1 campground with availability this weekend
Fort Valley Ranch near Mount Jackson provides several camping options for equestrians with 45 campsites including RV sites, tent sites, and cabins. The level pull-through RV sites accommodate rigs over 50 feet in length with minimal leveling needed. Campers report that the winding roads leading to the campground present no issues for larger trailers despite initial concerns. The ranch features fishing ponds stocked with bass and bluegill, offering recreational opportunities beyond horseback riding. All bathrooms and showers are clean and well-maintained. Most campsites are conveniently located near the stables, allowing campers to easily access their horses.
Horseback trail riding is available for visitors at Fort Valley Ranch, making it an excellent choice for families interested in equestrian activities. Within a 10-minute drive, campers can access hiking trails and river activities including swimming and wading at nearby river access points. The campground provides ample shade throughout all sites, creating a comfortable environment even during warmer months. Families with children particularly appreciate the combination of horseback riding opportunities and other outdoor activities. The campground's location offers convenient access to surrounding natural attractions while maintaining the peaceful atmosphere of a horse ranch setting. Fall visits are particularly recommended for experiencing the area's scenic beauty.
"The bathroom was just a short walk away. There are no hookups in this campground. We did drive to the shower house and paid a fee to take a shower. "
"While the campground is very nice, with clean conveniently located bathrooms, the site itself is probably not suited for a large group of people."
Available this weekend
from $30 - $75 / night
"There is Rockcliff lake and small beach area, an overlook (Lina Constable Overlook) to hike to right off the camp loop but it’s 1 mile steep incline at times but worth every step. Gorgeous!"
"The area closes completely (entrance gate is locked) from Dec 21 - May 1. The site was super clean and well maintained. Lots of hiking trails and a very easy one that loops around the Rockcliff Lake."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $25 - $105 / night
"We recently stayed at Fort Valley Ranch Campground, near Luray, VA and I can only say good things about our experience and the FVR's management."
from $30 - $45 / night
"Lots of people on horses running around which we loved, and good live music after dinner. Could get muddy if you're there after rain"
"Lodge close by if food, warmth, or better restroom desired."
from $12 / night
"Such a huge diversity of types of sites, from lakeside to wooded, to open fields. They have something for everyone. The bathrooms are ok. "
"Several rustic campsites with a large lake for the kids, and miles of off road trails for atvs, jeeps, and dirtbikes."
"It is about 5 miles from the summit of Spruce Knob (highest peak in West Virginia). Tow campers smaller in size can certainly make it, although mostly tent camping which I like. "
"Sites are well situated, and very private. Especially the walk up sites, they're the real gem. Every site has a picnic table and fire ring."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $15 - $32 / night
"I go there to climb and both sites are close to the rocks. I have camped there just about every month of the year. Be forwarded this entire area has no cell service due to the Green radio telescopes."
TravelerLong drive thru spots, lots of space between campsites. Really inexpensive laundry ($1 to wash $1 to dry) $5 showers for 10 minutes. Nice bathrooms. Dry camping at its finest. Close drive to Grand caverns and Luray caverns.
ScoutWas looking for a last-minute getaway on a busy weekend, and they seemed the best option. I've always associated private campgrounds with crowding and sites on top of each other. I couldn't have been more wrong about The Cove. There is more wooded space between sites than in many National Parks.
Some sections are best accessed via 4WD, which I think is a great way to keep things from getting too crowded.
Such a huge diversity of types of sites, from lakeside to wooded, to open fields. They have something for everyone.
The bathrooms are ok. Other than the shower area and the reception, most toilets are pit toilets. If you want to be walking distance to showers, make sure to book sites near them. For most sites, it's going to be a hike or a drive.
And on top of that, they have a beach for the kids, boat rentals, and a range.
This was our first visit, but we will definitely be coming back.
ScoutFirst camping trip in VA and honestly the only time we’ll come here. Noisy, plots are on the main road people speed down, loud music at all times. Plus the bathroom was great, taken care of but this isn’t camping. Great if you need people around you.
ScoutGood facilities for a NP campground
RangerThis is a classic National Park campground, and it’s important to keep in mind that it opened in 1937–the sites are small as travelers weren’t equipped with large vehicles, as such, it may not be the best option for large rigs but my van fit comfortably though the neighbors were rather close. If you’re expecting that, you’ll be more than happy. Walking distance via a connector trail to Dark Hollow Falls trail. Sustainable T-Mobile service for remote work, but Zoom may lag. No shore power or water hookups, but drinking water spread throughout the park and modernized bathroom and showers. There was also a circular, shaded tent area as part of D155, behind the drive. I’d stay again in a heartbeat.
