Best Dispersed Camping near Goshen, VA

Free dispersed camping exists throughout George Washington National Forest near Goshen, Virginia, with several primitive sites located within a 30-minute drive. The region features multiple no-fee camping areas including Braley Pond Dispersed Camping Area, Poor Farm Dispersed Recreation Area, and dispersed sites along Forest Road 812. U.S. Forest Service manages most dispersed camping in this area, allowing campers to stay at undeveloped sites with minimal facilities and no reservation requirements.

Access roads to these dispersed sites vary considerably in quality and condition. Many camping areas require travel on unpaved forest roads that may become difficult after rain or during winter months. While some sites like Poor Farm Dispersed Recreation Area can accommodate standard vehicles, others along FR 812 and Reservoir Road may require high-clearance vehicles. Most locations have pit toilets but lack drinking water, requiring campers to bring their own supply or treat water from nearby streams. Campfires are generally permitted at established fire rings, though seasonal restrictions may apply during dry periods. The standard 14-day camping limit applies to all dispersed sites in the national forest.

These primitive camping areas provide excellent access to hiking trails, fishing opportunities, and scenic mountain views. Sites near Braley Pond feature stream access and established fire rings, while Poor Farm offers multiple spots along a river in a mountain valley. According to one visitor, Poor Farm Dispersed Recreation Area has "maybe 5-ish spots to camp next to a river" making it ideal for those seeking a water-adjacent experience. Campers should note most areas have no cell phone coverage. A reviewer of Braley Pond mentioned, "No cell signal here, perfect for hammock camping with plenty of hiking trails around." Wildlife sightings are common, and fishing is available at several stocked ponds and streams throughout the region.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Goshen, Virginia (22)

    1. Braley Pond Dispersed Camping & Day Use Area

    13 Reviews
    West Augusta, VA
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 432-0187

    "This a US Forest Service site. Campsite is primitive: no facilities aside from vault toilets. Bring water treatment system."

    "Car could be parked right next to us on site 2. Next to a creek, so good sounds and cool environment 3. Some walking trails 4."

    2. Poor Farm Dispersed Recreation Area

    5 Reviews
    Warm Springs, VA
    18 miles
    Website

    "I pulled in while passing through the area, it was a short ride off the highway and the road in was nice."

    "No signal, so make sure you have a map or know which way you came."

    3. George Washington National Forest off 812

    12 Reviews
    Glasgow, VA
    27 miles
    Website

    "Unexpectedly found this site after planning on doing some primitive camping off the road. There's 2 sites that I saw on the road with pits."

    "You are off the road of the national forest so cars come by but nobody bothers you and it stays quiet. Will definitely be back soon!"

    4. Spy Rock

    5 Reviews
    Montebello, VA
    24 miles
    Website

    "The views from atop Spy Rock are some of the best in Virginia, and the campsite is one of my favorites. You hike in and there is a decent sized area to set up tents."

    "This place is amazing for primitive camping. Good trails to hike and overland"

    5. Reservoir Road Dispersed Campsite

    2 Reviews
    Buena Vista, VA
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 291-2188

    "Went in August and it was very buggy, also had someone park pretty close which when I drive down a really long dirt road that is questionable for my van, i want it to be private and this was about 5 miles"

    6. Dispersed Camping Site off FR 812

    3 Reviews
    Glasgow, VA
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 291-2188

    "Large open space with several flat areas for tents. There are several spots on this road, maybe 6 but this is the furthest off the road. There are hiking trails and easy access to the stream."

    "Best boondocking we've done in VA. The sites were clean, along a gentle stream, and all had huge fire pits. Highly recommend."

    7. Flagpole Knob

    8 Reviews
    Brandywine, WV
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 432-0187

    "They Said , you need a high clearance vehicle, I cleared my throat. They said, you need 4 wheel drive, I SAID "ILL SEND YOU PICTURES!!!""

    "There’s plenty of camp spots close by with some cover from trees. Very spaced out. Everyone you run into is nice and welcoming."

    8. Sherwood Lake WV

    1 Review
    Covington, VA
    31 miles

    "Around a dozen sites with Rick fire rings, some are RV sized others are tent only. These are located along the road to Lake Sherwood in Neola WV off Rt. 92. First come first serve."

