Looking for an adventure where you can explore Fries and then fall asleep in your tent? Finding a place to camp in Virginia with your tent has never been easier. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
This campground overlooks the New River. There is no vehicular access to the campground. There is a short hike to the sites from the parking lot. There are 21 primitive tent camping sites. Note: This campground is 24 miles from Cliffview Campground.
All sites are timbered and marked. Each has a fire ring, lantern post, picnic table, access to the New River Trail and non-flush toilet. Drinking water is available. One site, MR012, is universally accessible and is reserved last if not required for a disabled camper. There is no life-guarded swimming. The New River's current is unpredictable and potentially dangerous; underwater hazards are possible.
Reservations are required. Same-day reservations are permitted. Campers must leave their confirmation letter on their dashboard for overnight parking. Campers will need access to a fax machine or need to pick up the letter at the Foster Falls office if there is insufficient time to receive the letter by mail.
Directions: From I-77, take Exit 24. Go east on State Route 69 to SR 52. Go north to SR 608. Go east and follow signs.
Number of sites of each type: Primitive Tent, 21
$20 - $25 / night
Primitive camping 10 feet from the New River. Access to indoor shower and indoor bathroom.
$50 / night
Blue Bear Mountain Camp offers year round camping experiences for every type of outdoor enthusiast. Car accessible tent and RV sites in a natural setting. Hike in sites for those looking for a little more adventure and privacy. Stargazer Domes and Cabin rentals for guests wanting a rustic, mountain getaway while staying in comfort. Located just 8 miles north of Boone, NC on over 150 acres of pristine mountain land, miles of hiking trails, a trout pond and spacious low density sites allow the guest to get away from it all in a rustic, remote setting. In the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. At 4,000 feet elevation, come enjoy cool mountain breezes and mild temperatures. Blue Bear Mountain is a scenic location for large events such as weddings, corporate events and family reunions. Come Get away from it all at Blue Bear Mountain!
$25 - $136 / night
Motorcycle Traffic Only
Motorcycling and Camping are natural companions. Maximize your love of motorcycle travel and the great outdoors at Willville Bikecamp. Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, Willville is a destination, a meeting point, a base camp to explore the great Blue Ridge Parkway, or a place just to rest and relax. Motorcycle camping at Willville is ideal for a weekend run or an extended getaway.
Bunkhouse and Camping cabin including a private bike shelter now available.
Ideally located less than one mile from the Blue Ridge Parkway in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Willville is set in an area that offers some of the best roads and scenery for the ultimate motorcycling experience.
The secluded campground sits within a 26 acre wooded park providing privacy from the main road while still offering easy access. The campground is designed for motorcycle traffic only, however, there is ample parking outside the campground (within the park) for those who wish to trailer their motorcycles.
Once in the campground, a sparkling mountain creek borders most of the shaded campsites. Individual grassy camping areas offer a comfortable and convenient location for tent setup. The sites also provide picnic tables and a nice level surface for those motorcyclists pulling trailers.
The large 770 square foot bathhouse facilities include six sinks, six showers and six toilets to get everyone off to an early start, with plenty of pressure and hot water. A spacious pavillion is available for group gatherings and cookouts.
At Willville you can chose a walk through the peaceful park, visit with the other campers or simply just relax. Plus, for exciting road trips and breath-taking scenery, don't forget about all of our fantastic roads for motorcycling.
At night gather at the group campfire to meet new friends and share your motorcycle adventures. Local attractions include Mabry's Mill, Chateau Morrisette Winery, Villa Appalachia Winery, Poor Farmer's Market, Tuggles Gap, live musicians at Floyd General Store, Virginia International Raceway, home of the AMA Superbike Nationals, the Floyd World Music Festival and many more points of interest.
Campground is open from Mid-April through October.
Willville is ideally located at the midpoint of The Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive combined. Plan a trip to Willville and maximize your Blue Ridge experience.
$150 - $200 / night
Paddle in primitive camping - 8 sites available
Located in Ashe and Alleghany counties 35 miles northeast of Boone, New River State Park covers seven accesses along this National Wild and Scenic River that flows north through three states. All accesses allow for launching kayaks and inner tubes to paddle or float along the shallow, gentle river. Paddle-in only campgrounds provide a remote experience. The hellbender — the largest salamander in the U.S. — and 14 species of rare and threatened plant species inhabit the New River valley.
$12 / night
'Possible Property' is exactly what it sounds like. Here, our family of six, has the beginnings of a freshly budding, 10+ acres homestead, surrounded by mature forest - maple, oak, birch, pine, and more - where anything is possible. We officially moved in on 01 July 2022 and already have established our rabbitry, heritage breed of chickens, and are currently working on building out an aviary for our home hatched quail. Feel free to come on down that way and take a look.
