B
Bob B.
Guide
GuideLewis Mountain Campground — Shenandoah National Park
Wow!
This campground is awesome! It's quiet, cool (temperature), great camp neighbors. The general store has ice, firewood, showers and any other necessities you may need.
Camping near Toms Brook, VA
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
Camping options around Toms Brook, Virginia spread throughout the Shenandoah Valley and nearby mountains, with several established campgrounds offering varied accommodations. The area features Elizabeth Furnace Campground and Little Fort Campground in the George Washington National Forest, along with Shenandoah River State Park about 15 miles east. These public lands support tent and RV camping, while some locations like Shenandoah River State Park also offer cabins and yurts. Creekside Campground and Gooney Creek Campground provide private alternatives with full hookups for those seeking more amenities.
Road access varies significantly across the region's camping areas, with many forest service roads requiring careful navigation. Little Fort Campground sits at the end of a winding mountain road with limited cell service, making advance planning essential. Most developed campgrounds in the area operate seasonally, with Mathews Arm and Big Meadows in Shenandoah National Park closing from late fall through early spring. Free primitive camping options like Little Fort operate year-round but provide only basic amenities such as vault toilets and fire rings. According to one visitor, "No amenities other than a pit toilet and a gravel pad at each site. Not easy if you are pulling a trailer, but it was a nice place with awesome ATV trails."
Several campgrounds near Toms Brook provide direct access to hiking and OHV trails, making them popular bases for outdoor recreation. Elizabeth Furnace Campground connects to numerous hiking trails of varying difficulty, while Little Fort serves as a staging area for the Peters Mill Run OHV complex. Campers consistently note the peaceful, wooded settings despite occasional noise from nearby recreation. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, Elizabeth Furnace offers "wooded camping sites with spaces for RV and tents, and a couple of sites that have a path to the creek that flows behind the campground." First-come, first-served sites at these forest service campgrounds often fill quickly on summer weekends and holidays, requiring early arrival to secure a spot.
Best Campgrounds near Toms Brook (155)
1. Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground
"Our patio was on the side next to the road which was a little close to traffic but we still loved siting there, especially in the evening with a campfire."
"Virginia has the best state park campgrounds. Water and electric. Large sites. The bathrooms are clean with separate shower rooms. Nice hiking in the park. Near SNP. Responsive and friendly rangers."
from $27 - $427 / night
Check Availability2. Mathews Arm Campground — Shenandoah National Park
"This is a nice and very large campground tucked away in the northern part of Shenandoah. The facilities and grounds were well kept and it’s a short car’s travel (but there’s also a trail!)"
"There are a few trails encompassing and leading out from the campground, and it's nice to have a central location from which you can out on small hikes."
from $30 - $75 / night
Check Availability3. Wolf Gap
"This campsite is by far one of my favorite free campsites that Virginia has to offer. what makes Wolf Gap so speacial is the the 4 mile hike that leads to a rocky overlook of the valley."
"We made a spur of the moment one night trip up here from Virginia, and I do glad we stumbled upon it! There are only 8 or 9 camp spots, each with a leveled area for a tent and a designated fire pit."
from $20 / night
Check Availability4. Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park
"While the campground is very nice, with clean conveniently located bathrooms, the site itself is probably not suited for a large group of people."
"Our site had the AT running right behind it. The was plenty of access to trails, and pretty central to the park. The campground is near showers, laundry, campstore, and visitor center."
from $30 - $75 / night
Check Availability5. Creekside Campground
"We spent 2 nights at Creekside Campground in Edinburg, VA on our way to West Virginia—- and found a real gem. We paid$50/night for Back-in Creekview FHU Site#20."
"We had a large grass space with water and power on the edge of a beautiful creek and enjoyed the sounds of it both nights."
from $26 - $47 / night
Check Availability6. Gooney Creek Campground
"We are tent campers and we’re looking for a place close to Shenandoah to ride our motorcycles. This was 3 miles from the north entrance to the park, perfect."
"Hike up a trail or up through the creek itself to a swimming hole only accessible to campers. Saw some decent sized fish swimming around in there."
7. Elizabeth Furnace Campground
"In the valley outside of Shenandoah, it was a nice spot to return to at night. There are also some hiking trails across the street."
"Campground Review: What a great find, so close to a town….though feels like you are deep in the forest!"
from $20 / night
Check Availability8. Hawk Recreation Area Campground
"Although it's not immediately convenient to the various hiking trails in the Lee Ranger district of Washington-Jefferson NF, this little site is tucked away atop a mountain far from any crowds."
"Tent sites are rough, some outside ring sites have tent pads."
9. Elizabeth Furnace Family Campground
"Great spot right outside Shenandoah NP with quick access to the park or nearby trails. great fishing and hikes for kids, too!"
