Getaway Shenandoah cabins allow pets with personalized touches and spacious fire pit areas among the trees. Madison Vines RV Resort & Cottages accommodates dogs at their campsites with two fenced dog parks on the property. The pet-friendly sites throughout Shenandoah National Park, including Loft Mountain Campground, provide bear boxes for food storage and direct access to the Appalachian Trail. Most campgrounds in the Stanardsville area feature level gravel sites with picnic tables and fire rings where campers and their pets can relax. Sites vary in privacy levels, with some campers noting that Loft Mountain's walk-in tent sites offer more seclusion from neighboring campsites and vehicles.
Shenandoah National Park's pet-friendly trails connect directly to many campgrounds, making it convenient for dog owners to access hiking routes without driving. The Appalachian Trail sections near Loft Mountain Campground are particularly accessible and pet-friendly, with multiple connecting paths offering views of the surrounding mountains. Campers should be aware that wildlife, including bears, deer, and rabbits, frequently visit campsites in the region, requiring extra vigilance when camping with pets. Summer visitors appreciate the shaded tent sites at Loft Mountain for keeping pets cool during hot weather. Several campgrounds near Stanardsville maintain well-stocked camp stores where pet owners can purchase emergency supplies, though Yoder's Amish Market just up the road from Madison Vines offers additional pet supplies and food options when needed.
$30 - $75 / night
"Stayed here with three other girls and my dog- it was a great spot! Nice and close to some great trails for our evening walk, and nothing beats staying Inside the NP!"
"This was a great campground location to many, many National Park Trails. Our stay was during the last week of September. We met up with family who live in the area and got 3 sites hugging the AT."
$30 - $75 / night
"We arrived around noon and with the hopes of getting a good first-come, first serve site. All of the reserved sites were booked through July."
"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"
"Halloween was in full effect including a haunted walk. Sites are spacious and have natural stone in ground fire pits instead of rusted metal rims which adds character."
"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."
$35 - $75 / night
"Misty Mountain Camp Resort is located in Crozet, Virginia, off of 250 below Afton Mountain. I'm familiar with this resort."
"The winding layout allowed for more distance between other sites. The woods were beautiful with easy walking trails right from the site."
$53 - $144 / night
"Two fenced dog parks. Campsites are level gravel (no pads). Located near multiple vineyards."
$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
"Dog friendly. Bathrooms available. 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"
"Lots of fun stuff to do for adults, children, and pets. Will definitely visit again!"
"Close to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive."
$50 / night
"It's located in Gordonsville, Virginia. There's not much to do in the area, but the campground itself is nice."
"Such a sweet little spot tucked outside of the Blue Ridge Mountains."
TravelerWe began our membership here this June. it has a great atmosphere on the banks of the Shenandoah River. There are activities every weekend like concerts and group activities. Staff is very friendly and helpful. The facilities are clean and very convenient. Pet friendly; two dog parks.
ScoutMisty Mountain Camp Resort is located in Crozet, Virginia, off of 250 below Afton Mountain. I'm familiar with this resort. Many, many years ago, when it was Yogi Bear's park, a lot of updates since then. Great accommodations. I've not enjoyed camping as much as I have these last 2 weeks with my son Matthew, who is 30 years old down syndrome, autism and a leukemia survivor. I am 66 years old. I'm on the best adventure of my life. Just bought a new motorhome after my partner of 15 years passed away. I'm on a new journey. And taking care of my life with good health. I recommend this park to anyone. Friendly staff, accommodating, pet friendly dog parks, bathhouse, laundry, sun, and shade, with 30 and 50 amp hookups with sewage. I couldn't ask for a better place. Have a fun-loving life, I am!
GuideBeautiful views. Adjacent to a working farm where cows, sheep, llamas, chickens and roosters can graze next to the campsites.
The grounds were beautifully manicured and incredibly clean.
It also had the largest dog park area of any campground I’ve ever seen.