We allow wild foraging on the untouched land. Apple trees, allegheny blackberries, black & yellow raspberries, ground strawberries, and many other medicinal and wild edible plants can be found for your enjoyment and - of course - within season.
Here on 'Possible Property' we stress only a few key characteristics to life: We look for the GOODS. Good food, friends, and fun!
$30 - $45 / night
For your New River and Blue Ridge Mountain experience, give us a call and come visit. We will accommodate your canoeing, kayaking, tubing, camping, and fishing needs, as well as much more! Located in Ashe and Alleghany Counties, North Carolina. We are just a short drive from Jefferson, West Jefferson, Sparta, Boone and Wilkesboro. Open April through October. Reservations or call ahead are strongly recommended. For a exciting and unique experience, come to Dusty Trails Outfitters.
$20 / night
Traveler
On BRP near Floyd, VA. A lot of amenities in town and hiking trails nearby. Clean and quiet: no generators allowed in tent camping area and quiet hours after 10pm. Tent sites $20 per night at time of my stay.
Scout
We really like camping there. We tent camp and it is clean and has a handful of things for the kids. The only down side is that the tent sites are road side…so when the campers pull in and out you hear them hitting the gas. Every now and again people will peel out on the road. 😕 Otherwise 👍🏻 and enjoy the friendly staff, CLEAN bathrooms and campground.
Traveler
We camped in our tent at Beechnut for two nights. The owners are very friendly and helpful. The tent camping area is across a road from a stream, in a forest of tall trees, a very picturesque location. Each tent site had water, a picnic table, and a 30-amp electric outlet. It rained heavily both nights we stayed there, but we stayed dry. Unfortunately the rain had been going on for several days before we arrived, and wherever vehicles were parked on the ground, they left muddy ruts. The owner helped some guests who arrived at night at a tent site in small travel trailers, when they were stuck. He really is very helpful and kind. Bathhouses are clean and well-kept.
Ranger
Primitive tent camp site. Water but no electric. Nice grassy area around the gravel tent pad. We had one tree for shade. Fire ring and table. Clean showers and bathrooms. We stayed here specifically for the sliding rock at widow creek falls. But we did hike Stone Mountain falls trail. There are 432 steps going up to the parking area from the bottom of the falls. Beautiful shaded trail. Mountain to sea trail runs through for a little bit. Dogs welcome leashes. Fairly busy trail.
TravelerThe tent sites are built into a hill that provides an abundance of trees to hang hammocks and to keep well protected from the sun. The RV spots are located out in the open area and one loop sits right on a creek. The RV spots are sunnier with limited trees to shade from the sun during the summer months. For a NC state park, the bathroom and shower amenities are clean, warm and well stocked with toilet paper. The tent spots are a perfect place to hang hammocks and the tent pads are pretty sizable!
I am giving this review a 5 based on 2 different elements: 1) cleanliness of the camp site was beyond expectation. Not all campground hosts clean out the fire pit on a daily basis. When arriving, there was no trace of the former camper at all. No micro trash, no left over spikes and the campsite was freshly raked and all coals/ash were swept out of the fire ring. 2) welcoming personalities of the camp ground host and and employees. The campground host stopped to ask if we needed anything and to remind us the program that was taking place the next morning.
For tent camping, choose the following sites if you need to park 2 cars at the campsite: #7, #9, #14 and #18. The other campsites have enough space for one car at each site.
Traveler
Most campground reviews are from the RV crowd. This is from the tent camper perspective, particularly motorcycle tent camping. The roads/lanes in the park are paved, but otherwise where you would ride are lousy for motorcycles. The "gravel" parking lot from the road to the office and in the RV/electric loop is more like rocks, and you stand a good chance of dropping your bike. Park your bike on the asphalt drive and walk up to the office. In addition, the tent parking spots are sloped upwards with some very slick crushed rock and are challenging for a motorcycle. The office closes at 5 (4 on Sunday and probably Saturday) and there is no campground map posted to see where the tent camping area is. They have copies of the campground map in the office and I suggested they put one on the outside of the office door so people arriving after they close have a map to view. The tent camping (primitive) is off a paved lane a lot further down the hill past the office. The sign for the lane says primitive. Straight up at the top of the hill for that lane is site 6 which is somewhat acceptable for motorcycle parking although you are not going to get good enough of a cell signal there to use any internet apps. You might get one bar to make calls or text. At the top of that hill, take a left and go up a steep hill to the shower house and where sites 1 &2 are at. At sites 1&2 and outside the shower house you can get a good enough signal (2 bars) to use internet apps. The campground does have an open wifi, but it doesn't reach to the tent camping sites. They should add some directional antennas to extend to that area. Sites 1&2 are best for motorcycles if you can reserve one of them. 2 has a wide enough turn around that you could easily park a group of motorcycles there. When you check in you are assigned a 4 digit code to unlock the shower house doors. If you arrive after hours you'll have to ask another camper if they'll share their code with you like we had to. Don't bother trying to call the campground number after hours to check in or ask for a code because you'll just their voicemail. Bring a hammer or find a rock to hammer your tent stakes in because the ground where you would want to pitch a tent is mostly rock. Being primitive there is no electric at the tent sites. There is an outlet by the sink in the shower house if you need to charge your phone. There aren't any external outlets at the shower house. There is a spigot outside the shower house, but I did not open it to make sure it worked. We got our water using the shower house sink. The rate as of July 2024 is $10.50 PER TENT per night. There is no discount for only using one site with several tents. We (four bikes with 4 tents) stayed there four nights. We would have left after the first night, but had paid for all four nights and also didn't want to have to pack everything up to look for a different campground.
