16 campgrounds with availability next weekend
Saltville, Virginia provides access to a variety of mixed-use campgrounds throughout the Mount Rogers area and Jefferson National Forest region. Hungry Mother State Park offers several camping loops including Royal Oak Campground and Camp Burson, with tent platforms, RV sites with hookups, and even cabin accommodations. Dispersed camping opportunities exist at Little Tumbling Creek and throughout the Washington & Jefferson National Forest, while developed campgrounds like Grindstone Recreation Area and Hurricane Campground provide additional options. The combination of established sites and primitive camping areas creates flexibility for different experience levels and equipment needs.
Most developed campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, typically from April through October, with Hurricane Campground and Grindstone Recreation Area closing in November. Winter camping options are limited, though some areas like Hungry Mother State Park remain open year-round. Road access varies significantly between sites, with dispersed areas often requiring higher clearance vehicles. Amenities range from full hookup sites at Camp Burson to primitive facilities at Little Tumbling Creek. Cell service is inconsistent throughout the mountainous terrain, particularly at more remote sites. A review mentioned that "Absolutely no Verizon service at the site" when describing Little Tumbling Creek, highlighting the remote nature of some camping areas.
The campgrounds near Saltville feature diverse water access, with multiple sites positioned along creeks and lakes. Hungry Mother State Park includes a swim beach, fishing piers, and boat rentals centered around Hungry Mother Lake. Many campers note the therapeutic quality of waterside camping, with one visitor sharing that "The roar of the creek at the base of the campground is very therapeutic." Hiking opportunities abound throughout the region, with trail access directly from many campgrounds. Sites vary in privacy levels - Camp Burson offers spacious but less private sites, while dispersed options provide more seclusion. Wildlife viewing, fishing, and mountain scenery constitute primary attractions across both developed campgrounds and primitive camping areas. Elevation changes create diverse microclimates throughout the region, with higher sites offering cooler temperatures even during summer months.
"We stayed here for an overnight stop on our road trip through Virginia, and it was lovely!"
"Hungry Mother State Park, just a short drive off I-81 in southwestern Virginia, is an easily accessible gem offering modern cabins, yurts, and campgrounds equipped for tents or RVs, with limitless activities"
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $27 / night
"With camping just a moderate day hike away from Mount Rogers, the highest point in Virginia, this campground is a hiker's paradise."
"Campground Review: There are two campgrounds in Grayson Highland SP which is located by The Mouth Of Wilson, VA, near the North Carolina border."
from $27 - $98 / night
"The town of Marion has what you need and nearby towns, like Saltville, with its museum, are fun to explore."
"This was our first visit to a Virginia State Park and we were impressed."
from $37 - $41 / night
"Doesn’t get much more relaxing, electric, water hook-ups and a short drive to downtown Damascus VA.. AT, Virginia Creeper, White Top Mountain and Mount Rogers all near by."
"We like to hike and there are TONS of trails in this area. One trail leaves directly from the campground and will bring you to the top of Mt. Rogers, also intersecting with the Appalachian Trail."
from $24 - $36 / night
"Located in the Mount Rogers Recreation Area, this campground is close to enough activities to fill a whole week of outdoor fun!"
"Large secluded campsites surrounded by rhododendron bushes with a mountain spring creek meandering through the campgrounds."
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $55 / night
"Amazing little campground in the heart of Mount Rogers recreational area in Western Virginia. Wonderful fall colors crisp, clean, mountain air was totally the best!"
"This camp ground is located well off any main roads under a nice quiet canopy of Hemlocks and Laurel trees. Easy walking distance to several well maintained and very clean outhouses."
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $40 / night
"At the intersection of the North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia state lines, sits this national forest which offers multiple dispersed camping areas along Bear Creek."
"Only downside was the spot I set up camp was very close to the road and headlights from passing cars would light up the spot. However the road was quiet most of the night."
"Laurel bed lake at top is beautiful. Waterfalls on way up and good fishing along the way in tumbling creek. Flat field area for camping on way. Several spots by creek for van or tent camping."
"30 minute drive to Grayson Highlands"
"They just reworked the rd so it was an easy drive in our class c rv"
from $28 - $43 / night
GuideNeed an overnight stay on 81/77 this is the place. Booked is call them complete the reservation via Campspot app which they use so I had to download it. Place had plenty of sites pull through which I didnt need but they were so accommodating. I had a perfect view of mountains and cow pasture Relaxation and sleep close to bathhouse and office. They also have propane fill for your camper
TravelerEasy to get to, cheap, good bathrooms.
