Douthat State Park Campground features Beaver Dam Campground, a dedicated area with equestrian facilities and relatively flat, wooded sites. The campground provides horse-friendly accommodations while maintaining a natural setting with ample shade and separation between sites. Picnic tables, fire rings with cooking grates, and clean bathhouses serve both riders and their horses. The equestrian camping area includes stalls for horses and is positioned to provide convenient access to riding trails throughout the park. Sites are generous in size, not cramped, and partially shaded with woods backing many of the camping spots. Campers reference The Dyrt for top tips on camping near Buchanan, Virginia.
James River State Park offers equestrian camping with access to beautiful hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails. The Red Oak Campground section includes stalls for horses alongside standard camping amenities. Trail systems throughout the park connect riders to various terrain and scenic views along the James River. The park maintains multiple camping areas with different accommodation options, including sites specifically designed for horse owners. Water access points along the river provide natural watering opportunities for horses after trail rides. The campground's generous sites back up to wooded areas, creating a peaceful environment for both horses and riders. Cell service is spotty with 1-2 bars of Verizon, though a directional cell booster can improve connectivity for those needing to stay connected while enjoying the equestrian facilities.
"General: There are four campgrounds in Douthat State Park - White Oak, Whispering Pines, Lakeside, and Beaver Dam (equestrian), each in a separate location. This review is for White Oak."
"The hiking and lake is amazing."
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $37 / night
"I stayed on campground 1 on a lake side site with access to the lake, the views from my tent were breathtaking! The campground is clean, it has shower and flushable toilets."
"This was our first camping trip to actually visit lake Moomaw in Warm Springs Virginia. We had been close before but never made it to the lake itself."
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $16 - $85 / night
"There is an equestrian camping area (and stalls) for people with horses. The cabins and lodges have 2, 3, and 6 bedrooms and look beautiful. There is even a canoe-in campground. "
"Lots of beautiful hiking/biking/equestrian trails to explore. Bathrooms were very clean and nice. Bundles of firewood sold $7 each. Nice fire ring at each site. Pet friendly."
from $37 - $98 / night
"Traveling West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail from it's Northern Terminus at Cass Railroad, Stumptown to it's Southern Terminus in North Caldwell has created a thirst that can only be slaked by multiple"
"Campground Review: Greenbrier River Trail Mile Post 28.5 Primitive Campsite…(Between Rorer and Renick, WV) **Bikepacking West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail is a delightfully peaceful adventure"
from $30 - $60 / night
ScoutVery clean and quiet. Good services, including firewood availability. Drawback is that it’s 7.5 miles down a dead end road. Closet gas is at least 10 miles and groceries are a half hour away. Go prepared.
RangerThis campground is one of our stops coming from VT or going back home - would love to spend more time then just passing through
ScoutDouthat is really four separate campgrounds. Three of them (i.e. not Whispering Pines) are located near the lake. Each one had a campground host (volunteer) and wood for sale.
White Oak Campground is larger, wooded, and has a significant elevation change between different sites. Caution should be used with large rigs as the low-water bridge to White Oak has steep approach and departure angles.
Beaver Dam Campground is relatively flat and similarly wooded while also providing equestrian facilities.
Lakeside Campground is smaller but the front row sites provide great lake views. Unfortunately swimming is only allowed in the Beach area which is not directly connected to this campground.
Whispering Pines is a few miles away along the entry road and has a different character. It’s a very flat and wide-open campground perfect for big RVs with much larger sites.
The Lakeside Camp Store is nice and has a to-go counter for food. The facilities, overall, were well maintained and clean. Firewood is for sale for $6 per bundle.
TravelerPretty much what a campground should be. Absolutely 0 service. No place to get ice if you’re out. Make sure you have a full tank of gas.