"There are a couple of sites that have a path to the creek that flows behind the campground.There is also plenty of hiking trails to be completed around the campgrounds of various levels from beginner to"
10. Little Fort Campground
"Off the beaten path for sure. Only a couple of other campers there when we visited. No issue for our 2wd SUV. Quite a bit of hunters gunfire in the distance, but otherwise very peaceful."
"Some sites have direct access to the Peter's Mill Run OHV complex. Vault toilet for all sites to share. No water, no electricity. Have to pack trash out. Sites were first come first serve."
Drive Time
- 19 min from Winchester, VA
- 36 min from Harrisonburg, VA
- 55 min from Hagerstown, MD
- 1 hr 29 min from Charlottesville, VA
Recent Camping Photos near Toms Brook, VA
452 Photos of 155 Toms Brook Campgrounds
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Little Fort Campground
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Elizabeth Furnace Family Campground
The Dyrt
Elizabeth Furnace Campground
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Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground
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Creekside Campground
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South Fork Shenandoah River
Recent Reviews near Toms Brook, VA
1075 Reviews of 155 Toms Brook Campgrounds
Benji H.
ScoutSmoke Hole Canyon
Very remote and beautiful place
This campground is very basic. The area is very remote. Make sure you bring supplies. Going out to eat is at least a 30-minute drive. Floating the loop at Big Bend is one of the best things you can do without traveling away from the camping area. Seneca Rocks, Smoke Hole Caverns, and Seneca Caverns are all within an hour drive.
Tatiana I.GuideCandy Hill Campground
All you need campground
Wonderful campground that has all you need: full hookup, bathrooms, shower, laundry, gift shop, parts shop
Cari E.
RangerBig Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park
A classic for good reason
This 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.
- Cari E.Ranger
Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground
A lovely, quiet state park
I stayed two nights in between bookings at the national park and I was surprised by how lovely the state park was. Quiet with great trails for strolling and peaceful river views. Level, spacious sites with some privacy offered by tree/bushes and a clean, modern bathroom (loved that the showers told you what temp the water is and that each shower was private/in its own room).
- TTroli R.Guide
Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park
Beautiful as always (despite re-paving project)
Great 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.
Ethan L.
TravelerGraves Mountain Farm Campground
Graves Farm
Beautiful 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
- BBernard D.Scout
North Fork Resort
Do not camp here!
I camped here on the 4th of July weekend in 2026. The lot was over $70 and the lot was a gravel lot in full sun, and our air conditioner could not keep up with the heat, because of the conplete lack of shade. These are the only lots available to campers. The water was toxic and brown out of the tap, and our water tank happened to be empty. We complained to the office, and they refused to help us by obtai i g some bottled water that was potable, and the manager basically said screw you. They didn’t care and claimed the water passed a water test. I run a campground myself and am very familiar with these issues, and guarantee this would not pass a potability test. I am reporting them to the local health dept and to the state liscensing department. If they think they can just blow me off, they are picking a battle with the wrong guy. O well, their mistake!!
Meagan S.ScoutEagle Rock Campground
Totally ruined our holiday
Honestly I would not go here. Its a beautiful spot great for fishing and swimming. I wish it was doable. But no. We been here for 4 days for the holiday. We wanted something affordable and full of nature. We really thought this place would be like other campsites. But other than taking out trash (which most people just burn making it stinky the entire time and every single fire pit you probably shouldnt cook on) there are no rules no regulations. People can be in your site looking into your tent and they do not care here. People just go where they want and fish around kids swimming rather than going somewhere else. Music can be blared so loud theres nowhere to go without hearing it. Dogs do not have to he on leash despite the sign at the entrance. (Told essentially to get over it) the dogs will roam everywhere. Its completely taken over by "locals" who aren't actually locals at all. They are just people from other states that stay here all the time and take over during the holidays. If youre already established at this camp you are good to go. But if you are highly respectful people who respect nature and want the peace of real camping. Do not go here. We are packing and leaving 5 days early and will not be back.
Guide to Toms Brook
Camping options near Toms Brook, Virginia span from creek-side primitive sites to full-service campgrounds with shower facilities. Located in the Shenandoah Valley at approximately 850 feet elevation, the area experiences four distinct seasons with mild springs and falls, hot summers, and cold winters. Winter camping requires preparation for temperatures that can drop below freezing, while summer campers should plan for highs in the 80s and occasional thunderstorms.
What to do
Fishing access: 15 miles east at Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground where "There are several rustic campsites located on the Southfork of the Shenandoah River, as well as modern electric sites, RV sites, and cabins. Park and campgrounds are clean and well maintained." The riverside sites provide immediate fishing opportunities as "My kids and I had a terrific time in this campground. We camped with a tent. Facilities were clean and well cared for."
Day hiking: Variable distances within George Washington National Forest where multiple trails offer hiking options for all skill levels. According to campers at Wolf Gap, "The hiking around here is first rate—Big Schloss offers one of the most unique views in the region!" For families, "Great place to go tent camping and hiking. The sites are free and are first come first serve."