    9. Switzer Lake Dispersed Camping

    10 Reviews
    Brandywine, WV
    45 miles
    Website

    "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."

    "Some things to note- the lake front campsites fill up quickly and they are not drive in. Since I sleep in my Jeep, I needed a drive in spot."

    10. Dispersed camping at Mower Basin

    9 Reviews
    Durbin, WV
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 636-1800

    "I chose for this trip to pay a visit to the Monongahela Nation Forest in West Virginia. I plan on dispersed camp in the Mower Basin for seven days. "

    "Very quiet, beautiful views, amazing drive from VA. Multiple campsites and they all have beautiful views. I have T-Mobile and had signal only by the first campsite for some reason."

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Dispersed Camping Reviews near Goshen, VA

84 Reviews of 22 Goshen Campgrounds


  • Mike C.
    Oct. 18, 2020

    Switzer Lake Dispersed Camping

    Primitive Fall Fun

    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 place with tons of very primitive spots and privacy. Directions on website are pretty accurate.

    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.

    Down the road you will find many spots on your left and your right to tuck back in and call it "home" for a couple days.

    If you travel back to U.S. 33 and drive 9.1 miles West you will find the Brandywine General Store on your left. They have kiln dried firewood, ice, bait, and supplies you may have forgot at home.

    This first come first served location is ideal for off road adventures. Make sure your rig is equipped, this ain't for rookies!

    Would have given this spot a 5 Star if some of the locals understood quiet hours after 10pm and slept past 5am. Be advised, it can get loud at some of the larger sites. Go deeper into the woods if you have the equipment.

  • Amber A.
    Aug. 1, 2016

    Braley Pond Dispersed Camping & Day Use Area

    FREE dispersed camping near wilderness

    This a US Forest Service site. Campsite is primitive: no facilities aside from vault toilets. Bring water treatment system. Site itself is mostly good for fishing but tons of other good hiking in the area.

  • Jon N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 7, 2022

    Dispersed Camping off Forest Road 227

    The most beautiful basin campsites

    So instead of putting in 20+ reviews, I'm just going to lump them all into one. There are a lot of campsites along this road, many of which could fit an RV, but many of which have some rough roads that an RC or trailer might not do well on.

    Each site has a clear marker put there by the Forest Service, something I haven't seen before, and plenty of signs asking to limit your stay to 14 days. Each site also has a campfire ring and is well spaced out from the next one, but not always from the road.

    You are sort of in a valley/basin kind of area. There used to be a lot of spruce tree farming here so I think that is why it is so cleared out. It doesn't seem to be an active logging zone now though, so it's just peaceful and quiet. 

    I have t-mobile and got zero service. I wouldn't expect any carrier to get any service out there though.

  • Dare To Everywhere  .The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 9, 2020

    Stonecoal Dispersed Camping Area

    Great free spot in a National Forest and along a river

    Stayed 9/5/2020 - FREE

    Site "Turnaround"

    This was difficult to find on Apple Maps, but if you pin the location, it takes you right to it.  Nice little area within Monongahela National Forest. 

    We pulled in just at sunset on the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend and drove through the entire length of the campground to see that all the sites will filled. We got to the turn around and noticed a couple of fire pits setup and a patch of grass. It wasn't a "designated site", but it was a defined area with the fire pits. We were out the next morning, so we didn't have any problems. The only negative was having cars drive through all night.

    Two vault toilets along the long road. There was a trail at the turnaround, but it was completely washed out once we got into the woods. Nice area, right on Shavers Fork of the Cheat River. A few sites are actually on the river side.

    Had NO AT&T or Sprint cell service.

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 18, 2023

    Switzer Lake Dispersed Camping

    Beautiful area!

    I made a spontaneous trip this past weekend. Easy to find and a beautiful area. Some things to note- the lake front campsites fill up quickly and they are not drive in. Since I sleep in my Jeep, I needed a drive in spot. I drove past the lakefront sites and there are a few really nice spots right past the paved bridge on the dirt road, some next to the creek and some out further. I drove down a path that would not be accessible with a car, however there are spots closer to the dirt road that you don’t need a vehicle with high clearance. I’ll definitely be going back!

