Camping near Flint Hill, Virginia ranges from developed campgrounds with tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin rentals to dispersed backcountry sites on public lands within a 30-mile radius. Campgrounds like Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park and Mathews Arm offer developed sites for tent camping, RVs, and cabin rentals, while dispersed backcountry camping is available throughout the national park with proper permits. The region includes both riverside locations with water access and mountain settings with scenic overlooks along Skyline Drive, providing diverse terrain and camping experiences within a 30-mile radius of Flint Hill.
Backcountry permits are required for dispersed camping in Shenandoah National Park, and many developed campgrounds operate seasonally, with most sites open from May through October or November. Weather conditions vary significantly with elevation changes. "We experienced everything from warm summer-like weather to chilly winter winds during our 6 days in the backcountry," noted one camper who visited in April. Mountain weather can change rapidly, particularly at higher elevations along Skyline Drive, where temperatures remain cooler than surrounding valleys. Cell service is limited or non-existent in many areas, particularly in backcountry locations, and visitors should prepare for potential wildlife encounters including black bears, necessitating proper food storage.
Campers consistently mention the dramatic views and wildlife viewing opportunities as highlights of camping in this region. Several developed campgrounds near Flint Hill provide amenities like drinking water, toilets, and picnic tables, while offering varying levels of privacy between sites. A visitor to Mathews Arm Campground noted that "the sites are relatively close together" but praised the "fun day hikes all around." Backcountry sites offer more solitude but require additional preparation. Creek access is frequently mentioned in reviews of dispersed sites, though seasonal water flows can vary dramatically, with spring bringing high water levels at creek crossings. The region's proximity to the Appalachian Trail makes it popular with through-hikers, who often share space at established huts and shelters along the trail during peak hiking seasons.
$27 - $427 / night
"Virginia has the best state park campgrounds. Water and electric. Large sites. The bathrooms are clean with separate shower rooms. Nice hiking in the park. Near SNP. Responsive and friendly rangers."
"In my opinion it has the best location of the 3 Turks they have. It’s it the woods close to a boat landing you can see a bit of the river. In the fall or spring I’m sure the view is amazing."
$30 - $75 / night
"This is a nice and very large campground tucked away in the northern part of Shenandoah. The facilities and grounds were well kept and it’s a short car’s travel (but there’s also a trail!)"
"There are a few trails encompassing and leading out from the campground, and it's nice to have a central location from which you can out on small hikes."
$30 - $75 / night
"While the campground is very nice, with clean conveniently located bathrooms, the site itself is probably not suited for a large group of people."
"Our site had the AT running right behind it. The was plenty of access to trails, and pretty central to the park. The campground is near showers, laundry, campstore, and visitor center."
"It is suitable for novice campers to experienced off-trail campers. You'll never tire of the wonders this beautiful piece of America has to offer."
"There was definitely a lot less privacy/space between sites here at SNP than I’ve noted at other parks across Virginia."
"We are tent campers and we’re looking for a place close to Shenandoah to ride our motorcycles. This was 3 miles from the north entrance to the park, perfect."
"Hike up a trail or up through the creek itself to a swimming hole only accessible to campers. Saw some decent sized fish swimming around in there."
"Close to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive."
"They had plenty of appearances of Yogi or Cindy bear at activities and just driving around the park on a golf cart."
$31 - $230 / night
"Adjacent to a working farm where cows, sheep, llamas, chickens and roosters can graze next to the campsites. The grounds were beautifully manicured and incredibly clean."
"We stayed at this KOA on our way to Virginia Beach but wanted to a day in Shenandoah National Park. "
$30 - $125 / night
"Positive: Friendly staff, near the river, close to Shenandoah NP, quiet camping, every site has a fire pit. Negative: sanitary fascilities are old."
"Sites 31 and 32 (despite being near the campground’s public river access) look large and private. Both riverside."
$20 / night
"In the valley outside of Shenandoah, it was a nice spot to return to at night. There are also some hiking trails across the street."
