The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Prospect. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Prospect is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Find the best campgrounds near Prospect, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
Canoe Landing Group Campsite (one primitive site) - There's a group site near the canoe landing. The site accommodates up to 42 people - no hookups, tents only. It's near a restroom and features a fire ring with a flip grill, picnic tables and a pedestal grill. There's a $30 fee for canceling a group-camping reservation.
$15 - $80 / night
$30 - $80 / night
Red Oak Campground (30 sites, RedOakEW40ft)
Electric and water hookups; the sites are shaded and can accommodate various equipment (tents, pop-ups and RVs) up to 40 feet. The sites have large tent pads and wide driveways for bump-outs.
All sites have electric pedestals, which have 20, 30 and 50 AMP outlets. Campsites have fire-ring grills, one picnic table and a lantern hanger. Full-service bathhouse with hot showers and wash sink for dishes; the bathhouse has four unisex showers, one of which is universally accessible. Coin laundry facility, two washers and dryers Showers are for campers only
All equipment must be set up within site borders. Tent pads are about 15 by 24 feet.
Two vehicles are allowed per campsite. A parking fee is charged for additional vehicles, which must park in designated areas. Guests visiting campers must pay a daily parking fee, park in designated areas and leave by 10 p.m.
A dump station is free for overnight camping guests; non-overnight guests must pay a small fee to use the dump station.
A boat launch is free for overnight guests.
Firewood is available for a small fee; fire starters are available at the contact station and visitor center.
Keep pets on a leash no longer than six feet when outside, and keep pets inside at night.
$35 / night
Camping reservations are highly recommended, and all campgrounds are site-specific - call 1-800-933-7275. The park has five campgrounds. Three of them, Branch Pond, Walnut Grove and Canoe Landing, are open year-round for primitive camping. There are primitive restrooms at those campgrounds. Drinking water is unavailable in the primitive campgrounds, but potable water is available at five of the six picnic shelters. Canoe Landing is the only campground on the river. Please note that primitive sites do not have electricity.
$15 - $18 / night
Devils Backbone Camp is a 73 site campground featuring full hook up RV sites, standard, non-electric RV sites and tent camping. Within walking distance to the Devils Backbone Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows, Devils Backbone Camp offers you a unique camping experience like no other. Spend the afternoon hiking on the AT trail, grab dinner at the brewpub, and play corn hole in the Meadows. Experience the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the comfort of Devils Backbone.
$55 / night
Camping reservations are highly recommended, and all campgrounds are site-specific - call 1-800-933-7275. The park has five campgrounds. Three of them, Branch Pond, Walnut Grove and Canoe Landing, are open year-round for primitive camping. There are primitive restrooms at those campgrounds. Drinking water is unavailable in the primitive campgrounds, but potable water is available at five of the six picnic shelters. Canoe Landing is the only campground on the river. Please note that primitive sites do not have electricity.
Branch Pond - Seven primitive sites in a wooded area about two miles from the river (BranchPondPrimTent). Tents only. Each site has a tent pad.
$15 - $18 / night
Sherando Lake Recreation Area's Family Campground provides an ideal camping destination. It is situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains and is known locally as the jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where visitors enjoy hiking, picnicking in the shade, fishing in the lakes, or swimming and relaxing on the sandy beach.
The 25 acre Lower Lake offers opportunities for swimming in a designated area with a sand beach, accessible ramp to the water's edge, and a beach bathhouse with changing and shower facilities. Fishing and boating are also available outside the designated swimming area of the lake. Fishing is in stocked trout waters during the spring and fall seasons. Visitors will need to have the appropriate Virginia fishing license, National Forest stamp, and trout stamp. Boats with gasoline motors are not permitted on the lower lake - electric troll motors, canoes, kayaks, or similar boats only. A hand-carry ramp is available for access to the lake adjacent to the parking area. Fishing only is available at the 7 acre Upper Lake. This lake is also stocked during the spring and fall seasons and the appropriate licenses are required. Boats are allowed, but there is no launch access - hand carry only. Parking is available at a small area below the group camp area and a walking trail will lead you to the lake. Swimming is not allowed in the upper lake. Hiking trails surround the area offering everything from a short walk around the lake on the Lakeside and Cliff Trails to a day hike up the mountain on the White Rock Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway. For the more adventurous hiker, more challenging day hikes and backpacking trips are available by heading up the Blue Loop Trail to the Torry Ridge Trail to Bald Mountain and beyond.
The campground sits between Lower Sherando Lake and Upper Sherando Lake at an elevation of about 1,800 feet in the shadows of Torry Ridge. The Upper Lake is 7 acres and is fed by the waters of the North Fork of Back Creek. The Lower Lake is 25 acres and is fed by springs, the North Fork of Back Creek, and Williams Branch, so the water stays refreshingly cool all summer long.
