Best Glamping near Etlan, VA

Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground houses luxury yurts and fully-furnished glamping tents just 20 miles from Etlan, Virginia. These upscale accommodations feature comfortable queen beds with linens, electricity, climate control systems, and private decks overlooking the Shenandoah River. Spacious Skies Shenandoah Views offers safari-style canvas tents with plush mattresses, rustic furnishings, and outdoor fire rings for an elevated camping experience. One reviewer highlighted, "Beautiful facility with fantastic scenery at the foot of Shenandoah National Park. The sites are large with both sun and shade options, and the yurts are especially nice for those wanting more comfort." These glamping options maintain a connection to nature while providing considerably more comfort than traditional camping, with amenities like private bathrooms, kitchenettes, and outdoor lounging areas.

Access to Shenandoah National Park's hiking trails and scenic overlooks makes these glamping locations especially popular during peak fall foliage season. The safari tents and geodesic domes at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Luray provide easy access to Skyline Drive and numerous waterfall hikes. Many accommodations include stargazing opportunities from private decks, with minimal light pollution allowing for exceptional night sky viewing. According to a camper, "We spent a late evening on a picnic blanket stargazing with unobstructed views of the night sky. The glamping sites provide the perfect balance of comfort while still feeling connected to nature." Wildlife viewing is abundant with deer frequently spotted near the glamping sites. Reservations are recommended several months in advance for spring through fall stays, with many geodesic domes and canvas tents booking quickly during peak seasons from May through October.

Best Glamping Sites Near Etlan, Virginia (27)

    1. Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park

    120 Reviews
    Stanley, VA
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 999-3500

    $30 - $75 / night

    "Nice facilities (shower, bathrooms, garbage, etc.), but the campsites themselves leave a bit to be desired. Pros: deer wander the grounds, making for some beautiful morning animal encounters."

    "This was a great campground location to many, many National Park Trails. Our stay was during the last week of September. We met up with family who live in the area and got 3 sites hugging the AT."

    2. Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Luray

    24 Reviews
    Luray, VA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 300-1697

    "But as with most campgrounds, the air was filled with kids laughing and campfire smoke. We played mini golf and the course needed a lot of work. We also went to the pools."

    "beautiful location, nice campground. not a lot of woods but lots to do including jumping pillows, paddle boats, swimming. the cabins are spacious and nice though you have to bring your own linens. the"

    3. Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground

    56 Reviews
    Bentonville, VA
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 622-6840

    $30 - $40 / night

    "We enjoyed the many trails and walking our dog along the river. We would highly recommend and will come back."

    "Normally we’re tent campers, but this time we opted for the climate controlled cabins of this state park. Cabins were wonderful. Essentially a little house off in its own little “cabin neighborhood.”"

    4. Spacious Skies Shenandoah Views

    18 Reviews
    Luray, VA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 743-7222

    $31 - $200 / night

    "Usually go camping with a Little Guy teardrop trailer, but with the current state of the country, didn’t feel comfortable with sharing bathroom facilities. We booked Yurt #1. It was fantastic."

    "When we arrived at Spacious Skies the office staff was so nice and helpful! I had not made a reservation online because since this was our first time I was unsure of how everything works."

    5. Harrisonburg - Shenandoah Valley KOA

    31 Reviews
    Shenandoah, VA
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 896-8929

    "This campground 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."

    "Positive: Friendly staff, close to Shenandoah NP, quiet camping, every site has a fire pit. Negative: Pricing rather high"

    6. Corbin Cabin

    1 Review
    Etlan, VA
    7 miles
    Website

    $35 - $50 / night

    "Great little cabin with some more luxurious camping facilities than we were used to (Stayed across the river at a more primitive spot as well). Good spot for families and we had a great time ."

    7. Luray RV Resort on Shenandoah River

    4 Reviews
    Luray, VA
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 743-5540

    $45 - $470 / night

    "Great proximity to Shenandoah National Park while still being close enough to a Walmart and fuel. Easy to access sites, great for larger rigs!"

