Camping sites near New Market, Virginia offer access to the Blue Ridge Mountains at elevations ranging from 700 to 3,500 feet. The area sits along the Massanutten Mountain range, creating multiple microclimates where summer temperatures can drop 10-15 degrees from valley to mountaintop. Campers often report consistent afternoon breezes on higher elevation sites that provide natural cooling during July and August.
What to do
Hiking to waterfalls and overlooks: Shenandoah River State Park offers numerous trails with river views. A camper noted, "There are a large variety of biking and hiking trails, wildlife is visible everywhere you go. The children's programs offered on the weekends were great too."
Explore historic sites: The Virginia Museum of the Civil War and New Market Battlefield are within 20 minutes of most campgrounds. A visitor to Endless Caverns RV Resort shared, "Locally you can enjoy wineries, orchards and cideries. The Virginia Museum of the Civil War and the New Market Battlefield Museum were great."
Cave tours: Multiple caverns offer underground adventures within a 30-minute drive. A camper remarked, "The caverns are super awesome, especially considering they have not been fully explored. It is not as crowded as some of the other caverns in the area which is a plus."
Night sky viewing: The higher elevation campgrounds offer excellent stargazing opportunities due to limited light pollution. "The fireflies are spectacular. At dusk, the ground shimmers, and then after they disperse, you will still see them flit by the tent throughout the night."
What campers like
Large, private sites: Campers consistently praise the spaciousness at Big Meadows Campground. As one visitor noted, "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."
Wildlife encounters: Black bears, deer, and other animals are frequently spotted. "We loved seeing the deer so close and other wildlife. Fire ring with grate was available. Large site size. We had site 23. Highly recommend!"
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain exceptional standards. A visitor to Harrisonburg-Shenandoah Valley KOA commented, "Laundry room, bathrooms, and shower are well maintained and clean. The camp store isn't well stocked for food but local shopping is minutes away."
Scenic views: The mountain backdrop creates memorable vistas. "You can hike to the sign similar to the Hollywood sign that can be seen from miles away. After hiking to top, we found that there is even one camping spot at the top with a CRAZY view of the valley below."
What you should know
Bear safety requirements: Food storage rules are strictly enforced. "There are no bear boxes at this campground, but there are indeed bears, so keep all food in your car. Great hikes in the area and waterfalls within hiking distance."
Elevation affects temperatures: Higher campgrounds can be significantly cooler than valley sites. A Lewis Mountain Campground visitor cautioned, "Remember this site is on the peak of a mountain, so it can get pretty chilly at night."
Seasonal closures: Many campgrounds operate on limited schedules. "Elevation above 3000 feet and plenty of deer! It was an especially cold night hitting a low of 14°F. Very happy for the nearby heated restrooms with hot running water."
Cell service limitations: Coverage is unreliable throughout the region. "No cell service. We went to the visitor center and connected to the WiFi if we needed to do something online."
Tips for camping with families
Choose campgrounds with kid-specific amenities: Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park offers extensive children's activities. A parent shared, "This isn't my idea of camping, but I brought my 11-year-old nephew. He was able to run around and make friends with his aunt always looking over his shoulder. He had lots of fun at pool, movie night, making s'mores, and jumping on bouncy mound."
Look for ranger programs: Educational activities keep children engaged. "The birthday boy also loved the outdoor laser tag! Staff was attentive. Our only real drawback was our site was not even close to level."
Consider proximity to bathrooms: Facilities matter for families. "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."
Pack for variable weather: Temperature swings of 20+ degrees between day and night are common. "We were there during a heat wave so there were bugs but being from Georgia the heat was bearable. Speaking of bears - there were lots of sightings."
Tips from RVers
Reserve pull-through sites early: Premium spots at Creekside Campground book quickly. A visitor advised, "Be very particular with your site selection! While Wi-Fi routers are set up at the bathhouses, we had some connection at the trailer. We picked up a dozen channels on our antenna and the 2-3 bar Verizon LTE enabled us to stream some channels on Fire TV."
Prepare for steep access roads: Many campgrounds require careful navigation. "The campground is on the side of a mountain so it is very steep in some sections. One entire loop says 4-wheel drive recommend, so read carefully before booking!"
Consider hookup locations: Utility placements vary between campgrounds. "Once I was able to negotiate a few big trees, the site was plenty roomy and right on the water. The sites are clean, well kept up, well equipped and the bath house is very clean."
Plan for water usage: Not all campgrounds offer full hookups. "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."