"Campground Review: What a great find, so close to a town….though feels like you are deep in the forest!"
$21 - $112 / night
"Parking is in a locked lot steps away from trail head which leads to campsites about a mile away. Campsites are in a wooded area of park well away from other park attractions so it's very quiet."
"When we were there they were having a historical reenactment near the visitors center that was so cool! We came in August and it was super hot, but that is just Virginia."
TravelerNew owners just bought this place. There are upgrades and cleaning needed, but owner was friendly and helpful. Creek and trail is gorgeous. Highway can be loud at times. Surrounding town gorgeous and dog friendly.
ScoutThis is a lovely campground that I recommend and would stay again. We have been twice: once as a family and once with a Scout troop. The RV sites are fairly large and clean. The tent-only sites are smaller and have a metal fire ring with a grate (nice!). The RV sites have mostly brick rings without grates. The bathrooms are fairly small (two showers on the female and one on the male) which might be an issue on busy weekends. The only real water entrance is the boat ramp, but you can climb down a cliff in other places. A, D, and E are sunnier. B and C and Nottingham are mostly wooded with mature trees. We used the site as a base for a bike trip along the C&O to go to Harper’s Ferry (14mi round trip along a gravel path). The staff were friendly and there is a small camp store.
But the trains! THE TRAINS!!! Every review will mention them for a reason. The site is adjacent to a rail yard that runs all day. Not just a passing train, but clanging car and engine changes. It’s LOUD. I slept with earplugs, but could still hear the noise. The yard really starts going around 5am and goes all day. It slows down after 8/9pm, but never stops entirely. The trains are the only reason for the removed star and it’s not the campground’s fault. But almost all of the real complaints are about the noise. If you want an extra quiet campground with only birds and running water, this is not the place for you. But if you don’t mind the loud bangs and low rumbles, this place is fine!
The entrance is beyond the train yard and about a mile down a widened part of the C&O. It is possible to be trapped inside or outside if a train is stopped at the crossing (30min for us, once).
In short, it’s a great campground if you bring ear plugs!
ScoutThe lots are very tight and the manager is not friendly. Make sure to read all the rules. No one can visit you unless they pay 10$ to come onsite and I am not talking about spending the night just visiting. There are other campgrounds in the area such as Watermelon RV Park that are more welcoming.
TravelerIt was a great public spot to disperse camp as there are plenty of areas to set up camp on the way to the summit, but none beat the view of this one. The view from both sunset and sunrise are immaculate, with an unobstructed stunning sunset view from the camp site, and a gorgeous golden glow coming from just across the trail. There is plenty of room to find the perfect spot to set up camp and truly find your best view. While you would want to bring everything for a good time, pack light for the hike if there are not many hands. The somewhat steep hike seems to be 1.0 mile from the Booten’s Gap Parking Lot to the summit (Booten’s being the base of the hike).
TravelerWe've been to Lake Anna a couple of times and have enjoyed it each time. This past trip was over Memorial Day with close family friends. We RV and they cabin camp. So they snagged camp cabin 56 and we were in E/W site 30. Those two are very close to each other, so our kids could go back and forth without supervision, but site 30 was big enough that we were able to host all of the meals in our site. The 5 people staying in our RV and the 4 people staying in their cabin plus the 4 dogs that we have between us! That's a lot of camp chairs and cooking equipment.
Being Memorial Day weekend, we expected it to be very busy, but it wasn't too crowded at all. And everyone was very nice.
A word for parents: the tent pad is pea gravel. Really nice pea gravel. Applied pretty deeply too. So, if your kids are anything like mine, the first they'll do - and continue to fixate on all weekend - is digging in the pit, burying each other, and other various forms of playing with the rocks. You'd think they'd get enough of at at the actual beach. But no. Apparently not.
GuideSpent four nights at this campground! No hook up but great spot to explore Shenandoah National Park
LegendThis is our third year coming in the winter. We always come for a long weekend. Got snowed in this year but owner cleared driveway and made sure we could get out on time. Bathroom was open and showers worked.
