Camping near Earlysville, Virginia presents options at elevations ranging from 400 to 3,500 feet across the Blue Ridge foothills. Located approximately 20 miles from Shenandoah National Park's Swift Run entrance, Earlysville's proximity allows campers to experience temperature variations of 5-10°F cooler at higher elevation campgrounds compared to those in the valleys.
What to do
Hike to mountain vistas: Loft Mountain Campground offers direct access to trails right from your site. "The AT runs right through the campground," notes Katrin M., who recommends taking a day trip to "the visitor center at the Big Meadow. They had very cool programs and really good food. I enjoyed a blackberry shake, which is kinda famous for the area."
Brewery exploration: Spend time at Devils Backbone Camp where camping and craft beer combine. "You can have several great beers with your meal and safely walk back to the camp site," shares Robert M. The brewery is accessible via "a 5 minute trail walk to the Devil's Backbone brewery," according to Chyna K., who notes it's also "close distance to hiking trails and other breweries and cideries."
Wildlife watching: Dawn and dusk offer prime wildlife viewing opportunities across the camping areas. At Lewis Mountain Campground, Anne K. recommends exploring "Great hikes nearby including waterfalls and rock scrambles" where wildlife sightings are common. For night sky enthusiasts, Werner S. suggests "We visited during a weekday and there was more than enough availability...At night you could see stars. We took a walk to the overlook in the middle of the night to stargaze."
What campers like
Clean facilities: Bathhouses receive consistent praise from campers. At Devils Backbone Camp, Vy N. reports they have "some of the nicest facilities of any campground I've stayed at." Similarly, at Misty Mountain Camp Resort, Mike G. confirms "Bath house was very clean and very well thought out," adding that "Electric sites have 20a, 30a, and 50a hookups so small trailers can use a normal extension cord."
Family activities: Many campgrounds cater specifically to families with children. Christopher T. found Misty Mountain Camp Resort offered a "Very laid back atmosphere, plenty for the kids to do! Kept them occupied the whole trip! Enjoyed the music and smores offered by the campground." Annalie N. agrees: "There are lots of activities to do as a family and everything is kept up nicely. The jump pad and the pool tables were our favorites."
Secluded sites: Privacy varies significantly between campgrounds and specific sites. At Lewis Mountain Campground, Lisa D. notes it "has a lot of sites but they've spaced them so that they can be pretty private and quiet. If you get in early there a lot of really choice sites...Quiet time starts at 10 and is enforced. We didn't hear a soul all night."
What you should know
Site selection matters: At Big Meadows Campground, Veronica S. found their site "B112, was surrounded by shrubs under the canopy of trees which provided tons of privacy." However, she warns "Though this campground is HUGE, the sites are not piled on top of each other...Though there is privacy and it was fairly quiet in the afternoon, at night it can get loud with kids running around and being noisy."
Weather considerations: Mountain weather can change rapidly, especially at higher elevations. Carol B. camped at Big Meadows "the last night of the season (Nov30)" and experienced extreme temperatures: "It was an especially cold night hitting a low of 14F. Very happy for the nearby heated restrooms with hot running water."
First-come availability: Not all campgrounds take reservations. Danielle V. advises for Lewis Mountain: "Reservations are first-come, first-served, which makes it a bit tricky. Out of the 31 sites (including host site), only 3 remained when we arrived at about 1:45 PM on a Friday afternoon, and those remaining filled up within the hour."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly amenities: Harrisonburg-Shenandoah Valley KOA offers numerous family facilities. Katie M. notes it "has an awesome location between Harrisonburg and Luray/Shenandoah. It has great amenities like a pool and playground, a camp store and lots of friendly and helpful employees."
Educational programs: Take advantage of ranger activities when camping in Shenandoah. Kim L. shares that Big Meadows has a "Nice amphitheater with interesting ranger programs" and mentions it's "Clean, neat, and family oriented" with a "campground...meticulously clean with daily restroom cleaning and trash pick up."
Safety measures: Wildlife interactions require preparation. Rachel M. emphasizes: "We saw many deer and bear while camping" at Big Meadows. Similarly, Anna R. notes: "Speaking of bears- there were lots of sighting and they take food clean up seriously. You can be fined for leaving food out."
Tips from RVers
Hookup positioning: At Devils Backbone Camp, Robert M. warns that "some of the pads (#9 in our case) had a septic cap that was too high" and "the power station was on the opposite side of the septic, so make sure you have a 30ft power cord at least!" Erika S. elaborates: "if you stay at a full hook up site and are parked in an odd number spot, you will need an extra long sewer hose to reach the connection."
Level sites: Site leveling varies across campgrounds. At Charlottesville KOA, Nancy W. notes their site was "perfectly level, gravel, and had nice grass on the patio which our dog enjoyed. All the utilities were well-placed, so you didn't need additional hoses."
Seasonal operation: Many campgrounds have limited operating seasons. Mike G. found Charlottesville KOA ideal for off-season camping: "For the past four or five years I have come to this campground each year in the offseason, April or October, to visit while the temps in Virginia are cooler and less humid."