    "They have a playground for the kids, fishing ponds, cabins, pet friendly with a dog park and they are located right along the Shenandoah river. "

    8. KOA Luray RV Resort

    3 Reviews
    Luray, VA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 743-7222

    "It was adjacent to a farm and like others have mentioned, it was a bit smelly at times. They had a huge dog park that my dog loved. They also had multiple dog bag stations throughout the campground."

    "Wright next to the Luray caves and near the starting point of the Skyline drive. Nice, quietly located camping, surrounded by fields."

    9. #1 Rock Tavern River Kamp

    4 Reviews
    Luray, VA
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 843-4232

    $45 - $225 / night

    "We are located on the Shenandoah River! Our waterfront unique kamp offers yurts and tent sites along with a well maintained bathhouse! Of course I feel we are 5 stars!"

    "We could not have asked for a nicer location! Our tent was about 20 feet from the river and the campground had everything we could have asked for (including spotless bathroom and shower facilities!)"

    10. Low Water Bridge Campground

    9 Reviews
    Bentonville, VA
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 635-7277

    $30 - $125 / night

    "Electricity is on the RV site, there is a dumping place for black/grey water. Positive: Friendly staff, near the river, close to Shenandoah NP, quiet camping, every site has a fire pit."

    "It’s fenced off, so despite how it looks, you aren’t walking through anyone’s campsite."

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Glamping Reviews near Etlan, VA

429 Reviews of 27 Etlan Campgrounds


  • Megan K.
    Feb. 13, 2022

    Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground

    Great winter cabin camping weekend

    tl;dr- We stayed in a cabin February. The park and the cabins are very clean and well maintained. We enjoyed the many trails and walking our dog along the river. We would highly recommend and will come back.

    Shenandoah River State Park has a variety of camping/RV/cabin options for everyone.  They have: climate controlled cabins, rustic cabins, RV sites, and tent camping sites.  Great for groups, especially those that have different ideas of the enjoying the great outdoors/nature

    And if you, like me, are less enthusiastic about winter camping, the cabins are a great way to enjoy the park with climate controlled amenities.  

    Two bedroom climate controlled cabin: Very clean, simple/minimalistic furniture, with kitchen necessities included.  It's reminiscent of a dorm-style apartment. Cooking utensils and cutlery, dish soap, a couple of dishwasher pods, toilet paper, and paper towels are included.  Mattresses and pillows had actual protectors on them and you are expected to bring sheets, pillow cases, and towels (not sure if it's always expected you bring sheets/linens but was true but at least with COVID/our latest stay).  There is a nice big kitchen table to play games.  We did have phone service and watched some shows on our tablet.

    Restroom/shower: Very clean, spacious restroom although with a small shower (we stayed in cabin 6, showers may be bigger in others/handicapped accessible cabins).  Included mounted container with hand soap and shampoo/body wash.

    Bedrooms:  Queen bed w/ box spring mattress.  I prefer memory foam so it was not my favorite, but it was still decent/firm.  The other bedroom had 4 bunkbeds.

    Outside space:  There is a nice space with a picnic table and fire pit.  There are also rocking chairs on the porch of each cabin.  Very cute and a great way to appreciate the views.  

    Area: Many trails throughout the park.  We enjoyed walking our dog along the river.

    Looking forward to coming back either staying in a cabin again or staying in our camper van.

  • M J.
    Sep. 20, 2021

    Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground

    Gorgeous and quiet spot along the Shenandoah River

    Normally we’re tent campers, but this time we opted for the climate controlled cabins of this state park. Cabins were wonderful. Essentially a little house off in its own little “cabin neighborhood.” Kitchen was fully stocked with just about anything you’d need. Only thing you need to bring are linens (because of COVID) and food). Outside there is a large wrap around porch, picnic table, grill, and fire pit. All tucked right against the trees. Rangers at the visitor center were wonderful, and gave our kids a tour of the small animals they kept inside the visitor center. Lots of hiking trails, and we didn’t see a ton of people on them. Good fishing in the river too. Drove through RV campground and spots looked nice with lots of pull through sites and pretty level too. Tent area is in another part of the park. For that you have to park in a lot and take a short walk to each site (though I did see a wagon there for campers to use). We will totally come back.

