7 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Fort Valley Ranch in Virginia accommodates horses and riders with 45 equestrian-friendly sites. The campground features big-rig-friendly access, tent and RV sites, plus cabin accommodations for those seeking shelter after a day on the trails. Campers browse The Dyrt when exploring the best sites near Elkwood, Virginia. Drinking water, electric hookups with 30/50-amp service, and full sewer hookups are available at designated sites. The campground maintains fire rings with firewood available for purchase, picnic tables, and trash collection services. Modern facilities include showers and toilets. Sites remain accessible via drive-in access, and reservations are recommended as the campground fills quickly during peak riding seasons.
Horse trails connect to surrounding scenic areas with mountain views providing excellent riding opportunities. Graves Mountain Farm Campground offers an alternative equestrian-friendly option with 50 sites in an open field setting. The bathhouse facilities receive mixed reviews regarding cleanliness and maintenance. Free-range horses return to pens at dusk and head out at dawn, creating an authentic ranch atmosphere that children particularly enjoy watching. Both campgrounds maintain pet-friendly policies, allowing riders to bring dogs along with their horses. Campfire rings at both locations accommodate evening relaxation after trail rides. The primitive camping area at Graves Mountain sometimes contains yellow jacket nests and street lighting that may affect the wilderness experience. Both locations provide reasonable access to surrounding trail systems, though Graves Mountain requires approximately 35-40 minutes to reach Shenandoah National Park entrances.
"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. "
"While the campground is very nice, with clean conveniently located bathrooms, the site itself is probably not suited for a large group of people."
from $30 - $75 / night
Check Availability"We have lived in northern Virginia for over 30 years and never been to this campground until this month! Very nice campground with friendly staff and friendly campground hosts."
"History buffs will like to explore the park surrounding the campground. Fun little water park within walking distance of all campsites that was great for kids."
from $39 - $100 / night
Check Availability"We have been camping here for nearly 20 years. Each military tour brought us back to this area so Pohick became our second home. Our kids kayak now older but used to walk the trails as little kids."
"We enjoyed sitting around the campfire at night and walking the dogs down to the water. We were right next to a hiking trail that went down to the water and a beach area."
from $37 - $170 / night
Check Availability"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
Check Availability"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
Check Availability"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
Check Availability
LegendI 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.
GuideLooked 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.
TravelerBOTTOM 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:
Cons:
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:
LegendLovely time in the yurt! Walked around the property and saw the horses and checked out the primitive sites.
ScoutBeautiful 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.
ScoutWe 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.
RangerWe stayed at a "group" site D167, which allows up to 15 people and 4 cars. While the campground is very nice, with clean conveniently located bathrooms, the site itself is probably not suited for a large group of people. First of all, it's located in the middle of a large patch of grass right next to other family campsites, so no privacy at all. If you travel with friends you might want to stay up a little longer and have a good laugh around the fire, but this site isn't really designed this way. The quiet hours are after 10PM and it's enforced. Second, the space is really limited, especially if your group members have larger tents. Also, there's no overflow parking, except at the entrance to the campground.
The showers are nice and clean, but they are coin operated.
The rangers are very strict. We had some food related items left on the table (salt/pepper shakers) and they were confiscated while we were hiking. I'm not saying it's wrong, but be aware, because these rules are not enforced at the same level in different places. We ended up with a $80 fine.
Also, since this is a national park, you cannot bring the firewood from outside, have to buy it in the park.
Other than that, we enjoyed our stay. The campground location allow an easy access to many trails within Shenandoah National Park, as well as close by, such as our favorite Old Rag Mountain. It's also technically a part of the NP, so keep your entrance receipt to show at the Old Rag's parking lot.
Make sure you taste blackberry ice cream at the general store at the entrance. It's a local specialty and it's delicious!!!
TravelerWe 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!
TravelerStayed in July of 2016. 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. Only down fall is proximity to neighbors.
Equestrian camping near Elkwood, Virginia offers access to mountain trail systems in the Blue Ridge foothills. The region sits at elevations between 500-1000 feet, with summer temperatures averaging 85°F and winters dropping to the 30s. Fall camping season typically extends through mid-November with colorful foliage displays throughout October.