GuideGreat summer destination to escape the heat! Weather in late June was amazing - highs in the 70s; lows in the 60s; and crystal clear skies. Not too buggy either. Pulled ONE tick off of me before it bit me, but otherwise not much to speak of in the way of mosquitos or biting gnats/flies.
This particular site was smaller (RV back in) but private and level near the bath house. There IS a bear box present, and you'll want to use it for any unattended food outside an RV. The mini-bears are beggars. We saw several chipmunks in our site and a particularly clever bird successfully stole from our neighbors.
If you are RV-ing, fill your tanks at the dump station before heading to the ranger station for check-in. You don't want to carry all that water up the mountain, and they don't like you to block the campground road trying to fill along the loop. The dump station is located on the right prior to arrival at the ranger station.
Also, there are no dumpsters at the dump station (weird). So upon departure, pull your trash prior to leaving the site.
As always, there is virtually no cell signal in this site and no electric hookups anywhere in the campsite. So bring a generator or a lot of solar if you want to run your electrical. (Though this site being so shady doesn't provide a lot of solar power.) There IS wifi at the visitor's center if you want to call home or do a daily socials check. ;-)
We DID have one day there that was a pretty noisy from paving equipment re-doing the road. But I think they're almost done with their project, and honestly it wasn't that big a deal because we were on trails most of the time anyway.
There are great ranger programs here - it's one of the larger hubs for programming, and they're listed at the visitor's center because they change seasonally. Don't miss out on the chance to explore the meadow. What may LOOK like a vast, boring expanse of grass is actually a fascinating variety of foliage when you're out in it. Many, many wildflowers that can't be seen from the visitor center's overlook.
Also, many of the park's most popular hikes can be easily accessed from here, including Dark Hollow Falls and Bearfence Rock Scramble.
TravelerBeautiful spot. The campsite is across the street from the lodge. G-Maps and Apple will take you to the lodge however. Loved the Freeform and “make your own” spot vibe
LegendWe stayed in site #27 for two nights. It was a walk-in tent site, but the car was very close. The site offered plenty of privacy. We could see the other sites, but they weren't close. We had a nice bear box and good hammock trees, plus a picnic table and decent tent sites. Lots of deer walked through our site in the morning, and we had easy access to several trails.
GuideI chose Big Meadows to stay at because my traveling companion is definitely a bit bougie and was anxious about camping in the mountains of a NP. Due to this site having showers, toilets, a laundromat, camp store(s) and even a lodge/taproom, they felt more comfortable. We stayed at site D142, right near the entrance by the registration office and showers. I didn’t expect the site to be so nice and quiet and still feel quite private despite the location! We checked out the loops and besides the tent sites, I actually preferred our site. We stayed the week before Memorial Day weekend and I was pleased with how quiet it was. Quiet hours were strictly adhered without rangers having to ask, other campers were respectful toward each other and we had no issues. The NP staff were awesome and the concession employees for the showers, camp store, and the Wayside grill were genuinely friendly and obviously cared about their jobs, which I sincerely appreciate. Wayside grill with attached camp store was fun and had some great gift items as well as some pretty solid quality hiking and camping items. The grill even had a beyond burger which I greatly appreciated! The lodge was funky but not my cup of tea, the taproom was ok, although the employees were really nice.
It did rain half the time we were there with extremely heavy fog so we only did a few hikes but they were still a lot of fun. We didn’t see any bear either! The number one animal we had invade our campsite on the regular were birds. Two catbirds regularly tried to involve themselves in everything, including landing on a pot of oatmeal I was actively cooking and standing next to! We followed leave no trace of course but any chance the birds got, from catbirds, robins, brown thrashers, towhee, and even a redstart, they would try to investigate.
There is clean drinking water listed on the campsite maps, there are utility sinks for grey water (don’t use the bathroom sink!), bathrooms were always clean and bathrooms and showers are open 24/7 and are well lit. I didn’t buy the firewood so I’m unsure how much it is but the little camp store was open from 9-6 (right by the bathroom) for firewood, ice, and other various supplies.
