Best Glamping near Marion, VA

Hungry Mother State Park features distinctive glamping accommodations across three campground sections near Marion, Virginia. Both the Royal Oak and Creekside campgrounds offer platform-style glamping sites with electricity and water hookups, while Camp Burson includes full-hookup glamping options. Each location provides comfortable outdoor luxury with access to modern amenities including clean bathroom facilities with private shower rooms, on-site laundry, and dishwashing stations. The sites are strategically positioned along creeks or with mountain views, offering a blend of natural surroundings and resort-style comfort. According to a recent visitor, "The park had lots of activities for adults and children. We had the best time!"

The 3,334-acre park surrounds Hungry Mother Lake, creating a scenic backdrop for luxury outdoor stays. Guests have access to multiple hiking trails that circle the lake and climb ridge lines, offering panoramic mountain views. On-site recreation includes swimming at a sandy beach, kayak and paddleboard rentals, and fishing opportunities. One reviewer highlighted, "I know some people they know the best spot for stars but they have never been here." The park maintains eco-friendly glamping facilities with well-maintained grounds, accessible trails, and year-round availability for most accommodations. Local attractions include the town of Marion with essential services and nearby historic sites in surrounding communities like Saltville with its museum.

Best Glamping Sites Near Marion, Virginia (31)

    1. Royal Oak Campground — Hungry Mother State Park

    41 Reviews
    Marion, VA
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (276) 781-7400

    $25 - $45 / night

    "Campground review: Hungry Mother State Park in Marion, VA. This park has something for everyone. Hiking, biking, kayaking, fishing, swimming. There are interesting campfire get togethers too."

    "Hungry Mother State Park, Royal Oak Campground, Marion VA...site 3. https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/hungry-mother Campground Overview: Located outside of Marion VA

    Hungry Mother State Park is"

    2. Hickory Ridge Campground — Grayson Highlands State Park

    56 Reviews
    Troutdale, VA
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (276) 579-2374

    $25 - $40 / night

    "First off - if you are driving an RV or travel trailer up here - know what you are getting yourself into. The drive up here is challenging and only recommended from the East."

    "It was a two mile drive from the Contact Center to the campground entrance… passing by a scenic view turnoff on the right, with long valley views."

    3. Grindstone

    21 Reviews
    Troutdale, VA
    10 miles
    Website

    $24 - $36 / night

    "Campground Review: Located in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area of SW Virginia, the Gindstone Campground is tucked away midway up the mountain."

    "The fire pit had a great grate for cooking in our cast iron pans and the picnic table was a huge plus."

    4. Hurricane Campground

    15 Reviews
    Troutdale, VA
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (276) 783-5196

    $20 - $40 / night

    "Located in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests this campground was a nice find. Not crowded at all, maybe 5 other campers. Extremely quiet & relaxing stay."

    "Getting close to dark on a holiday weekend when we found this place. The hostess was very friendly and welcoming, even offered to deliver our firewood since we were on motorcycles."

    5. Camp Burson Campground — Hungry Mother State Park

    11 Reviews
    Marion, VA
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (276) 781-7400

    "Clean sites Stayed in Brunson Site 44 by creek Some shade Water and electricity on sites Main camping is Creekside / tent platforms at Royal Oak All facilities super clean , laundry and lake for a cool"

    "Has multiple pull through sites, bath house and laundry close by. We were there during off season so some of the park was closed and they collected payment through honor system."

    6. Creekside Campground — Hungry Mother State Park

    4 Reviews
    Marion, VA
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (276) 781-7400

    $30 - $45 / night

    "Pads are level, bathrooms are clean. Everything is kinda spread out as far as bathrooms houses or playgrounds for the kids. Really nice and quiet tho."

    "The lake is amazing. hey have canoes, paddle boards and kayaks. Pretty quick at night and the kids around the around rode bikes for ever! The wifi did not work."

    7. Wytheville KOA

    32 Reviews
    Max Meadows, VA
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (276) 228-2601

    $50 - $170 / night

    "We stopped here while driving down 81. It’s right off the highway, but nice and secluded. It’s a little barren (not enough trees) but the facilities and sites are quite nice."

