13 campgrounds with availability next weekend
Hungry Mother State Park's pet-friendly accommodations include both tent and RV sites at Royal Oak Campground, as well as cabins that welcome dogs and cats. The campground features multiple pet-friendly loops with water and electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings where leashed pets can join their owners. Camp Burson Campground, also part of Hungry Mother State Park, offers full hookup sites with sewer connections that accommodate pets. The bathhouses remain consistently clean throughout both campgrounds, providing convenience for campers with animals. Pets must be leashed at all times when outside vehicles or camping units, and owners are responsible for waste cleanup and noise control.
Washington & Jefferson National Forest dispersed sites provide free pet-friendly camping options with more privacy and natural settings. These primitive sites along creeks offer excellent opportunities for dogs to cool off during hikes and explorations. The Virginia Creeper Trail and Appalachian Trail provide extensive pet-friendly hiking options within minutes of many campgrounds. Grindstone Recreation Area combines established camping with pet access, featuring water and electric hookups while maintaining a natural forest setting. Many campers report spending time cleaning up trash at dispersed sites before setting up camp, so bringing extra bags for both pet waste and general cleanup is advisable. The town of Damascus, approximately 12 miles from many camping areas, offers veterinary services, pet supplies, and pet-friendly dining options for day trips.
"The amenities cannot be missed - beach with bath house and snack bar, interpretive center with children’s activities, on-site restaurant with wonderful lake view, $8 kayak rentals, well-kept paddle boats"
"We camped here over the weekend with our dogs. The campground was fantastic. All campsites are on platforms, which makes it very nice to set up your stuff."
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $27 / night
"Please respect the distance advice and don't feed them. We witnessed a lady attempting to pet the stallion of the herd, not respecting his signs to make her back off."
"I was car camping with my cat and found a great flat area to park at site #9. Hiking was very close by and the wild ponies were so cool! Camp hosts offered ice and firewood."
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.
Saltville, Virginia sits at an elevation of 1,729 feet in the Ridge and Valley province of the Appalachian Mountains. The region experiences four distinct seasons with warm summers averaging 80°F and winter temperatures frequently dropping below freezing. Mountain creeks and rivers running through the camping areas provide natural cooling during summer months but can rise quickly after heavy rains.
Hiking the Mount Rogers Trail: Camp near Hurricane Campground for direct access to the Appalachian Trail and Mount Rogers, Virginia's highest peak. "An 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!" according to Bernie C.
Paddling on Hungry Mother Lake: Hungry Mother State Park offers kayak rentals for $8 per hour. "We loved the kayaks - if you only have 1 hour, power right out of the boat slip (past the beach) up and around the far part of the lake. Utter solitude among the hills!" shares Sarah G.
Fishing for trout: Little Tumbling Creek offers access to stocked fishing spots. "Laurel bed lake at top is beautiful. Waterfalls on way up and good fishing along the way in tumbling creek," notes Betsy W. The creek is stocked with trout twice monthly during season.
Private, rhododendron-enclosed sites: Jefferson National Forest Beartree Campground features natural privacy barriers. "We live about an hour from this campground and have camped there for at least 25 years and it never gets old. The sites were built in a forest of rhododendron and there is so much privacy compared to most other campgrounds," explains Deb R.
Wooden tent platforms: Royal Oak Campground's elevated platforms provide better drainage during rain. "All campsites are on platforms, which makes it very nice to set up your stuff. The sites have the usual amenities like a picnic bench and table, a firepit, and a lantern pole," writes Katrin M.
Distance from digital connectivity: Many dog friendly campgrounds near Saltville offer true disconnection. "This campground was so secluded with each site being surrounded by rhododendron and trees. You can hammock or set up tents in a large space. There is no cell service so you can unplug to your hearts content!" reports Angie G.
Seasonal water levels affect recreation: Lake levels at Hungry Mother State Park fluctuate seasonally. "I was hoping to paddle this meandering reservoir but it was being drained for bridge work...so it was six feet or so lower than normal. Even the migrating geese weren't too happy about it, as they waddled around on the mud," notes Dave V.
Limited cell service: Washington & Jefferson National Forest Dispersed Sites and surrounding areas have minimal connectivity. "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," explains Shari G.
Cash-only policies: Some smaller campgrounds don't accept credit cards. Check payment options before arriving as ATMs may be limited in rural areas.
Road conditions vary: Access to some campgrounds requires navigating gravel roads. "I wish I had known that the best route into the campground is 16 to 650. Instead, 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," warns Robin K.
Easy access trails: Grindstone Recreation Area offers shorter trails suitable for younger hikers. "There is a .6 mile trail nearby (Whispering Waters Trail) which is good for beginners & small kids. There is another trail, Mt. Rogers which is longer (7 miles) from the campsite," recommends Robert R.
Playgrounds and swimming areas: "The kids really enjoyed the playground and walking near the lake. There was no one else at the lake (no other visitors nor employees) during our visit but that could have been due to the time of year (September)," mentions Kirsten J.
Bike-friendly camping: Look for campgrounds with paved paths for safe family cycling. "Great little campground with a nice biking/hiking trail along the lake. Kids had a great time!" shares Molly F.
Pack extra supplies: The closest stores for forgotten items are typically 10-12 miles away in towns like Damascus or Marion.
Camp Burson for full hookups: Camp Burson Campground offers the most complete RV services near Saltville. "Our site was very long, had a huge patio, was level, and water and electric were well-placed. Our site (#43) was on the end of a row with our patio facing a hillside next to a stream that made for a very pleasant rushing water sound," shares Nancy W.
Tree clearance concerns: Watch for low-hanging branches. "The only problem we had were that some of the trees need to be trimmed back and scratched the upper sides of our coach," warns Nancy W.
Multiple campground sections: "The campgrounds are divided into three sections– Creekside, Burston and Royal Oak. All campsites in the Creekside section are reservable while only some in other sections are reservable. The Burston Campground has the largest sites and offers some full hook-up sites and water and electric sites (50 amp) with pull thrus and back-ins," advises Nancy W.
Campground locations: "Camp Burson is the easiest to get to and the one we stayed at. Creekside and Royal Oak campgrounds are further into the park up a windy narrow road. Camp Burson is flat and very well maintained gravel pads," explains Jeff T.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Saltville, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Saltville, VA is Royal Oak Campground — Hungry Mother State Park with a 4.7-star rating from 42 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Saltville, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 133 dog-friendly camping locations near Saltville, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