  • Erik C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 29, 2021

    Little River Dispersed Campsites

    Beautiful and secluded

    About 7+ miles in from the town of Durbin on a dirt road (not sure how that would go in an RV but easy in a small vehicle). Beautiful dispersed camping near a creek in dense, lush forest. Not much for views and only stayed one night so didn’t get to hike but it was a perfect, quiet spot for an overnight. Would definitely come back for a longer stay.

  • Sonder B.
    Sep. 21, 2025

    Dispersed camping at Mower Basin

    Clean, Remote, Pristine, off the beaten path = Mower Basin

    I chose for this trip to pay a visit to the Monongahela Nation Forest in West Virginia. I plan on dispersed camp in the Mower Basin for seven days. 

    The first three I would be solo and on that Friday my partner in crime would come to camp. I went to the primary camp site, and it was occupied. 

    I had four other camp sites chosen and continued to the other four. I found that other campers were on the other spots. I went to the last one and found it to be open. In setting up camp I found two piles of bear scat. 

    One pile was clearly fresher than the other, but still two piles! The attached photo is the last dispersed camp site. It was a little over a mile from the other site. I was dispersed camping in the Mower Basin. You can drive right up to your camp site, but don’t be fooled, this is primitive camping. 

    You need to bring everything with you and take it all out with you.

    Nearest Cell tower is here 38.688719,-79.979097

    Fuel &  small gocery store can be found here 38.710707,-79.979095

    Minor Automotive shop and tire repair here 38.713085,-79.979352

  • S
    Jun. 26, 2024

    Flagpole Knob

    They Said....

    They said, no way, I chuckled. They Said , you need a high clearance vehicle, I cleared my throat. They said, you need 4 wheel drive, I SAID "ILL SEND YOU PICTURES!!!" what an Amazing view, don't use me as an example , you definitely should not drive your 2018 Ram ProMaster 2500 159 wb campervan up that road like I did. so now that that's clear how about some pics?.it's absolutely pouring down rain and hail. how about some security cam footage?

  • Tommy S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 28, 2020

    Little River Dispersed Campsites

    Pristine Roadside Site

    This is the Little River Dispersed Camping in Monongahela National Forest, WV.

    We drove in from the south, through Durbin, which is almost 7 miles on a pothole ridden dirt road. Dangerous for RVs, great for those looking for an escape. 

    We noticed two small gravel camping areas to the left when we entered the area, but were then rewarded with the first open site on the right by the creek. The site was breathtaking, with a small stream pool running along one egde, and the rushing river on another. Soft dirt padded the entire area, and great trees filled the space with their natural architecture and canopy. There was a fire pit by the main camping area, and a fire pit down by the creek. It was a mansion in terms of campsite sizes, though it's primitive still, so don't forget your shovel. Small trails led along the creek in either direction. Two white cross grave monument memorials could be seen from the creekside. 

    It had rained a lot recently, so the driveway into the site got muddy towards the end, causing us to park half way down. We couldn't get a fire started either of the two nights we were here as everything was wet, though we were graced by copious amounts of some interesting mushroom species. 

    On two occasions, deafening aircraft, possibly military, passed over what seemed like the treetops. It was frightening in the peace of the area, so that's a small heads up. I only saw one other traveler drive by, two construction vehicles, and the park ranger truck a couple times.

    Otherwise, on a month-long roadtrip, this was probably my favorite location of over a dozen. We didn't drive any further past our site, but I've heard there's over a dozen locations here, guessing they may be of similar quality. We hiked the Span Oak trail, at the beginning of the camping area, which led us along a beautiful ridge.


Guide to Goshen

Dispersed camping near Goshen, Virginia offers backcountry experiences in the Allegheny Mountains at elevations ranging from 1,500 to 4,000 feet. The climate features distinct seasons with summer temperatures typically 10-15 degrees cooler than surrounding lowlands. Winter access can be limited by snow and ice on forest roads, particularly at higher elevations where overnight temperatures frequently drop below freezing from November through March.

What to do

Fishing for stocked trout: Braley Pond Dispersed Camping & Day Use Area provides fishing opportunities in a stocked pond. As visitor Cara P. notes, "the pond has a great little trail you can walk around and at night the stars are gorgeous. The water is also stocked with fish!"