ScoutGreat camping spot! Road isn’t horrible going up but there are some rougher areas toward the end of the road. Gorgeous sunset and sunrise spot! Fire rings seemed fairly abundant at the pull offs.
ScoutLet me first start by saying that this campground is absolutely beautiful. I have lived in this area my entire life and the Doe is one of my favorites. I am a avid camper and have camped all over this area. I decided to give this place a try, I own a small pop-up camper and knew it was going to get cold 10/20/2026-10/22/2026, so me and my sister rented the RV at Doe River. #1 check in is not until 3pm, I always order a load of wood from a local guy who delivers to camp sites, I do all my cooking in a Dutch oven over the fire or burgers and dogs in the fire, what is a camping trip without a nice warm fire. The owner came over to my campsite and asked if I had ordered this wood and I replied yes, she then asked what I was going to do with it all, I replied I am going to burn it. So, I told Carl (the wood guy) where to stack it, the owner then said that I need to leave it in my truck bc if I didn't use it all I would have to put it back on my truck and take it home with me, I said really? It's just a unspoken rule that if you don't use all your wood that you pay it forward and leave it for the next camper?? She said absolutely not, So we moved the wood from his truck and into mine. She then asked again why I needed so much wood and that most ppl just buy small bundles from her. And just like that I understood! Carl the wood man and his wife also made a comment about how rude she was about the wood. It does not end there, Not only does she have camaras on some of the out blds which I get, but I don't get why they are pointing directly at camp sites, We felt like we were in a fish bowl the entire time. Every single time we went to the bathroom she showed up abt 5 mins later, There is a camara right above the bathroom door, One on the pavilion, and one on each side of the bathhouse, at the entrances and who know where else. So much for privacy in the great outdoors. I didn't even feel comfortable hiking, we felt like we were being watched constantly. She was constantly there, walking her dog which was not friendly and so big she could hardly control him on the leash which was really scary, she also was driving through several times throughout the day. Then came the kicker, about 1 o'clock in the morning we were freezing, I had turned the heat on in the camper before going to bed and heard it come on, Well the propane ran out between 11pm and 1am, I called her at least 10 times we had every blanket and was still freezing, We decided we would go to the bath house bc it had a mini split hanging on the wall, Out of luck there, it was set on air conditioning with no way to change it, so we found a blow dryer trying to get warm, still the entire time trying to call the owners, We finally ended up in our car until the husband arrived. He acted so annoyed at us and said all u have to do is fip the switch on the propane tanks outside! We had never stayed in a travel trailer before and according to them all we had to do was show up and start glamping!! So, I was supposed to know to go outside at 1 am and switch over propane tanks?? No, It should have been FULL when I got there!!! With attitude he said,"Its Basic Camping" No sir it's not, what I do is basic camping, I was told on the phone that I was glamping, She, the owner also said we should have called 911 when we could not get hold of them so that Carter County police officers could come and wake them up!!! Not sure if that is putting our tax dollars to good use?? Like I said it is truly a beautiful place and has great potential, we left that second night at 11pm because again the heat was not working, we have not asked for any refund we just took the loss. it would be to much of a hassle. We just know better next time. With owners like that they can keep it. Windy Wells/Debra Price
Traveler3 stars only because it says water hookups but they are far and few between communal. No spigot at individual sites. Need long hose(s)to reach the connection. Good T-Mobile 5G but too wooded for StarLink. Quiet, shady, somewhat level sites were available. $20/night.
TravelerThe road was very bumpy but I got up on my 2WD Honda Odyssey. A couple people came during the day to take photos, but the night was peaceful. A couple campsites on the drive up, less secluded though. View was gorgeous and the sunset was amazing. Amazing spot for stargazing.
ScoutMy husband and I arrived at Doe River Landing for 3 nights and enjoyed everything the resort offered. While there we read the 2 reviews posted by Kylie T, and by Andrew W, who gave the resort a 1 star rating. Not knowing the facts that caused the rating by them, and occurred prior to us, we approach the owner and asked.
