1 campground with availability this weekend
The George Washington National Forest near Fulks Run, Virginia offers tent campers several primitive and established campgrounds with varying levels of amenities. Switzer Lake Dispersed Camping provides free tent sites in a secluded forest setting, while Little Fort Campground offers more established tent sites with basic facilities. Both locations are within 30 minutes of Fulks Run and provide access to hiking trails and water features.
Most tent sites in this region feature dirt camping pads with fire rings, though amenities vary significantly between locations. Little Fort Campground provides picnic tables, fire pits, and vault toilets, while dispersed sites like those at Switzer Lake typically have no facilities beyond existing fire rings. Campers should be prepared for limited or no cell service throughout the area. High-clearance vehicles are recommended for accessing some of the more remote tent camping areas, particularly after rain when dirt roads can become muddy and difficult to navigate.
Tent campers in the Fulks Run area enjoy secluded sites with good tree cover, providing both shade and natural hammock setups. The South Fork Shenandoah River area offers riverside tent camping with access to fishing and paddling opportunities. Many sites are situated near trailheads, making them excellent basecamps for day hiking or backpacking adventures. Wildlife sightings, including bears, are common, so proper food storage is essential. A camper wrote, "Switzer Lake has about 15 campsites along the road. Most are decent, but a few are absolutely gorgeous. When you park and walk down to the river, if you turn right, there's a beach area about 50 yards down that offers a great spot to take a dip!"
"If you are tent camping or have a camper van the area is fine. Large RV will have a difficult time setting up in the camp area. The camp area is quiet and there is plenty of firewood for use."
"We're excited to welcome this property to the platform. Camp out under a canopy of Red Cedar Trees and make yourself comfortable. Free firewood! Give this place a go and leave your review here."
from $25 - $30 / night
"Duration of Stay: Oct 16-18, 2020 Average Daily Temp: 61 Average Evening Temp: 30 On Site Parking: ✅ Potable Water: 🚱 Restrooms: 🚫 Firewood: 🚫 Cell Service: 📵 4x4: ✅ Wildlife and Fishing: ✅ Amazing"
"It was an established site with a fire ring. It had a large clearing with a pretty flat spot for my tent. I accessed the site on my motorcycle. You wouldn't get a car/truck to the site."
"If you would rather not hike it, there is a Forest Access road, but I'm not sure how often it is open and if permits are needed to drive on it. "
"We didn’t see a ton of trash- but the trash we saw would fit into one plastic grocery bag and it was in the fire pits. I agree that it’s the locals hanging out here, that’s been confirmed."
"There was one really nice hiking trail by the bridge. Cons: Some roads were closed. Some spots were full of trash."
"A bit dirty but awesome spot near a creek"
"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!"
"I fear that yurt glamping may have ruined me against tent camping again! This was absolutely lovely. We stayed in the painted horse yurt. Cozy, comfy, lots of amenities."
Available this weekend
from $45 - $225 / night
"Most sites have a paved parking platform and then a second tier for the camp site. All sites are quite large and include picnic tables, fire rings and large tent platforms."
"But there are picnic tables and fire pits and a vault toilet for sure. It’s quiet and dark and a bit buggy. Many of the car parking pads are not level. But the tent pads appear to be."
"Stayed one night in a tent right next to the river. It is what it is, a West Virginia backwoods campground. $10 will get ya a nights stay."
from $10 / night
"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."
"There were plenty of walk in sites beyond ours. Unfortunately there was a decent bit of trash we cleaned up. The road was a little rough, but our 92 ford camper made it, just go slow"
"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."
"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!"
"The campsites have a fire ring, a picnic table, and a flat area to pitch a tent. They have parking spots next to them. There are permanent structure Vault toilets/ out houses."
"There are 9 campsites, each with at least one fire ring, a tent pad and a picnic table, and there is a vault toilet in the middle."
TravelerLong drive thru spots, lots of space between campsites. Really inexpensive laundry ($1 to wash $1 to dry) $5 showers for 10 minutes. Nice bathrooms. Dry camping at its finest. Close drive to Grand caverns and Luray caverns.
TravelerVery nicely maintained sites. Cost per night but can't pay via application cause there is no cell service. Water wasn't working or on but that was anticipated.
GuideLovely spot to camp as the temps drop. $30/night, first-come. Restrooms, fire pits, picnic tables, and mostly flat spots.
ScoutVery accommodating, we are traveling through and called at the last minute for a spot overnight. We stayed right on the creek.
GuideGreat spot! Was first-come first-serve - we got there mid-afternoon on a Monday and it'd filled up by about 5pm. Clean & well-stocked facilities. All the sites are pretty close together/little seclusion, but those across from us (13) probably offered the most seclusion in the upper loop there. Firewood from the camp store (3rd party - not NPS) was $10/bundle, which was kind of expensive - will probably bring my own treated firewood next time. Very pretty sunset/sunrise. Good grassy/gravel spots for tenting.
