Best Dispersed Camping near Star Tannery, VA

Dolly Sods Wilderness Area, part of the Monongahela National Forest, offers something for every hiker, backpacker, camper.

Having visited Dolly Sods numerous times at the Red Creek Campground, using that as the base camp to launch off to explore the myriad of trails. We decided to use the backcountry as a primer for the following year's longer westerly  backbacking trip. 

Know that it will likely rain on you in Dolly Sods, so always bring rain gear. Also realize, that with climate and conditions similar to the Canadian Tundra, temperatures and winds vary and fluctuate often, any time of year. Those two conditions often dissuade less hearty souls...but they are also exactly what creates and sustains a very beautiful environment.

During our excursion, we spent three nights and four days on what I will term the perimeter trails...camping at Raven Ridge, Big Stonecoal Run creek, and at Reds Creek at the forks. Numerous websites offer insight and directions and all are beneficial to study. We chose to travel counter-clockwise from Bear Rocks, parking in the grass across from the trailhead. Note: leaving valuables in or on your vehicle while you traipse about in the Sods is always iffy, just like anywhere else, so use wisdom. I've read of thefts...but the vehicle parked to us had two high end full-suspension mountain bikes on a roof rack for days without issue.

If you are unfamiliar with Dolly Sods Wilderness trails...choose footwear that either dries fast or is waterproof...has a robust sole to fend off bruises from the brutal amount of sharp, ankle buster rocks on the trail...and won't pull off and be lost in the countless bogs and areas of shoe sucking mud. We wanted to rename one particular trail "pointed rock trail." Our expensive boots were actually a fail for this trip...which was a valuable education.

We saw people run this trail in a day...but there's no way you can enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells moving that quickly. I felt we should've taken more time and explored much more...although soggy weather became a deterrent. The amount of brightly colored fungi, snakes, crayfish and salamanders were astonishing. So if you move too quickly, you miss them.

Do practice "leave no trace." The heavy summer and weekend use by careless and selfish hikers or backcountry partiers...has left the woods adjacent to Reds Creek camping sites littered with toilet paper...dig your cat hole and bury your "goods!"

The rocks on the trail may be a pain, but the formations and views from Raven's Ridge, Lion's Head and Bear Rocks rival the best.

Do your homework, choose your camping gear and wardrobe wisely and launch off into the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area...you'll be glad you did!

I've both day hiked this and backpacked here several times. You will want to drive in and park at the Veach Gap Trailhead which is listed on Google Maps, then follow the trail and make the left when it comes to the intersection. It is about 4 miles up, so not too bad, but there is no water after the first mile. I have seen a small trickle part way up the mountain, but don't count on it. Pack up all the water you will need for the day/evening/morning. Once you get to the top there are several sites with little fire rings, and since it is on the ridgeline, the views are breathtaking. I've had good luck finding wood from dead trees at the top, but just make sure you're being safe and treating nature kindly. Follow the Leave no Trace rules so the next campers can enjoy this spot too.

Dolly Sods is a wilderness area within the great Monongahela National Forest. I backpacked here in early March a few years ago. Definitely be prepared for high winds and rain. We hiked in in warm weather and once we reached the top of a long entrance road (where one trailhead was) we found snow. A lot of the snow had melted making the ground very soggy and oversaturated in some areas. Despite this, our short Dolly Sods backpacking trip was an amazing first trek for myself and a fiend. Dolly Sods is absolutely gorgeous and is a completely different and unique ecosystem than the surrounding area. I also have friends who have camped here later in the year - mid to late summer - and have highly, highly, recommended that I go back during that time.

The sods are a truly wild and remote place in an increasingly crowded East coast. For years Dolly Sods has been my go-to backcountry destination, even for chilly winter stays. Many places carry the “wilderness” moniker in the East, but this place lives up to it. No cell service, no car camping, no trail markers, no toilets, and no running water. It’s the real deal. During the off season you can hike for days and not see another person. There are some opportunities to camp closer to the trailhead for those only looking to dip a toe into wilderness travel, but you could hike for miles to a remote site as well. Be advised, a good physical map and compass, the skills needed to use them, are vital here. There are no trail marks and the path can be confusing. Come prepared and have a great adventure.

