Best Dispersed Camping near Front Royal, VA

Recent Dispersed Reviews in Front Royal

25 Reviews of 14 Front Royal Campgrounds

• h

  heather

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 9, 2024

  South Fork Shenandoah River

  Great site, bad timing?

  The site was wonderful! Not too many spaces so it can fill up quick. There is a launch in the middle, so there is a bit of come and go. The real issue was the land directly across the river that had 20+ people playing loud music at almost all hours. Docked one star for that but everything else was great. Bathrooms had no TP so bring your own, and please remember to pack out your trash! Plenty of firewood from downed trees, sites are dirt which makes staking down easy, but I can imagine it would be muddy if it rains.

  EDIT: I went back early October to possibly camp again, shortly after the hurricane rains had passed. The sites were underwater or filled with river mud, making them completely un-campable. Just keep this in mind when you go out.

• N

  Neil M.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 22, 2024

  Shawl Gap

  Hammock Camping

  Great Hammock camping off the trail near shawls gap

• 

  Sumner C.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 21, 2024

  South Fork Shenandoah River

  Great view on the river

  The road to get to the campsite was well maintained and easy to get to. Campsites themselves were a tad overgrown but it was the beginning of the season. Seemed to be about a dozen spots to camp. Each site had its own fire pit. Quiet and peaceful.

• 

  Jim M.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 19, 2024

  Edwards Run Wildlife Management Area

  Road side site is not too bad

  As I pulled in there was a kiosk with a sign that said $10 camping fee but no info on how or where to pay. I tried to look at the WVDNR website but couldn't find it there either, However no one came by. Other than that the site was level and grassy. Nice camp site.

• 

  TJ W.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 5, 2023

  Veach Gap - GWNF - Backpacking Site

  Amazing Campsite

  Breathtaking views of the Shenandoah River and surrounding mountains. Very much worth the 4 mile hike up to the site. 1,200ft elevation difference from the trailhead to the site. Cell service at the top (not during the hike or on the road to the trailhead so prepare directions). Went up in November with beautiful weather, fall leaves changing and great company. Couldn’t have had a better experience.

• N

  Nora S.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 13, 2023

  Laurel Prong Trail Dispersed

  Hard to find.

  This campsite is another one we found on a list provided by Shenandoah’s park rangers and was listed as moderate hike and easy camping. I think, just like some other on the list, the easy camping might be a slight exaggeration. It was not particularly easy to find and we couldn’t find a super great spot. Good views on the hike.

• 

  Leslie R.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 17, 2023

  Compton Gap Backcountry camping — Shenandoah National Park

  Buggy and damp

  Not our favorite campground. If you’re a through hiker, it’ll get the job done though. There were three other people camping the night we were there. Lots of bugs. Hiked in from the Dickey ridge trail parking lot.

• 

  Frank G.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 6, 2022

  Edwards Run Wildlife Management Area

  Hike in

  I spent a night here. There's a lot by the road that looks like it's where they want you to camp but there are better sites on in. Just gotta hike to em. Fun place to teach the kids the basics of fishing, but the campground area leaves a little to be desired.

• 

  John R.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 20, 2022

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  Love this National Forest!

  There are a lot of dispersed camping spots in VA, Especially in this region! I’ve camped all over the area and have seen many amazing sights! This pinned location doesn’t take you to a specific campground tho!

  You’ll have to do some digging (google free camping VA) and you’ll find plenty of spots! Many spots say they charge a fee but don’t as well so be on the look out!

  One of my favorite spots isn’t on The Dyrt but it’s free and in the Bath County area, It’s called Blowing Springs Campground, located near Covington VA. I also recommend seeing Falling Spring Falls almost a 100 Foot waterfall!

  Very hilly roads leading out to this part of the state but beautiful none the less! No cell service but plenty to see!

• 

  Jon N.

  Guide

  

  Feb. 2, 2022

  Veach Gap - GWNF - Backpacking Site

  My favorite Hike in the area

  I've both day hiked this and backpacked here several times. You will want to drive in and park at the Veach Gap Trailhead which is listed on Google Maps, then follow the trail and make the left when it comes to the intersection. It is about 4 miles up, so not too bad, but there is no water after the first mile. I have seen a small trickle part way up the mountain, but don't count on it. Pack up all the water you will need for the day/evening/morning. Once you get to the top there are several sites with little fire rings, and since it is on the ridgeline, the views are breathtaking. I've had good luck finding wood from dead trees at the top, but just make sure you're being safe and treating nature kindly. Follow the Leave no Trace rules so the next campers can enjoy this spot too.

