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.
