1 campground with availability this weekend
Graves Mountain Farm Campground accommodates horses in a small field area where equestrian campers set up alongside RVs and tent campers. The campground features a mix of tent, RV, and cabin options with horse trailers parked directly next to camping spots. Horse owners can access nearby trails and enjoy the farm setting, though the camping area is relatively compact with limited space between sites. The primitive camping field allows horses to be kept near campsites, but lacks dedicated equestrian facilities such as corrals or stalls. During apple festivals and fall events, the equestrian camping area becomes particularly crowded.
Located approximately 30 minutes from Shenandoah National Park entrances, the horse-friendly camping area connects to local riding trails through the surrounding countryside. Shenandoah Crossing offers more extensive equestrian amenities with on-site horse stables, riding opportunities, and carriage rides available to campers. The property includes salt water pools, paddocks, and horse pastures with free range horses that return to the stables at dusk and head out at dawn. Horse camping reservations are first-come, first-served at Graves Mountain, while Shenandoah Crossing requires advance booking. The farm setting provides water access for horses, though campers should bring their own drinking water. During peak seasons and festivals, the limited horse camping areas fill quickly, especially when equestrian events are scheduled.
"While the campground is very nice, with clean conveniently located bathrooms, the site itself is probably not suited for a large group of people."
"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. "
Available this weekend
from $30 - $75 / night
"Lots of people on horses running around which we loved, and good live music after dinner. Could get muddy if you're there after rain"
"Lodge close by if food, warmth, or better restroom desired."
from $12 / night
"It's located in Gordonsville, Virginia. There's not much to do in the area, but the campground itself is nice."
"Walked around the property and saw the horses and checked out the primitive sites."
from $50 / night
"We recently stayed at Fort Valley Ranch Campground, near Luray, VA and I can only say good things about our experience and the FVR's management."
from $30 - $45 / night
"There is Rockcliff lake and small beach area, an overlook (Lina Constable Overlook) to hike to right off the camp loop but it’s 1 mile steep incline at times but worth every step. Gorgeous!"
"The area closes completely (entrance gate is locked) from Dec 21 - May 1. The site was super clean and well maintained. Lots of hiking trails and a very easy one that loops around the Rockcliff Lake."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $25 - $105 / night
ScoutFirst camping trip in VA and honestly the only time we’ll come here. Noisy, plots are on the main road people speed down, loud music at all times. Plus the bathroom was great, taken care of but this isn’t camping. Great if you need people around you.
ScoutGood facilities for a NP campground
GuideFirst campground in a week, that had great water pressure! Has free laundry, clean bathrooms, free mini golf, activities , restaurant and bar. Pretty darn awesome
RangerThis is a classic National Park campground, and it’s important to keep in mind that it opened in 1937–the sites are small as travelers weren’t equipped with large vehicles, as such, it may not be the best option for large rigs but my van fit comfortably though the neighbors were rather close. If you’re expecting that, you’ll be more than happy. Walking distance via a connector trail to Dark Hollow Falls trail. Sustainable T-Mobile service for remote work, but Zoom may lag. No shore power or water hookups, but drinking water spread throughout the park and modernized bathroom and showers. There was also a circular, shaded tent area as part of D155, behind the drive. I’d stay again in a heartbeat.
GuideGreat summer destination to escape the heat! Weather in late June was amazing - highs in the 70s; lows in the 60s; and crystal clear skies. Not too buggy either. Pulled ONE tick off of me before it bit me, but otherwise not much to speak of in the way of mosquitos or biting gnats/flies.
This particular site was smaller (RV back in) but private and level near the bath house. There IS a bear box present, and you'll want to use it for any unattended food outside an RV. The mini-bears are beggars. We saw several chipmunks in our site and a particularly clever bird successfully stole from our neighbors.
If you are RV-ing, fill your tanks at the dump station before heading to the ranger station for check-in. You don't want to carry all that water up the mountain, and they don't like you to block the campground road trying to fill along the loop. The dump station is located on the right prior to arrival at the ranger station.
Also, there are no dumpsters at the dump station (weird). So upon departure, pull your trash prior to leaving the site.