  • Ven G.
    Aug. 23, 2019

    Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park

    Decent casual campground— bring your own firewood though!

    Nice facilities (shower, bathrooms, garbage, etc.), but the campsites themselves leave a bit to be desired.

    Pros: deer wander the grounds, making for some beautiful morning animal encounters. Seems to be family-friendly. Very fair quiet hours. Easy access to a number of great hiking trails! We had a blast hiking the Rose River trail and part of the AT for one whole day.

    Cons: Uneven ground all over the reserved site made it so our tent had to be pitched at an angle. The fire pit was strange due to the grilles covering half of it (would prefer to have just had a simple pit instead). Also the firewood we were sold was abysmal; it sputtered and smoked instead of burning cleanly. This made cooking extremely frustrating, so I will be bringing my own (certified and labeled) firewood next time.

  • E
    Aug. 5, 2022

    Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground

    Great camping - private, clean and great Visitor's Center and hiking trails

    Me and my son stayed for 2 nights and the park is very clean but we did have the unexpected torrential down-pour each night.  Bathroom and shower facility are very clean. Must keep your trash organized and they do have the Bear prevention lockers available on each campsite. Less than 75 miles one-way from Northern VA to arrive.  Bugs and ticks are not bad at all. Each campsite comes with dedicated grill stand and wood fire pit with option of grilling as well. We had an excellent time and did some tubing down the Shenandoah River but it was a bit shallow.  Did see some deer and the occasional wild bunny and turtles in the water.  Generally a very nice stay except for the heavy rain.  NO cell phone signal or WIFI available unless you are near/at the Visitors Center.  So BE PREPARED.

  • M J.
    Aug. 24, 2022

    Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground

    Love this quiet park.

    Stayed in Camp Cabin 41 in middle August 2022. The cabins are basic, but just enough that you need. Electricity, water on site (not in cabin, fan, lots of windows for sticky nights, 2 bunk beds (sleeping 4 total), and a table with 4 chairs. On the front porch are 2 wonderful rocking chairs. There's also a picnic table, fire pit, and grill on site. Parking for 2 cars. It's a relatively short walk to the bathhouse which had showers, toilets, a large clean up sink, and even washer/dryer available for a small price. The hiking here is nice and quiet, the river is beautiful. The cabin was in the electric/water (RV) campground and other than the randomly loud neighbor was peaceful and quiet. Lots of tent campers in this area of the campground too. The rangers are always helpful in the visitor center. Lots of small wildlife here too. I highly recommend this park.

  • J
    Dec. 23, 2020

    Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground

    Great campground!

    We stayed here on the night of December 11, 2020. No problem finding a spot, campground was about half full when we got there around 4pm. The Primitive Camping spots were all taken however, so arrive early if you want one of those. Water and electrical available at all the spots even though it was winter. Bathrooms and showers were nearby and clean. No cell service but the Visitor’s Center has WiFi available. Lots of hiking and mtb trails, although we only did a bit of walking. Campground is maybe 100 yds from the Shenandoah River and it’s beautiful down there.

  • Scott F.
    May. 4, 2021

    Christopher Run Campground

    Great campsite off of Lake Anna in Virginia.

    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.