• 

  Jacqueline F.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 9, 2021

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  Amazing drive and lots of wildlife

  We only stayed one night, but wish we could have stayed more! The campground offers so many different trails and breathtaking scenic overlooks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. As soon as we got there, we saw several deer. I’d almost say they were friendly :) No electric hookups, but the weather was beautiful! We hiked part of the Appalachian Trail which gets pretty steep. I didn’t use the bathrooms or the coin operated showers as we have them in our RV, but they had the services available. It is a drive through the mountains to get to the campsite, but very well worth it for us!

• 

  Alexandra T.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 28, 2021

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  It’s a no from me.

  This place was $30 just to enter and it was super duper packed. We turned around and found a great boondocking site nearby.

• 

  Nia D.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 30, 2020

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  Great stay, great views

  Enjoyed our time here and decided to stay an extra night. Will return and definitely recommend!

• 

  Annemarie R.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 25, 2020

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  Virginia

  Absolutely stunning views and most definitely worth the drive ! DON’T FORGET GUM!!!Chewing gum the entire time you are changing altitudes helps by causing you to swallow often.

• 

  Debra R.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 7, 2020

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  Very spacious!

  Happy accident that we were able to stay at the park on a weekend. We drove up and they had availability. Nice & clean and it wasn’t crowded when we were there. No electric or water on our site. So it was pretty rustic camping.

• 

  Renée C.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 10, 2020

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  Absolutely stunning

  Incredible views and worth the trip.

• 

  RL

  Legend

  

  Sep. 16, 2019

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  🏕🐻

  Be mindful of bears! If you’re going to invest in a portable bear box for your food, check out http://igbconline.org/certified-products-list/.

  There are especially so many incredible hikes on Skyline Drive! I recommend the AllTrails app to search by distance, difficulty, views/waterfalls, etc. I’ve included photos of some of my favorite hikes in the park.

• A

  Ashley F.

  Guide

  

  May. 31, 2019

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  Have mixed feelings about the sight

  Found this from a different platform. There it's called South Fork Shenandoah River. 38.769895, -78.394634

  I have mixed feelings about this place. Yes it is beautiful, and for the most part quiet. There is a campground across the water a d the sounds do carry. You'll here gunshots as hunting is ok in the area. You still get traffic noise, you'll know when someone is getting too far out of the right lane.

  Airport is too close so plenty of light pollution to block out the true beauty of the night sky.

  There are about 5 campsites, one was reclaimed by Mother Nature. But you can still find a bench right in front of a fire pit. There could be more past the boat ramp, but didnt bother to go there didnt ant to end up on the 6 o clock news since there was a tent down that way.

  Have two toilets that are pretty gross and I dont think Im tall enough to squat over that composting toilet.

  2 deers came to visit us at night. Killed a cottonmouth buried it since I didnt know how to properly cook and eat it. Saw Momma and two baby black bears.

  Verizon gets no service whatsoever not even the hotspot.

  Yellow flies and mosquitos are bad out there.

  No upkeep of the area.during my 10 day stay did not see a single ranger, but did see a cop that only came out in response to a 911 call from a now disconnected phone.Locals will party here and leave their traces. One ever put a candle in a tree and almost made it catch on fireballs they will also try to bully you and lie to your face for their favorite spot.

  Big thing to note is that the locals will hog up the sites sometimes coming out at least a week in advance to set up a tent. One guy was smart enough to hang a barely used trash bag from a tree to make it seem like the site was being used.

  Would I stay here again? Yes and no. Might be better once its cooler, during the week, and if there's no major holiday within a week of when you plan on going.

• 

  Amanda D.