    "Game and rec rooms, dog park, store well stocked playgrounds, sand boxes. No messing around. Staff very friendly."

    8. Stone Mountain State Park Campground

    56 Reviews
    Roaring Gap, NC
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (336) 957-8185

    $17 - $72 / night

    "We tow a 19' a-frame camper with a Toyota Tacoma and had lots of room on the pad. The pad was pretty level so set up was easy."

    "We were in loop A which had no electric hook ups. Each site has the usual fire pit, picnic bench and a pole for your trash bag. It was very roomy and well maintained."

    9. Wagoner — New River State Park

    17 Reviews
    Jefferson, NC
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (336) 982-2587

    $27 - $72 / night

    "Beautiful days hiking nearby, cold nights. Pet friendly. Pretty clean bath house. Visitors center nearby. Sites were mostly level, with gravel, fire pit, picnic table."

    "We were on site 50 which is closest to parking. No water view but more secluded then most sites. This site does get great sun in the afternoon."

    10. Blue Bear Mountain Camp

    27 Reviews
    Todd, NC
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (828) 406-4226

    $25 - $136 / night

    "Totally worth driving up the small country mountain road. After you make it up. The office is on the right. Very friendly staff and super helpful."

    "Lovely woody and grassy field campground with only electric at our site. The sunrise is beautiful on the big field. The sites are well spaced and fairly level."

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 31 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Glamping Reviews near Marion, VA

451 Reviews of 31 Marion Campgrounds


  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 11, 2019

    Stone Mountain State Park Campground

    One night only

    We stayed for one night only on our way to Dreher Island SP. We didn't get in until after 4 pm, but there was still enough daylight to see how pretty the campground was. We had site 60 for the night. We tow a 19' a-frame camper with a Toyota Tacoma and had lots of room on the pad. The pad was pretty level so set up was easy. The site also had a huge area for the picnic table and the fire ring is far away from your camper. There was a huge grassy area behind our site with a creek, lots of space for our dog. We were in campground B (electric) and the sites were decent. There wasn't a lot shade for us, but up in the tent area they were surrounded by trees and it looked like they all had tent pads, some better than others. The shower house was nice, clean, flush toilets, and good showers. By the shower house they also had an outside sink to wash your dishes. We didn't get to hike, but everyone said we should if we ever go back. It's on our list to visit again.

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 5, 2021

    Julian Price Park Campground — Blue Ridge Parkway

    Delightful Respite in Julian Price Campground

    While there's a few dozen great places to stay in and around the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway, there are few campgrounds as prized as Julian Price, which has plenty to explore just steps from your tent's front door (er, flap!). 

    After a 3+ hour drive from nearby Raleigh, my very great friend Gary (or'Gariatica' for short) and I landed at the D Loop, which is one of four campgrounds you'll find here. What's important to know about the'Big Letter D Barrio' as the locals refer to it as, is that the campground perches up almost immediately after entering it, so you'll be first met with a few of the lower campsites (which must receive a decent amount of noise from the passing traffic that is only 30-40 feet away from them) before coming to the ground's bathhouses (while just mediocre and not the cleanest, there are bonus points here for providing 'no coin required' individual, private stalls (8 in all), so no group showers, which will be disappointing for some, I suspect). 

    After passing the communal bathing facilities, you will circumnavigate the D Loop in counter-clockwise fashion (although many tried to swim upstream and go in the opposite direction, which I don't recommend, as apart from being hit from oncoming traffic, even if there was none, you would need to conduct a 17-point turn-around to park your car in the provided parking spot) to tour the 40 or so campsites. 

    While there were only a few free slots to chose from at the time of our booking (about 3-4 weeks in advance, so book early if you can!), we did get relatively lucky with our campsite, good 'ol D20, which had plenty of space for our behemoth 24 person tent cabin (OK, so you can't really sleep 24 in this sucker, but it sure would be fun trying!). 

    I would actually recommend the sites that were located directly across from ours - while ours slanted upwards(revealing our entire site), those on the other side of the road sloped downwards so had a solid amount of privacy. Basic amenities were had at most sites we saw- solid (yet aging) picnic tables, fire rings (with pull down grill) and wooden-encased tent platforms. Warning: no nearby running water (to clean dishes, you'll have to load them up in a bucket and trudge back and forth to the bathhouse (donning a towel is optional). 

