Best Tent Camping near Doswell, VA

Hello,

Wow is all I have to say about this camping trip. It was partially our own fault because we had to rush in and didn’t research local bug populations. But holy crap! We kayaked in a sunset which was gorgeous and their were six tent sites. 4 of which were close together and two new ones which were really nice. No one was there but us. You can boat or hike in. We did primitive tent camping and it was so beautiful with our own lake view and private site for the time being but the BUGS were from another planet. We had super mutant mosquitoes and horse flies. They were resisitant to citronella candles, essential oils, and bug spray with 40% deet. We only found relief in the water. They invaded our tent as well and spent an hour in the evenings killing them before bed but still woke up with welts. If we come back it will be in winter when there are NO BUGS!!!!!! (Hopefully)

We absolutely loved it! We stayed in the tent camping area. The bathrooms were the cleanest we’ve experienced at any tent camping site. It’s relatively close to the Shenandoah NP. Would recommend this place. Definitely returning.

My son and I went here at the end of August for our first tent camping trip and even with the heat it was still great it’s a beautiful spot and the camp host was super friendly

We've spent a number of nights tent camping at Christopher Run. The people who manage the site are very nice. The campground and bathrooms are kept clean. The bathrooms are even air-conditioned. Christopher Run has a boat launch as well.

I could not wait to get there! I was so excited to go fossil hunting! Camping was way too cramped for me as we tent camp and were stuck surrounded by RVs. The people next to us could be heard whispering! That being said, the fossil hunting was fun and my hubby found a few neat sharks teeth. The hiking was a blast and fishing was productive and fun! Next time though we will just day trip it as I never want to camp that closely to others again - ugh

We tent camped in site #1 on Oct 7th, 2023. The online booking was easy enough through TheDyrt.com. Finding the place isn't trivial.

The campsite/farm is known as Labyrinths, Trails and Solitude...or ImaniWorks: Human Rights& Sustainable Living...Google struggled to find both of them. The address is 19362 Constitution Hwy, Orange, VA 22960

Head out of Orange, Virginia on the 20 East (Constitution Hwy), just as you pass the Orange County Airport on the left you'll pass Porter Road on the right. The next house after Porter Road, is the turn in to the Farm/Campsite (on the right side of the road).

It's quite beautiful and our hosts were great. Nice campsite. Lot's of birds singing.

I wish we could have stayed longer, the hiking and free firewood would have been great to take advantage of, but we were just overnighting.

The best thing that is offered here is there is a pool! There are many amenities in addition. There are boat rentals, fishing, beach, docks, picnic areas, cabins, tent camping, rv camping, trail hiking, etc. The visitor center is large with a small gift shop/camp store. The group sites are very nice. The whole park is very well maintained and large. The cabins are clean and accommodating. The view from most cabins along the water are so nice. There are random exercise machines placed along trials to enhance workouts. My only gripe is the camp site pads. They're made of very loose gravel which I find bothersome as the little rocks get into our shoes and the tent stakes slid out easily.

We just got back from spending the weekend here. We chose to spend our weekend tent camping and could not have been happier with our decision. My daughter LOVED being able to walk all trails. We were a bit disappointed the boardwalk was closed (but we still loved walking the rest of the trails). There were lots of families here and everyone was happy to be there. Both beaches were very walkable on the trails from campsite C. We felt like we had all out own space, but when you walked around it was great to have the feeling of a small community of people who were all there for the same reason...to enjoy being outside!

Bear Creek Lake is a bit off the beaten path which was one of the things I really loved about it. My kids and I camped in a tent on the Chestnut Loop, which was well shaded by trees and the bathrooms were incredibly clean. The sites are a little close to each other for my taste, but everything else was so nice I didn't let it bother me.

The lake itself is smallish, but the scenery is beautiful. We rented kayaks and the staff were all very nice and helpful. There is a small beach area for swimming, but I'm not a fan of swimming in lakes myself so I skipped visiting that area. Instead we hiked the very scenic trails around the lake, which are well marked for the most part.

In all, this was a very nice park to visit for camping, hiking and kayaking. I imagine I'll be returning again in the future.

While we only camped here for one night, we enjoyed the park from check in to checkout!

Since we tent camp our site was dry and had no amenities but there were full hook up sites available. Our site was nestled in with the full hook up sites so it was as far away from the bathrooms as possible, not a big deal just something to note.

Since we visited in March, the trees did not have much foliage so the sites were more exposed than I tend to prefer and lots of the campers around left their outside RV lights on all night.

Being in campground A, we were only a short walk to the trail leading to fossil beach which was beautiful!