  Guide

  

  May. 9, 2019

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  Beautiful views, well-maintained trails, variety of amenities

  I recently led a large group of Scouts to the Mathews Arm Campground in SNP. We spread out over 4 RV/camper/tent sites as our base camp. There was definitely a lot less privacy/space between sites here at SNP than I’ve noted at other parks across Virginia. I suppose it’s because it’s a national park, with a big draw and higher volume of visitors. The roads were well-marked and paved nicely. The bathrooms were okay, I’ve been in better-maintained/cleaned ones and worse ones, so I’m not going to complain. They were quite prevalent though. The staff that circulate around the park were quite friendly! We had a lovely hike to a nearby waterfall that was gorgeous. We even took a group out hiking across the AT and did some backcountry camping. I was impressed by how well-maintained the trails were! We had a really nice time and I look forward to returning again soon. I will note that our original reservation was for the Southern Section, but because of the winter storms, there was a lot of storm damage which caused them to close down quite a bit of Skyline Drive and they automatically shifted our reservation (with the option to cancel) to the Northern Section of the SNP. So, we didn’t hike what we expected to, but we still had a nice time, regardless. Plus, a couple days before our trip they did open the Southern Section, but we left our reservations and plans alone.

• 

  Mara F.

  Ranger

  

  Nov. 28, 2018

  Gravel Springs Hut — Shenandoah National Park

  Nice stop on the Appalachian Trail

  The hut is 3 sides and open on the 4th, the open side faces the fire pit. There is a picnic table, privy, bear locker, and bear pole to hang additional items at the site. The hut sleeps 8 and is first come, first serve. You may end up meeting some new friends there because of this. If the hut is full, there are some tent sites available. Also the spring for water is located very close by.

• 

  Anthony S.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 8, 2018

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  Old Rag Mountain

  I absolutly love this national park! The facility is clean, trails are well marked and there are plenty of different day hikes and camping grounds. My favorite is Old Rag Mountain. It is a pretty decent hike that requires a good amount of climbing and has great views at the top. There is a bathroom on the back end of the trail but it was a little dirty. Parking is a struggle sometimes as it is a good 1 miles hike to the trail head. There is a 10$ entrance fee per person. Overall a great day hike and a great national park. Highly recommend this

• 

  Teresa K.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 7, 2018

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  Magestic Mountains

  The Shenandoah mountains and the NPS's campgrounds never get old. They always offer a unique experience offering several campgrounds giving different experiences each time. They also offer camping for backwoods camping. It is suitable for novice campers to experienced off-trail campers. You'll never tire of the wonders this beautiful piece of America has to offer.

• 

  Stephanie R.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 14, 2018

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  Backcountry camping

  These sites are backcountry meaning they are not established sites. You just wander down the trail and pick your favorite spot with consideration to not disturbing as much nature as possibe. I got to sleep listening to a river all night. It is also convenient since most places are not far from the trails.

• M

  Matt P.

  Traveler

  

  May. 17, 2018

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  Great backpacking

  There are so many trails to hike throughout the park and with a backcountry permit, you can find countless campsites. I stayed in the area of overall run falls. Make sure to hang your food. There are plenty of black bears in the area.

• 

  Shari G.

  Legend

  

  May. 3, 2018

  Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites — Shenandoah National Park

  Ranger Review: Primus Campfire Cookset S/S (Large) in Shenandoah National Park

  Campground Review:

  Starting at Milepost 21 on Skyline Drive, at the highest point in the park, we spent 5 nights and 6 days of glorious backpacking in the North District of Shenandoah National Park. As we descended from the highest elevation in late April, you would have guessed by the state of the trees that it was still winter. As we hiked down through the life zones to our first camp along Overall Run, a nearly 2000+ foot elevation change, the seasons changed from winter to spring! Check out more on our blog on The Dyrt's Online Magazine about our experience in the Shenandoah's.

  Some things to consider when backpacking in April:

  • We needed every layer we brought, including winter hats, puffy jackets, and gloves. During the 6 days we were in the backcountry, we experienced everything from warm summer-like weather to chilly winter winds, both day and night.
  • The creeks (runs) and springs are really flowing this time of year, with some nearly thigh deep. We didn’t see a single bridge, though there were a few creeks that had downed trees or make-shift rock crossings. Bring creek crossing shoes if you don’t want to get your feet wet, as well as trekking poles for stability. Some of the crossings are tricky and rather slippery.
  • The black bears are awake and active! Be sure to hang your food or bring bear canisters. We not only saw bear scat all around, we saw an adorable black bear cub run off into the woods along the Piney Branch Trail. Never saw mama bear, but hoped that she was where the little one was heading.
  • Ticks are out. While we didn’t see any deer ticks, we saw plenty of dog ticks. It’s a good idea to do regular tick checks before heading to bed and/or first thing in the morning.
  • Gnats are hatching and abundant. While they don’t seem to bite, they are annoying and will find you whenever you stop moving. The west side seemed much worse than the east side for some reason.
  • Campfires are not allowed, so bring enough fuel for cooking.