Very nice pool, friendly staff and firewood available for purchase. They will even deliver right to your site.
Very close to downtown Luray, which has great shops and restaurants. There is a very nice 2 mile long walking trail, the Luray-Hawksbill Greenway, near the campground that will take you right into town.
Also close by to some excellent hiking, wineries, breweries and distilleries.
ScoutWe recently stayed for a long weekend at the Outlanders campground after we received a referral from a friend and could not have been more happy with our stay. The RV sites at this campground are very spaced out, you have a lot of room to each side of your RV. The park and facilities were very clean. They have a playground for the kids, fishing ponds, cabins, pet friendly with a dog park and they are located right along the Shenandoah river. You can go tubing on the river but need to provide your own tubes. The ride down the river from one end of the park to the other is around 30 minutes. Also for all of the people attached to the internet like us we were able to have plenty of cell signal to hotspot and get internet.
ScoutThis campground is very close to Luray Caverns and all that they have to offer. There is also a Duke's of Hazzard themed museum and store where they do live music on weekends nearby, it's called Cooter's. This campground is very small but quiet. It does border cow pasture land so when the wind shifts you get the smell but it wasn't constant and it wasn't unbearable. They have 2 swimming pools and a very large dog park. The bath houses were clean and well maintained. I would definitely recommend this campground.
TravelerStayed here for two weeks in early March. Newly renovated campground with a lot of amenities. Very helpful staff. The campground is a lot of money upgrading services, capabilities, and extra activities (St Patrick's Day parade and dinner). While we were there they added street signage (very helpful) and installed a Bocce Ball field. Two fenced dog parks. Campsites are level gravel (no pads). Located near multiple vineyards. Our only complaint was that the sewage connection was slightly higher than the black tank outlet on our Airstream. The majority of camp sites are very close together, and the sites closer to the highway experience highway noise.
ScoutPros outweighed the cons.
Good: Staff was amazing! Trash pickup daily. Level sites. Nice little general store. 9-hole disc golf course. Dog park and playground centrally located. Quiet. Close to shopping, restaurants, etc.
Bad (if they can be called “bad”): We were excited about cable and wi-fi as a new perk. Could not get cable to work and wi-fi was spotty at our site. Had great signal in other parts of the campground though, and cell reception was strong. Roads were narrow to navigate and some sites quite short in length.
TravelerWe stayed here for 3 nights. Perfect campground with everything you need. Bathrooms are very clean. Ice, propane, and other items are available on site at the store. Halloween was in full effect including a haunted walk. Sites are spacious and have natural stone in ground fire pits instead of rusted metal rims which adds character. Dog park, pool, and plenty of games are available on site. Harrisonburg is down the road if you to need to stop in town.
TravelerEnjoyed our stay at this campground! Office is open until 8pm which is rare. Sites are clean and flat. Pull thru and back in slots available. There is a lovely creek running through portions of the campground. Showers and bathrooms were relatively clean. Didn't use the pool. Dog park and playground were nice features. Overall, good value for the sites and amenities.
Stanardsville camping areas sit at the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains with elevations ranging from 1,200-3,500 feet. The region experiences cool mountain nights even in summer, with temperature differences of 15-20°F between valley and ridge campsites. Most campsites in the area feature gravel pads, though tent campers should prepare for occasional rocky terrain.
Hike to sunset views: At Loft Mountain Campground, the amphitheater provides excellent sunset viewing opportunities. "The amphitheater that's great for viewing the sunset! It's connected to the site beside it so privacy is about 7/10," notes Luz T.
Follow the Appalachian Trail: Tent campers at Loft Mountain have direct access to the AT. "If you wanna hike somewhere, the AT runs right through the campground," explains Katrin M. The trail offers relatively moderate terrain with multiple access points.
Explore underground caverns: Endless Caverns RV Resort offers on-site cave tours. "Their cavern tour (discounted for guests at the RV park) was lovely. Marked well, lighted, relaxed," says Clark P. Tours run multiple times daily and typically last 75 minutes.
