Best RV Parks & Resorts near Shawsville, VA

Peaks of Otter, T Loop: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer) Overall Rating: 4.5. notes are for the T Loop ONLY Price: $15 with senior pass Usage during visit: very low during our 6 week nights Site Privacy: Most sites have some privacy. More notes below Site Spacing: Most are pretty good. Study the campground map. You will see a few sites are on top of each other. I note these with a negative mark on my map included in photos. Site surface: Blacktop Reservations: Yes. Some sites are first come, first serve. Campground Noise: Very quiet. Road Noise: Lower T loop is near the road going to Bedford. Traffic is sporadic. The noise, when there is traffic, is significant but only occasional. No commercial traffic is allowed.
Through Traffic in campground: None Electricity: No Water: Scattered spigots and fill station available at dump station. Sewer: No Dump: Yes Generators: Allowed Bathroom: Flush toilets and sinks are kept clean. Showers: No Pull Throughs: And Pull Overs(No island between trailer and campground traffic.) Cell Service (AT&T). Sporadic, with 1 or 2 bars. Lodge nearby has service Setting: Deciduous Forest. Weather: Mostly cloudy. One day of slight humidity.
Bugs: Mosquitoes are just beginning. Animals: Bears, just don’t leave trash etc. out , Filter solids from dishwater.
Solar: For fixed roof, not adequate.
Host: Around and nice. Firewood: On ground.
Rig size: Some 35’ trailers/RVs in pull throughs.
Sites: See my notes on the map included in my pictures. -means not private -* means Too close to & can see the Bedford road. T means significantly terraced site Circle A means is on my favorites list Circle B means still good PO means a pull over site PT means a pull through site (has an island separating from traffic. (Almost all sites are at least a bit of a hill to get to the picnic table from the trailer. )

We stayed in site #7, in the trailer loop. It was a pull-through site with an additional area containing a picnic table and fire ring, accessible via a small set of steps up the hill. The whole campground is kind of “carved” out of the mountain, and is therefore quite terraced in appearance, so a lot of sites had a similar setup to ours (as in, a lower pull-through space for trailer and TV plus an upper “walk-up” area). I hadn’t seen anything like it before, and I thought it was really neat. The setting was heavily wooded, so the shade combined with the higher elevation made for a very cool, pleasant retreat from the July heat.

Facilities/Overall Park: Bath house was decent. On the ladies’ side, there were three flush toilets, two sinks with cold water only, and no soap. Was pretty old, but reasonably clean and adequate for our needs, since we were just passing through for one night. The CG as a whole looked kind of overgrown and neglected, but for some reason that added to its charm for me. The overgrowth made everything look extra green and lush, and I really like the heavily forested, secluded feel.

Surrounding Area/Attractions: The Peaks of Otter area seems to be a pretty popular destination on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is a nice-looking lodge and restaurant on the (gorgeous) lake right around the corner from the campground, as well as an NPS visitor center, hiking trails, and a shuttle bus service that takes you to the top of one of the three peaks for which the area is named. We didn’t partake in any of these activities, since we were just passing through on our way down to the Smokies, but it would have been nice to explore a bit more.

Overall, I felt this was a very pretty, peaceful, and perfectly serviceable campground for an overnight stop, and would make a nice weekend destination. Not sure there is enough going on in the area to keep one occupied for more than a few days, and I know I personally would need at least electric hookups and showers for any type of extended stay. However, I wouldn’t hesitate to return for a night or two!

I have to admit that it was an amazing campsite! Double decker with picnic table, lantern pole, and fire pit up stairs and over looking your paved campsite. We were walking distance to the dumpster and public bathroom ( no showers). It also offered no hookups which was fine, there was a dump station on site… The biggest downer for us was just getting to and leaving the site! RVLife took us up and down some insane switchbacks that were just not appropriate for anything larger than maybe 30ft tip to tail?? I wouldn’t advise staying here unless you’re a class B/C, pop up, or 20ft TT. Lodge is nice and has decent prices.

