Best Tent Camping near Randolph, VA

Lakeside camping in a tent is great when fishing and being next to the rods. Level sites, can get flooded after heavy rains as I found out. Quiet sites even at peak times, good showers and hot water. Lake has some nice fish to be caught. Take your own firewood as no store on site.

Loved it went tent camping they have electrical hook ups, water, bathrooms clean, shower house clean. Dogs allowed very peaceful and quiet will be going back.

We arrived during the day just after a rain storm. We tent camped and it was pretty muddy. The sites were nice and private for tent campers. RVs was a different story. The bathroom was a good walk up the hill so bring your bikes. We would definitely go back though!

Great tent campsite close to water and boat launch on Kerr Lake. The shower rooms are very clean.

The “C” campground has RV sites that you can tent camp at as well that are site specific and lake front. Great for renting a pontoon boat or putting a kayak in the water. They have added a splash park for the kids which helps in the summer.

Tent sites are shady, although some can be VERY close to one another. There’s a nice beach area and the park seems to offer boat rentals (unsure of COVID policies at the moment, though). 🛶

The playgrounds and amenities for kids are cute, and the bathrooms are clean. The park sells wood and has a little mini outdoor library and charging station which is adorable and something I don’t see often 💜

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

Bear Creek Lake is a bit off the beaten path which was one of the things I really loved about it. My kids and I camped in a tent on the Chestnut Loop, which was well shaded by trees and the bathrooms were incredibly clean. The sites are a little close to each other for my taste, but everything else was so nice I didn't let it bother me.

The lake itself is smallish, but the scenery is beautiful. We rented kayaks and the staff were all very nice and helpful. There is a small beach area for swimming, but I'm not a fan of swimming in lakes myself so I skipped visiting that area. Instead we hiked the very scenic trails around the lake, which are well marked for the most part.

In all, this was a very nice park to visit for camping, hiking and kayaking. I imagine I'll be returning again in the future.

Tent sites are a bit confusing as some share the same car access but split into two lower.

Some of the lots are marked as tent OR RV which I guess they are but we would probably not boondock here again as it isn't flat but the RV sites look amazing.

Bathrooms: 5/5 clean & air-conditioning in all of them.

Sites: 3/5 just average/fine

Pools: 0/5 no pool

Beach: 3/5 private beach but not upkept. Loads of rock/Carolina clay/trash sea grass

Waterfrontness: 5/5 weird water but pretty to look at

Closeness to other sites: 1/5 you are up each other's buttcracks

Dog rating: 4/5 no problem but also SO dog friendly we had to be very mindful of others not having their dogs on leash.

This park was well maintained, as most state parks have been.  However, the sites were a good size but were very difficult to get even a small trailer into the site due to the narrow roads.  We were tent camping, in the beginning of May, and the weather was cold and wet.  The swimming area was nice for the kids, but no lifeguard was on duty at that time.  No luck with shore fishing from everyone I talked to.  The sites were a good combination of sun and shade, great view of stars on clear nights.  Common areas can fill up with groups during the day on weekends.  Courthouse was only about 15min away and offered a very interesting visit of a historical site.   Overall, not our favorite campground, but this was mainly to the pain getting into a site.

This was a great campground.  We were tent camping, so the humidity was a bit rough the first week of June.  The camp sites were very well maintained and the bathrooms were clean, although lacking some hot water for showers.  The camp site map can be a bit confusing as the colors don't always match, which can be misleading for getting a site on the water.  I suggest getting a site specific site to guarantee your spot on the water.  The bugs were a bit much, but manageable.  The splash pad was a great option for kids, but could get a bit crowded mid afternoon on the weekend.   There are plenty of boat launches; not much good shore fishing in off season, but boaters seemed to be doing well.   Most, if not all the sites, were very well shaded and most were very good in size.  Overall great campground with plenty to offer.