    Also, I would suggest if you are looking at campsites here or in the other areas of this campground, do look at whether or not a trail cuts through or by your campsite. I don't know how you feel about 100's (this is a popular campground with loads of people hiking trails when we were there, so I'm not overestimating here) of strangers passing by your front door (dang it, I meant'flap' again!), but you might want to avoid the heavy foot fall traffic. 

    Also, unlike any other campground I've ever visited (I lost count after the first 100), I've never stayed at a campground where it was so easy for anyone to simply drive up and around the campground (usually, you have to persuade someone at the front gate that you belong there, right?) as this location has an EZ access point that avoids the ranger at the gate(who left promptly at 5pm anyway), which made me a bit uneasy, although we had no problems to speak of. 

    Last tip? My buddy who knows the area fairly well took me to Gamekeeper's Inn [https://gamekeeper-nc.com\\\\\\\] for one of the best meals of my life. This oversized log cabin chalet has an outstanding bar, simply fantastic staff, upscale smarts and feature exotic meats and rare game, so while I would have preferred hot dogs and beans fireside, followed by endless amounts of s'mores, I was instead dining on grass-[hand]-fed Bison and dungeon-free Emu, the likes of which I had never savored before. Quite delish, washed down by very fine Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough in the land of kiwis and finished off by, what else? You guessed it, a fantastic creme brûlée. Very nice and quite expensive, but hey, you only live once, right?!. 

    Happy Camping!

  • Jorge P.
    Jan. 2, 2022

    Blue Bear Mountain Camp

    New Years camping

    This place is absolutely beautiful. Totally worth driving up the small country mountain road. After you make it up. The office is on the right. Very friendly staff and super helpful. He walked us to our site and helped us make sure we could pull into our site. We set up on site C-4 close to the tree line so we had so much privacy. It was close enough to the bathhouse but far enough for us to feel secluded. They have a fishing pond, long hiking trails and only about 15 minutes from downtown. 

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 26, 2019

    Royal Oak Campground — Hungry Mother State Park

    Ranger Review of Outdoor Element at Hungry Mother SP

    Campground review: Hungry Mother State Park in Marion, VA. This park has something for everyone. Hiking, biking, kayaking, fishing, swimming. There are interesting campfire get togethers too. Two campgrounds, one up the hill, the other on the main road. Secluded cabins and yurts. We stayed in the smaller campground at the top of the hill. There is electric at each site and plenty of room for more then one tent, hammocks and small campers. A nice showerhouse with dish sink on the end. You will get your exercise walking the rolling loop still campground and hill. There is a yurt in this campground with a nice deck. Some visitors saw a bear near the backside of the lake, but I didn’t see any large wildlife. The cabins are located on the backside of the lake with some nice porches to sit and enjoy the evening breeze. The beach is popular, there are kayaking programs and paddle boats. You could easily stay a week here. Two things to do while your here is ONE: check out DIP DOGS a very popular and busy restaurant and TWO: the “Back of the Dragon” an AWESOME DRIVING TOUR across the mountains from Marion to Tazewell, VA.

    Product Review: As a Dyrt Ranger I have the opportunity to check out some awesome outdoor products. Outdoor Element stuff is like survivalist gear that can be carried with you all the time. Bracelets that can be used to make fire, use as fishing line and as rope. This bracelet has a fish hook “embedded” in it and a flint and striker for sparks. Cool thing they do is give you a piece of the 550 cord used for the bracelet to take apart and experiment with. Watch my video for more information. I wear the bracelet all the time now so it’s a little stinky , ;p not sure about washing it, but I am going to the site to find out.

  • Dave V.
    Oct. 31, 2019

    Royal Oak Campground — Hungry Mother State Park

    A relaxing shoulder season stay

    Hungry Mother State Park, Royal Oak Campground, Marion VA...site 3. https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/hungry-mother

    Campground Overview: Located outside of Marion VA

    Hungry Mother State Park is somewhat split up and fragmented on either side of a local highway and the first campground is distanced from the other two. So a little different than most parks but not necessarily a negative.