LegendThe Shenandoah Mountains are beautiful any time of year, but early fall is spectacular. Ripe blackberries underlie the whole landscape everywhere you go, trees are turning magnificent colors, songbirds are stopping over on their migration south, bugs are nearly non-existent. I enjoyed visiting the park and camping here, especially as it is one or the few National Parks that are dog-friendly and allow dogs most everywhere, --throughout campground, on most trails, and even on the outside deck at cafe by our campground. The park also participates in the "Bark Ranger" program for dogs.
This campground is one of three main campgrounds in the park, and has a Campground store as well as nearby cafe featuring variety of sandwiches, soups and desserts, including local blackberry ice cream! So you will be well-provided for. There is a maze of trails around the campground itself, and just down the Skyline Parkway is access to the Big Run trail network, which provides great birding, hiking, and fishing
Even in the campground among many campers, there is great access to the Dark sky which is great for stargazing. Ranger programs in the campground feature this and other nature programs. From the campground there is easy access to myriad scenic overlooks along Skyline Drive in both directions. There is a fairly long drive to get to the north end of the park at Big Meadows which is the northernmost campground and where the NPS Visitor center is. The scenic drive but you do have to double back a long way to get back to Loft campground.
Make reservations well ahead of time! Most sites need to be reserved, a few available for same day. Campground fills up early in the day. Tent campers are more likely to get a spot. We got the last site of the day. It had a good drive in for a couple cars, but the tent pad was pretty small. There was a picnic table and fire ring, but the campsite itself was a little overgrown and in need of maintenance. The bathrooms were in need of some cleaning too; usually the National Park Service is good about this, but the park was short staffed and so things were a little rough around the edges. As such, although I would rank the park as a 5, the quality of the campground was only so-so, and overall I ranked the camping experience a 4 because of this
GuideI love this campground. It is quiet. The sites are spread out pretty well. There is a small river. The road in is beautiful, winding along a river. There isn't a lot of traffic. Between May and October the restrooms are open and are well kept. I have not used the pit toilets, as I prefer to bring my own set up. I have camped here several times in March and October. Only once was I completely alone in the campground. In the warmer season, there is a host. When you choose your site, look up for acorns that might fall onto your vehicle. I have a nice little dent from one. I have never had a problem with mosquitoes or critters at this campground.
Update:2/25 campground was open despite about 6" of snow on the ground. Loops were plowed, but sites were not. Not a problem for 4wd. Host was present as well.
Camping options near Flint Hill, Virginia range from primitive backcountry sites to riverside campgrounds with dedicated swimming areas. The region's elevation varies from 600 feet in river valleys to over 3,500 feet along Skyline Drive, creating temperature differences of 10-15 degrees between locations. Winter camping is limited with most primitive sites closed from November through April due to freezing temperatures.
Hiking trails and waterfalls: Several campgrounds offer direct access to waterfall trails. At Shenandoah National Park Dispersed Sites, campers can explore Overall Run Falls. "We spent 5 nights and 6 days of glorious backpacking in the North District of Shenandoah National Park... Just about ¼ mile downstream from the gorgeous Piney Branch Falls and very easy trail access, this was our favorite site of all," shared one backcountry camper.
River recreation: The Shenandoah River offers tubing, kayaking, and fishing. Low Water Bridge Campground provides direct river access with outfitter services. "They took us up river and dropped us so we could kayak back. Their store had everything that we had forgotten with good prices," reports a camper. Most outfitters operate from May through September when water levels are suitable for recreation.
Stargazing: Clear mountain nights offer excellent stargazing opportunities at higher elevation campgrounds. "I could walk out a bit from my site and see the entire night sky which was amazing!" noted a visitor at Luray KOA, where higher elevation sites have less light pollution than valley campgrounds.
Private riverside sites: Many campers prioritize sites with river access for both scenery and recreation. At Gooney Creek Campground, "We got a spot right on the bank of the creek you sleep with the sound of the babbling water. Spaces aren't very big but big enough that we didn't feel like we were on top of our neighbors," shared one reviewer. Most riverside sites cost $5-10 more than standard sites.
