For those who want to experience Pamplin, but still want the creature comforts of home, consider glamping for your trip. Glamping near Pamplin is a great way to travel off the beaten path. Find the right glamping site for you with our user-submitted photos, reviews, and tips. You're sure to find glamping for your Virginia camping excursion.
$30 - $80 / night
Campground and Cabins: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/staunton-river#cabins_camping
This recreation area is part of John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir
$28 - $55 / night
Otter Creek Campground is located at the Blue Ridge Parkway's lowest elevation, only 649 feet above sea level. Picturesque Otter Creek winds through this quiet, rustic campground. Night skies are spectacular here, and there are several nearby trails to hike including the Otter Creek Trail, which is accessible from the campground. Just imagine enjoying the crackle of an evening campfire with the murmur of the creek in the background! Relax....
The James River/Otter Creek recreation area has fishing in Otter Lake and a number of hiking trails including Trail of Trees, Otter Creek, Otter Lake Loop, and James River Canal. Hike the Otter Creek Trail to James River Visitor Center. There visitors can view a restored canal lock from the Kanawha Canal, part of the historic James River transporation artery which was once the primary commercial route in the state of Virginia.
The James River/Otter Creek recreation area has fishing in Otter Lake and a number of hiking trails including Trail of Trees, Otter Creek, Otter Lake Loop, and James River Canal. Hike the Otter Creek Trail to James River Visitor Center. There visitors can view a restored canal lock from the Kanawha Canal, part of the historic James River transporation artery which was once the primary commercial route in the state of Virginia.
This area's abundant water and warmer temperatures support plant and animal communities that are unlike those found at other areas on the Parkway. A short walk along the Trail of Trees or a hike along the clear, cool waters of Otter Creek will give ample proof that there is more to the Blue Ridge Parkway than mountain-top vistas.
Otter Creek Trail (3.5 miles/5.6 km) parallels the Parkway road as it meanders from Otter Creek campground to the James River Visitor Center. Most sections of this trail are easy to hike and can be reached from many points along the motor road. Otter Lake Loop Trail (0.9 miles/1.4 km) provides scenic views of Otter Lake. This is also a good trail for watching wildlife. Look for beaver lodges and dams along tributary streams. Early morning and late evening are prime times for wildlife observations. Trail of Trees (0.4 miles/.6 km) begins near the James River Visitor Center and wanders through a shaded stream drainage. Trail signs identify many of the trees and shrubs of the river valley. This trail also affords a handsome view of the James River water gap, a rare geological feature. Canal Lock Trail (0.4 miles/.6 km) begins at the visitor center and crosses the James River on a walkway beneath the bridge. The restored Battery Creek Lock, located a short distance from the bridge, is typical of those constructed in the 1800s as part of the James River and Kanawha Canal. This canal, with nearly 100 locks, helped make the river a major transportation corridor before the Civil War. Exhibits at the Battery Creek site explain how locks were used to raise and lower boats to adjust for the changing elevation of the river.
$30 / night
Ready to truly get away from it all? We welcome you to unplug, unwind, and relax at Montebello Resort. Rental Cabins, Camping, Fishing, and a Country Store are all available at our mountain top resort.
We are nestled high in the Blue Ridge Mountains, just three miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway, in Nelson County VA. Montebello means “beautiful mountain” and is a pristine hamlet tucked into the folds of Appalachia. Steeped in history and rich in charm, hearts are warmed and memories are made for all those who come to visit.
Route 56, which winds and climbs up to the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Montebello, was once an old Indian trail that connected present-day Nelson County with Steele’s Tavern in Augusta County two hundred years ago.
Atop the Blue Ridge Mountains, and near the Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Trail, Montebello is a beautiful gem that attracts visitors from around the world.
Whether it’s camping, a cozy cabin retreat, apple and berry picking, wine tasting, trout fishing, hiking, biking, hunting, wildlife viewing, or just exploring, there’s something here for everyone to enjoy.
$38 - $55 / night
5 Acres of private property.1 minute away from the boat ramp. A few Miles walk to Buffalo Springs park .At Kerr Lake V A.RV parking.Kyacking.Canoeing.Boating.Hikeing.Trail riding.GolfCart.4miles to Historic Clarksville VA . On the lake.
$22 - $53 / night
Traveler
Probably a great place to camp during the fall. During the summer they lease space to the 4-H club that teaches people to shoot black powder muskets for the civil war reenactments. From 8:30am until 3-5pm it sounds like a gun range. It’s not a shot here and there, its volleys of black powder guns (think cannons) being shot all at once. It echos off the water and is the opposite of peaceful. The ranger said it would only be for an hour a day, unless it was a competition day, well for the 5 days we were there it must have been competition. We ended up leaving the park during the day.
The sites are good. Most need lots of leveling help (bring spare wood!). The newer part has a nice bathhouse. The older part had a really old bathhouse. (So old it’s hard to tell if it’s dirty or just old.)
It’s not a bad place to visit. But combat veterans should avoid during the summer months.
