1 campground with availability this weekend
Fort Valley Ranch represents the primary equestrian campground option near Shenandoah, Virginia, with 45 campsites that accommodate tent camping, RVs, and cabin stays. While the campground data doesn't specify dedicated horse corrals, the ranch setting suggests horse-friendly facilities. The campground provides drinking water, electric hookups with both 30-amp and 50-amp options, sewer hookups, and water hookups for RVs. Fort Valley Ranch maintains picnic tables at each site, allows fires, provides firewood, and features shower facilities and flush toilets. The campground prohibits alcohol consumption but welcomes pets, making it suitable for travelers with both horses and dogs. The campground's perfect 5-star rating indicates exceptional experiences among equestrian campers.
Trail access represents a key consideration for horse enthusiasts camping in the Shenandoah region. Fort Valley Ranch's location provides strategic positioning for riders looking to explore the surrounding terrain. While specific bridle trails aren't detailed in the provided data, the ranch's name and perfect rating suggest quality riding opportunities. The campground's reservation system allows horse owners to secure spots in advance, an important consideration during peak riding seasons. Trailer parking appears available given the campground's big-rig friendly designation. Riders should note that generators are not permitted at this campground, requiring alternative power solutions for extended stays. The campground remains centrally positioned for access to both Shenandoah National Park and George Washington National Forest riding areas.
"This campground is located in the Shenandoah National Park in Stanley , Va on Skyline drive and offers some amazing views!"
"While the campground is very nice, with clean conveniently located bathrooms, the site itself is probably not suited for a large group of people."
Available this weekend
from $30 - $75 / night
"Lots of people on horses running around which we loved, and good live music after dinner. Could get muddy if you're there after rain"
"Lodge close by if food, warmth, or better restroom desired."
from $12 / night
"It's located in Gordonsville, Virginia. There's not much to do in the area, but the campground itself is nice."
"It’s relatively close to the Shenandoah NP. Would recommend this place. Definitely returning."
from $50 / night
"We recently stayed at Fort Valley Ranch Campground, near Luray, VA and I can only say good things about our experience and the FVR's management."
from $30 - $45 / night
"There is Rockcliff lake and small beach area, an overlook (Lina Constable Overlook) to hike to right off the camp loop but it’s 1 mile steep incline at times but worth every step. Gorgeous!"
"The area closes completely (entrance gate is locked) from Dec 21 - May 1. The site was super clean and well maintained. Lots of hiking trails and a very easy one that loops around the Rockcliff Lake."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $25 - $105 / night
"I go there to climb and both sites are close to the rocks. I have camped there just about every month of the year. Be forwarded this entire area has no cell service due to the Green radio telescopes."
"Large enough to set up several electric pens for horses."
TravelerLong drive thru spots, lots of space between campsites. Really inexpensive laundry ($1 to wash $1 to dry) $5 showers for 10 minutes. Nice bathrooms. Dry camping at its finest. Close drive to Grand caverns and Luray caverns.
ScoutFirst camping trip in VA and honestly the only time we’ll come here. Noisy, plots are on the main road people speed down, loud music at all times. Plus the bathroom was great, taken care of but this isn’t camping. Great if you need people around you.
ScoutGood facilities for a NP campground
GuideFirst campground in a week, that had great water pressure! Has free laundry, clean bathrooms, free mini golf, activities , restaurant and bar. Pretty darn awesome
RangerThis is a classic National Park campground, and it’s important to keep in mind that it opened in 1937–the sites are small as travelers weren’t equipped with large vehicles, as such, it may not be the best option for large rigs but my van fit comfortably though the neighbors were rather close. If you’re expecting that, you’ll be more than happy. Walking distance via a connector trail to Dark Hollow Falls trail. Sustainable T-Mobile service for remote work, but Zoom may lag. No shore power or water hookups, but drinking water spread throughout the park and modernized bathroom and showers. There was also a circular, shaded tent area as part of D155, behind the drive. I’d stay again in a heartbeat.
GuideGreat summer destination to escape the heat! Weather in late June was amazing - highs in the 70s; lows in the 60s; and crystal clear skies. Not too buggy either. Pulled ONE tick off of me before it bit me, but otherwise not much to speak of in the way of mosquitos or biting gnats/flies.
This particular site was smaller (RV back in) but private and level near the bath house. There IS a bear box present, and you'll want to use it for any unattended food outside an RV. The mini-bears are beggars. We saw several chipmunks in our site and a particularly clever bird successfully stole from our neighbors.
If you are RV-ing, fill your tanks at the dump station before heading to the ranger station for check-in. You don't want to carry all that water up the mountain, and they don't like you to block the campground road trying to fill along the loop. The dump station is located on the right prior to arrival at the ranger station.