We got a non-electric site and in November is was in the 30's at night - pretty cold for tent camping! But we bundled up and made lots of fires! Fire wood is available at the visitors center for a fee. The campsites come with a fire ring, picnic table, room for two cars. We have a pretty large tent so I was a little concerned we weren't going to be able to fit, but were able to squeeze two tents on the tent pad, it worked out just fine. The amenities are great. Bathrooms are within walking distance from all campsites. Ours was a bit of a walk uphill but not bad. Nice clean, hot showers! Lots of friendly families camping here but was overall very quiet and peaceful. The visitors center is awesome! We didn't try it this time, but you can rent a telescope for free to view the stars! They have a huge gift shop as well. And a fun playground that the kids enjoyed. We made a reservation here because the park is an International Dark Sky park and we wanted a great view of the stars. Boy did it deliver! Beautiful starry skies! And some great views of the river and hiking close to the campground was awesome as well. Would love to come back again soon!

This was our first time staying in a yurt and we loved it! 

Its like tent camping except you get to sleep in a bed. We stayed in September so the fact that there is no AC or electricity in the yurt was not an issue because the weather was moderate. Yurt 1 is a bit of a walk to the bathrooms, that is the only negative thing I can think of. The beds were comfortable. You have to bring your own sheets and pillows.  There is also a small table and chairs inside the yurt. Loved that there was no tent to pack up when it was time to leave! There  was a fire ring and picnic table outside as well as a large deck around the yurt with two rocking chairs. Driving around the campground, there are some fantastic waterfront sites in the same loop as the yurts that we'd love to come back and stay at! They have great views of Buggs Island Lake.

We did some hiking while we were there but there are not a ton of trails. We spent most of our free time at the splash pad. The kids loved that! 

Overall this is a great little park! I only gave it 4 stars because there's not a ton to do.

We stayed in Cabin #3 and it was perfect. It’s a 3BR/2BA spacious cabin, wooded and lakeside. Great sunsets and nice big deck (some areas of the porch are covered, and have rocking chairs). Kitchen is equipped with microwave, toaster, coffee pot, water glasses, coffee mugs, plates, bowls, utensils, can opener, etc. If you have the space to pack them, I recommend bringing a couple of your own pots and pans; limited options there. Bring your own dish towels, dish rags, linens (including pillowcase if you don’t have room to pack your own pillow), towels/wash rags, etc. We loved the coziness of this cabin without the cramped feeling. High ceilings, open floor plan, and fireplace were lovely. The bundle of complimentary wood was very nice. 🪵🔥

Next time we tent camp we will definitely stay in Campground C where the sites are RIGHT on the water. Check out spaces 25-31, my personal faves. Since with these sites you’re kind of out in the open, I wouldn’t book these in the heat of the summer. The wooded sites in Campground B looked really nice and well-spaced. It was closed about halfway in, so we couldn’t see all of the sites. It looks like some of them might be wooded with water views. Would be nice and shady🌲

We hiked the Plantation Trail, a large historical site that was once a homestead. Mellow, family-friendly walk with a cemetery, historical markers, and an old chimney. Lots of old growth - from the gigantic boxwoods (hundreds of years old) to the wild daffodils growing in the woods. 🌼🌳

On our last day, we paddled around Bugg’s Lake. Used the boat launch near the office - nice place to put in. The whole trip we saw lots of birds, squirrels, deer, and raccoons. Occoneechee is a spacious park with lots of day-use facilities. Would be a great place for socially distant outdoor gatherings 💚. Lots more trails to visit when we come back! 🛶🥾

Oh, and the campground has a few yurts that have excellent “backyard” wooded views! There’s also a good bit of space between them. Lots of porch space, too. 🛖

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.

Part of the VA State Park system, BCL is exceptionally well-maintained. Most of the site are RV accessible, but there are a few tent-only sites along the lake, which is where we stayed. These sites are absolutely beautiful--great lake views, and while the only swimming allowed is at the roped off beach area, there is a canoe launch and fishing opportunities right at the campsites.

The tent pads are filled with shredded tires instead of gravel or dirt, which provides a little extra cushion, but can be uncomfortable on bare feet.

All sites have fire rings, lantern hooks, and extra long picnic tables. Tent pads are of varying sizes--we stayed in site A12 and our 6 person tent fit easily, and we could have fit a second one-many of our camp neighbors had 10 person tents set up.