There are opportunities for gas, groceries, and firewood at convenience stores and local vendors along the state road to Sherando Lake. Ice can be purchased at the Sherando Lake Visitor Center during operating hours, which vary seasonally. Additional supplies can be obtained in Stuarts Draft, about a 15 minute drive away.The Blue Ridge Parkway, with its scenic overlooks and ridgetop views, is a short 3 mile drive up State Route 664 from the Sherando Lake entrance. The Wintergreen Resort offers a golf course and ski area within 10 miles of Sherando Lake. Cabin rentals are available near Sherando Lake from local private vendors.
$32 / night
Canoe Landing Group Campsite (one primitive site) - There's a group site near the canoe landing. The site accommodates up to 42 people - no hookups, tents only. It's near a restroom and features a fire ring with a flip grill, picnic tables and a pedestal grill. There's a $30 fee for canceling a group-camping reservation.
$15 - $80 / night
$30 - $80 / night
Red Oak Campground (30 sites, RedOakEW40ft)
Electric and water hookups; the sites are shaded and can accommodate various equipment (tents, pop-ups and RVs) up to 40 feet. The sites have large tent pads and wide driveways for bump-outs.
All sites have electric pedestals, which have 20, 30 and 50 AMP outlets. Campsites have fire-ring grills, one picnic table and a lantern hanger. Full-service bathhouse with hot showers and wash sink for dishes; the bathhouse has four unisex showers, one of which is universally accessible. Coin laundry facility, two washers and dryers Showers are for campers only
All equipment must be set up within site borders. Tent pads are about 15 by 24 feet.
Two vehicles are allowed per campsite. A parking fee is charged for additional vehicles, which must park in designated areas. Guests visiting campers must pay a daily parking fee, park in designated areas and leave by 10 p.m.
A dump station is free for overnight camping guests; non-overnight guests must pay a small fee to use the dump station.
A boat launch is free for overnight guests.
Firewood is available for a small fee; fire starters are available at the contact station and visitor center.
Keep pets on a leash no longer than six feet when outside, and keep pets inside at night.
$35 / night
Camping reservations are highly recommended, and all campgrounds are site-specific - call 1-800-933-7275. The park has five campgrounds. Three of them, Branch Pond, Walnut Grove and Canoe Landing, are open year-round for primitive camping. There are primitive restrooms at those campgrounds. Drinking water is unavailable in the primitive campgrounds, but potable water is available at five of the six picnic shelters. Canoe Landing is the only campground on the river. Please note that primitive sites do not have electricity.
$15 - $18 / night
Guide
This was such a awesome campground!! First time ever staying and everybody was so helpful and friendly. He had the camp host come and check on us to see how things were. We stayed at the group 105 site and could not have been happier with that pick. It was off all by itself with the other 4 group primitive sites. Sites were huge and you could arrange and set up however you liked. Really loved that having 2 vehicles and 3 tents we had so much room. Loved the bathhouse being close too. Just a quick little walk/or drive around the corner the showers and stalls were so clean as well. Fire ring was huge too and they have wood on site. We even checked out the restaurant and bar/brewery on site. Everything looked so cool loved the way everything was set up. We will 100% be coming back and do the group site again. ur original plans of going off into the national forest and dispersed camping got canceled so we hated we couldn't do that. But this site the way they are set up really makes you feel like you are still out there disperse camping but with the luxury of a campground being so close. Loved it so much!
Traveler
My partner and I were traveling to Richmond, we needed a quick place to stop and rest. We reached out the day of and the owners of the property were so kind, accommodating, and understanding. They set us up with firewood, and all the necessary equipment to have a wonderful night under the stars. The icing on the cake was waking up and spending some time with their horses and goats and this really sweet orange cat. The property was gorgeous and the experience was wonderful.
Traveler
We had the absolute best time. It was so peaceful being by the creek and just relaxing. You are off the road of the national forest so cars come by but nobody bothers you and it stays quiet. Will definitely be back soon!
Guide
Went in August and it was very buggy, also had someone park pretty close which when I drive down a really long dirt road that is questionable for my van, i want it to be private and this was about 5 miles of dirt road to get to it.
GuideMultiple road sites that fit my van with room to spare - 80% were full on a beautiful fall Friday evening around 6pm but still snagged one
Traveler
I love this campground, it’s 5 to 10 minutes from BV, right on the river, primitive with bathrooms, which is fine with me, I sleep in my forerunner with my two dogs, plenty of land and trails, it’s perfect for what I need👍
TravelerLess than 10 campsites, all with fire circles and a public bathroom site. each campsite is on the river, very beautiful.
ScoutLoved this little campground. Nice and quiet, toilets available (though not very clean but good enough). Only thing is that there’s a dog, we think from a property nearby, that acts aggressive towards campers. Luckily it went home around 18h, so we had a great night, but it was back the next morning and immediately had aggressive behavior. So watch out and be careful with your food!