  Night 1: Overall Run Camp: This is the third established site along the trail downhill from Overall Run Falls, near the junction of the Overall Run Trail and the Tuscarosa Trail. It has great water access in the spring, easy trail access, a small fire ring (though fires are not currently allowed in the park), and room for 2 backpacking tents. Not great “bear hang” options, but we found one down the trail a bit. Beautiful and serene with lots of sun and shade. Didn’t see another hiker the entire time we were there, as this spot is beyond where most day hikers turn around.

  Nights 2 & 3: Jeremy Run Camp: This is the first established campsite on the Jeremy Run Trail, just above the creek. Easy trail and water access and room for 2-3 backpacking tents. There are decent bear hang options uphill from campsite, but a very public site as this is a popular trail for both day hikers and backpackers, with easy access (less than 1 mile) from the Appalachian Trail. Lots of sun and shade. Instead of moving camp on Day 3, we did a day hike up to Knob Mountain Summit and returned to Jeremy Run for the night. Given that this was the first backpacking trip of the year, this was a great way to ease our bodies into the elevation changes within this park.

  Night 4: Thorton Run Camp: This site was the only option we saw along this trail, tucked between 2 creek crossings and about 4 miles from where the Thorton River Trail meets Skyline Drive. Lots of rocks, roots, and downed trees, so difficult to find space for more than 1 or 2 tents. Easy access from the trail, great creek access and good bear hang options in the area. Lots of sun, but not much shade.

  Night 5: Piney Branch Camp: Just about ¼ mile downstream from the gorgeous Piney Branch Falls and very easy trail access, this was our favorite site of all, with spring springing all around us…leaves and flowering trees, wildflowers, fiddlehead ferns unfurling. Good creek access, though a bit steeper than the others, and some good bear hang options. Lots of sun and shade. Has an established firepit, but not in use due to fire ban.

  Product Review:

  We received this Primus Campfire Cookset for product testing as Rangers with the Dyrt. We've used it on our 2-burner propane stove in our adventure rig, over an open camp fire, and on our backcountry stove. We’ve had the same backcountry pot set for nearly 20 years and it’s held up well, but this one has some extra features which we like even better! We’ve made everything from soup to pasta to chili to omelets so far, and our creative “foodie juices” are flowing.

  What we like about this product:

  • The 2 nesting pots and sauté pan pack down to a nice size for both backpacking and sea kayak camping, and easily fit into their carry bag.
  • Each pot has a different style of foldaway handle, unique to the size, weight, and use of the pot.
  • The leather “tabs” on the lids/handle allow you to remove the lids without a pot grip or oven mitt.
  • The largest pot is a 3L capacity. That’s a ton of capacity, so it works great for soup, pasta, and can easily feed a hungry group of 4.
  • The sauté pan makes a great omelet pan! Eggs slide right off with just a bit of oil in the skillet.
  • Everything is made out of durable stainless steel so it is easy to clean and should stay rust free for many years.
  • The steam vents on the 2 pot lids are great for preventing boil-overs and for straining out liquid.

  What could be improved:

  • If the 3L pot lid was large enough to fit over the sauté pan, that would be a great addition as you could keep food warm while something else is still cooking.
  • When out in the backcountry, everything you bring needs to be sturdy, and it’s great if it has a second use. The first time we used this set, a hole appeared in the bottom seam of the bag. It’s an easy fix with some needle and thread, but was disappointed that it wasn’t more robustly constructed. Also, if the bag was made out of something that would hold water, it could serve as a small wash bucket as well as a bag to keep the stack together.
  • Include a set of pot insulators (or sell them separately), so that soup and pasta stay warm well after you’ve taken them off the fire during the colder months.

  Product Link: https://primus.us/products/campfire-cookset-s-s-large-5?variant=17262723333

  Product Video: https://youtu.be/euqTm-HuZbU