I LOVE this park. The tent sites are awesome and mine have always been pretty private feeling despite being somewhat near others. Bathhouses are always SO clean and heated in the winter. So appreciate the recycling bins. I love the sharks’ teeth display in the shop and when I was there they were working on putting bones together of a whale that was found! At the time of my visit a couple of weeks ago there was a bit of algae in the water that could cause irritation to stomach and skin, so just be mindful of this. I did hike down to fossil beach but definitely avoided the water. If you’re anything like me, traveling for peace and quiet and solitude, I highly recommend Sunday and Monday nights if you have flexibility with jobs etc. It was SUPER quiet during my stay. Absolutely wonderful. Oh - and check for ticks and bring your bug spray. Gotta love humid Virginia summers! I had site A22 and it was away from a bit compared to other sites.

Stopped off at this campground after finding it while passing though just before Labor Day weekend. While it was the last weekend for the pool before its closure and while they were in the process of working on some of the plumbing at the campground, it was a well put together campground which was very impressive.

Located somewhat remotely from the larger community and near several places of interest along the road, this camp was a great stop for a tent camper like myself. They offer a basic tent site for $26 with nice bath houses. For full connections the price does rise slightly offering both both 20/30 amp and 50 amp connections for RVs.

The roads around the camp are gravel and a little bumpy but the sites themselves were pretty level and grassy for tents which was pretty nice. Sites are located far enough off the road that road noise is minimal.

I did also notice they have cabin rentals available and a pretty nice little store with lots of options for those who didn't bring everything with them.

For being a state park, Lake Anna is one of the best I've been to. Although we only tent camped, I noticed a lot of things about the campground that would welcome RVs as well. There were large back-in sites as well as pull-through sites. There was also a dump station. Campers can choose sites with or without electricity. This campground is ADA accessible with the lantern hangers having lower hooks for those in wheelchairs, and at least one of the cabins has a wheelchair ramp. The bath house was clean, and I especially liked the privacy of individual shower rooms. Since it is a state park, it lacks some amenities that privately owned campgrounds have, but camping in a state park is about enjoying the natural features of the park, There are opportunities for motor boating, kayaking, swimming, hiking, fishing, etc. The only downside I found was that the grass really needed mowing. Even though there had been a few rainy days, the grass at our campsite was knee high and higher.

This state park is amazing, it is close to the Richmond metro but allows an easy and wonderful retreat to nature. I was there in early June, and it wasnt crowded, though I can imagine it might be later in the summer. There are numerous camping options here, ranging from tent camping to RV’s to camper cabins to yurts, to regular full service glamping cabins, all in different sections. There is also an area set aside that could be rented for a group retreat or group summer camp, with groups of cabins around meeting space and dining hall area. The full service cabins are new and very upscale; the camper cabins are older but well maintained. The yurts are lovely too. I car camped in a standard site, all the campsites are wooded, shady, fairly private and well spaced. The park is huge and has lots of recreation, from miles of hiking and riding trails, biking and more. Very family friendly, with playgrounds, an incredible waterpark and pool, and nature programs at the visitor center. There is also a summer series of concerts etc in the park. Highly recommended!

So much to say! We’ve loved our trips to Pocahontas, even in the cold months of December and March. For one, the bathrooms/showers are nice and toasty (and super clean). I was there in December for a camping and mountain biking trip with Scouts. The group site we were at was very spacious and private. There were a few RV/tent sites nearby but not very close. We felt quite secluded but it wasn’t too far to walk to the bathrooms. The bike trails were epic fun! Some areas were more challenging than others, likely because there had been a lot of rain and wet leaves on steep bike trails can be tough to avoid slipping/sliding. But we made the best of it. I returned a few months later for a NOLS Wilderness First Aid course that was held in a large dining hall on the park’s property. It couldn’t have been more perfect! We camped there and drove to the dining hall each day for class. It was very well-organized! I have fond memories of this park and look forward to returning during other times of the year for more fun things to participate in!

We had a nice time. The campground was clean & the staff, maintenance, & volunteers were all very helpful & friendly. We stayed at tent site #7 we were right by the bathroom/shower house. When we arrived the site was clean & ready for use. We weren’t excited about being so close to so many people & the bathroom door needs to be fixed because every time some went to the bathroom we would hear the door SLAM shut all hours of the night. The bathroom toilets clogged several times but were usually fixed within the hour. We were camping when every single site was filled so it was busy. We prefer a lot more privacy we were within 3 feet of our neighbors & 10 feet of 6-7 camp sites. There were more people than there was trees & wildlife. It is a nice park, lots of beautiful trails, a small “beach”, a lake to fish in, & multiple really nice playgrounds for kids. Tons of amenities. We will likely not go back but this wasn’t because of the campground or the employees, we just prefer more a primitive campsite w/ lots of privacy, nature, & more lakes to fish in.

Part of the VA State Park system, BCL is exceptionally well-maintained. Most of the site are RV accessible, but there are a few tent-only sites along the lake, which is where we stayed. These sites are absolutely beautiful--great lake views, and while the only swimming allowed is at the roped off beach area, there is a canoe launch and fishing opportunities right at the campsites.