ScoutAugust 31, 2024, Labor Day weekend camping trip. Spent a night here camping with my younger sister. She could only do one night, as she lives up north and had to be back up by Monday to go back to work on Tuesday. We arrived around 10:30am, we got everything set up before we ventured out. Very nice spot we found, very quiet except for nature. Best sounds ever. We visited the Natural bridge, which was about 20 minutes or so from the camp site. It did some light rain from around 8p til sometime after midnight, but stayed comfy and dry.
Scout
My boyfriend and I went camping here for our anniversary last October, and it was so fun! The owner and his family were super sweet and helpful. They definitely set you up for success!! He even let us borrow some gear when our tent got raind out and showed us a few tricks. We are definitely coming back for our next anniversary!! It was just so much fun.!
ScoutWe came for this site specifically but it was already occupied so we kept going down the road. Luckily there were 4-5 additional site & we got one for 3 nights. They are all lovely & creekside with fire pits & there is a hike at the end of the road that takes you to a gorgeous summit & links to AT!
Guide
Absolutely great folks. The produce is excellent. They let me camp on the farm while visiting nearby family. They mowed the field for us, and it was great. MID August and near no bugs. The camping area is the overflow parking lot across the street. It is big rig accessible. But do not try to cross the rail road tracks. The tracks are busy and close but not so much at night. Only 3 trains Sunday night. Thank you Sun Spoke farms for a great visit.
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.)
Scout
Like most Virginia state parks the River Bend campground is well spaced out and great for RV camping. Verizon service was stable enough to work all week with a Jetpack without the need for a directional cell booster
Scout
Nice campground in line with expectations for most Virginia state parks. Verizon service is spotty 1 to 2 bars and unreliable data but with a directional cell booster we are able to get enough signal for our Verizon Jetpack to work
Scout$150 per night is crazy. Nothing special about the campground except proximity to devils backbone. This is a parking spot in a field with no trees and the sewer likely on the wrong side. There are no amenities. We’ve stayed many times but plan to go elsewhere going forward.
Scout
The VA will need to Wear Together ❤️
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.
ScoutNice camping spots on the pedlar river in Amherst county. Multiple spots along reservoir rd.
TravelerGreat spot with clean facilities. Cell phones worked just fine. They are adding more electric sites. Walk to the brewery. Probably my favorite improved camp site for beer enthusiasts!
Scout
I am a retired major. My wife and I bought an older motorhome, and this location was great to test it out. I come again. Bath house is a few blocks way, but for 25 dollars a night. The price was right.
ScoutNice sites in a pretty open area. This area is designated as a national forest campground, but didn’t have a fee or closure dates like others. Creek runs through. Pit toilet bathrooms were open when we visited in early march. Not a huge area, maybe 10 sites or so. 2 other people camping midweek in March so I’d imagine it would fill up in warmer months. No cell service for AT&T or T-mobile. Great location, 5 minutes from the BRP. Easy access for small vehicles, backed my sedan into the site.
Scout
Large open space with several flat areas for tents. There are several spots on this road, maybe 6 but this is the furthest off the road. There are hiking trails and easy access to the stream.
Legend
Jake from the Dyrt here! We're excited to have this campground on the Dyrt and ready for you to book, check them out and make sure to leave a review!
Guide
I stay here at least once every summer. Has beautiful pool and lake, playground, arcade, and boat rentals. Fishing, hiking, basketball. Very friendly staff all the time. Close to stores and restaurants but far enough out to not hear any noise. Phone service is superb. Clean shower and restrooms. Hot water. Electric tent sites!!! Has everything I live and will continue to go here as long as I’m in the state of Va. def recommended
Scout
I am a premium DYRT member and purchased this campsite for reservation this past weekend oct. 14-15th 2023. My reservation was followed by a email giving me a confirmation and coordinates to the location I reserved. Upon viewing the coordinates it shows you at a main road with no entrance…. Skeptical but confident we showed up to the area Irish road which has no cell service and what do we know we are taken to a location that is a gravel side shoulder off of a 50mph road next to us being nothing but dumped trash and woods , no entrance for a vehicle or even a person, No trespassing signs everywhere … after driving around the area on having to back in and out on the narrow roads in order to turn around we found multiple locked gates all stating no trespassing, we then decided to contact the owner of the facility through the number and email provided we were not able to get into contact… turns out we had service the number provided was not in service at all. We got stranded and rained on with no response or proper coordinates. I wish to get my full refund and I do not recommend wasting money on this site .
Camping near Prospect, Virginia, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun family adventure, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Prospect, Virginia, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Whether you’re looking for a quiet getaway or a fun-filled family trip, you’ll find a spot that suits your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Prospect, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Prospect, VA offers a wide range of camping options, with 56 campgrounds and RV parks near Prospect, VA and 5 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Prospect, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Prospect, VA is Canoe Landing Group Campsite — James River State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 28 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Prospect, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 free dispersed camping spots near Prospect, VA.
What parks are near Prospect, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 22 parks near Prospect, VA that allow camping, notably John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir and George Washington & Jefferson National Forests.