As always, there is virtually no cell signal in this site and no electric hookups anywhere in the campsite. So bring a generator or a lot of solar if you want to run your electrical. (Though this site being so shady doesn't provide a lot of solar power.) There IS wifi at the visitor's center if you want to call home or do a daily socials check. ;-)
We DID have one day there that was a pretty noisy from paving equipment re-doing the road. But I think they're almost done with their project, and honestly it wasn't that big a deal because we were on trails most of the time anyway.
There are great ranger programs here - it's one of the larger hubs for programming, and they're listed at the visitor's center because they change seasonally. Don't miss out on the chance to explore the meadow. What may LOOK like a vast, boring expanse of grass is actually a fascinating variety of foliage when you're out in it. Many, many wildflowers that can't be seen from the visitor center's overlook.
Also, many of the park's most popular hikes can be easily accessed from here, including Dark Hollow Falls and Bearfence Rock Scramble.
TravelerBeautiful spot. The campsite is across the street from the lodge. G-Maps and Apple will take you to the lodge however. Loved the Freeform and “make your own” spot vibe
LegendWe stayed in site #27 for two nights. It was a walk-in tent site, but the car was very close. The site offered plenty of privacy. We could see the other sites, but they weren't close. We had a nice bear box and good hammock trees, plus a picnic table and decent tent sites. Lots of deer walked through our site in the morning, and we had easy access to several trails.
GuideI chose Big Meadows to stay at because my traveling companion is definitely a bit bougie and was anxious about camping in the mountains of a NP. Due to this site having showers, toilets, a laundromat, camp store(s) and even a lodge/taproom, they felt more comfortable. We stayed at site D142, right near the entrance by the registration office and showers. I didn’t expect the site to be so nice and quiet and still feel quite private despite the location! We checked out the loops and besides the tent sites, I actually preferred our site. We stayed the week before Memorial Day weekend and I was pleased with how quiet it was. Quiet hours were strictly adhered without rangers having to ask, other campers were respectful toward each other and we had no issues. The NP staff were awesome and the concession employees for the showers, camp store, and the Wayside grill were genuinely friendly and obviously cared about their jobs, which I sincerely appreciate. Wayside grill with attached camp store was fun and had some great gift items as well as some pretty solid quality hiking and camping items. The grill even had a beyond burger which I greatly appreciated! The lodge was funky but not my cup of tea, the taproom was ok, although the employees were really nice.
It did rain half the time we were there with extremely heavy fog so we only did a few hikes but they were still a lot of fun. We didn’t see any bear either! The number one animal we had invade our campsite on the regular were birds. Two catbirds regularly tried to involve themselves in everything, including landing on a pot of oatmeal I was actively cooking and standing next to! We followed leave no trace of course but any chance the birds got, from catbirds, robins, brown thrashers, towhee, and even a redstart, they would try to investigate.
There is clean drinking water listed on the campsite maps, there are utility sinks for grey water (don’t use the bathroom sink!), bathrooms were always clean and bathrooms and showers are open 24/7 and are well lit. I didn’t buy the firewood so I’m unsure how much it is but the little camp store was open from 9-6 (right by the bathroom) for firewood, ice, and other various supplies.
Only downsides to the site are 1) showers are not cheap ($5 for 10 mins) and don’t stay warm for long so you’re showering in chilly water. Some stalls last a bit longer than others. 2) The biggest issue though was surprisingly the bear boxes. They are quite large and fit a lot of stuff which is great. However, you are expected to keep your cooler in them. I have a bear proof cooler (IGBC) so I’ve never had to experience this situation before. The bear box being made of metal, heated everything up in it which caused rapid melting of ice. Despite pre-chilling it and my ice usually lasting for days and days, we had to refill it daily. The camp store thankfully sold ice (10 lb bags for $5) but it was frustrating that there was no other option for bear proof items. I didn’t fight the rangers regarding it because it’s their rules, it’s for the safety of the bears and people, and the rangers and park staff have enough stuff to deal with.
All in all, I’ve never really glamped before so it was quite a luxurious trip even with the rain and fog for half the trip. I’ll most definitely be back and would even stay at the same site or a tent only site with no driveway.
GuideMy wife and I stayed here one night, while driving south to north, Skyline Dr. the drive has been awesome and this campground is the perfect resting spot for us, for the night. Had a couple drinks at the lodge while watching a spectacular sunset. I’d definitely come back.
Equestrian camping near Madison, Virginia offers riders direct trail access and diverse terrain across several recreational areas. The region sits at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with elevations ranging from 600-3,000 feet, creating varied riding conditions throughout the seasons. Horse-friendly campgrounds typically operate from April through November, with some locations providing seasonal water sources for horses.