Also, there are no dumpsters at the dump station (weird). So upon departure, pull your trash prior to leaving the site.
As always, there is virtually no cell signal in this site and no electric hookups anywhere in the campsite. So bring a generator or a lot of solar if you want to run your electrical. (Though this site being so shady doesn't provide a lot of solar power.) There IS wifi at the visitor's center if you want to call home or do a daily socials check. ;-)
We DID have one day there that was a pretty noisy from paving equipment re-doing the road. But I think they're almost done with their project, and honestly it wasn't that big a deal because we were on trails most of the time anyway.
There are great ranger programs here - it's one of the larger hubs for programming, and they're listed at the visitor's center because they change seasonally. Don't miss out on the chance to explore the meadow. What may LOOK like a vast, boring expanse of grass is actually a fascinating variety of foliage when you're out in it. Many, many wildflowers that can't be seen from the visitor center's overlook.
Also, many of the park's most popular hikes can be easily accessed from here, including Dark Hollow Falls and Bearfence Rock Scramble.
TravelerBeautiful spot. The campsite is across the street from the lodge. G-Maps and Apple will take you to the lodge however. Loved the Freeform and “make your own” spot vibe
LegendWe stayed in site #27 for two nights. It was a walk-in tent site, but the car was very close. The site offered plenty of privacy. We could see the other sites, but they weren't close. We had a nice bear box and good hammock trees, plus a picnic table and decent tent sites. Lots of deer walked through our site in the morning, and we had easy access to several trails.
GuideI chose Big Meadows to stay at because my traveling companion is definitely a bit bougie and was anxious about camping in the mountains of a NP. Due to this site having showers, toilets, a laundromat, camp store(s) and even a lodge/taproom, they felt more comfortable. We stayed at site D142, right near the entrance by the registration office and showers. I didn’t expect the site to be so nice and quiet and still feel quite private despite the location! We checked out the loops and besides the tent sites, I actually preferred our site. We stayed the week before Memorial Day weekend and I was pleased with how quiet it was. Quiet hours were strictly adhered without rangers having to ask, other campers were respectful toward each other and we had no issues. The NP staff were awesome and the concession employees for the showers, camp store, and the Wayside grill were genuinely friendly and obviously cared about their jobs, which I sincerely appreciate. Wayside grill with attached camp store was fun and had some great gift items as well as some pretty solid quality hiking and camping items. The grill even had a beyond burger which I greatly appreciated! The lodge was funky but not my cup of tea, the taproom was ok, although the employees were really nice.
It did rain half the time we were there with extremely heavy fog so we only did a few hikes but they were still a lot of fun. We didn’t see any bear either! The number one animal we had invade our campsite on the regular were birds. Two catbirds regularly tried to involve themselves in everything, including landing on a pot of oatmeal I was actively cooking and standing next to! We followed leave no trace of course but any chance the birds got, from catbirds, robins, brown thrashers, towhee, and even a redstart, they would try to investigate.
There is clean drinking water listed on the campsite maps, there are utility sinks for grey water (don’t use the bathroom sink!), bathrooms were always clean and bathrooms and showers are open 24/7 and are well lit. I didn’t buy the firewood so I’m unsure how much it is but the little camp store was open from 9-6 (right by the bathroom) for firewood, ice, and other various supplies.
Only downsides to the site are 1) showers are not cheap ($5 for 10 mins) and don’t stay warm for long so you’re showering in chilly water. Some stalls last a bit longer than others. 2) The biggest issue though was surprisingly the bear boxes. They are quite large and fit a lot of stuff which is great. However, you are expected to keep your cooler in them. I have a bear proof cooler (IGBC) so I’ve never had to experience this situation before. The bear box being made of metal, heated everything up in it which caused rapid melting of ice. Despite pre-chilling it and my ice usually lasting for days and days, we had to refill it daily. The camp store thankfully sold ice (10 lb bags for $5) but it was frustrating that there was no other option for bear proof items. I didn’t fight the rangers regarding it because it’s their rules, it’s for the safety of the bears and people, and the rangers and park staff have enough stuff to deal with.
All in all, I’ve never really glamped before so it was quite a luxurious trip even with the rain and fog for half the trip. I’ll most definitely be back and would even stay at the same site or a tent only site with no driveway.
Fort Valley Ranch Campground provides dedicated equestrian facilities for riders exploring the Shenandoah region. Located at an elevation of 800-1,200 feet, the campground sits in a valley surrounded by the northern section of the George Washington National Forest. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-90°F with cooler nights, while fall brings 50-65°F days ideal for trail riding.
