The Shenandoah Valley surrounding Stanardsville, Virginia features numerous campgrounds within Shenandoah National Park and adjacent public lands. Lewis Mountain Campground, situated directly in Stanardsville, provides tent, RV, and cabin accommodations in a wooded setting near the Appalachian Trail. Other significant camping areas include Big Meadows Campground and Loft Mountain Campground, both offering established camping within the national park boundary. Several private campgrounds like Getaway Shenandoah specialize in cabin rentals, while others such as Misty Mountain Camp Resort accommodate mixed camping styles with RV hookups, tent sites, and cabin options.
Road access varies significantly depending on location, with most national park campgrounds requiring entrance via Skyline Drive. Weather conditions play a crucial role in camping experiences, as the region experiences distinct seasons with campgrounds generally operating from spring through fall. Big Meadows typically opens from May to November, while Lewis Mountain operates from April through October. Winter camping options are limited primarily to year-round private establishments outside park boundaries. Cell service is inconsistent throughout the region, particularly within the national park. A recent visitor noted that "the vibes were peaceful, no loud or wild campers. Crabtree Falls is a mile up the road and very easy to get to the trail head. The AT is also close by and easily accessed."
Many campgrounds in the area feature proximity to hiking trails, particularly the Appalachian Trail which runs through or near several camping areas. Campers report high satisfaction with sites that balance accessibility with natural settings. Several visitors mentioned the ability to fall asleep to the sound of water as a highlight of riverside camping locations. Wildlife viewing opportunities are common, with one camper noting, "This campground is located in the Shenandoah National Park and offers some amazing views! There are several hikes in close proximity to the campground and the Appalachian Trail goes through this part of the park as well! The staff are very friendly, the park is clean and there is wildlife everywhere." Mixed-use campgrounds offering various accommodation types tend to receive higher ratings, particularly those maintaining cleanliness standards while providing access to both recreation and basic amenities.
$30 - $75 / night
"While the campground is very nice, with clean conveniently located bathrooms, the site itself is probably not suited for a large group of people."
"Our site had the AT running right behind it. The was plenty of access to trails, and pretty central to the park. The campground is near showers, laundry, campstore, and visitor center."
$30 - $75 / night
"This campground is perfect for those looking to just get away from things for a couple of days."
"We got a walk in site, so our tent was way far away from cars and other people. The site included a fire pit w/grill grate, picnic table, and metal bear box."
$30 / night
"Lewis mountain has all the amenities of home within walking distance if you just can’t live without them; bathrooms,showers, kitchen sink, fire pit, small store and 2 personal vehicle parking spots steps"
"Arrived before the weekend, around late morning. Greeted by the park ranger, they gave the basic information for these sites. Limited spots here. You’re pretty close to your neighbor."
"Convenient to the highway and easy to get to. Sites are well spaced. Hookups were well positioned. Walking trail starts at the campground. WiFi worked pretty well. Overall a great KOA."
"Positive: Friendly staff, close to Shenandoah NP, quiet camping, every site has a fire pit. Negative: Pricing rather high"
$35 - $75 / night
"The winding layout allowed for more distance between other sites. The woods were beautiful with easy walking trails right from the site."
"Back in sites for smaller trailers such as our teardrop were plenty big enough but still on the outskirts of the field. Bath house was very clean and very well thought out."
$53 - $144 / night
"Located near multiple vineyards. Our only complaint was that the sewage connection was slightly higher than the black tank outlet on our Airstream."
$45 - $249 / night
"July 10-19, 2020 As my wife and I were discussing my review, I asked her what could we point to to take away from a 5-star rating. Neither of us could think of a single thing."
"We stayed close to the catch & release pond and felt as though we had a lot of privacy despite the spots being right next to each other."
$12 / night
"Lodge close by if food, warmth, or better restroom desired."
"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"
"They had plenty of appearances of Yogi or Cindy bear at activities and just driving around the park on a golf cart."
"Close to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive."
LegendWe have camped here a couple of times. Nothing special but access to the river makes it great if you are fishing or kayaking. You will need a fishing license or access pass and must register that you are camping here. Other then the needed pass or license there is no camping fee.
LegendWe have camped here a couple of times. Nothing special but access to the river makes it great if you are fishing or kayaking. You will need a fishing license or access pass and must register that you are camping here. Other then the needed pass or license there is no camping fee.
GuideSpent four nights at this campground! No hook up but great spot to explore Shenandoah National Park
GuideSpent the weekend in our 18ft pull behind camper for the 20th anniversary of BRO Magazine! The camping spot was level and had 30 amp hookup. The only thing that could be better was space and shade.