Horseback riding trails: Fort Valley Ranch provides extensive riding opportunities with trails directly accessible from campsites. As Jason G. notes, "Within a 10-minute drive, there are opportunities for hiking and river activities. We found a river access point perfect for swimming and wading."
Fishing: Multiple water bodies offer fishing opportunities for campers. At Trout Pond Recreation Area, Fred F. observed "Big catfish in clear water. Water was so clean that it was throbbing with freshwater jellyfish." The recreation area maintains stocked fishing ponds throughout the season.
Nature hiking: The surrounding mountains provide numerous hiking trails with varying difficulty. At Big Meadows Campground, Tom C. mentioned, "I like this campsite particularly because it's close to one of my favorite waterfall hikes in VA. Lots of beautiful hikes and bike course with awesome views of the valley."
Wildlife viewing: Early morning and dusk offer prime wildlife observation times. Rachel M. from Big Meadows shared, "We saw many deer and bear while camping. Just being in Shenandoah is a soothing experience. With so many hiking trails and waterfalls nearby we love to camp in Big Meadows - and for the star watching at night."
Privacy options: Some campsites offer more seclusion than others. At Big Meadows, Veronica S. commented, "Though this campground is HUGE, the sites are not piled on top of each other. Our site, B112, was surrounded by shrubs under the canopy of trees which provided tons of privacy."
Amenities at higher-end facilities: Shenandoah Crossing offers resort-style accommodations alongside equestrian facilities. Nicole P. described, "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."
Natural water features: Several campgrounds offer swimming and water activities. Chris J. at Trout Pond Recreation Area mentioned, "We have camped several times at this location. Very quiet, very clean. At the end of the season last year, they were installing a pay phone, which is helpful because there is no cell service."
Site selection matters: Horse-friendly camping areas vary widely in quality and layout. Jack B. from Graves Mountain Farm Campground cautioned, "It was essentially a 500'x500' field with little to no trees, hills, anything except buildings. We went on a windy weekend and do tent camping, and quickly realized this kind of exposure is not what we wanted."
Bathroom facilities vary: Not all campgrounds maintain consistent bathroom quality. Susan A. at Graves Mountain Farm noted, "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."
Weather considerations: Mountain elevations cause temperature fluctuations. Carol B. at Big Meadows shared, "It was an especially cold night hitting a low of 14F. Very happy for the nearby heated restrooms with hot running water."
Road access challenges: Some campgrounds have difficult access roads. Chris J. warned about Trout Pond Recreation Area, "There are some pretty steep inclines to even get to the campgrounds. Unless you have a powerful vehicle pulling your camper, it would help to release your water supply and fill up when you get to the campground."
Fishing opportunities: Stocked ponds provide reliable fishing for children. Jason G. at Fort Valley Ranch mentioned, "The kids were able to fish for hours at the two fishing ponds, which both were stocked with bass and bluegill."
Wildlife education: Animal sightings create learning opportunities. Veronica S. observed at Big Meadows, "You will definitely see deer in the campground as they walk through and browse the understory. They are unafraid of humans unless directly approached."
Insect preparation: Bring appropriate protection for seasonal insect activity. Anna R. from Big Meadows advised, "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 sightings and they take food clean up seriously."
Ranger programs: Some parks offer educational activities. Kim L. at Big Meadows noted, "Nice amphitheater with interesting ranger programs. Busy traffic in park but nice trails are accessible from campground."
Site leveling: RV sites vary in levelness across campgrounds. Jed from Shenandoah Crossing cautioned, "We reserved a 'pull-through' RV site which ended up being a back-in site that was very uneven and nowhere near level."
Hookup limitations: Electrical capacities differ between facilities. Laure D. from Trout Pond Recreation Area explained, "It states online that it's only 15amp electric at 14 of their sites. Mid-August was a gamble as to weather. We found that sites 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 are FHU (not sure what amp electric though)."
Road access: Mountain roads can challenge larger vehicles. Jason G. at Fort Valley Ranch shared, "I was initially concerned about the road leading into the campground, as my rig is over 50 feet in total length. However, we were surprised that the winding roads presented no issues for us."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Madison, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Madison, VA is Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 130 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Madison, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 5 equestrian camping locations near Madison, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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