GuideGreat campground! Facilities were well-stocked and clean. Stayed at a walk-in site (005), which was nice because it's a very short walk from the reserved parking spot and it's on the outside of the ring so comparatively secluded. All traffic entering the campground passes by it, which might be annoying to some (esp. during peak season I'd bet) but we didn't find it disturbing. The site also has its own bear box (adjacent sites 006 & 007 have to share one). One note - the site map shows a separate trail going right from the parking spot to the site, but you actually have to walk through site 006 to get to it. Also, we learned that the camp store is not run by the NPS, and the kid who was running the store does not provide great service, to say the least; he was very rude when there was a credit card snafu, and made us go down to the wayside store to get our refund even though he was the one who double-charged us. Don't blame NPS though! Also, firewood is kind of expensive ($10/bundle); consider bringing your own treated/kiln-dried from a nearby store before entering the park!
TravelerAbout a half a mile down to gravel road to a very small boat launch and a loop where there are some fire pits but this is not really dispersed camping in the traditional sense. I saw a few fire pits on the other side of a guardrail where you could pitch a tent alongside the road. Noticeable highway noise in an otherwise scenic location
ScoutResponsive hosts, great sites, fun family activities.
ScoutQuit, right along the creek, dollar general is right down the street. If only that house wasn’t looking down on me🤷♂️
In the George Washington National Forest surrounding Fulks Run, Virginia, tent camping sites sit at elevations ranging from 1,200 to 3,000 feet, creating varied microclimates for campers. Summer temperatures typically reach the mid-80s during day and drop to the 50s at night, while spring and fall can see overnight temperatures dipping into the 30s. Seasonal road closures affect accessibility to some remote sites between November and April, particularly after heavy rainfall.
Fishing at multiple spots: The South Fork Shenandoah River area offers excellent fishing opportunities with several access points. South Fork Shenandoah River has a boat launch in the middle of the camping area, making it convenient for anglers. As one visitor noted, "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."
Mushroom farm tours: For a unique experience, visit Hawk Nest Mushroom Farm where you can learn about mushroom cultivation while camping. A camper shared, "The camp host Orv has a very unique campsite setup not too far from the house/mushroom farm area. We got a nice tour of the mushrooms currently growing at the farm."
Swimming in natural water: Several camping areas offer swimming opportunities in rivers and lakes. At Emerald Pond Primitive Campground, you can enjoy a refreshing swim after hiking. As one reviewer mentioned, "We hike this bird knob trail all the time and usually end it by swimming across emerald pond. It's the perfect temperature (in July and august when we've done it)."
Easy access with privacy: Many campers appreciate the balance of accessibility and seclusion. At Little Fort Campground, you'll find well-maintained sites that are easy to reach but still feel remote. One camper noted, "Nice flat camp site with picnic table and fire pit. Comes with tent pad but surface is too hard to use pegs. No requirements, just show up and claim your spot on the board."
Free camping options: The best tent camping near Fulks Run, Virginia includes several free sites. Little Fort Campground is particularly popular for its no-cost camping. A visitor shared, "Great established free campground! We got the last spot around 7pm. Site had a fire pit, table, parking spot, and tent platform."
Creekside settings: Many campers value sites next to flowing water. At Crisman Hollow Road Camp, you can find spots right on the water. A camper mentioned, "It a quiet area with many spots on right on the water. There was one really nice hiking trail by the bridge."
Road conditions vary significantly: Access roads to many campsites can be challenging, especially after rain. Switzer Lake Dispersed Camping requires careful driving. One camper advised, "Once you turn onto Switzer Lake Rd from U.S. 33 and find the parking area to the lake on your left, be prepared to drive another 2ish miles on a single lane and very bumpy dirt road. Go slow as several sharp corners with huge drops and inexperienced drives coming towards you."
Limited cell service: Most camping areas near Fulks Run have no cell reception. At Little Fort Campground, a camper reported, "On this app it says T-Mobile access, I'm a T-Mobile customer, no reception at all but drive 5 minutes back down the mountain and you're good to go."
Varied site quality: Even within the same camping area, site quality can differ dramatically. At Eagle Rock Campground, one camper noted, "It is what it is, a West Virginia backwoods campground. $10 will get ya a nights stay. Like previously said drop your money in a slot and enjoy the river. Nothing special or pretty just a cool little spot to lay your head."
Wild food opportunities: Kids enjoy foraging activities at certain campsites. At Emerald Pond, a visitor shared, "There's wild blackberries everywhere. Got our bellies full. I don't want other people to find out how great this swimming hole is and ruin it."
Educational experiences: Some campgrounds offer learning opportunities for children. Rock Tavern River Kamp provides a mix of comfort and nature education. A camper noted, "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!)"
Safety considerations: Keep children away from steep terrain and fast-moving water. At Wolf Gap Recreation Area, a visitor observed, "Most sites have a paved parking platform and then a second tier for the camp site. All sites are quite large and include picnic tables, fire rings and large tent platforms."
Size restrictions: Most campgrounds near Fulks Run have limitations for larger RVs. At Hawk Nest Mushroom Farm, a camper warned, "If you are tent camping or have a camper van the area is fine. Large RV will have a difficult time setting up in the camp area."
Level parking challenges: Finding level spots for RVs can be difficult. At Eagle Rock Campground, one reviewer mentioned, "Sites are grassy, not clearly delineated, and line the river bank. Find a spot and set up. The hill ascending to the road has a number of RVs of varying age and conditions."
Seasonal access: RV camping is significantly more limited during wet seasons. At South Fork Shenandoah River, a camper observed, "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."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Fulks Run, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Fulks Run, VA is Hawk Nest Mushroom Farm with a 4.6-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Fulks Run, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 38 tent camping locations near Fulks Run, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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