Wildlife viewing: Local campgrounds offer opportunities to observe native wildlife. "We even had a doe and fawn right in our campsite!" reported a camper at Mathews Arm. Another camper noted, "We saw an adorable black bear cub run off into the woods along the Piney Branch Trail" while backcountry camping. Wildlife is most active at dawn and dusk.
Primitive camping experience: For those seeking more solitude, Sky Meadows State Park Campground offers a backcountry experience with modest amenities. "The hills are fantastic for helping each site feel like a little private oasis. Even if the campground is full, I think most of the sites would still feel shaded and private because of how they're dispersed throughout the hills," explained a recent visitor. The one-mile hike-in requirement helps maintain the peaceful atmosphere.
Bear activity: Black bears are common throughout the region. "You'll need to hang your food or bring bear canisters. We not only saw bear scat all around, we saw an adorable black bear cub run off into the woods," shared one backpacker. Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground provides "very doable hiking and mountain biking options for beginners. Campground access to the Shenandoah River," but campers must still follow bear safety protocols.
Limited cell service: Most campgrounds in the area have poor or non-existent cell coverage. "There is absolutely no Verizon service here (ATT seems to work pretty well). You'll have to drive 10-15 in either direction on Rt. 211 before you can catch a signal," noted a camper at Low Water Bridge Campground. For emergencies, rangers recommend having a designated check-in person who knows your itinerary.
Seasonal variations: Weather can change dramatically with elevation. A backpacker reported, "During the 6 days we were in the backcountry, we experienced everything from warm summer-like weather to chilly winter winds, both day and night." Creek crossings can be dangerous in spring with high water levels, while summer brings gnats and ticks.
Kid-friendly campgrounds: Some campgrounds cater specifically to families with children. Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Luray offers numerous activities for children. "The kids loved running off in the open field and playing on the zip line. We loved that we could see them from our site," shared a parent. Day passes for water park facilities typically cost $15-25 per person during summer months.
Creek exploration: Shallow creek areas provide natural play spaces for children. "The primitive spots are a short walk from the parking area and the campground provides wagons to transport your stuff. Great fishing and swimming right at your camping spot," noted a family at Gooney Creek Campground. Parents should supervise children near water, especially after rainfall when currents can increase.
Educational opportunities: Many campgrounds offer ranger programs during peak season. "The children's programs offered on the weekends were great too," mentioned a camper at Shenandoah River State Park. These programs typically run May through September and cover topics from wildlife identification to historical demonstrations.
Site selection: RV campers should research site specifications before booking. "Our site, A55 and thought A56-A61 were nice sites. When we entered a sparsely populated park in mid-afternoon on a Monday in October, those sites were already taken," advised an RVer at Mathews Arm Campground. Most campgrounds near Flint Hill have limited large RV sites, with maximum lengths of 30-35 feet.
Elevation considerations: The steep mountain roads require proper vehicle preparation. "The drive in requires about 25-miles through the roller coaster of steep grade (7+%) hills. There's no way around that, you're in the mountains. Just be aware and be prepared," warned an RVer at Luray KOA. Drivers of larger RVs should check engine cooling systems before tackling mountain routes.
Utility access: Full hookups are limited in the region. "RV sites are spaced out and have wooden fences on the sides. 30 amp service at the site. You can fill your water tanks as you enter the campground," noted an RV camper at Low Water Bridge Campground. Many sites offer electric and water but lack sewer connections, with dump stations available at campground entrances.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Flint Hill, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Flint Hill, VA offers a wide range of camping options, with 150 campgrounds and RV parks near Flint Hill, VA and 17 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Flint Hill, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Flint Hill, VA is Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 56 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Flint Hill, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 17 free dispersed camping spots near Flint Hill, VA.
What parks are near Flint Hill, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 19 parks near Flint Hill, VA that allow camping, notably Shenandoah National Park and Prince William Forest Park.
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