feel like cooking or are too busy with the many things to do.

There are trails accessible from the campground, including the A.T., daily programs at the ampitheater or guided walks within the meadow, group activities during thr evening at the main lodge such as a game night.

There is are several restrooms located around the campgrounds, and while clean and nice, the one on A loop only had two stalls, which amazingly wasn't an issue but could see it becoming one during holidays. The bathroom area in A loop also had a utility sink for washing dishes, a water spigot, and garbage and recycling facilities. Showers are in a separate area and are coin operated, curently costing $1.75 for a 5.25min shower. There is a machine on site that accepts $1 and $5 bills if you need change. There is hot water, showers are small but clean, and have locking doors for privacy.

Wildlife is of course in abundance! We saw deer daily, bear almost daily, all kinds of birds, including waking up to owls calling.

Only other thing to note is there is WiFi avaliable at the main lodge if you'te not in a hurry. While internet was not important to me, the main lodge was also the only place aside the top of some mountains that I was able to get cell phone service at all on the Verizon network, so keep that in mind in case you're expecting to check in with anyone.

We love this campground, we like the pull in and the walk in sites, bear boxes provided, plenty of room to relax. Good bathrooms, coin hot showers available too. So many trails to explore, walk to the Lodge, Wayside, Visitor Center and more.

We were there during a heat wave so there were bugs but being from Georgia the heat was bearable. Speaking of bears- there were lots of siting and they take food clean up seriously. You can be fined for leaving food out. The site was a tent site with lots of shade and not too close to others. Lots of deer walking through and room to hang hammocks and chill lut

Giventhe choice to camp anywhere, this is where I go.

No electric, no phone signal....perfection

Big Meadows is definitely the most popular of this national parks campgrounds. Sites fill up fast, and they always seems to be a little busy, but the sites aren't too on-top of each other, so it didn't feel over-crowded, and you can make reservations online (in fact, its recommended).

Restrooms and bathhouses are pretty standard for national parks - relatively up to date & well-kept. Showers are quarter operated.

The park itself is amazing, beautiful and offers tons of activities (lots of trails & ranger led programs). Wildlife is everywhere, neither the bear nor the deer are camera shy! Camp store has all the necessities, and they've got a nice souvenir shop as well. Campers can partake in the activities at the lodge, and stop-in at their restaurant too.