    The Visitor’s Center is on the left after the first campground (Camp Burson) and across the roadway from the reservoir and beach area. The remaining two campground loops are past the beach area...one to the right along a feeder stream (Creekside Campground) and opposite that is the third loop (Royal Oak Campground) on the side of a hill with wooden platforms for tents.

    I was hoping to paddle this meandering reservoir but it was being drained for bridge work...so it was six feet or so lower than normal. Even the migrating geese weren’t too happy about it, as they waddled around on the mud.

    During the peak of the summer season, it appears that it would be very popular with s nice swimming beach, paddlecraft rentals, cabin rentals, conference center, ample covered picnic pavilions and both paved and dirt trails.

    I stayed on site 3 in Royal Oak Campground, pitching the tent on a 20’x20’ leveled wooden platform. Several pros and cons to elevated platforms.

    Pros: It’s level and large enough for any tent I’ve ever seen. Water drains pretty decent between wood decking, so no pooling. D-ring lashing points were attached to the decking to assist in securing tent or rainfly.

    Cons: When the cold wind blows, it’s hard to retain heat in the tent...360 cold. While there are D-ring lashing points, they don’t accommodate every tent of rainfly. Previous knucklehead campers drill Tapcon screws or nails in the wood decking and rails to secure their tent...then leave them there so everyone else snags or rips their tent on them.

    It rained for 12 hours straight with cold, high winds...so it was a bit chilly, but still enjoyable.

    What I enjoyed: deer wandering through the grounds, the Molly’s Knob Trail and Vista Summit,

    The ugly: the lake (reservoir) was drained. Heaters weren’t on in the shower rooms...37 degree showering gets tricky.

  • A
    Apr. 8, 2021

    Honey Bear Campground

    Our favorite campground!

    We go back here multiple times each season. Very family friendly. Sites are relatively clean, easy to park at, bath house is clean& easily accessible. They even have a"coffee shop". The staff here are amazing! The campground is tucked away outside of Boone, but not so far that if you really need something you cant get it. The staff does a great job making sure the quiet hours are really quiet and no craziness happens. After looking around at other campgrounds, we really love this one. Most of the sites are shaded so in the heat of the summer it is really pleasant to hang out at the campsites(usually with a nice breeze). The location is also not far from the Blue Ridge Parkway and lots of great hiking.

  • S
    Jun. 20, 2016

    Royal Oak Campground — Hungry Mother State Park

    Really a Great Park

    Everything you need to have a good time in the mountains! Very nice lake for swimming and kayaking. Challenging hiking and biking trails. I saw some monster fish in the lake so my guess is the fishing is good. Cabins are comfortable and have air conditioning!! I had a really great time there in June.

  • Katrin M.
    Jun. 28, 2020

    Stone Mountain State Park Campground

    Very nice campground

    I camped here with a friend and our dogs over the weekend. The campground has 3 loops. We were in loop A which had no electric hook ups. Each site has the usual fire pit, picnic bench and a pole for your trash bag. It was very roomy and well maintained. The bathhouse was a little bit older but had showers with hot water. Within a short driving distance you can find an old country store. They sell cool drinks and snacks. From the campground it is walking distance to the Stone Mountain loop. The nature and landscape is just so beautiful and definitely worth the trip. We would definitely camp here again.

  • A
    Nov. 12, 2021

    Honey Bear Campground

    Great experience with little ones!

    Beautiful campground with running creeks and sloping drives. Pleasantly surprised the weekend prior to Halloween that there was trick or treating, a haunted trail (kid friendly), and wagon ride. Camp team were extremely friendly and welcoming. Cute on-site coffee shop, clean bath houses, easy check in and setup process with the convenience of fire wood delivered to your site prior to arrival. Looking forward to returning!


Guide to Marion

Hungry Mother State Park sits at an elevation of 2,150 feet in Virginia's Blue Ridge highlands, offering cooler summer temperatures that average 8-10 degrees below surrounding lowland areas. The park's distinctive glamping accommodations are spread across 3,334 acres surrounding a 108-acre lake with a swimming beach that maintains lifeguards during peak summer months. Each of the three campground sections provides different glamping experiences with varying levels of privacy.