The tent pads are filled with shredded tires instead of gravel or dirt, which provides a little extra cushion, but can be uncomfortable on bare feet.

All sites have fire rings, lantern hooks, and extra long picnic tables. Tent pads are of varying sizes--we stayed in site A12 and our 6 person tent fit easily, and we could have fit a second one-many of our camp neighbors had 10 person tents set up.

The water view loop was not heavily trafficked, though the water does provide a hazard if you have small children as it is not roped off in any way. Our kids loved having the water right there and we loved watching them, it just requires extra vigilance. Loops B and C have more sites that are very shady but closer together, and there is more vehicle and bicycle traffic going past campsites.

Bathrooms are clean, and have showers and electrical outlets to charge devices if needed.

The park has lots of hiking, including trails that go directly from the camp sites to the swimming area, boat/canoe rentals, cabins, fishing, and a lakeside diner that sells concessions. Campsites allegedly have Wifi though we did not test this to see how reliable it is.

Cumberland County is only at 455' elevation, so the heat and humidity in the summer is intense--we were very uncomfortable our first night because of this, so fall would probably be the best time to go as it is when central Virginia has the best weather.

This is the largest state campground in VA. It is very pretty and clean. Nice facilities modern but not new, clean. Lots of tents and good level tent areas at each camp site. You have a little bit of room and the sites are tucked back in the trees. It was a quite night, I slept right through. North Star Truck Camper GMC 2500HD. One more in my quest for 1state park in every state, 4/50!

The most convenient campground in proximity to Kings Dominion. Clean bathrooms, well maintained. Recommend the raised platform for folks with tents if it rains as the video will show.

I gave this campground a 3 out of 5, mostly because it wasn't very memorable. I had a good time there with my family, but there wasn't anything that really stood out to me.

Also, I really love to hike and get out into nature when I camp. Powhatan, Virginia isn't the best place for that compared to all of the amazing wilderness you can find in other parts of Virginia.

The sites were a little close together for my liking, but they were still very nice.

The staff was very helpful and friendly.

The trails at this park are very well maintained. They are designated as hiking, biking, and/or horseback riding, so you'll know which trails are best for your activity.

This park has some of the best bike trails in the state - over 25 miles. Several new mountain-bike-only trails opened just this year. The difficulties are clearly marked as Novice through Expert. They even installed maintenance equipment at the entrance of each new trail so you can make minor adjustments without carrying your own equipment.

A number of the hiking trails through this park are wide fire roads. Smaller paths wind throughout the park connecting the larger trails together. Be sure to get a park map before you start your adventure. This is the largest state park in Virginia and it's easy to get turned around.

If you're into Geocaching, or want to learn how, you can pick up a hand-held GPS from the park office along with a list of the geocaches located in the park. The geocaches are rotated on a fairly frequent basis, so there will always be new caches for you to find.

Pocahontas State Park has a great Nature Center where you can pet or hold some of the smaller snakes, and watch the box turtles wander around. Here you can learn about the local plants and wildlife so you know what to look for out on the trail. There are even craft activities for the little ones. Just check with the park office or the Nature Center for a schedule of events.

For water lovers there is a large swimming pool that is open during the summer months. If you're camping for the night, your entrance to the pool is included in your stay. Or, if you prefer kayaks and canoes, you can put in at Swift Creek Lake for a flatwater paddle. The park has rental equipment if need to borrow gear.

The southern end of the park has been designed for the horse lovers. There is ample parking for trailers and miles of wide trails so you don't have to ride single file. The park includes new facilities for your horses including two exercise rings. There are no overnight facilities for horses at this park.

The camping sites are nothing special. Tent and RV camping are in the same area. They do provide plenty of room for your tent, and include a picnic table and fire ring. Many of the sites are in almost full sun, so you may want to bring a shade of some type with you.

Beware that there is a huge tick population in this park. Be sure to wear bug spray if you'll be out in the woods at any point.

All-in-all, this is a fantastic park for families. There is a little bit of everything for everyone in your family.

If you are in an RV this place makes sense completely with a standard rate of $44 for a basic water and electric site or $46 to add sewer. But if you are a tent camper like myself the price point of $44 is a bit to much just to lay my head on the ground with a few amenities. There are far more locations in the area at a much more reasonable rate for tents.

With that being said, this campground is quaint and nice. With a catch and release pond, a nice pool, a rec center and an additional catfish pond there are plenty of activities to keep you busy. Not to mention, this place looks like a story book location early in the morning with the rolling of the fog across the hills.

I did notice a few other negatives however at this camp. There are two bathhouses but they are kind of small considering the volume of people which stay here. I would recommend showering during somewhat off hours to avoid the influx of people. Also the WIFI here was a bit weak if you were not near the office.

All in all this place is nice I will say and should I travel back through this area in an RV it would be worth the price point in going back. As I was in a tent however I feel it was a bit much to give it a higher rating.