Only downsides to the site are 1) showers are not cheap ($5 for 10 mins) and don’t stay warm for long so you’re showering in chilly water. Some stalls last a bit longer than others. 2) The biggest issue though was surprisingly the bear boxes. They are quite large and fit a lot of stuff which is great. However, you are expected to keep your cooler in them. I have a bear proof cooler (IGBC) so I’ve never had to experience this situation before. The bear box being made of metal, heated everything up in it which caused rapid melting of ice. Despite pre-chilling it and my ice usually lasting for days and days, we had to refill it daily. The camp store thankfully sold ice (10 lb bags for $5) but it was frustrating that there was no other option for bear proof items. I didn’t fight the rangers regarding it because it’s their rules, it’s for the safety of the bears and people, and the rangers and park staff have enough stuff to deal with.
All in all, I’ve never really glamped before so it was quite a luxurious trip even with the rain and fog for half the trip. I’ll most definitely be back and would even stay at the same site or a tent only site with no driveway.
Fort Valley Ranch offers equestrian camping 30 miles southwest of Mount Jackson in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The area sits at elevations between 800-2000 feet, creating varied terrain for horseback riding and hiking. Winter temperatures can drop below freezing while summer temperatures range from 70-90°F with moderate humidity.
Fishing opportunities: The fishing ponds at Fort Valley Ranch contain bass and bluegill for campers. "We were able to fish for hours at the two fishing ponds, which both were stocked with bass and bluegill," notes Jason G.
Hiking trails: Access nearby mountains with trails ranging from easy to difficult within a 10-minute drive from camps. At Spruce Knob Lake Campground, "They have an awesome wooded hiking trail that goes around the entire lake approximately 1 mile long," according to Adam W.
Beach activities: Several campgrounds feature lakes with swimming areas. "The beach is large and clean," Christopher K. mentions about The Cove Campground, which includes a sand volleyball court and dock for non-motorized boats.
Dark skies for stargazing: The minimal light pollution creates excellent stargazing conditions. "You're in the middle of nowhere, so you do have a truly dark sky," says Jean C. about camping at Spruce Knob Lake.
Wildlife viewing: The wooded areas provide opportunities to see native animals. At Big Meadows Campground, "We saw many deer and bear while camping. Just being in Shenandoah is a soothing experience," reports Rachel M.
Privacy between sites: Many campgrounds offer spacious sites with natural separation. "Though this campground is HUGE, the sites are not piled on top of each other. Our site was surrounded by shrubs under the canopy of trees which provided tons of privacy," Veronica S. shares about Big Meadows Campground.
Weather preparedness: Mountain conditions can change rapidly with elevation. At Trout Pond Recreation Area, "In the valley and surrounded by beautiful mountain views it was 80 daytime and ~60 at night," reports Laure D.
Limited cell service: Most campgrounds have minimal or no cell reception. "Download your maps before you come, because there's no cell service and you'll truly get away," advises Jean C.
Water access varies: Some campgrounds have limited water facilities. "Water is available, though they state it is in limited supply," notes Jean C. about Spruce Knob Lake.
Bathroom facilities: Quality ranges widely between campgrounds. "All the bathrooms and showers were remarkably clean and well-maintained," Jason G. notes about Fort Valley Ranch, while others report more rustic options.
Kid-friendly activities: Look for campgrounds with designated recreation areas. At Graves Mountain Farm Campground, "For kids, there is a duck pond, chicken coop, shallow brook, disable farm tractor, and some other stuff to play with/on/in across the street near the lodge," Matt shares.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Many children enjoy seeing animals in their natural habitat. "We loved seeing the deer so close and other wildlife," mentions Terri S. about Big Meadows.
Consider noise levels: Some campgrounds are quieter than others. "Though there is privacy and it was fairly quiet in the afternoon, at night it can get loud with kids running around and being noisy," Veronica S. cautions about Big Meadows.
Leveling requirements: Many sites require minimal setup work. "All the RV sites were impressively level, with only minimal leveling needed," Jason G. reports about Fort Valley Ranch.
Road access considerations: Despite mountain terrain, most roads accommodate larger vehicles. "I was initially concerned about the road leading into the campground, as my rig is over 50 feet in total length. However, we were surprised that the winding roads presented no issues for us," Jason G. notes.
Site selection strategy: Sites near facilities offer convenience but may be busier. "We stayed in camp one which offered electrical hook ups. There are 4 water spigots in camp 1," explains Christopher K. about The Cove Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Mount Jackson, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Mount Jackson, VA is Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 131 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Mount Jackson, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Mount Jackson, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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