What to Do

Fishing opportunities: The 108-acre lake at Hungry Mother State Park supports largemouth bass, channel catfish, and crappie, with shoreline fishing areas and boat rentals available. "Great place to kayak! This place stays booked up, so reservations are suggested during the summer/fall months," notes one visitor.

Molly's Knob Trail: This challenging 3.4-mile round-trip hike climbs 1,015 feet to a panoramic vista point. "What I enjoyed: deer wandering through the grounds, the Molly's Knob Trail and Vista Summit," shares a camper who experienced the park's most popular hiking option.

Off-park excursions: Hickory Ridge Campground at Grayson Highlands State Park offers a unique day trip opportunity to see wild ponies, located 53 miles from Marion. "Great hikes close by with sweet wild ponies that let you get close for pictures," a visitor reports about this memorable experience.

What Campers Like

Platform tent sites: The elevated wooden platforms at Royal Oak section provide a unique glamping experience near Marion, Virginia. "Campsites in this section are tent only and very nice and have platforms. Rv sites are crowded. Clean bath houses, and plenty to do," notes one Royal Oak visitor.

Laundry facilities: On-site laundry makes extended stays more practical at Camp Burson, which sits slightly apart from the main park. "There is a washer and dryer available. Plenty of grass for the pups to enjoy," mentions a camper who appreciated this practical amenity.

Dishwashing stations: Separate areas for washing dishes make mealtime cleanup easier and more sanitary. "The bathhouse also has a dishwasher station," points out a camper who found this feature convenient during their stay at the campground.

What You Should Know

Separate campground sections: The park features three distinct camping areas with different amenities. "There are 3 campgrounds in Hungry Mother SP. Camp Burson is the easiest to get to and the one we stayed at. Creekside and Royal Oak campgrounds are further into the park up a windy narrow road," explains a visitor who explored all the options.

Platform tent considerations: Royal Oak Campground offers unique wooden platforms that require specific setup considerations. "The sites have the usual amenities like a picnic bench and table, a firepit, and a lantern pole. The bathhouse was very clean and taken care of," reports a camper who enjoyed this setup.

Weather variability: The mountain location means conditions can change quickly. "It rained for 12 hours straight with cold, high winds...so it was a bit chilly, but still enjoyable," shares one camper who experienced challenging weather but still had a positive experience.

Tips for Camping with Families

Beach activities: The lake beach area provides supervised swimming for children during summer months. "The lake is beautiful and has boat rentals and a swimming beach! Great place to kayak!" comments a visitor who enjoyed the water activities with their family.

Biking trails: Grindstone Recreation Area offers family-friendly biking trails near Marion. "We stayed here on a fall trip to Pigeon Forge. Great little campground with a nice biking/hiking trail along the lake. Kids had a great time!" shares a family who made this a stop on their journey.

Camp selection for play space: Sites with more room for kids to run around can be found in certain areas. "Sites 31 and 32 are on a meadow the campsite loops around; they have no privacy and little shade, but ample room for kids to run around, and there is a set of swings near these sites," notes a visitor sharing tips about the campground layout.

Tips from RVers

Camp Burson advantages: Wytheville KOA, located 30 miles from Marion, offers easier access for large RVs compared to Hungry Mother's more remote campgrounds. "Fast curbside check-in took us straight to our site. We only stayed overnight left in the morning but it was nice and quiet easy on and off of 81," reports an RVer who found it convenient.

Site selection strategy: Some RV sites have irregular placement of hookups and amenities. "Some sites have patio area on 'wrong' (street) side instead of curb side, so take a look at Google satellite map when booking. Sites 3, 7, 10 are among the best," advises a camper from experience.

Tree clearance issues: Larger RVs may face challenges with low-hanging branches in certain areas. "Sites are level and can fit big rigs but the only problem we had were that some of the trees need to be trimmed back and scratched the upper sides of our coach," warns an RV owner who experienced this first-hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Marion, VA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Marion, VA is Royal Oak Campground — Hungry Mother State Park with a 4.7-star rating from 41 reviews.

What is the best site to find glamping camping near Marion, VA?

TheDyrt.com has all 31 glamping camping locations near Marion, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.