The water view loop was not heavily trafficked, though the water does provide a hazard if you have small children as it is not roped off in any way. Our kids loved having the water right there and we loved watching them, it just requires extra vigilance. Loops B and C have more sites that are very shady but closer together, and there is more vehicle and bicycle traffic going past campsites.

Bathrooms are clean, and have showers and electrical outlets to charge devices if needed.

The park has lots of hiking, including trails that go directly from the camp sites to the swimming area, boat/canoe rentals, cabins, fishing, and a lakeside diner that sells concessions. Campsites allegedly have Wifi though we did not test this to see how reliable it is.

Cumberland County is only at 455' elevation, so the heat and humidity in the summer is intense--we were very uncomfortable our first night because of this, so fall would probably be the best time to go as it is when central Virginia has the best weather.

well I have a cot so I was good on the gravel area that they want you to put your tent on but the person I was camping with did not and they asked her to move to gravel. who tents on gravel when you have to sleep on the ground? not cool. showers also had no lip so water just got everywhere. views were ok but no place to jump in the beautiful lake for refreshment. went to go to splash park and no dogs aloud so no place for me and pup to cool off.

The campground at Staunton River State Park has lots of shade, water and electrical hookups, level sites, are not on top of each other, and… gravel sites. I understand the reason for gravel sites, but it is NOT good for tent campers, especially for campers that do not have freestanding tents. The first two attempts at driving tent stakes in resulted in bent stakes. Even though I said the sites are not on top of each other, they are still close enough that you do not get much privacy. The noise from other campers was fairly loud. Two units(e.g., camper+ tent) are allowed, but there is little room for anything, especially since campers are supposed to keep everything within the boundaries of the“timbers.” We got one of the largest sites, and it still was crowded. There was a fire ring with a grate, a picnic table, and two lantern poles, but again, everything was tight. Fitting two vehicles within the limits was nearly impossible. I know we weren’t supposed to set anything up outside the boundaries(please forgive us), but we set up our dining canopy and hammocks outside of the timbers. Despite the campsite limits, I still think this campground and the state park were great. There were many miles of trails for biking, hiking, and horseback riding. We rode our bikes along a couple of the trails, but we had to steer around horse poop(not always successfully). The trail itself was scenic at times when we rode by the river, and it was not too difficult. There are enough“bumps” for bikers to get their heartbeats jumping, but the trails are easy and moderate. Kayaking and fishing seemed to be two of the more popular activities. There is a boat ramp, and beside the boat ramp, there were several people fishing. Many kayakers came and went as we put our kayaks into the water. The one thing kayakers have to be aware of is the presence of speed boats. We got hit by passing boaters several times. Other activities at this campground/state park are disc golf, playing on the playground, tennis, and swimming. Unfortunately, the swimming area is closed for 2020 because of the pandemic. However, several people were swimming at the boat landing. When it is open, the swimming pool area is exceptional for a state park. There is a water slide and a really nice swimming complex. Staunton River State Park is also designated as an“International Dark Sky Park.” Unfortunately, we did not take advantage of that. After biking and kayaking all day and camp cooking during the evening, we were exhausted. There is no shortage of things to do, and I wish I could have stayed at least a couple more days. Overall, the park is a fairly nice place, but if you take a tent, make sure it is a freestanding tent.

The site is directly on the lake. Mere steps from your door. Beautiful view on the adjacent shoreline and bridge. Rocky shoreline. Easy to back in. I only have 2 complaints. The proximity of neighbors. The only thing separating you from site 24 is the tent pad. And the site length listed is a little misleading. It says 40 feet which I assume is true. But we fit our 27 foot travel trailer in there and had a really hard time wedging our tow vehicle (F250) in there. Parked at an odd angle on the tent pad. Wouldn’t choose this site again but definitely recommend for a smaller trailer.

Camping with our Taxa Cricket; sites are slightly inclined, with some better than others— the tent and small camper sites are deeper in the woods (and flatter!). Very clean and tidy.

Very nice campground , clean restrooms and quiet, some of the sites for tents are level some not so much but nonetheless a beautiful location and nice park.