Visit Civil War sites: The Virginia Museum of the Civil War is 35 minutes from Endless Caverns. "We greatly enjoyed the Virginia Museum of the Civil War and the New Market Battlefield Museum," shares Sara M., noting the significant historical sites throughout the region.
Spacious campsites: Harrisonburg-Shenandoah Valley KOA offers generously sized sites. "The sites are large enough and level enough. The power pole is well positioned," reports Dale Y. Most sites can accommodate a trailer, vehicle, and shade canopy.
Clean facilities: Big Meadows Campground maintains exceptionally clean facilities. "Campground is meticulously clean with daily restroom cleaning and trash pick up," writes Kim L. who appreciated the reliability of maintenance schedules.
Natural wildlife encounters: Big Meadows Campground provides frequent wildlife sightings. "We love this campground, we like the pull in and the walk in sites, bear boxes provided, plenty of room to relax," says Jaclyn B. Deer sightings are especially common during early morning and evening hours.
Evening firefly displays: During summer months, the fireflies at Big Meadows create spectacular 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," describes Veronica S.
Seasonal considerations: Most campgrounds in Shenandoah National Park operate from May through October. "The shower was about 0.3 miles away. They charge $5 for 10 min, which you have to pay in quarters," explains Katrin M. about Loft Mountain's facilities.
Cell service limitations: Reception varies widely across the region. "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," reports Dale Y. at Harrisonburg-Shenandoah Valley KOA.
Bug activity: Insect patterns vary by season and location. "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," shares Veronica S. about Big Meadows.
Weather variability: Mountain weather changes rapidly, especially at higher elevations. "It was an especially cold night hitting a low of 14F. Very happy for the nearby heated restrooms with hot running water," notes Carol B. about an off-season stay at Big Meadows.
Look for organized activities: Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park offers numerous kid-friendly amenities. "My daughter can't wait to go back; there were lots of kids activities, she loves the tie dye t-shirt she made," shares Amy I. The park runs daily scheduled activities during peak season.
Consider dog friendly campgrounds near Stanardsville: Many local campsites accommodate pets with specific amenities. "We took a great hike to Fridley's Gap and went swimming in the water hole. The tent site was big and clean and the staff was super friendly. They have chickens and ducks roaming around and Our dog got to chase a chicken off the site," explains Liz U. about the pet-friendly environment at Harrisonburg-Shenandoah Valley KOA.
Set up on level ground: While most RV sites are leveled, tent sites require more attention. "Our site was definitely spacious," reports Katrin M. at Loft Mountain, though tent campers should bring extra stakes for potentially windy conditions at higher elevations.
Plan for meal options: Some campgrounds offer on-site food. "Pizza delivered to your site!" mentions George H. about Harrisonburg-Shenandoah Valley KOA, while others recommend bringing supplies as camp stores have limited food selections.
Secure hard-to-reach sites: Misty Mountain Camp Resort requires preparation for certain sites. "Be careful though, as some sites are really close to the main office were check-in is, and can come quickly, as ours was," warns Ryan D., suggesting careful site map review before arrival.
Consider elevation and vehicle requirements: Higher elevation campgrounds may present challenges. "The higher sites might require your TV have 4WD," advises Sara M. about Endless Caverns, where some campsites sit on considerable inclines.
Check hookup positioning: RVers should verify utility locations before booking. "Our only complaint was that the sewage connection was slightly higher than the black tank outlet on our Airstream," shares John H. about Madison Vines RV Resort & Cottages, highlighting the importance of knowing your rig's specific requirements.
Prepare for varied privacy levels: RV sites offer different privacy configurations. "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," explains Veronica S. about Big Meadows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Stanardsville, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Stanardsville, VA is Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 121 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Stanardsville, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 106 dog-friendly camping locations near Stanardsville, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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