LegendThis is our third year coming in the winter. We always come for a long weekend. Got snowed in this year but owner cleared driveway and made sure we could get out on time. Bathroom was open and showers worked.
GuideThis is a very nice little KOA about 20 minutes outside of Charlottesville. It is an older property that they have modified to accommodate modern day RV's. This place is very quiet. There is plenty of shade to take advantage of on those hot summer days. While the property could use a little TLC, it is very clean and the hookups are all modern and work well. We stay here when my wife has doctors appointments at the UVA Medical Center. We highly recommend this campground when visiting the Charlottesville area.
LegendThe Shenandoah Mountains are beautiful any time of year, but early fall is spectacular. Ripe blackberries underlie the whole landscape everywhere you go, trees are turning magnificent colors, songbirds are stopping over on their migration south, bugs are nearly non-existent. I enjoyed visiting the park and camping here, especially as it is one or the few National Parks that are dog-friendly and allow dogs most everywhere, --throughout campground, on most trails, and even on the outside deck at cafe by our campground. The park also participates in the "Bark Ranger" program for dogs.
This campground is one of three main campgrounds in the park, and has a Campground store as well as nearby cafe featuring variety of sandwiches, soups and desserts, including local blackberry ice cream! So you will be well-provided for. There is a maze of trails around the campground itself, and just down the Skyline Parkway is access to the Big Run trail network, which provides great birding, hiking, and fishing
Even in the campground among many campers, there is great access to the Dark sky which is great for stargazing. Ranger programs in the campground feature this and other nature programs. From the campground there is easy access to myriad scenic overlooks along Skyline Drive in both directions. There is a fairly long drive to get to the north end of the park at Big Meadows which is the northernmost campground and where the NPS Visitor center is. The scenic drive but you do have to double back a long way to get back to Loft campground.
Make reservations well ahead of time! Most sites need to be reserved, a few available for same day. Campground fills up early in the day. Tent campers are more likely to get a spot. We got the last site of the day. It had a good drive in for a couple cars, but the tent pad was pretty small. There was a picnic table and fire ring, but the campsite itself was a little overgrown and in need of maintenance. The bathrooms were in need of some cleaning too; usually the National Park Service is good about this, but the park was short staffed and so things were a little rough around the edges. As such, although I would rank the park as a 5, the quality of the campground was only so-so, and overall I ranked the camping experience a 4 because of this
ScoutSwitzer lake has a lot of campsites to choose from, however this is a popular destination so I would recommend securing a site as early as possible. Due to the conditions of the road I would not recommend taking a car with a low clearance. Preferably a car with at least AWD is recommended. As others have pointed out some sites get trashed by ne’er-do-wells, but besides that it's a very beautiful area.
GuideQuiet and easily accessible. There was only one other vehicle there during my one night stay. Sone trash which was a shame but still a nice area to set up camp
Shenandoah Valley campgrounds near Stanardsville, Virginia range from 1,000 to 3,500 feet in elevation, with temperatures typically 5-15 degrees cooler than surrounding lowlands. The mountainous terrain creates distinct microclimates where weather can change rapidly, particularly during spring and fall camping seasons. Numerous campgrounds in this area offer varying levels of seclusion, from densely forested sites to more open valley views.
Hike to mountain overlooks: Lewis Mountain Campground provides direct access to the Appalachian Trail and Bearfence Mountain Trail. According to a camper, "Bearfence is just down the trail, you can walk out of camp and start hiking. Originally was opened in 1939 as 'Lewis Mountain Negro Area,' not having all the amenities that whites only campgrounds had, I find it interesting that this is now the best spot in town!" Bearfence offers a challenging rock scramble with panoramic views.
Explore underground caverns: Endless Caverns RV Resort & Cottages offers on-site cavern tours at discounted rates for campers. One visitor noted, "Their cavern tour (discounted for guests at the RV park) was lovely. Marked well, lighted, relaxed. Our tour guide, Haley, was a sweetheart, taking time for the two little kids, and still giving the information older people like."
Stargaze after dark: Big Meadows Campground sits at over 3,000 feet elevation with minimal light pollution. A camper shared, "We love to camp in Big Meadows - and for the star watching at night." The higher elevation and open meadow areas create ideal conditions for night sky viewing with visibility of the Milky Way during new moon phases.
Visit nearby farms: Graves Mountain Farm Campground connects campers with agricultural experiences. "Free range horses (they're penned-in) come back at dusk and head out at dawn -- fun to watch from the campground, especially for kiddos," wrote one visitor. The farm also features a duck pond, chicken coop, and shallow brook for children to explore.