  • Marisa A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 19, 2020

    Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park

    Centrally Located Shenandoah NP Campground

    This was a great campground location to many, many National Park Trails. Our stay was during the last week of September. We met up with family who live in the area and got 3 sites hugging the AT. We pitched two large tents on our E178 site and a hammock in the trees just beyond our fire pit. My brother had a large tent on site E177 and it was just as nice. Our third site E176 was across the road from us flanked by travel trailer campers. That site had less privacy, but gave us a shorcut path to the running water bathroom. There was a sign in the bathroom that said it was ok to pour filter dishwater down the toilets, so we did that quite a bit to keep our campsites clean and safe from bears. My favorite sites were E177 and E178. They were a good size and distance from the other sites. We were close to the water pump and running water bathrooms. The pay showers were a bit of a walk from us, but they were clean. We liked having a nearby store, visitor's center, and gas station at this campground. In the evenings we went to the big meadow to watch the wildlife a few nights.Site E178 had great sunrise vistas through the trees. We positioned our chairs to face the valley and pretended there wasn't a packed campground full of families. It was actually pretty peaceful until the weekend which got rowdy at full capacity.The parking pad is level, on E178 but the grassy area was slightly sloped for our tents. I thought it was not too bad of a tradeoff for the view, but if you've ever slid down on your pad or cot a bit, you might not like it. My brother was at the adjoining site E177 and while his parking pad had a slight slope, he had a fairly level spot for his big tent.

    There were bear lockers at each site (about 50 in x 34 in) and we never had any bears visit while we were there. The bear lockers were great for us since we were tent camping and our vehicle was a pickup truck, so we did not have to juggle messing with coolers/food in the truck cab. Deer came through the campground every morning right up to our tents, which was delightful, except it made me paranoid checking for ticks every night. I really enjoyed being right off the Appalachian Trail and enjoyed seeing a few through-hikers each day while we made campfire feasts.

    We brought USDA wood and another camper gave us a few cords of USDA wood he brought from GA when he left. We did purchase one bundle from the campground and it was pretty green, so it burned smokey. The cost was about the same as it is at Lowes or anywhere else like that. We enjoyed multiple hikes and had a group with different hiking abilities, but there were many great Shendoah sites to see that we all could enjoy, including the group's dogs. Shenandoah is one of the few National Parks that allows dogs on most of the trails (leashed of course.) We had two dogs in our group and enjoyed seeing the other dogs in the campground. There was only one instance when we noticed someone bagged their dog poop on a trail, but left the poop in the bag. People!

    Because of Covid-19, the ranger programs at this campground were cancelled. I would return again, but maybe choose dispersed camping for a better view and less people.

  • Carol B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 5, 2024

    Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park

    Clean restrooms, wooded spots, nice overall

    We camped here the last night of the season (Nov30) and shared the campground with a mix of tent campers, car/van campers, and a few larger units. The bathrooms were plentiful, heated, hot running water, and a utility sink available. Our site had some privacy and some extra due to about 50% occupancy. Showers and laundry were closed for the season but are centrally located near entrance area of campground. Elevation above 3000 feet and plenty of deer! It was an especially cold night hitting a low of 14F. Very happy for the nearby heated restrooms with hot running water.


Guide to Etlan

Shenandoah River State Park sits at elevations ranging from 540 to 1,400 feet along the South Fork of the Shenandoah River near Etlan, Virginia. The region receives approximately 40 inches of precipitation annually, creating lush forest conditions across the Blue Ridge foothills. Campgrounds in the area often experience temperature fluctuations of 20-30 degrees between day and night, even during summer months.

What to do

Paddle the Shenandoah River: Low Water Bridge Campground offers direct river access with convenient shuttle services for tubing and kayaking. "They took us up river and dropped us so we could kayak back. Their store had everything that we had forgotten with good prices," notes Christopher L. The campground's location allows for floats ranging from 3-8 miles depending on water levels.

Explore hiking trails: Several campgrounds connect to hiking networks without requiring a vehicle. As one Harrisonburg-Shenandoah Valley KOA visitor mentions, "Close to Harrisonburg with all the great breweries! The bathhouse was clean and blissfully warm. There's great hiking nearby." Many trails offer moderate difficulty ratings suitable for varied fitness levels.

Night sky viewing: Big Meadows Campground provides exceptional stargazing opportunities away from urban light pollution. "We love to camp in Big Meadows - and for the star watching at night," shares Rachel M. The campground's 3,500+ foot elevation creates clearer atmospheric conditions for astronomy enthusiasts.