Night sky viewing: The minimal light pollution creates excellent stargazing conditions throughout the area. At Braley Pond Dispersed Camping & Day Use Area, one camper observed, "The stars were amazing! There was plenty of wood scattered about to use as firewood." Nights are typically quiet with temperatures dropping significantly after sunset.

Trail exploration: Multiple hiking trails connect throughout the forest. At George Washington National Forest off 812, there's "a hike at the end of the road that takes you to a gorgeous summit & links to AT!" according to Kelly K. Many trails follow streams or connect to larger trail systems.

What campers like

Stream-side camping: Most campers appreciate sites located near water. At Dispersed Camping Site off FR 812, David B. found "Large open space with several flat areas for tents. There are several spots on this road, maybe 6 but this is the furthest off the road. There are hiking trails and easy access to the stream."

Secluded sites: The privacy between sites draws many campers. Ryan L. mentioned Goshen's rustic camping areas offer true seclusion: "I stopped here for a night while traveling across the country. It is a hilly drive down back roads off of 81. You loose cell service a couple miles from the site. The site itself is nice, perfect for car camping."

Fire features: Many sites have established stone fire rings. Sarah and James H. found at George Washington National Forest off 812 "The spot was nice and flat, backed up to a little creek and had an established stone fire ring." Some campers report creative fire setups, like Michael C. who found "a fire ring and man made stone oven at the site we chose."

What you should know

Wildlife awareness: Bears are active in the area. Emil D., who's camped at Switzer Lake Dispersed Camping for ten years, warns: "There are bears here, so lock up your food in the car. We have encountered a bear at or around the campsite 3 times." Small animals may also disturb campsites if food isn't properly stored.

Road conditions: Access requires careful driving on unpaved roads. Clayton S. describes access to Poor Farm Dispersed Recreation Area: "If you follow the road further, about a quarter of a mile, is another spot for about two or three vehicles. On the map, Hidden Valley Rd says it goes through, but the road is closed." Forest roads typically aren't plowed in winter.

Pack-in requirements: No services are available on site. Evan P. at Braley Pond noted: "Car could be parked right next to us on site. Next to a creek, so good sounds and cool environment. A pit toilet is located at the picnic site." Most locations require campers bring everything they need, including water and waste disposal bags.

Tips for camping with families

Beginner-friendly options: Several sites work well for first-time dispersed campers. Amy S. recommends Braley Pond: "This place was perfect for our first dispersed campsite experience. The day use area is close enough to use the bathroom (just an open pit toilet, nothing fancy). In spite of it being a weekend, we were one of two occupied sites."

Stream play areas: Children enjoy the shallow water features. "Though you can't swim in the lake, we did wade the stream, which was cold and clear and beautiful," Amy S. adds about Braley Pond. Many sites feature shallow stream access suitable for supervised play.

Site arrival timing: Weekday arrivals provide better site selection. Austin K. reported, "I was the only one here on a Saturday night. Very quiet and it was great to have the place to myself. I took advantage of the trails in the morning." For holiday weekends, Thursday arrival is recommended.

Tips from RVers

Clearance requirements: High-clearance vehicles are needed for certain sites. For example, at Flagpole Knob, David B. warns: "This site requires a 4x4 vehicle with clearance. The trail leading to and from camp can be a bit tricky for some." Many sites have rocky or rutted access roads.

Size limitations: Most dispersed sites accommodate smaller RVs only. Jim M. notes about Poor Farm Dispersed Recreation Area: "I pulled in while passing through the area, it was a short ride off the highway and the road in was nice. Quiet spot with a nice grassy level area." Sites typically fit vans or small trailers rather than large motorhomes.

Level parking areas: Finding flat spots can be challenging. Mikaela K. shared her experience: "Wasn't too hard to get there and park in our van. Peaceful for the most part (a few campers were there). No signal, so make sure you have a map or know which way you came." Bringing leveling blocks is recommended for most rustic camping near Goshen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Goshen, VA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Goshen, VA is Braley Pond Dispersed Camping & Day Use Area with a 5-star rating from 13 reviews.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Goshen, VA?

TheDyrt.com has all 22 dispersed camping locations near Goshen, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.