The sites are nice. The ones in the newer area (laurel ridge) are close to the nice bathhouse. Both bathhouses have WiFi. No cell service to speak of. (We have Verizon but most of these places have none.)
Traveler
Spent 4 nights here (during a heat wave, no less) and really enjoyed it. Campsites are large and not right on top of each other, and especially if you can book one of the campsites that are on the water, they really do have beautiful views (see pictures).
Pros:
Kid-friendly. We spent an afternoon at the splash pad, which is a great way to cool off in the summer and free once you're in the park. I never felt unsafe with my kids running around up to the bath-house or the loop, felt very secluded and safe.
Lake is scenic, we saw fireflies at dusk, it was a great setting for a camping trip.
Everything seems pretty well-maintained. Bathrooms are aging but were cleaned at least once a day, it was fine. There is firewood at every bathhouse you can take on the honor system and pay for via cashbox, which is nice. Campsites are clean and well-maintained.
Lots of lake recreation options (boat rental, fishing, etc.) in or near the park.
Cons:
Maybe it was just our campsite, which backed up to a large wooded area, but they were the most aggressive squirrels I've ever come across. If we went to the bathroom for five minutes and left food on the table, the squirrels would be there eating it when we came back. And would hover at the edge of the campsite or get into the car if the hatchback was open.
Camp store is....fine, pretty minimal in terms of provisions. But not a big deal because Clarksville is five minutes or so away and has plenty of stores.
Tents pads are all gravel. Didn't bother us but definitely would not want to tent camp here if you didn't have a good high-quality sleeping pad.
The biggest con was that there is no swimming area/beach in the park. You can try to wade in from the campsite but that generally requires scaling up/down some fairly treacherous rocks, and navigating driftwood and rocks in the water. We drove a few minutes away outside the park to find one, but would be really nice to have some kind of little swimming area inside the park, very strange to me they don't have one.
But all in all a lovely place for a camping trip, we all had a great time.
Traveler
Bike packed in from my house yesterday evening, camped for the night, and heading back this morning. Shower/toilet facilities are clean, good water/power, etc. This park isn’t bad for just chilling out and getting some nature time in, but there aren’t any breathtaking views and so on. Most campsites are on a very slight slope, shouldn’t have any issues if you set up right.
Guide
We love staying right on the creek, the view and sound of it is the best. The ones down by the creek don’t have an electric or water but they’re so worth it. The bathroom is at the top of the hill so that’s kind of a pain but the the only downfall for us. Everyone has always been kind and friendly, our dogs love it here too!
Scout
He never responded to the reservation request or my email. Dont waste your time, find somewhere else.
Ranger
The campground needs some updating- there’s only one bathhouse with just 2 showers- if the campground would’ve been full, it would’ve been miserable. Also only one dumpster and it’s on the way out of the campground. BUT it’s a designated dark sky park & the stars were amazing. They also lend out telescopes. They also have nice walking trails & if you like to paddle, the river is nice & flat. There is little to no cell service.
ScoutNice well kept park and campgrounds. Most of the sites looked pretty level. Sites in B are small and mostly have deep drop offs beyond the railroad ties. Sites are a little more spread out in C but still pretty small. But plenty of oversite parking. Both campgrounds very wooded. Beware there are LOTS of squirrels and not too afraid of humans. If you have dogs like we do that hate squirrels they drove them nuts- squirrels running around in our campsite and up trees in our campsite. And while walking around. They also climbed on a small table right next to the rv door and shredded my paper towels! Lots of areas to walk. Campground C had only two clean bath houses with only two toilets and two showers. Which I imagine with the many no hookup sites could get pretty busy.
Traveler
Very nice small campground I stayed in Site 42 E/W with a view of the Lake. It has one Bath House but it was a 9 out of 10 for cleanliness. No Cell service or Internet but that was what I was looking for. Campground well maintained and fishing was nice that have a couple of Courtesy watercraft for the campers use.
LegendThis is a pretty standard campground. Sites are extremely close together and campground is kind of tiny. One bathhouse for the whole campground. This park would probably appeal to equestrians, boaters, and RVers over tent campers. Unfortunately the promixity of other campers was stressful this weekend because of the screaming family right next to us. River views are nice. Probably won’t return.
GuideA very well kept campground. Bathhouses are very clean and sites are well maintained. Sites are paved and not too close. Sites in the older section (red bud) will require leveling. As indicated on park web site there is no cell service in the park. WiFi is available outside the contact station
Legend
We camped here for a couple of nights in February for my sister’s birthday. Super clean cabin, lots of dishes and pots/pans, and utensils. Our cabin had beautiful water views and access to the trails. Saw an albino squirrel! We loved our trip!
GuideWe stayed in a tent, and enjoyed the quiet and the bird, but especially the skies. This is part of the International Dark Sky Association. We brought stargazing folding chairs (Nemo Stargaze Luxury Recliner, find on Amazon, et al) and binoculars. The campground will loan very easy-to-use telescopes, too! That was really cool. It was clean and quiet. The camp host was very nice as were the rangers and the Park Manager.
They have public star parties there, so check with the park on when they are.