My family stayed in a cabin last week in this state forest and checked out the campground. Our cabin was charming and immaculate! The very large bathroom had amazing white towels all folded and hung over towel bars like a nice hotel. The kitchen was very well equipped. Each bed had sheets, a very soft wool blanket, and a quilt and nice pillows. The cabin had a fireplace for heat (free firewood) and two AC units (bedroom/living room) and a ceiling fan in the LR. The cabin area is so beautiful! While there are 14 cabins, they are spread out enough that you don’t feel like they’re too close. Most are under trees. Each cabin has a grill and a fire pit, and there at least three larger ‘community’ fire pits trough the cabin area. Our cabin and others are pet friendly!!! The only issue with the cabin was the beds. They were both very uncomfortable. One was a new fold out couch.

The campground was very wooded and seemed at first to be more like most rustic campgrounds in appearance, but it does, in fact, have electric at some sites. There are pull through sites, camper/tent sites and tent only sites. It’s beautiful, and I hope to camp there this fall!

There are many hiking trails throughout the park and a nice pool. The cabin and camping areas are pretty far from the pool area. Guests in either area would more than likely drive to the pool.

This state forest is within five minutes or so from a four lane highway (64) and several restaurants (Subway, Wendy’s, McDonald’s and a privately owned one) and gas stations. A Food Lion grocery store is about 15 minutes away in White Sulfur Springs, and there’s a hospital about 15 min away in Lewisburg, recently voted the Coolest Small Town in America! While this forest is very close to convenient amenities, we still felt away from the hustle and bustle of life.

This was a overnight stop but it was a great find! We were in a full hook up pull through site 20. Gravel pads with a picnic table and fire ring. Sites were open but a decent size, and mostly level. There was a lovely  stream that ran along the property with beautiful shade trees and lots of grass. We have 2 dogs and there was plenty of great area to walk them.  The bathhouse was very clean but there was no A/C and only a few small windows for ventilation. The whole property was very well kept and beautiful. Will definitely be back as we travel this way each year.

Verizon phone worked good, but not really any TV reception. But we were good with that!

The campground is so convenient to the BRP! The owners are friendly and easy to talk to. The campground is clean, scenic, and hilly.  We had no issue navigating with our 27' trailer.  We saw several class A's and a large 5th wheel here too.  All RV sites are on gravel and level. Sites are full hookup with 20, 30, and 50 amp receptacles available  Firewood is available.   We used the 2-washer laundry (not coin-op $5 wash and dry paid at office) with no issues.  Yesterday we drove to nearby Mt. Airy (Mayberry) and enjoyed the Andy Griffith Museum.  We would definitely stay here again.

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North Creek Campground, VA: George Washington and Jefferson NF 4/21/23 - one night. (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer) Overall Rating: 4.8 Price: $7.5 w Senior pass Usage during visit: 1/2 full Site Privacy: 5 Verygood Site Spacing: 5 Very good Site surface: Gravel/dirt Reservations: First come - first serve Campground Noise: 5 Quiet Road Noise: 4.5 Sites 1- 5 is along North River Rd. Screened from rd in spring. Minimal traffic Through Traffic: 5 None, campground traffic only.
Electricity: No Water: Scattered spigots Sewer: No Dump: No Generators: Allowed Bathroom: Pit toilets - very clean Showers: No Pull Throughs: All are back in Cell Service (Verizon): No Setting: In a deciduous/conifer forest. Sites 6 through about 12 are along noisy North Creek. Weather: 80s Bugs: A few pesky flys Solar: My Nima’s for a fixed roof in south me sites. Most sites are too shady Host: Yes Rig size: Some pretty large sites, 35’ plus. Campground road May be tight for large rigs. Check website. Sites: Well maintained and all are on outer perimeter. Shaded. Many are along North Creek.

MY husband and I stayed two nights in a 1 bed efficiency CCC Cabin at Fairy Stone State Park for a short weekend away from the kids. We visited in December so it was pretty cold weather but the cabin was so cozy and comfortable! We loved having the fireplace! The cabins have a bathroom, shower, kitchen with sink, fridge, oven/stove, microwave, toaster, everything you need! They have heating and a/c as well. The cabin was built in the 1930s and is so charming! Loved everytihg about our experience here.

