Camping opportunities near Raphine, Virginia range from high-elevation forested sites to lakeside campgrounds throughout the Shenandoah Valley region. The area sits at elevations between 1,300-3,000 feet with summer temperatures typically 8-12 degrees cooler than nearby cities. RV camping options near Raphine offer varying degrees of seclusion, from bustling family-friendly resorts to more isolated spots within the George Washington National Forest.
What to do
Hiking access to Appalachian Trail: At Devils Backbone Camp, campers can take advantage of the free shuttle to the Appalachian Trail. "Close to hiking trails and other breweries and wineries. I highly recommend visiting Blue Mountain Brewery and Bold Rock cidery during tour stay for some great food and beverage," notes one visitor who enjoyed the proximity to outdoor activities.
Fishing opportunities: Sherando Lake Campground offers two lakes for fishing enthusiasts. "There are two lakes—the lower lake is the largest at 25 acres, and the upper lake is for fishing only," explains a reviewer. The campground provides easy access to both lakes with valid fishing licenses required.
Swimming and beach access: Several campgrounds feature swimming areas, with Sherando Lake standing out for its beach. "The lake is beautiful! It's a decent walk from the campground but we usually walk down in the morning and spend all day there," reports a camper who enjoyed the family-friendly swimming area.
Live music and events: Glen Maury Park hosts various music events throughout camping season. "There are many activities such as a bluegrass festival, fiddle festival, and jazz festival. This year they built large models of the twin towers and had a program about them on September 11th," shares a camper who appreciated the cultural offerings.
What campers like
Clean, modern facilities: Walnut Hills Campground & RV Park receives consistent praise for its bathhouse conditions. "Bathrooms were very clean! Would be really nice come the summer for sure," notes one camper. Another mentions, "Really cool set up clean campground. The people are nice and the so are the views. The fishing ponds are great, bring a fishing pole!"
Free dispersed camping options: Oronoco Campground offers no-cost camping in a peaceful setting. "Free boondocking places east of the Mississippi are rarer than out west, and this is a good one," writes a camper. Another notes, "Nice and quiet, toilets available (though not very clean but good enough)."
Brewery and distillery access: Camping at Devils Backbone Camp puts visitors within walking distance to craft beverages. "A short walk through the tent area brought you to the large brewery area. This area includes a brewpub, large outdoor seating area with fire pits and an outdoor stage, a distillery, cigar and cocktail lounge," explains a reviewer who enjoyed the convenience.
Lakefront sites: Multiple campgrounds feature waterfront camping options. At Crabtree Falls Campground, "Sites are right on the river, we had a walk to which gave us some extra privacy," notes a camper. Another mentions, "The tent sites we stayed in were 10 ft away from the Tye river, we literally fell asleep to the sound of the water every night."
What you should know
Cell service variability: Connectivity varies significantly between campgrounds. At Stoney Creek Resort, a camper reports, "No phone signal and wifi was a joke but that's not a bad thing!" Oronoco Campground has "No cell service for AT&T or T-mobile," while Devils Backbone Camp offers "Good Verizon signal to stream as well."
Seasonal closures and conditions: Many campgrounds operate with limited services during off-peak months. Sherando Lake Campground is open "April-October," while other sites like Walnut Hills stay open year-round with reduced amenities.
Varied terrain for RV sites: The region's mountain landscape creates challenging campsite conditions for larger vehicles. At Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA, "We had reserved a pull through but were just short in length and had to disconnect the tow vehicle for the night. They had longer sites so if this is important I would discuss when making reservation."
Wildlife awareness: Campers should prepare for local wildlife encounters. At Sherando Lake, "A young bear was repeatedly visiting site A9 up the road from me and I had to chase him off when he came near my site!" Most campgrounds provide food storage recommendations or bear boxes.
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly swimming options: Sun Retreats Shenandoah Valley (formerly Shenandoah Acres) features a swimming lake with recreational structures. "During the week, the campground slows down a bit, but on the weekends, it is completely full. There are a lot of kiddos riding bicycles, hover boards, scooters, and skateboards around the loops," reports a visitor.
Playground access: Multiple campgrounds feature play areas. At Lynchburg KOA, "Plenty to do for the kids and with camp store was nice!" A different camper notes, "The tent sites were large and shaded. We were right by the fishing pond and it was a short walk to the playground, pool, jump pad, and very clean, private bathrooms."
Organized activities: Family-oriented campgrounds offer structured programming. "They had activities every day for the kids. As well as lots of unstructured activities. For example, they had a foosball table and a jumping pad," explains a KOA visitor. Another adds, "They had a 'trick or treat'/'scavenger hunt' for the kids, which was basically they all had flashlights and had to find the candy in the grassy field."
Cabin options: For families not ready for tent camping, several campgrounds offer cabin rentals. Crabtree Falls Campground has cabins available, and a visitor notes, "The owner was very helpful and was able to get us a site last minute. The site backed up to a creek that created natural flowing water that we enjoyed wading through."
Tips from RVers
Hookup positioning challenges: At Devils Backbone Camp, hookup placement requires planning. "If you were on an odd number site, you either had to hope you had the length on your water and power lines to run to the opposite side of your rig or you had to pull into the site the opposite way," explains a camper. Another adds, "You will need an extra long sewer hose to reach the connection. For example, we have a small travel trailer and we needed a 30 foot hose."
Water pressure considerations: Water supply varies across campgrounds. At Lynchburg KOA, "My water pressure was good but talking to other campers, the farther away you get from the front of the park the worse the water pressure gets," reports an RVer who stayed near the front of the park.
Dump station availability: Not all campgrounds offer full hookups. At Walnut Hills, "Booking was easy. Arrived after hours, staying one night. Our tag was waiting for us with a map to our RV spot with E/W by the creek and pond. The bathhouse was close and clean with laundry and dump site next to it."
Seasonal camping options: Stoney Creek Resort accommodates longer-term stays. "This campground is so big. I believe they currently have around 400 spots. It is divided into upper and lower sections. Many people here have permanent sites and make it known it is theirs. They are decked out, literally."