Traveler
This campground is run by the city visitors center and like most other things in Mountain City has very little social media presence. Most residents of the city don’t even know of its existence.
Great little affordable campground with nice accessible trout stream. Has 30 amp and 50 amp service along with tent camping. (Tent camping is currently closed due to recent bear sightings as are the toilet facilities due to COVID-19(Aug 2020))
Aug 2020 prices for 30 amp full hookups $25 /day $85 /week $300 /month
Traveler
Fancy Gap CC is a great small campground with a rustic hotel, cabins, tent camping, and RV/Trailer hook ups. I've stayed here before tent camping, which was nice. This time I was caught in traffic and they had a cabin available, better than pitching a tent in the dark and rain. The cabins are sturdy, very clean, pet friendly, and complete with a refrigerator/microwave and coffee maker. The bath house is relatively new and kept very clean. The whole campground is tidy. You can tell tell the owners love the place. If Fancy Gap is relatively close to your travel plans, I highly suggest you visit for yourself.
Ranger
Very nice and comfy! Don’t make the same mistake I did and tent camp outside in a huge storm - just stay inside!
ScoutTent camping or small cabins, quite and clean with water and power and bathroom/ showers and a few hiking trails , great for moto camping or bike camping
Scout
Needed a campsite quick and Utt's really helped us out. We tent camped but this also looks like a great place for RV's. Friendly people and pretty property.
Scout
We have tent camped and RV camped here. Great site with lots of space and kept up well. Views are great and area is beautiful.
Guide
Located on the Blue Ridge Parkway this campground is a great out of the way destination. Offers full hookup as well as tent camping. Quiet and very clean. Highly recommended !
Guide
Laurel bed lake at top is beautiful. Waterfalls on way up and good fishing along the way in tumbling creek. Flat field area for camping on way. Several spots by creek for van or tent camping.
Scout
My family went to tent camp and enjoyed our stay. We discovered others with campers that had wonderful campsites. The bathroom facilities are new and very clean. We enjoyed hiking. The location also had four bars of Verizon LTE. Amazing!
Guide
We have tent camped here many times and it is always a great time.
Nothing beats falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the creek. Small playground isn’t much to look at but my kids (10 and under) always use the heck out of it. They love riding their bikes along the gravel road and grassy hillside. If you’re tent camping the best spot is the far end, I believe number one and two. So secluded and private.
There’s a small beach area that you get kids can use as access to swim and rock throwing.
This campground is only a few miles from Stone Mountain state park. Lots of great hiking. In the summer you have to check out Widows Creek. Sliding rocks and waterfalls and a swimming hole only .2 miles off the road.
We love camping at this clean, simple campground.
Scout
This was a close (1 hour drive) from Winston Salem and was the perfect first tent camping experience! Tons of beautiful trails, some with waterfalls, and a great beach! Camp site was mexcellent! Just enough privacy and clean bathrooms, plenty of water spickets! We will be back!
TravelerHad a really good weekend!! Campground was all I needed for the two nights I stayed. Slightly wished the bathhouses had been open. Camp site very clean, big enough for tent camping. Sites are slightly close, wasn't a problem considering it was January. Will be returning during summer months.
Scout
Byrd’s Branch is a newer campground with very clean facilities. Nice tent sites along a creek surrounded by mature trees. The nearby waterfalls are awesome and just a short hike from the campsite. Glad I stayed here.
ScoutEverything a small family with very young kids could need. We tent camped for two nights on the lower back end of the campsite, then rounded out our stay with one night in the cabin. The owners were extremely accommodating, since technically the cabin required multiple night's stay.
Guide
We tent camped here in the Royal Oak section. Campsites in this section are tent only and very nice and have platforms. Rv sites are crowded. Clean bath houses, and plenty to do. The lake is beautiful and has boat rentals and a swimming beach! Great place to kayak! This place stays booked up, so reservations are suggested during the summer/fall months.