Private wooded sites: Loft Mountain Campground offers sites with natural barriers between campers. One review states, "The sites were fairly close, but separated by trees, so you felt private. You could hear people on the other side of the trees, but no one was loud and it was very quiet and peaceful at night!" This creates a sense of seclusion despite being in an established campground.
Mountain views: Campers consistently mention scenic vistas as a highlight at Endless Caverns. "This is a lovely RV park built up a mountain side overlooking the picturesque Shenandoah Valley, located in a deep old hardwood forest. Care has been given to support the original trees and native plants." The campground also offers a 15-minute hike to a scenic overlook with "a lovely view of the valley and an acre+ field of wildflowers they have sewn."
Clean facilities: Harrisonburg - Shenandoah Valley KOA receives praise for maintenance standards. "Laundry room, bathrooms, and shower are well maintained and clean. The camp store isn't well stocked for food but local shopping is minutes away," wrote one camper. Another noted, "Bathrooms were clean and blissfully warm."
Wildlife encounters: Big Meadows Campground offers regular wildlife sightings. A visitor explained, "You will definitely see deer in the campground as they walk through and browse the understory. They are unafraid of humans unless directly approached." Another camper mentioned, "We saw many deer and bear while camping."
Seasonal closures: Most national park campgrounds operate on limited schedules. Lewis Mountain Campground runs from April 15 to October, while Loft Mountain Campground operates from "mid May to late October." Winter campers should focus on year-round private campgrounds outside park boundaries.
First-come sites fill quickly: Lewis Mountain uses a first-come, first-served reservation system. One camper advised, "Out of the 31 sites (including host site), only 3 remained when we arrived at about 1:45 PM on a Friday afternoon, and those remaining filled up within the hour. Especially in the busier months of the summer, I would suggest arriving prior to 11 or 1130 AM."
Variable temperatures: Big Meadows Campground sits at higher elevation with more extreme temperatures. One winter camper reported, "It was an especially cold night hitting a low of 14F. Very happy for the nearby heated restrooms with hot running water." Pack for temperatures 10-15°F cooler than valley forecasts, especially at night.
Insect activity: Depending on season, insects can impact camping comfort. At Loft Mountain, one camper noted, "Unfortunately our campsite was bumblebee invested. It was cool to watch them, but they got into everything." Another camper at Big Meadows mentioned, "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 to get the tent and screen room set up."
Look for kid-friendly amenities: Misty Mountain Camp Resort offers activities specifically for children. One family shared, "Very laid back atmosphere, plenty for the kids to do! Kept them occupied the whole trip! Enjoyed the music and smores offered by the campground." The resort includes a jump pad and pool tables that were noted as favorites by another family.
Choose campgrounds with ranger programs: Big Meadows Campground offers educational activities. A visitor mentioned, "Nice amphitheater with interesting ranger programs." These structured activities provide learning opportunities while giving parents a break from entertaining children.
Consider noise levels: Lewis Mountain Campground is known for being quieter. A camper noted, "This campground is known as the quieter campground in the park, since it is primarily tent campers, and the quiet hours are enforced as a result." Families with early-to-bed children should prioritize campgrounds with strictly enforced quiet hours.
Plan for weather changes: Mountain elevations mean rapid weather shifts. Pack extra layers, rain gear, and activities for tent-bound days, especially during spring and fall when weather is most variable. One camper at Loft Mountain advised bringing quarters for hot showers on cold days: "They charge $5 for 10 min, which you have to pay in quarters."
Check site leveling before booking: At Misty Mountain Camp Resort, a visitor noted, "Site 50 is a bit strange. Camping area is big enough for a small rig but the power pedestal is far away, so you might have to be creative in setting up." Call ahead to request specific information about hookup placement and site grading.
Bring leveling blocks: Mountain campgrounds often have uneven terrain. An RVer at Endless Caverns mentioned, "The sites are mostly level" but recommended bringing leveling equipment for minor adjustments. Higher elevation sites may require 4WD vehicles for access.
Consider connectivity needs: Signal strength varies significantly across the region. At Harrisonburg - Shenandoah Valley KOA, one RVer reported, "Cell signal and camp wifi are bad. I was just able to get a decent signal with Starlink by carefully pointing at a small gap between trees." Download maps, entertainment, and essential information before arrival.
Watch for narrow access roads: Skyline Drive, which provides access to national park campgrounds, has vehicle size restrictions and tight turns. Check vehicle length limitations and road conditions before attempting mountain routes with larger RVs, especially during winter and early spring when ice may be present.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Stanardsville, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Stanardsville, VA offers a wide range of camping options, with 140 campgrounds and RV parks near Stanardsville, VA and 21 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Stanardsville, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Stanardsville, VA is Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 120 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Stanardsville, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 21 free dispersed camping spots near Stanardsville, VA.
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