Brushy Ridge Road is Forest Service Road 75 and is in decent condition. There are several pull off campsites along this road on the way up to Dolly Sods wilderness but this primitive group of three large unmarked campsites with stone fire rings is before you get to the Bear Flats Plateau and the Red Creek camp grounds. It is a 2.5 mile, 2000’ climb to get to the trailhead for Bear Rocks Trail in Bear Rocks Preserve which is about a half mile past the entrance to this unmarked group site. I camped in the middle of these three large campsites that are each about 100 feet away from each other. Firewood was available on a self serve honor system (put $5 cash in the box for each bundle you take) at the farmhouse across from the turn on to Brushy Creek.

Campground Review:

Starting at Milepost 21 on Skyline Drive, at the highest point in the park, we spent 5 nights and 6 days of glorious backpacking in the North District of Shenandoah National Park. As we descended from the highest elevation in late April, you would have guessed by the state of the trees that it was still winter. As we hiked down through the life zones to our first camp along Overall Run, a nearly 2000+ foot elevation change, the seasons changed from winter to spring! Check out more on our blog on The Dyrt's Online Magazine about our experience in the Shenandoah's.

Some things to consider when backpacking in April:

• We needed every layer we brought, including winter hats, puffy jackets, and gloves. During the 6 days we were in the backcountry, we experienced everything from warm summer-like weather to chilly winter winds, both day and night.
• The creeks (runs) and springs are really flowing this time of year, with some nearly thigh deep. We didn’t see a single bridge, though there were a few creeks that had downed trees or make-shift rock crossings. Bring creek crossing shoes if you don’t want to get your feet wet, as well as trekking poles for stability. Some of the crossings are tricky and rather slippery.
• The black bears are awake and active! Be sure to hang your food or bring bear canisters. We not only saw bear scat all around, we saw an adorable black bear cub run off into the woods along the Piney Branch Trail. Never saw mama bear, but hoped that she was where the little one was heading.
• Ticks are out. While we didn’t see any deer ticks, we saw plenty of dog ticks. It’s a good idea to do regular tick checks before heading to bed and/or first thing in the morning.
• Gnats are hatching and abundant. While they don’t seem to bite, they are annoying and will find you whenever you stop moving. The west side seemed much worse than the east side for some reason.
• Campfires are not allowed, so bring enough fuel for cooking.

Night 1: Overall Run Camp: This is the third established site along the trail downhill from Overall Run Falls, near the junction of the Overall Run Trail and the Tuscarosa Trail. It has great water access in the spring, easy trail access, a small fire ring (though fires are not currently allowed in the park), and room for 2 backpacking tents. Not great “bear hang” options, but we found one down the trail a bit. Beautiful and serene with lots of sun and shade. Didn’t see another hiker the entire time we were there, as this spot is beyond where most day hikers turn around.

Nights 2 & 3: Jeremy Run Camp: This is the first established campsite on the Jeremy Run Trail, just above the creek. Easy trail and water access and room for 2-3 backpacking tents. There are decent bear hang options uphill from campsite, but a very public site as this is a popular trail for both day hikers and backpackers, with easy access (less than 1 mile) from the Appalachian Trail. Lots of sun and shade. Instead of moving camp on Day 3, we did a day hike up to Knob Mountain Summit and returned to Jeremy Run for the night. Given that this was the first backpacking trip of the year, this was a great way to ease our bodies into the elevation changes within this park.

Night 4: Thorton Run Camp: This site was the only option we saw along this trail, tucked between 2 creek crossings and about 4 miles from where the Thorton River Trail meets Skyline Drive. Lots of rocks, roots, and downed trees, so difficult to find space for more than 1 or 2 tents. Easy access from the trail, great creek access and good bear hang options in the area. Lots of sun, but not much shade.

Night 5: Piney Branch Camp: Just about ¼ mile downstream from the gorgeous Piney Branch Falls and very easy trail access, this was our favorite site of all, with spring springing all around us…leaves and flowering trees, wildflowers, fiddlehead ferns unfurling. Good creek access, though a bit steeper than the others, and some good bear hang options. Lots of sun and shade. Has an established firepit, but not in use due to fire ban.

Product Review:

We received this Primus Campfire Cookset for product testing as Rangers with the Dyrt. We've used it on our 2-burner propane stove in our adventure rig, over an open camp fire, and on our backcountry stove. We’ve had the same backcountry pot set for nearly 20 years and it’s held up well, but this one has some extra features which we like even better! We’ve made everything from soup to pasta to chili to omelets so far, and our creative “foodie juices” are flowing.