ScoutNice campground in line with expectations for most Virginia state parks. Verizon service is spotty 1 to 2 bars and unreliable data but with a directional cell booster we are able to get enough signal for our Verizon Jetpack to work
ScoutSwimming in this beautiful and very swimmable and safe lake is limited to a kiddie area - useless if you're looking for exercise. Count on a ranger yelling if you go elsewhere despite the absence of "no-swimming" signs. (Lots of signs about not feeding the wildlife). Tennessee state parks, for example, allow swimming in huge lakes swamped with jet-skis and speed boats. Lake Norris, Harrison Bay... What's wrong with "swim at your own risk?" No cellular signal which can be a plus. Old fashioned pay phone available for the generation that knows how to operate those.
LegendWe were in site #5. It was not level yet nothing in the mountains is level. The electric showed 30 & 50 amp yet the 30 amp was disconnected and that's what we need. We had to use the 50 amp hook up. The electric bo is on the wrong side of the site, most in this loop are on the wrong side. We filled with water this loop you have to fill with water.
The site was nice sized and shaded.
There isn't any cell service yet near the camp loop 2 the loop below ours behind spot #10 as you walk to the lake at a specific spot you can get service.
The lake is beautiful. Our neighbor was catching nice fish out in his boat. Many different kinds of fish and very nice sized brown trout.
There is a swim beach which you can launch a kayak or canoe from the beach.
The Marina is closed yet there is a boat launch near the marina.
They really need to update the campground area's was told it was all closed for a few years too bad they didn't update the campgrounds.
There isn't much around so bring your supplies with you. There is a small general store that sells somethings and gas but it's not a real grocery. They did sell excellent Virginia peanuts there.
favorite campsites are:
Campground 1
sites 9 and 2 were my favorite. Sites 2, 3, 9 & 10 the electric boxes are on the correct side.
Campground 2 sites 44 and 45 are nice with water & electric.
Sites 47, 50, 53, 54, 51 and 55 have no hook ups yet they are waterfront sites.
Campground 3 there is a boat & trailer storage area.
Best sites are 69 and 70 with water & electric.
No hook ups 64, 88 and 89 are waterfront.
They had a problem with the water in our loop so the bath house was closed and they had port o potties in front of the bath house. The day use area is big and was not crowded at all. There were many people camping in our loop it was very quiet.
GuideThis is a real gem in the woods . I have no idea why it is listed as closed when it is open and very nice. Call them to book a site as the apps will not let u
LegendGeneral: There are four campgrounds in Douthat State Park - White Oak, Whispering Pines, Lakeside, and Beaver Dam (equestrian), each in a separate location. This review is for White Oak. White Oak has 31 sites and It was full when we were there on a Tuesday in mid-October.
Site Quality: All sites (except 17 and possibly 18) appeared level and were very generous in size with long driveways. Many trees separate the sites. A picnic table, lantern hook, and fire ring complete the site. Sites 22-29 are tucked further away from the others and the bathhouse.
Bathhouse: Clean and modern. Showers were available but I did not use them so I cannot comment on how well they worked.
Activities/Amenities: A dishwashing sink, fish cleaning area, and many hiking trails throughout the park, including one (to Blue Suck Falls) that has access directly from the campground. We hiked this but the waterfall was just a trickle when we were there!
We met friends here, so it was nice to have adjoining sites. Bear warnings were posted throughout the campground, but we didn’t see any!
The James River area near Buchanan, Virginia sits within the Blue Ridge Mountains with elevations ranging from 700 to 3,000 feet. Summer temperatures typically reach 80-90°F during day and cool to 60-70°F at night. The region features multiple state parks with dedicated equestrian camping facilities and trail systems spanning over 75 miles of varied terrain suitable for riders of all experience levels.
Kayaking and water activities: At Bolar Mountain Recreation Area, campers can enjoy the clear waters of Lake Moomaw. "The water was beautiful, temperature perfect for swimming. There's a separate beach that you can drive to that is roped off for swimming purposes but we rather enjoyed walking to the water from our site and having what seemed like our own little swimming spot," notes Joanna G. The lake offers kayak rentals at the marina for exploring coves and quiet areas.
Mountain biking on maintained trails: Douthat State Park Campground provides extensive mountain biking opportunities. "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!" advises Robyn S. The park maintains both road cycling routes and technical mountain trails.