The owner showed us videos from their security cameras. These adults has stated in Kylie T review and confirm by Andrew W review that they were a group of 20 adults and "every single one of us is over 21 and family". So why are these adults playing "hide and seek" under the pavilion as they stated? Andrew W stated, "It was not blocked off", yet they had to crawl on the ground and around bushes to get under the pavilion. When the owner yelled at them approximately 10 adults that were under the pavilion crawled out which was captured on the security cameras. Andrew W stated in his review the owner called them hooligans, which is rowdy, destructive persons and from the security cameras, that description is correct. There was no mention of damages in their reviews such as the Adirondack chair they broke or possible damage to the water pipes and electric wires under the pavilion, which the owner was currently checking.
Once we read these two reviews by Kylie T and Andrew W and saw the owners security videos, we felt future customers deserved to know another opinion based on our findings.
These entitled adults justified their review of a 1 star by stating they paid money to use the campground.
I would ask these adults "why do you think it is OK to treat someone else's property in this destructive way?"
ScoutWe brought our whole family out and rented almost every cabin on the property, plus the event center, for the weekend— we gave this place a lot of business. And honestly, the stay itself was great— nice place, no complaints about the cabins. The owner is the problem. He came flying in in his blue F-150 doing 20–30 mph where the posted speed limit is 5, and started screaming at us over something that could've been handled with a simple conversation. His exact words:"Where are your parents? This is a family establishment. I will not have hooligans running around here." Every single one of us is over 21 and family. All we were doing was playing hide and seek— which isn't against any of the property's rules— and there were no other guests to disturb, since we had the entire area rented. He still threatened to call the police, even though it wasn't even quiet hours. Before anyone could get a word in, he peeled out so fast the gravel sprayed up at us and our cars. Then on his way out he drove the wrong way down the property's one-way road, so apparently the rules only apply to guests. It's sad, because the property itself is great, and we were never anything but nice to the owners the whole weekend. To be treated in such an unprofessional manner— screamed at, threatened, and never given so much as an apology afterward— put a real dent in the weekend. We won't be back
ScoutOur group of about 20 rented nearly every cabin at Doe River Landing for my friend's wedding weekend, with the reception held on site. The cabins were nice and well-equipped, and the only other guests were in a cabin half a mile away through the woods. Unfortunately, the hosts ruined the stay. One night, some of us were playing hide and seek in an area that wasn't blocked off or against any rule. The host's husband came speeding in at roughly 30 mph(the posted limit is 5), jumped out of his truck screaming that he"will not have child hooligans running around the campground," told us to"go back to the motel we crawled out of," and demanded to see our parents— despite all of us being adults in our twenties. He then peeled out so aggressively he sprayed gravel at us and our cars. It wasn't even quiet hours, and we weren't disturbing anyone. Afterward, the host called us again, passive-aggressive, and questioned our ages— even though you have to be 21 just to rent a cabin there. The property is lovely, but the hosts' behavior put a real damper on what should have been a joyful wedding celebration. It's a shame they treat people paying good money this way. We won't be back.
The camping areas near Saltville, Virginia range in elevation from 1,800 to 5,700 feet, creating distinct microclimates that affect camping conditions throughout the year. Many sites in the higher elevations can be 10-15 degrees cooler than valley locations even during summer months. Forest Service roads accessing dispersed camping often require high-clearance vehicles, particularly after rainfall.
Trout fishing opportunities: Rainbow Campground provides direct access to stocked waters. "An amazing Campground, and area! This is early March with decent water levels, The Roar of the creek at the base of the campground is very therapeutic. They stock the creek twice a month with trout, it was stocked 80 ft from my tent 2 days ago..." reports one camper at Rainbow Campground.
Paddle sports on mountain lakes: Beartree Campground offers calm waters for beginners. "We use the lake for paddle boarding or kayaking and we bike on the Va Creeper trail, the local mountain bike and hiking trails adjacent to the campground or just bike down to the lake and back," describes a frequent visitor to this quiet recreation area.
Wildlife viewing beyond ponies: While wild ponies are a major attraction at Grayson Highlands, Hurricane Campground provides different wildlife encounters. "We stayed 2 nights but would have liked to stay longer. Really good access to the AT, we saw no one for 6 miles except a bear," shares a hiker who explored the remote trails from Hurricane Campground.