There is no cell service or internet/wifi at the cabins though so come prepared with something to do! We found it to be very relaxing to unplug!

Dixie Caverns is a privately owned campground, slash tourist site ( dixiecaverns.com ) located at the outskirts of Salem, VA.

Warning: In the website, they do state the campground is "directly off I-81," and it is. The fact is, you are surrounded on three sides by roadway...and the actual Dixie Cavern is at the base of a mountain, so all the road traffic is above the campground and the noise reverberates off the mountain and surrounding walls 24/7. Trust me when I say, semi-truck noise is loud during the twilight hours when the din of the day has disappeared.

We spent two different multiple-day stays at Dixie Caverns in the Spring, partly out of necessity and partly because of its close proximity to a desired venue in Salem. So I can attest to the traffic noise never letting up.

The Positive: Dixie Caverns Campground serves a need...a campground close to Salem. The next closest campground is an hour's drive and in heavy traffic...longer. It is also one of the closest campgrounds to several of Virginia's most popular hiking trails (AT) and scenic overlooks (Dragon's Tooth, Tinker Cliffs, etc). So people will use this as a "base camp" of sorts.

The personnel that run the Dixie Cavern Gift Shop, are also those you see to pay for a camping site...and I found them very friendly and helpful.

If you are visiting there to tour the Dixie Caverns...you are a hundred feet away from the mountain doorway.

The campground is tiny, as in footprint, but they have carved out a number of RV/Camper sites along the mountain base and the inner loops...and during our stays very few openings were observed. Water, electric and cable is provided at each of those pull-through sites. They are of adequate size for the largest of RV's, but they are side-by-side the length of the loop. No vegetation exists between or on those sides but some grass and some spaced large trees. Perhaps the RV/Camper clan camp there out of necessity and convenience too. Though there is a limit on the days of your stay, it appears that some are exempt from this rule. Some campers are permanent fixtures...others that were not, were still in the same location from the first visit to the next visit 30 days later. Several employees live full-time on site.

Tent camping is in the grass along the creek that runs down to the Roanoke River across the roadway. During the heavy rains we received, I had concerns that this raging creek would overflow its banks, but it did not. Trash was visible washed along its banks. The sites are marked only by a picnic table and rock fire ring...no other designation, so you chose a side of the fire ring to pitch your tent. Even with the heavy rains, I did not notice low, soggy areas. There is several large hardwood trees that provide a nice canopy, but no foliage between tenting areas...so the entire campground is line of sight. I believe there were only six tent sites (technically), but overflow tent sites are also along the grassy field across from the Gift Shop. Important note: If you are considering a good night's sleep in a tent (not sure of the sound dampening qualities of RV/Campers), ear-plugs are a must!

The showerhouse/restroom are located at the beginning of the campground, which is just the other side of the day use picnic area and the Gift Shop/Attraction parking lot. The doors are locked 24/7 and only campers receive the "push-button" door code (which the code did not change from both visits...not a secure safety protocol). The showerhouse/restroom has running water, flush toilets and several showers, and an electric outlet. It shows its age and looks like a heavily used campground facility. For tent campers, its the only potable water source.

There is both cell service and free wifi...which is amazing! I can count on my one finger how many campgrounds in W.VA and VA that had cell service.

The Negative: You must leave the campground for anything you'd like to do, other than the Caverns...and sitting in your camp chair.

There are no trails or other amenities...and the trails closeby...are still a 20-30 minutes drive on a good day.

Whether or not tenters are in the tent area, this is the dog walking area. They are required to pick up...but it is aggravating...because if it doesn't pour, the smell remains.

Did I mention the truck traffic noise? The overall condition of Dixie Caverns appears dated, a bit run-down, and dirty.

Would I stay there again? Odds are I will spend one more collegiate softball post season and World Series staying at Dixie Caverns Campground next spring, purely out of convenience and necessity.