Best Dispersed Camping near Lovingston, VA

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.

The James River WMA is primarily used by hunters and fishermen throughout the year. However, one of the benefits of this place is that it is also open to dispersed campers! You simply need to purchase either a daily or annual access pass from the DWR website and then report which days you will be staying at the WMA--it's currently $23 for the annual pass.

After turning onto Midway Mills Lane from the northern end (route 626), there is a gravel access road about .5 miles down the road that is well-maintained. It almost immediately opens up into an open field where large rigs of any size can fit. There is another site further down the road, but it is smaller and primarily used for truck campers and tents.

This is where we stay any time I need to work in-office down in Lynchburg, VA. It is 20 minutes from the closest grocery store (Food Lion), liquor store, gas station, and propane supplier (Foster Fuels).

I had great T-Mobile service, but no ATT service--even with a powerful LTE antenna. I do not have Verizon so I cannot comment on their service.

This isn't a campsite for the best "scenery" or anything (though it is pretty in the morning), but it is quiet (you might sometimes hear dogs or gunshots from hunters who are near the water-fowl impoundment at the very end of the road by the river), secluded, and convenient. If you need a place in central Virginia to camp for (almost) free, this is it.

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!