Legend
Twin rivers campground is located in Crumpler NC on the river. It is a primitive campground with both RV and tent sites. The tent sites are found by following a dirt road around the base of the mountain, at river level, which left us a little wary that the road could wash out. We followed the path a bit to a private site down a ways, just past a porta potty. There is a bathhouse up in the RV section of this campground, but we were camping in primitive tent land.
The site we were on was fantastic! It was steps from the river, we had a flat, grassy spot with shrubs creating some privacy between us and our neighbor. Our next neighbor was as far down as we could see!
The campfire was perfect, our site was superb and we had a great night sleep!
(PLEASE NOTE! THE CAMPGROUND HAS SINCE CHANGED OWNERSHIP AND SITES ARE NOW MUCH MUCH CLOSER TOGETHER)
Scout
My wife and I like to frequent this campground because it’s not too far from home. It’s usually not crowded. The premium tent sites are huge! Clean bath house. Friendly staff!
One negative, the firewood they sell is next to impossible to light.
Traveler
Several RV sites located right on Beautiful New River. Tent camping also available. Bring your fishing pole for some great catch and release fishing, or rent a inner tub or canoe and float down River to a shuttle bus that brings you back to the campgrounds. One of my all time favorite places to camp and fish.
Scout
there's a lot of camper spaces... and about 6 or 7 tent sites. all have electric but not all have running water. pool is good sized cool little camper kitchen. excellent staff, very friendly and attentive to your needs and feedback... we will definitely go again!
Travelerthe campsites area nice. well maintained. proximity to the road is close. constantly hearing cars go by. the tent campsites away from the RV site is nice at night. Listen to the frogs.
Legend
With camping just a moderate day hike away from Mount Rogers, the highest point in Virginia, this campground is a hiker's paradise.
There is little to no cell signal here, so coming to Grayson Highlands is one of the few state parks in Virginia where you can truly go "off the grid" during the length of your stay--and you won't miss technology, because there is so much to do at this park. From the aforementioned Mount Rogers--an 8.5 mile out-and-back, to the 1.5 mile but difficult Cabin Trail that takes you to a waterfall, to the wild ponies who will approach hikers along the Rhododendron Trail, any fitness level will find hiking they can enjoy. When we stayed the outer bands of Hurricane Michael brought so much fog and rain that we were not able to see any of the ponies, but we did hear one a couple of times, very near Massie's Gap!
As for camping there are two frontcountry campgrounds. All sites have picnic tables and fire rings, and bathrooms with electricity and flush toilets*
Chestnut Hollow Campground:
-There are 23 sites here with water and electric hook-ups May-October, and this loop is available as primitive camping March, April, and November. *During this time bathrooms are pit toilets only
-Horse-friendly; there are stables located adjacent to this loop
-These sites are very small; if you are in a tent I recommend no larger than a 4 person.
-Not a lot of privacy between sites, especially near the back of the loop. Most sites are right agains the road and have little space to move around; I would not recommend this loop if you have small children who are going to want space to run and play
Hickory Ridge Campground
-This is the larger of the loops at GHSP; there are 64 campsites ranging from standard tent sites without water or electric, to full service sites with water and electric hookups.
-Tent sites 1-18 are the furthest from hookup sites and will therefore be the quietest; they are mostly small sites and very close to the road. Sites 10, 12, 13, and 14 are set back furthest from the road. There is a path behind sites 2-14 leading to the bathhouse behind site 14. Site 13 is easily the most private--and arguably the only truly private--tent site in this campground, with the driveway going behind a cluster of trees that shields the site from the road. We stayed in site 12 which easily fit our 6 person tent.
-Sites 31 and 32 are on a meadow the campsite loops around; they have no privacy and little shade, but ample room for kids to run around, and there is a set of swings near these sites. They are however right on the road so it may be easier to just walk to the swings and keep littles in a site without as much traffic. There is water right across from both of these sites.
-Even-numbered hookup sites 60-70 are also right on the meadow with very little shade
-All other sites are heavily shaded, although you'll be close to your neighbors
The camp store near the Hickory Ridge Loop sells ice, firewood, and just about anything you may possibly have forgotten to pack--firestarters, first aid supplies, marshmallows, and has as a gift shop with blankets, outerwear, and kitschy souvenirs.
Normally I would take off a star for lack of privacy of tent sites, however there is so much hiking here that your campsite can really be more of a basecamp than a place you want to sit and hang out all day long!
Tent camping near Fries, Virginia offers a blend of scenic beauty and outdoor adventure, making it a perfect getaway for nature enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Fries, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Fries, VA is Millrace Campground — New River Trail State Park with a 4.2-star rating from 5 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 43 tent camping locations near Fries, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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