What campers like

Wildlife encounters: Big Meadows Campground offers reliable wildlife viewing throughout its grounds. "We saw many deer and bear while camping. Just being in Shenandoah is a soothing experience," reports Rachel M. Another camper observed, "You will definitely see deer in the campground as they walk through and browse the understory. They are unafraid of humans unless directly approached."

Private riverside sites: Low Water Bridge Campground features secluded waterfront spots with direct river access. "The river sites are worth the few extra bucks, but they book up fast. You have to call in your reservations - can't book online," advises one camper. These sites allow visitors to paddle directly to their campsites after floating downriver.

Clean facilities: Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground maintains exceptionally well-kept restrooms and showers. "Virginia has the best state park campgrounds. Water and electric. Large sites. The bathrooms are clean with separate shower rooms," notes Adam and Suzanne B. This attention to cleanliness makes the park particularly appealing for longer stays.

What you should know

Off-season benefits: Big Meadows Campground offers extended season camping through mid-November with fewer crowds. "We camped here the last night of the season (Nov30) and shared the campground with a mix of tent campers, car/van campers, and a few larger units. The bathrooms were plentiful, heated, hot running water, and a utility sink available," reports Carol B. However, late season camping requires preparation for cold nights.

Cell service limitations: Many campgrounds in the area have limited connectivity. At Low Water Bridge Campground, "There is absolutely no Verizon service here (ATT seems to work pretty well). You'll have to drive 10-15 in either direction on Rt. 211 before you can catch a signal." Visitors should download maps and information before arrival.

Elevated glamping options: Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Luray provides premium glamping near Etlan, Virginia with multiple accommodation types. "We had a great time at Jellystone. The Mountain View is gorgeous. The sites are kept up, well equipped and the bath house is very clean," shares Amy I. These sites include electricity, water hookups, and activities not found at traditional campgrounds.

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly amenities: Harrisonburg-Shenandoah Valley KOA offers specialized facilities for younger campers. "The staff were top notch with plenty of amenities to offer. Bathrooms were clean and well stocked. Try their fried pies," recommends Todd C. The campground includes a swimming pool, playground, and organized activities during peak season.

Primitive riverside options: Several campgrounds offer walk-in tent sites ideal for introducing children to more rustic camping. "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 siting and they take food clean up seriously," warns Anna R. at Big Meadows. These sites typically require proper food storage practices.

Entertainment variety: Families appreciate the diverse activities available at luxury glamping locations near Etlan. "We stayed here for 3 nights in August for our little guy's 8th birthday. It was perfect for kids! The kids loved running off in the open field and playing on the zip line. We loved that we could see them from our site. The birthday boy also loved the outdoor laser tag!" shares Jen O. about Jellystone Park.

Tips from RVers

Site selection considerations: Spacious Skies Shenandoah Views offers varied RV site options with different amenities. "We stayed in a level back-in site(#39) with picnic table on a concrete patio, Adirondack chairs under a pergola on a second concrete patio, clean gravel surface, and fire pit. The site was big enough for our motor home and Jeep," reports Matt S. Reservations for these premium sites often require booking 3-6 months in advance.

Road conditions awareness: Access roads to many campgrounds in the region feature steep grades requiring caution. "The drive in requires about 25-miles through the roller coaster of steep grade(7+%) hills. There's no way around that, you're in the mountains. Just be aware and be prepared," warns Matt S. about Spacious Skies Shenandoah Views. Some campgrounds recommend disconnecting towed vehicles before navigating entrance roads.

Utility positioning: Luray RV Resort on Shenandoah River features strategically placed hookups. "The RV sites at this campground are very spaced out, you have a lot of room to each side of your RV. The park and facilities were very clean," notes Joe. The campground's 30/50 amp service and water hookups accommodate larger rigs while maintaining site separation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Etlan, VA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Etlan, VA is Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 120 reviews.

What is the best site to find glamping camping near Etlan, VA?

TheDyrt.com has all 27 glamping camping locations near Etlan, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.