Best Dispersed Camping near Harrisonburg, VA

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!

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.

Sites are located less than a mile from the paved highway. We found 5 spots just off the road. All were easily accessible by cat or with a small teardrop trailer.

True boondocking, haul it in, pack it out. Evidence of a cat hole in the site we picked

Sites were quiet at night. Some traffic related to logging activity. Looks like a popular weekend camp spot for locals.

We camped during the week and had nobody else camping on weekdays.

Excellent weather. There will always be puddles / ponds in the middle of the trails in Dolly Sods, but conditions were generally excellent. Camped at the Forks and most sites ended up full there, but plenty of dispersed camping off other trails.

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

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.

I have been camping here for the past 10 years. Beautiful area and pretty secluded dispersed campsites. Over the years, it seems that some people leave more trash here, but not always. Please do NOT camp next to the lake even if you see fire rings. If the rangers come (which they did twice in 10 years), they will be very upset with you and make you pack up.

The road is a mix of gravel but also dirt so it can become muddy during rain. If you follow the road, there is a river crossing that will take you to additional camp spots. The road beyond the river can get more tricky for low clearance vehicles.

There are bears here, so lock up your food in the car. We have encountered a bear at or around the campsite 3 times.

The fishing is decent, and we have caught some trout there in the past. There is a boat ramp at the lake, but only electric motors and paddle boats are allowed.

Just a heads up, there is no cellphone signal for any carrier from what I could tell.

Dolly Sods Wilderness Area, part of the Monongahela National Forest, offers something for every hiker, backpacker, camper.

Having visited Dolly Sods numerous times at the Red Creek Campground, using that as the base camp to launch off to explore the myriad of trails. We decided to use the backcountry as a primer for the following year's longer westerly  backbacking trip. 

Know that it will likely rain on you in Dolly Sods, so always bring rain gear. Also realize, that with climate and conditions similar to the Canadian Tundra, temperatures and winds vary and fluctuate often, any time of year. Those two conditions often dissuade less hearty souls...but they are also exactly what creates and sustains a very beautiful environment.

During our excursion, we spent three nights and four days on what I will term the perimeter trails...camping at Raven Ridge, Big Stonecoal Run creek, and at Reds Creek at the forks. Numerous websites offer insight and directions and all are beneficial to study. We chose to travel counter-clockwise from Bear Rocks, parking in the grass across from the trailhead. Note: leaving valuables in or on your vehicle while you traipse about in the Sods is always iffy, just like anywhere else, so use wisdom. I've read of thefts...but the vehicle parked to us had two high end full-suspension mountain bikes on a roof rack for days without issue.

If you are unfamiliar with Dolly Sods Wilderness trails...choose footwear that either dries fast or is waterproof...has a robust sole to fend off bruises from the brutal amount of sharp, ankle buster rocks on the trail...and won't pull off and be lost in the countless bogs and areas of shoe sucking mud. We wanted to rename one particular trail "pointed rock trail." Our expensive boots were actually a fail for this trip...which was a valuable education.

We saw people run this trail in a day...but there's no way you can enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells moving that quickly. I felt we should've taken more time and explored much more...although soggy weather became a deterrent. The amount of brightly colored fungi, snakes, crayfish and salamanders were astonishing. So if you move too quickly, you miss them.

Do practice "leave no trace." The heavy summer and weekend use by careless and selfish hikers or backcountry partiers...has left the woods adjacent to Reds Creek camping sites littered with toilet paper...dig your cat hole and bury your "goods!"

The rocks on the trail may be a pain, but the formations and views from Raven's Ridge, Lion's Head and Bear Rocks rival the best.

Do your homework, choose your camping gear and wardrobe wisely and launch off into the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area...you'll be glad you did!

The road leading to the camp site from Wardensville was in excellent condition all the way to the camp site. There are e total of 9 campsites.

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.

The campsite itself is beautifully wooded. Each campsite is mostly secluded from the rest of the park.

The campground has vaulted toilet and communal garbage receptical. There is a large day use area. There are several trails that intersect with the campsite ànd day hikers are a common site.

I brought my boys out to camp this past weekend, and 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). The pond is stocked with trout, so small groups of fisherpeople came and went. In spite of it being a weekend, we were one of two occupied sites. There are fire rings, firewood, and enough room to pull in, pitch a large tent, (ours was a 10-person) and hang hammocks. There are also trails along the pond’s edge. we didn’t explore too in depth, so there may be more hiking available. Though you can’t swim in the lake, we did wade the stream, which was cold and clear and beautiful. We’ll be back!

Brushy Ridge Road is Forest Service Road 75 and is in decent condition. There are several pull off campsites along this road on the way up to Dolly Sods wilderness but this primitive group of three large unmarked campsites with stone fire rings is before you get to the Bear Flats Plateau and the Red Creek camp grounds. It is a 2.5 mile, 2000’ climb to get to the trailhead for Bear Rocks Trail in Bear Rocks Preserve which is about a half mile past the entrance to this unmarked group site. I camped in the middle of these three large campsites that are each about 100 feet away from each other. Firewood was available on a self serve honor system (put $5 cash in the box for each bundle you take) at the farmhouse across from the turn on to Brushy Creek.

I’ve camped here probably 12 times over the past 2 years and I seem to always find another awesome spot every time I go. There is a huge variety of spots, starting from huge ones right on the lake to more secluded, smaller spots deeper in the woods along the creek. Switzer is a nice quiet place and perfect for big or small groups that never disappoints. It’s also empty on weeknights. Beautiful sunrises from the dam.

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. There are few amenities, but a few fire pits, etc. I've heard it can get pretty crowded, but it was not when I was there in October of 2015. Scramble up to the top for amazing sunsets and sunrises.

A little research ahead of time can help, as well. You can hike from Crabtree Falls, which is longer, but alternatively, you can park at the Fish Hatchery in Montebello and make a much shorter hike to Spy Rock, a quick (though admittedly steep) 1.5 miles. There seems to be an occasional debate about whether the trail that connects the fish hatchery road to the Spy Rock trail is open, as it passes through private property, but last I check it WAS.