Waterfall hikes: 3-5 mile routes from Big Meadows Campground provide scenic destinations. "Big Meadow has many amenities which make it popular and oftentimes crowded during weekends and holiday's. But, many of these amenities make camping with families a convenience. 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," notes Rachel M.
Disc golf: 18-hole course available at Pohick Bay Regional Park for casual players. "Pohick Bay is my go-to weekend camping spot. Just a few miles outside DC, Pohick Bay is a hidden gem in the area. I'd recommend taking in a game of disc golf on their 18 hole course," suggests Rachel L.
Horseback riding: Guided trail options for all experience levels. Multiple trails connect to George Washington National Forest. Bring your own horse or arrange a guided ride at nearby stables. Most trail rides range from 1-3 hours with advance booking required.
Wildlife viewing: Deer and black bears frequent Big Meadows Campground. "Big Meadows Campground was wonderful. Facilities were clean and well maintained. Bear box for food storage. Loved seeing the deer so close and other wildlife. Fire ring with grate was available. Large site size. We had site 23. Highly recommend!" writes Terri S.
Firefly displays: Summer evening shows in wooded campsites. "And finally, the fireflies are spectacular. At dusk, the ground shimmers, and then after they disperse, you will still see them flit by the tent throughout the night," describes Veronica S. at Big Meadows.
Mountain views: Ridge panoramas from elevated sites at Bull Run Regional Park. "Beautiful and quiet. We arrived late at night and finding our site was easy. Very spacious sites and awesome views of the forest," reports Charyssa G.
Weather considerations: Higher elevations can be significantly colder. "It was an especially cold night hitting a low of 14F. Very happy for the nearby heated restrooms with hot running water," notes Carol B. at Big Meadows.
Campsite selection: Not all sites are level at some facilities. "We got a site on the inner loop and it backed to the playground and the bathhouse. The site was spacious. We are tent campers but almost all our neighbors were in an RV or trailer," explains Ben G. at Pohick Bay.
Insect activity: Seasonal swarms can affect camping comfort. "The bugs when we got here were kinda crazy. They don't bite but they swarm your head and try to enter every orifice for some reason. A head net was helpful to get the tent and screen room set up," warns Veronica S.
Equestrian access: Trail distance varies from each campground. Graves Mountain Farm Campground offers dedicated horse facilities. "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," according to Matt's review.
Ranger programs: Evening activities provide educational entertainment. "Nice amphitheater with interesting ranger programs. Busy traffic in park but nice trails are accessible from campground. Visitor Center, gas station, food walking distance from campground," mentions Kim L. about Big Meadows.
Water activities: Summer cooling options for kids at select locations. "This campground was full of stuff to do and we didn't even get to do a lot of it. We stayed in a cabin for 2 nights and had a great time. The campground had a climbing wall on one afternoon. There are miles of trails and my gkids enjoyed the nature scavenger hunt. You even get a prize when you finish," shares Bridget H. about Bull Run Regional Park.
Farm animal experiences: Interact with horses at equestrian campgrounds. "Awesome views, good food in the restaurant up the hill. Lots of people on horses running around which we loved, and good live music after dinner," notes Alex R. about Graves Mountain Farm.
Site selection: Check levelness before setup. "We were in site 3, an easy level pull-through site, making the setup/breakdown very quick and painless. All the RV sites were impressively level, with only minimal leveling needed," recommends Jason G. from Fort Valley Ranch.
Bathroom facilities: Quality varies by campground. "I'll go again just for the showers. The best review I can give us of the bathrooms. They're with staying again alone. Locking doors, individual stalls. Hot dog. Best camping showers I've ever had," praises Yvonne B. about Bull Run Regional Park.
Road access: Some horse campgrounds have narrow approach roads. "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. The access was smooth and hassle-free," reports Jason G. from Fort Valley Ranch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Elkwood, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Elkwood, VA is Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 128 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Elkwood, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Elkwood, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
