Glasgow's camping options sit within the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains at elevations ranging from 770 to 2,500 feet above sea level. The area experiences mild spring and fall temperatures between 55-75°F, making these seasons ideal for camping near Glasgow, Virginia. Winter temperatures regularly drop below freezing while summer daytime highs often exceed 85°F with high humidity.
What to do
Waterfall hiking: 3.2 miles roundtrip to experience Crabtree Falls, one of Virginia's tallest waterfalls. As one camper at Crabtree Falls Campground noted, "Crabtree Falls is a mile up the road and very easy to get to the trail head. The AT is also close by and easily accessed."
Fishing opportunities: Multiple stocked waters available at Montebello Resort where anglers can fish without a license in the stocked trout pond. "We enjoyed fresh trout for dinner during our stay, and from what I saw, anybody with a hook can catch one. We watched them restock the pond in the morning before the holiday weekend."
Mountain biking: Technical trails throughout the area cater to experienced riders. A visitor to Douthat State Park mentioned, "We did a decent amount of biking here, the main road is nice for road biking, we rode out about 15 miles and back, saw a black bear. Beautiful country roads. And the trails are great for mountain biking. Bring your legs, lots of climbing!"
Safari wildlife viewing: Drive-through animal encounters located directly adjacent to camping options. "There is a gas station right next to it as well as a safari park. The campground itself has a pool, open seasonally, a game room, and a playground," noted one camper at Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA.
What campers like
Creekside camping sites: Direct water access creates peaceful sound backdrop for tent sites. A camper at Crabtree Falls Campground shared, "The tent sites we stayed in were 10 ft away from the Tye river, we literally fell asleep to the sound of the water every night."
Off-grid seclusion: No cell service in some locations provides true disconnection. At Montebello Resort, one visitor appreciated the remote setting: "No Cell service or Internet but that was what I was looking for. Campground well maintained and fishing was nice that have a couple of Courtesy watercraft for the campers use."
Primitive sites: Walk-in tent areas offer more privacy than main campground sections. "We stayed in the tent area. The site has a fine gravel pad, picnic table and fire ring. I was in site 2 near the lake," noted a visitor to Montebello Resort.
Night sky viewing: Minimal light pollution creates exceptional stargazing conditions. According to a camper at Middle Creek Campground, "Such a cute campground! We spent the weekend celebrating a birthday. Wanted to find a campground that had it all close to the campground and we lucked out!"
What you should know
Limited shoulder season services: Some campgrounds operate with reduced staff outside peak months. A visitor to Middle Creek Campground noted, "In the shoulder season of the fall. Asked about fire would and was told told that they don't sell it. Later in the evening a new set of campers checked in after hours and had fire wood waiting for them."
Varying site privacy: Distance between camping spots differs significantly between campgrounds and site types. At Otter Creek Campground, "The campsites are slightly small and they're fairly close together so there's not much privacy, but they are very well maintained."
Bathroom facilities: Distance and quality vary by location and can impact your camping experience. One camper at Crabtree Falls noted, "The campground did have facilities that were about a quarter mile walk away from our sites; this is something to consider if you are camping with older folks or children."
Water features: Safety considerations at swimming locations, especially with children. A visitor to Middle Creek Campground warned, "They have a fishing pond, lake to swim in with fun inflatable slides and trampoline and a pool. We made use of all them during our stay. The lake was super fun and such a cool idea to have the slides and trampolines."
Tips for camping with families
Waterpark amenities: Seasonal water recreation options at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Natural Bridge are particularly appealing to families. One visitor shared, "We partook in all we could and enjoyed the swimming hole, pool, splash pad, jumping pillow and arcade. I'd stay again and would love to head down to the river for some tubing and fish in the stocked pond."
Playground access: Multiple options for children to play throughout the day. "The campground itself has a pool, open seasonally, a game room, and a playground. It's an old school playground but the gkids love it," noted a camper at Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA.
Animals on display: Petting zoo opportunities at some glamping close to Glasgow, Virginia. According to a visitor at Natural Bridge KOA: "We only stayed one night but was a nice area. The kids likes the petting zoo."
Off-season activities: Halloween events create memorable experiences in fall months. A visitor to Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park remembered, "We camped on a busy fall weekend. The campground has Halloween themed activities for kids on specific weekends. We were there for one of these weekends. It's geared for younger kids(10 and under)."
Tips from RVers
Variable site sizes: Check dimensions before booking to ensure your rig will fit properly. A visitor to Walnut Hills Campground & RV Park observed, "The campsites are very close to each other and the roads are very narrow. We can't even extend our awning due to through traffic."
Site leveling challenges: Prepare for setup work at some locations. At Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA, a camper noted, "Access was easy. The campground was busy and everything was clean and neat. The sites were a little tight. I parked a little goofy it seems so I needed a little extra footage for my electrical hookup. They were kind enough to loan us a 25' extension."
Premium sites: Look for newly renovated areas with upgraded amenities. "Needed a last minute stay for one night and got in here. They had brand new premium pull through sites that were amazing! Big patios, bbq grill, tables, fire pit. It was a quiet, well laid out and easy to manage in our 36 ft trailer."
Service hookups: Variety of connection options exist throughout the area's glamping and RV sites. As one visitor to Walnut Hills noted, "We stayed in a Pull Through, Full Hookup site on the hillside. It was surprisingly very level."