Wildlife viewing: Dawn/dusk optimal for spotting deer and other wildlife that frequent campsites. As one Mathews Arm Campground visitor noted, "Great campground! A lot of hiking and nature everywhere. We even had a doe and fawn right in our campsite! Just be careful of the black bears." The area's wildlife diversity provides excellent viewing opportunities throughout the year.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Many forest service campgrounds offer wooded separation between campsites. At Little Fort Campground, "Each of the sites are a little secluded which is lovely. This is a great spot and I wish we would've stayed longer!" Similar observations come from Wolf Gap where "The sites are high quality and well-maintained. There's overflow camping across the road, which is good since this campground usually fills up on good weekends."
Stream sounds: Nightly relaxation near creek-side camping options. Gooney Creek Campground visitors appreciate this feature: "Located right on the bank of a creek. Sites are simple, some are bigger than others. Hookups are easy to get to. Ducks are there and you hear the water which is very soothing to us." Another camper noted, "The creek flowing along the campsite was gorgeous and it was great listening to the running water at night."
Clean facilities: Daily maintenance at larger established campgrounds. According to one Big Meadows Campground visitor, "Campground is meticulously clean with daily restroom cleaning and trash pick up. Very small campground store on site but a much larger store at visitor center." Another camper confirmed, "Bathrooms are adequate. There is potable water and a utility sink near the bathrooms, but there are no showers."
What you should know
Cell service limitations: No coverage in many forest campgrounds. According to one camper at Creekside Campground: "We paid $50/night for Back-in Creekview FHU Site#20. Once I was able to negotiate a few big trees, the site was plenty roomy and right on the water. Lots of ducks wandering around kept us entertained." For essential communication, "No cell service but the Visitor's Center has WiFi available."
Weather preparedness: Seasonal extremes affect comfort and accessibility. "No amenities other than a pit toilet and a gravel pad at each site. Not easy if you are pulling a trailer but it was a nice place with awesome ATV trails." Fall temperatures can drop suddenly, as one camper experienced: "We stayed here on the night of December 11, 2020. Water and electrical available at all the spots even though it was winter."
Road conditions: Mountain access requires careful navigation. One visitor noted, "We made a decision to camp on the eve of a potential blizzard. We were pulling a 15' trailer and could only access the sites from driving reverse along the one way road." Another warned, "Be forewarned that the road is quite bumpy. I was fine in a small car with relatively low clearance, but if you have extremely low clearance or things hanging down from your car, you're gonna have a slow, difficult drive in."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly activities: Morning hikes available at several locations. As one Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park visitor shared: "This campground is nice and the primitive spots are right next to the river. The spots are a short walk from the parking area and the campground provides wagons to transport your stuff. Great fishing and swimming right at your camping spot." The ranger programs also receive praise: "The children's programs offered on the weekends were great too."
Safety considerations: Bear awareness required throughout the region. Big Meadows campers advise: "Bear box for food storage. Loved seeing the deer so close and other wildlife. Fire ring with grate was available. Large site size." Similarly, at Mathews Arm, "There are no bear boxes at this campground, but there are indeed bears, so keep all food in your car."
Reservation timing: Weekday arrivals recommended during peak seasons. "This was a great midweek site. The reservation board is straightforward, the history of the campground is interesting, and the trail access is excellent." Weekend experiences differ: "The weekend folks ceased to use the reservation board system and were very noisy."
Tips from RVers
Site width constraints: Limited space at some campgrounds. A Creekside Campground visitor warned: "Lengthways doesn't seem to be an issue. I am seeing some good size rigs. However they aren't very wide. You are basically on top of your neighbor. Think being parked in a parking lot. With maybe a parking space between you." For RVers seeking more space, Elizabeth Furnace provides better options.
Access challenges: Back-in only at most smaller campgrounds near Toms Brook. "The spaces at this campground are pretty tight. Not much room for activities other than sitting by a fire. Getting in and out on a weekend is pretty difficult too." Larger rigs should consider, "The trailer barely fit the back-in site and we were able to detach and park our vehicle perpendicular to the trailer."
Hookup availability: Limited services at forest service locations. "We stayed in site 18 which was large and had a nice long flat space for us to park our class B camper on and dry camp. The sites are quite private and are mostly flat. Some of the sites are best for tent camping as the parking pad is either very short or is blocked off from the rest of the camp site."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Toms Brook, VA?
What camping is available near Toms Brook, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Toms Brook, VA offers a wide range of camping options, with 155 campgrounds and RV parks near Toms Brook, VA and 21 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Toms Brook, VA?
Which is the most popular campground near Toms Brook, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Toms Brook, VA is Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 58 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Toms Brook, VA?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Toms Brook, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 21 free dispersed camping spots near Toms Brook, VA.
What parks are near Toms Brook, VA?
What parks are near Toms Brook, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 20 parks near Toms Brook, VA that allow camping, notably Shenandoah National Park and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
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