Therapeutic water sounds: Multiple campsites near Saltville feature creekside locations that provide natural white noise. At Washington & Jefferson National Forest Dispersed Sites, campers appreciate the natural soundscape: "Overall this was a great little spot right off the road. The sound of the creek was lovely all night."
Digital disconnection: The lack of connectivity creates an authentic wilderness experience in many areas. "You are truly away at Beartree," explains one reviewer about Beartree Campground. "There is absolutely no cell service at this camp, you have to go into town or hike a local mountain to get service up high," reports another camper about dispersed sites.
Site privacy through natural features: Many campgrounds use landscape elements for separation. "The sites were built in a forest of rhododendron and there is so much privacy compared to most other campgrounds. As a result, it seems quieter," notes a long-time visitor to Beartree Campground.
Weather unpredictability: Mountain elevations experience rapid condition changes. "Weather is unpredictable, so pack a raincoat and warm clothes just in case," advises a visitor to Grayson Highlands.
Seasonal variations in facilities: Most campgrounds reduce services during cooler months. "We were there the first day the campground opened and it filled quickly. You'll definitely want reservations for a weekend stay," warns a camper at Hickory Ridge Campground.
Road challenges: Access to more remote sites often requires preparation. "I took 650 from the north west, which turns out to be a 4 mile stretch of gravel road - which my little car had a rough time handling," cautions a visitor to Hurricane Campground.
Firewood and water sources: Services vary significantly between established and dispersed sites. "There is no drinking water, picnic tables, or even pit toilet, so come prepared," explains a camper regarding Washington & Jefferson National Forest dispersed sites.
Playground access: Some campgrounds offer dedicated play areas. "There is a nice area for a picnic with swings and other things for kids," notes a visitor to Riverside Campground.
Swimming options for different ages: Water features vary in depth and safety. "The river is perfect! It's not too deep so the kids can play in it. Fairly easily accessed from many areas at the campground," explains a family that enjoyed Riverside Campground.
Educational opportunities: Historical and natural features provide learning experiences. "Plenty to keep kids and adults alike entertained, whether it's exploring the homestead area, looking for ponies, taking short hikes, geocaching, or playing games on the open field area," suggests a reviewer about Hickory Ridge Campground.
Site positioning considerations: Some campgrounds offer better RV-friendly options than others. "Even-numbered hookup sites 60-70 are also right on the meadow with very little shade," notes a visitor to Hickory Ridge Campground regarding site selection.
Tree clearance challenges: Vegetation can create hazards for larger vehicles. "The only problem we had were that some of the trees need to be trimmed back and scratched the upper sides of our coach," cautions an RV owner at Camp Burson.
Road navigation warnings: Access routes may present difficulties for larger rigs. "The road in is steep, winding and has a very sharp turn. I made it with 38' RV with toad," reports a Camp Burson visitor, providing valuable insight for those with larger vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the River Retreat in Saltville, VA and what amenities does it offer?
While specific information about River Retreat in Saltville is limited in our sources, the Saltville area offers several waterside camping options. Hidden Valley WMA provides camping near the water's edge with fire rings, bear bins, and portable toilets. This free camping option (requiring only a Virginia Wildlife Access pass) offers peaceful waterside experiences. Similarly, Riverside Campground located on the north fork of the Holsten River provides a quiet setting for families and is close to local attractions in the region.
What campgrounds are available near Saltville, VA?
Several quality campgrounds surround the Saltville area. Camp Burson Campground — Hungry Mother State Park offers large sites with full hookups and is family-friendly. For a more budget-friendly option, Rainbow Campground provides drive-in access with water and toilet facilities. Other nearby options include Sugar Hollow Campground with nature-forward spots for smaller rigs, and Pioneer Village with creekside camping. For those seeking a more primitive experience, dispersed camping is available in Washington & Jefferson National Forest along Bear Creek.
What activities and attractions can I enjoy while camping in Saltville, VA?
Saltville offers diverse recreational opportunities for campers. The town's museum is a must-visit attraction, providing insights into local history and culture. For outdoor enthusiasts, Hickory Ridge Campground — Grayson Highlands State Park serves as an excellent base for hiking to Mount Rogers, Virginia's highest point. The Backbone Rock Recreation Area, just across the state line, provides access to hiking, cycling, fishing, and paddling along Beaver Dam Creek. The nearby Virginia Creeper Trail offers scenic biking, while the charming town of Abingdon features local restaurants and the historic Barter Theater.
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