Big Meadows Campground offers rustic tent and RV campsites between 3,500-4,000 feet elevation in Shenandoah National Park. The campground operates seasonally from May through November with temperatures that can drop below freezing in late autumn. Sites feature bear boxes for food storage and access to trailheads directly from the camping area.
What to do
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Big Meadows Campground provides excellent deer watching right from your campsite. One camper notes, "We loved seeing the deer so close and other wildlife. Bear box for food storage. Loved seeing the deer so close and other wildlife."
Hiking trail access: Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground offers numerous hiking and mountain biking trails suitable for beginners. A visitor mentions, "Lots of hiking and mtb trails, although we only did a bit of walking. Campground is maybe 100 yds from the Shenandoah River and it's beautiful down there."
Swimming and tubing: Luray RV Resort on Shenandoah River provides direct river access for summer water activities. According to a recent visitor, "Bring tubes if you have them. This place is great for tubing. Everything you need for a great stay." The tubing route from one end of the park to the other takes approximately 30 minutes.
Fishing opportunities: Lake Anna State Park has dedicated fishing piers with ample seating areas. A regular camper states, "It has great hiking trails and if your looking for a relaxing fishing afternoon, they have some of the nicest fishing piers with ample sitting area."
What campers like
Clean facilities: Big Meadows Campground maintains exceptionally clean bathrooms and common areas. One camper observed, "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."
Spacious campsites: Many campgrounds in the area offer sites with good separation between neighbors. A visitor to Harrisonburg - Shenandoah Valley KOA reports, "The sites are large enough and level enough. The power pole is well positioned. While convenient to II 81, the campground is far enough away that there is no outside noise at all."
Privacy options: Even in larger campgrounds, some sites offer more seclusion. A camper at Big Meadows observed, "Though this campground is HUGE, the sites are not piled on top of each other. Our site, B112, was surrounded by shrubs under the canopy of trees which provided tons of privacy."
Firefly viewing: Summer campers can witness impressive firefly displays at night. One visitor shared, "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."
What you should know
Seasonal considerations: Big Meadows Campground closes in winter, but visitors in late November should prepare for freezing temperatures. One camper reported, "It was an especially cold night hitting a low of 14F. Very happy for the nearby heated restrooms with hot running water."
Bug activity: Insects can be prevalent during warmer months. A visitor noted, "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."
Bathroom proximity trade-offs: While convenient, camping near bathrooms has drawbacks. According to one camper, "The bathroom was a nice short walk away, but the proximity did have some drawbacks. The vent sounds like a diesel truck idling nonstop. At night people using flashlights and headlamps walking away from the bathroom shine them into your tent."
Glamping close to Stanardsville, Virginia: Shenandoah Crossing, a Bluegreen Vacations Resort offers upscale camping in yurts with full amenities. A recent guest described, "We stayed in a yurt, and I'm gonna let the photos do most of the talking. Yurt has a full kitchen and bath. Coffee, popcorn, toiletries, linens provided."
Tips for camping with families
Look for kid-friendly amenities: Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Luray specializes in family camping with numerous activities. A parent shared, "The kids loved running off in the open field and playing on the zip line. We loved that we could see them from our site. The birthday boy also loved the outdoor laser tag!"
Consider primitive river sites: For families who enjoy water activities, primitive sites by the river offer great experiences. One camper at Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park noted, "The primitive spots are right next to the river. The spots are a short walk from the parking area and the campground provides wagons to transport your stuff. Great fishing and swimming right at your camping spot."
Check evening programming: Many campgrounds offer ranger-led activities after dark. A visitor to Big Meadows mentioned, "Nice amphitheater with interesting ranger programs. Busy traffic in park but nice trails are accessible from campground."
Choose sites strategically: When glamping near Stanardsville with children, site selection matters. A parent at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park advised, "Our only real drawback was our site was not even close to level. It probably shouldn't have been available for a 40'+ RV. Still, we would go back...just to a different site location."
Tips from RVers
Pull-through availability: Harrisonburg - Shenandoah Valley KOA provides easy-access sites for large rigs. A camper observed, "Biggest KOA I've been to. Sites are well spaced. Hookups were well positioned."
Level site considerations: Some luxury camping resorts near Stanardsville require checking site conditions. One RVer at Shenandoah Crossing noted, "We reserved a 'pull-through' RV site which ended up being a back-in site that was very uneven and nowhere near level."
Electric and water hookups: Big Meadows Campground does not offer electric hookups, requiring generator-free camping. A visitor mentioned, "Enjoyed Big Meadows very much. Campground was busy but never felt like we were sharing someone else's tent stakes."
Amenities and connectivity: Cell service varies throughout the area. A camper at Harrisonburg - Shenandoah Valley KOA 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."