Horseback riding at ranch campgrounds: Fort Valley Ranch offers guided trail rides directly from the campground. As visitor Jason G. notes, "The availability of horseback trail riding was an added bonus... we found a river access point perfect for swimming and wading within a 10-minute drive."
Fishing in stocked ponds: Big Meadows Campground provides fishing opportunities alongside hiking. "We saw many deer and bear while camping. Just being in Shenandoah is a soothing experience. With so many hiking trails and waterfalls nearby we love to camp in Big Meadows - and for the star watching at night," shares Rachel M.
Sunset viewing: Graves Mountain Farm Campground offers unique sunset views over horse pastures. Alex R. writes, "Awesome views, good food in the restaurant up the hill. Lots of people on horses running around which we loved, and good live music after dinner."
Hiking to overlooks: Trout Pond Recreation Area features several trails with mountain views. One visitor recommends, "The Lina Constable Overlook right off the camp loop is 1 mile steep incline at times but worth every step. Gorgeous!"
Clean facilities: Many equine-focused campgrounds maintain excellent bathroom facilities. At Big Meadows, Kim L. appreciates that the "campground is meticulously clean with daily restroom cleaning and trash pick up. Very small campground store on site but a much larger store at visitor center."
Wildlife viewing: Campers regularly spot animals at many Shenandoah campgrounds. Veronica S. from Big Meadows notes, "You will definitely see deer in the campground as they walk through and browse the understory. They are unafraid of humans unless directly approached."
Clear lakes: Trout Pond Recreation Area features pristine water bodies. Fred F. reports, "Swimming is excellent with sand beach. Big catfish in clear water. Water was so clean that it was throbbing with freshwater jellyfish. Very clean campground."
Firefly displays: Summer campers can witness impressive natural light shows. "The fireflies are spectacular. At dusk, the ground shimmers, and then after they disperse, you will still see them flit by the tent throughout the night," shares Veronica S. about her Big Meadows experience.
Weather preparedness: Mountain elevations mean temperature fluctuations. Carol B. from Big Meadows recalls, "It was an especially cold night hitting a low of 14F. Very happy for the nearby heated restrooms with hot running water."
Insect activity: Bug populations vary by season. Veronica S. warns about Big Meadows, "The bugs when we got here were kinda crazy. They don't bite but they swarm your head and try to enter every orifice for some reason. A head net was helpful."
Flooding risk: Yokums Vacationland sites near water can experience rapid changes. Kelly G. shares, "I should have checked the weather. The skies opened up, a large limb fell on my tent and the water level began rising... Later I learned this area is prone to flooding."
Limited cell service: Most horse-friendly campgrounds in the region have poor connectivity. About Trout Pond Recreation Area, Laure D. notes there's "a pay phone, which is helpful because there is no cell service. In case of an emergency, you are a 20 minute drive to call for help."
Kid-friendly activities: Shenandoah Crossing offers numerous family options. Nicole P. shares, "Plenty to do at the resort... Kayak, putt putt, tennis, swim in one of the pools, hot tub, work out in the gym, walk on trails, ride horses, take a carriage ride or eat at the 'real' restaurant."
Food storage safety: Bear activity requires proper precautions. Terri S. from Big Meadows notes, "Bear box for food storage. Loved seeing the deer so close and other wildlife. Fire ring with grate was available."
Ranger programs: Educational activities help children learn about local ecology. Kim L. mentions Big Meadows has a "nice amphitheater with interesting ranger programs."
Farm activities: Horse campgrounds often include other animals and activities. At Graves Mountain Farm, Lucinda B. appreciates that it's "dog friendly. Bathrooms available. Lodge close by if food, warmth, or better restroom desired."
Site leveling needs: RV sites at equestrian campgrounds vary in quality. Jason G. from Fort Valley Ranch shares, "Our site (site 3) was an easy level pull-through site, making the setup/breakdown very quick and painless. All the RV sites were impressively level, with only minimal leveling needed."
Access road considerations: Mountain roads can challenge larger rigs. Jason G. continues, "I was initially concerned about the road leading into the campground, as my rig is over 50 feet in total length. However, we were surprised that the winding roads presented no issues for us."
Hookup options: Water access can be limited at some horse-friendly sites. Laure D. advises about Trout Pond, "Unless you have a powerful vehicle pulling your camper, it would help to release your water supply and fill up when you get to the campground."
Shade availability: Summer heat requires consideration of site placement. Jason G. notes at Fort Valley Ranch, "There was an abundance of shade throughout the site and the entire campground," making summer camping more comfortable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Shenandoah, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Shenandoah, VA is Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 131 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Shenandoah, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Shenandoah, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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