What we like about this product:

• The 2 nesting pots and sauté pan pack down to a nice size for both backpacking and sea kayak camping, and easily fit into their carry bag.
• Each pot has a different style of foldaway handle, unique to the size, weight, and use of the pot.
• The leather “tabs” on the lids/handle allow you to remove the lids without a pot grip or oven mitt.
• The largest pot is a 3L capacity. That’s a ton of capacity, so it works great for soup, pasta, and can easily feed a hungry group of 4.
• The sauté pan makes a great omelet pan! Eggs slide right off with just a bit of oil in the skillet.
• Everything is made out of durable stainless steel so it is easy to clean and should stay rust free for many years.
• The steam vents on the 2 pot lids are great for preventing boil-overs and for straining out liquid.

What could be improved:

• If the 3L pot lid was large enough to fit over the sauté pan, that would be a great addition as you could keep food warm while something else is still cooking.
• When out in the backcountry, everything you bring needs to be sturdy, and it’s great if it has a second use. The first time we used this set, a hole appeared in the bottom seam of the bag. It’s an easy fix with some needle and thread, but was disappointed that it wasn’t more robustly constructed. Also, if the bag was made out of something that would hold water, it could serve as a small wash bucket as well as a bag to keep the stack together.
• Include a set of pot insulators (or sell them separately), so that soup and pasta stay warm well after you’ve taken them off the fire during the colder months.

Product Link: https://primus.us/products/campfire-cookset-s-s-large-5?variant=17262723333

Product Video: https://youtu.be/euqTm-HuZbU

There are a lot of dispersed camping spots in VA, Especially in this region! I’ve camped all over the area and have seen many amazing sights! This pinned location doesn’t take you to a specific campground tho!

You’ll have to do some digging (google free camping VA) and you’ll find plenty of spots! Many spots say they charge a fee but don’t as well so be on the look out!

One of my favorite spots isn’t on The Dyrt but it’s free and in the Bath County area, It’s called Blowing Springs Campground, located near Covington VA. I also recommend seeing Falling Spring Falls almost a 100 Foot waterfall!

Very hilly roads leading out to this part of the state but beautiful none the less! No cell service but plenty to see!

We only stayed one night, but wish we could have stayed more! The campground offers so many different trails and breathtaking scenic overlooks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. As soon as we got there, we saw several deer. I’d almost say they were friendly :) No electric hookups, but the weather was beautiful! We hiked part of the Appalachian Trail which gets pretty steep. I didn’t use the bathrooms or the coin operated showers as we have them in our RV, but they had the services available. It is a drive through the mountains to get to the campsite, but very well worth it for us!

Did a four-day hike of the 26-mile loop in Dolly Sods Wilderness, first night we camped was at Ravens Ridge. There were some camps already in that area but in the woods, however we chose to set up camp on the ridge with a view of Canaan Valley. The next day we hiked to Big Stone Coal Creek, where we set up for the night, a campsite had been left from other hikers with a makeshift fire pit and stone chairs. On day 3, we hiked up to Lion’s head where there were lots of campsites from past hikers, but we continued on to Red Creek where we camped for the night. Lots of weekend warriors’ hike into Red Creek for the weekend, so lots of campsites but also be weary of the people who don’t know how to use the restroom in nature, lots of flies and toilet paper lying about. The trails were all well marked, I would still bring a map of the trails and know which ones you want to take before heading out into this vast wilderness. Also, be aware that during the summer lots of rain fall so trails will be muddy and some trails almost completely underwater, Dobbins Grade is one of the trails that typically is wet and muddy most of the summer and fall.

You can backpack in any season of the year here, but both roads (Forest Road 19 and 75) leading to Dolly Sods are winding and steep so in snowy or ice conditions could be dangerous. You can park at Bear Rocks or right in front of the trail head, you will see a good majority of cars parked in those areas from people backpacking in or day hiking. There are multiple ways back into the wilderness, the first is close to Red Creek campground along the Blackbird Knob Trail, Dolly Sods picnic area has the trailhead for Rohrbaugh trail, Red Creek trail starts on Forest Road 19, then Forest Road 19 turns into 75 and you have multiple Trailheads along that route until Bear Rocks.