Guide25 ft motorhome fit nicely into
Site, very wooded nice and peaceful, showers clean and within walking distance
LegendI camped at this campsite in the fall last year and the colors as I drove in from the main road were stunning. Very clean and well maintained campsite, with lake front sites. There were spots for tents and longer ones for large rigs. There were also Yurts to rent to stay as well. Clean bathroom facilities. I fishing from my kayak and had a very relaxing stay here.
TravelerBeautiful campground in VA, nice people and great restroom and showers. They even had a dishwashing station, I am impressed.
Met some really nice people and had a lovely time. Nice lakes, beaches and grilling options with shelters.
ScoutVery nice place to walk and lots of sight seeing close by and shor t walk or drive to the water
ScoutOne mile walk to Buffalo park a beautiful place with lots of history. I love it .Great day for a picnic .
GuideGreat mix of full hook up, water and electric, and tent sites. A wooded campground with beautiful ponds, and a trout fishing pond. Big enough for small and medium size campers but not being surrounded by giant RV’s and fifth wheels. Just off the blue ridge parkway. GreAt access to all the hiking. Stayed here twice. The little country store is great.
GuideNice park. Huge lake. Peaceful fishing. Enjoyed the hikes. History is interesting.
Guide
Clean campground. Very relaxing surrounded by trees. The sites had great space. Dog friendly.
GuideI stayed 4 nights in my Coleman 17b a rolling hills campground 20' max. Lake views and surrounded by hardwoods. Very nice gift shop with very nice staff. Cabins are available as is the archery range. Beautiful beach and surroundings make for a quite tranquil week stay.
GuideThis place was certainly beautiful; our site was right on the pond; even though the electric and water hookups were a little funky. Overall a beautiful spot high in the mountains. Be aware; there is zero cell service at the campground. To get decent service it’s a bit of a drive. Also FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS ON THE CAMPGROUND WEBSITE. VA56 is a very windy road not recommended for pulling a camper through. Use the blue ridge parkway.
Guide/wo areas to camp B is small and sedate with clean bath house. Camp host was the best Camp C is larger and some sites are close to the water. No camp store.
RangerTwin Lakes State Park Campground is pretty small, but the sites were large and well spaced out. It was very shady and the sites were pretty level. There are a few trails and a beach on one of the lakes. People were also fishing from the banks of the lake and in boats. The bathhouse was very clean and well maintained. All in all a nice place to camp while riding on the High Bridge State Park Bike Trail and visiting Appomattox Courthouse.
RangerWe spent five days here over Memorial Day weekend, the campsite itself is nicely wooded, has a well-supplied store with very friendly staff, a stocked trout pond, and has a nice small lake. The trout pond is a nice touch you can fish without a license, and you pay for what you catch, we enjoyed fresh trout for dinner during our stay, and from what I saw, anybody with a hook can catch one. We watched them restock the pond in the morning before the holiday weekend. The other lake on the property is a nice place to walk, the campsite provides kayaks and paddle boats as well, at no charge. We had a site on the permitter, which was nice, as the interior sites are really on top of one another, we were just a few sites off the lake, but backing up to the woods certainly gave us a little more privacy. The sites are rather small and close to one another, and definitely showing signs of age from the washed-away, uneven gravel pads, to some other aging amenities. We noticed serval sites loaded with perhaps a dozen people, often blasting music (during the day and not during quiet hours, but still…) really living it up, not the fault of the campground, but it did seem a little unregulated and overrun with multiple vehicles in the roads etc. There is a central restroom facility, just the one, for the entire campground, and the men's room was 2 stalls and a urinal with 2 showers, it was cleaned daily, although not what I'd call spotless, and the woman's room apparently had some plumbing issues the weekend we were there. The location of the campground is remote with zero cell coverage or wifi, and other than the store on-site, there isn't much outside of a few hiking trails, within 30 minutes. Roughly 45 minutes away are from some breweries and wineries. I think we would have enjoyed this campground a little more had it not been as busy, the older facility couldn't really keep up with the crowd.
TravelerThe good: We came for 2 nights during the week. Easy check-in, found our site (T3) and set up right on the water. Host was also keen to set us up as far apart (in our group of sites) from another family that came in the same day as to give us both maximum privacy and seclusion. Sites T1-T5 are a couple hundred yards down a fairly rocky path which was a booger to haul supplies up and down as you park and carry.
Firewood was on honor system and very reasonably priced.
The not great: Bathhouses left much to be desired and were, very truthfully, some of the worst I’ve seen. When you’re primitive camping with kids, a semi-clean bathhouse is important. Additionally, the entire property seemed like it was overdue for just a good cleaning up. Not trashy by any means, but a little attention to detail would go a long way.
Nonetheless, for what we paid ($35/night) it was well worth it and I would return again any time. Host was very hospitable and welcoming and I’m glad we tried this place out.
TravelerStayed in tent sites…Overlanding in my Jeep…single woman..felt safe Campground hosts were wonderful! Clean area
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Pamplin, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Pamplin, VA is Holliday Lake State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 10 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Pamplin, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 glamping camping locations near Pamplin, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