Hiking through diverse terrain: The region offers trails ranging from easy to challenging. "There are many hiking trails nearby with a variety of difficulty. We chose a couple that provided nice views," shares Diane P. about Douthat State Park. Most parks mark trails clearly with distance and difficulty ratings posted at trailheads.
Clean facilities and amenities: Red Oak Campground receives consistent praise for maintenance. "The Red Oak sites were gravel and fairly level and the bathhouse was nice. There is an equestrian camping area (and stalls) for people with horses," reports Daryl L. Most equestrian camping areas near Buchanan maintain separate facilities for horses and humans with regular cleaning schedules.
Dark skies for stargazing: James River State Park offers exceptional night sky viewing. "This is a wonderful spot for viewing the stars because of the lack of light pollution. James River State Park has been named an International Dark Sky Park," explains Daryl L. The limited light pollution creates ideal conditions for astronomy enthusiasts.
Quiet environment: Many campgrounds in the region provide peaceful settings away from roads and development. "Generally this is a nice campground...not too big and pretty quiet. I met more people in this campground than all of the others combined, a nice group of folks," writes Thomas R. about his experience at Douthat State Park. Most sites maintain quiet hours from 10pm to 6am.
Cell service limitations: Connectivity varies significantly throughout the region. At Red Oak Campground, "Verizon service is spotty 1 to 2 bars and unreliable data but with a directional cell booster we are able to get enough signal for our Verizon Jetpack to work," reports Micah B. Download maps and information before arrival.
Reservation timing: Popular equestrian sites fill quickly during peak seasons. "We reserved a primitive site online via recreation.gov (despite the fact that many sites are unreservable and are instead first come, first serve - we didn't want to chance it with the long drive)," shares Joanna G. about Bolar Mountain. Booking 3-6 months in advance is recommended for holiday weekends.
Weather considerations: The mountain region experiences rapid weather changes. "In late June 2020, weather along The Greenbrier River Trail was cooler, with late afternoon/early evening rain showers," notes Dave V. about Greenbrier River Trail Primitive Campsites. Pack layers and rain gear regardless of forecast.
Swimming access for children: Several campgrounds offer kid-friendly water areas. "The lake is nice, and there is nice hiking along the shore," reports Thomas R. about Douthat State Park. Some sites feature shallow entry points with gradually increasing depth.
Educational opportunities: Don's Cab-Inns Campground provides learning activities. "Our family loved this campground! It is close to Roanoke and it is off the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is located in Explore Park. This park is growing by leaps and bounds. It has mountain bike trails, a cool vintage village, access to the Roanoke River, an aerial obstacle course, and more cool stuff," shares Bridget H. Many parks offer junior ranger programs during summer months.
Playground facilities: For families with younger children, look for campgrounds with dedicated play areas. "We enjoyed a fire making class followed by s'mores on Friday night and then an owl searching hike on Saturday night. We hiked many miles while here and had a great weekend," says Bridget H. about James River State Park.
Site selection for equestrian camping: James River State Park offers specialized sites for horse owners. "The sites are generously sized and flat. A few negatives: 1. There is a bit of a walk from your vehicle but it's not bad. 2. The bathroom is just a potty with hand sanitizer, no running water," advises Conni B. Request corner sites for additional space when traveling with horses.
Hookup availability: Electric and water connections vary between campgrounds. "We use a teardrop camper so we appreciated the water and electric hookup (although we disconnected the water at night to prevent freezing)," notes Diane P. about camping at Douthat State Park. Most equestrian sites include 30/50 amp service but not all offer full hookups.
Access road considerations: Some campgrounds have challenging approach roads. "Caution should be used with large rigs as the low-water bridge to White Oak has steep approach and departure angles," warns Jeremy W. about Douthat State Park. Call ahead to confirm access for rigs over 35 feet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Buchanan, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Buchanan, VA is White Oak Campground — Douthat State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 27 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Buchanan, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near Buchanan, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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