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Elizabeth Furnace Family Campground maintains several pet-friendly campsites across its wooded camping area. Most campgrounds near Star Tannery accept pets with standard leash requirements, including The Cove Campground, which features both tent and RV sites where dogs are welcome. Campers reference The Dyrt for top tips on camping near Star Tannery, Virginia. The Cove offers a unique camping experience with plenty of room for dogs to explore, though pets must remain under control at all times. Elizabeth Furnace provides access to multiple hiking trails suitable for dogs on leashes. Campgrounds in this region typically have fire pits, picnic tables, and clean facilities with most sites situated in wooded areas providing natural shade. Pet owners should note that while dogs are permitted at these locations, many have limited amenities specifically for pets and standard park rules apply regarding waste cleanup and noise control.
Numerous trails surrounding the campgrounds provide excellent opportunities for hiking with dogs. The area's creek access at Elizabeth Furnace creates natural cooling spots for pets during summer months when temperatures rise. Visitors with pets should prepare for limited cell service throughout the George Washington National Forest area, especially at smaller campgrounds. Little Fort Campground offers a more dispersed camping experience where dogs can enjoy the natural setting, though facilities are more primitive with only basic toilets available. Gooney Creek and Candy Hill campgrounds provide additional pet-friendly options with hookups for those camping in RVs with their dogs. The Cove Campground's lake allows for swimming and fishing activities, with plenty of space for dogs to enjoy the outdoors, though the shooting range nearby means dogs should be comfortable with occasional loud noises.
"Our patio was on the side next to the road which was a little close to traffic but we still loved siting there, especially in the evening with a campfire."
"Tons of trails great for families with dogs or those wanting to get out and hike. The campsite featured some of the best bathroom/ shower houses, they were super clean and well maintained."
from $27 - $427 / night
Check Availability"Several rustic campsites with a large lake for the kids, and miles of off road trails for atvs, jeeps, and dirtbikes."
"The road is gravel and could use some work, I’d recommend 4x4 drive. We really enjoyed it and will go back. The reason for 4 stars instead of 5, water situation and the roads could use some work."
"Unfortunately, it is located right on a major highway. This means there is easy access, but the traffic noise is less than ideal. But the gem of this place is the management and staff!"
"No restaurant within walking range so have food on hand. There are a few places that will deliver but the food is a 5 out of 10 at best. Hwy 81 is right next door so you will hear road noise."
from $38 - $77 / night
Check Availability"This is a nice and very large campground tucked away in the northern part of Shenandoah. The facilities and grounds were well kept and it’s a short car’s travel (but there’s also a trail!)"
"The pull in area was paved and behind it was a nice flat tent area."
from $30 - $75 / night
Check Availability"Great spot right outside Shenandoah NP with quick access to the park or nearby trails. great fishing and hikes for kids, too!"
"There are a couple of sites that have a path to the creek that flows behind the campground.There is also plenty of hiking trails to be completed around the campgrounds of various levels from beginner to"
"In the valley outside of Shenandoah, it was a nice spot to return to at night. There are also some hiking trails across the street."
"Campground Review: What a great find, so close to a town….though feels like you are deep in the forest!"
from $20 / night
Check Availability"We are tent campers and we’re looking for a place close to Shenandoah to ride our motorcycles. This was 3 miles from the north entrance to the park, perfect."
"Hike up a trail or up through the creek itself to a swimming hole only accessible to campers. Saw some decent sized fish swimming around in there."
"We spent 2 nights at Creekside Campground in Edinburg, VA on our way to West Virginia—- and found a real gem. We paid$50/night for Back-in Creekview FHU Site#20."
"I gave this campground 5 stars because it is super convenient to I81, the staff is wonderful, my tent spot was right on the creek, the bathrooms are immaculate with hot water showers, and they allow dogs"
from $26 - $47 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $30 - $75 / night
Check Availability"Pet friendly; two dog parks."
"First time visiting North Fork, didn’t explore as much as I wanted to, Campers are tightly parked next to one another, was invited by my Uncle to come have a good time and enjoy the atmosphere, go tubing"
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.
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.
LegendThis place is right outside the gate of Harpers Ferry NP. We walked to the shuttle bus stop. It is a very large KOA, and was almost empty when we visited in September. The original site the gave us had a large rut and washed out spot, so we could not get level. I checked in the office and the reassigned another space that was much better. Full hook ups, nice clean shower and bathrooms, playground, pool, large dog park.
ScoutOverall great camp ground only thing I noticed is at some of the RV sites the hook ups are in crazy spots some are In the neighboring sites area so you have to drag extensions around them. Also the pool and dog park isn’t on site you have to leave to go to it.
RangerGreat campground for families. Large water park that goes to 3 ft. Playgrounds, dog park, canteen, mini golf, jumping pillow, laser tag, pedal cars, gem mining are just some of the amenities. Very pricey during peak season. We did the camp & store at about $50/night.
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.
GuideUsually go camping with a Little Guy teardrop trailer, but with the current state of the country, didn’t feel comfortable with sharing bathroom facilities. We booked Yurt #1. It was fantastic. The place was spotless, well equipped kitchenette, grill, fire pit, comfortable beds. We loved our neighbors the sheep, goats and llamas. Checking in was easy, with the keys and map at the office. Park was clean and well maintained. Dog park is great. Wonderful way to start coming out of quarantine. Great hiking nearby.
Camping in George Washington National Forest near Star Tannery places visitors in a landscape where elevations range from approximately 1,000 to 4,000 feet in the northern Shenandoah Valley region. The area experiences distinct seasonal changes with summer daytime temperatures typically reaching the high 80s while nights cool to the 60s. Fall brings vibrant foliage displays from late September through October when many campers prefer visiting for moderate temperatures and reduced insect activity.
Hiking with varied difficulty levels: Several trails near Elizabeth Furnace Campground offer options for all experience levels. "Great hiking trails taking off from the campground and a stocked trout stream, will keep the kids and kids at heart busy," notes Michael H., while other campers mention "both tent and dry camp area" options with "plenty of hiking trails to be completed around the campgrounds of various levels from beginner to more strenuous."
Water activities on Passage Creek: Fish for trout in stocked waters or cool off during summer months. "There is a pretty creek running through the campground," reports Matt P., which many campers use for wading during hot weather. Sites closest to the creek are most desirable but fill quickly on weekends.
Shooting range access: Visitors to The Cove Campground can utilize their outdoor shooting range along with other activities. One reviewer explains, "On top of them having an outdoor gun range... they have a small beach, picnic tables everywhere, a volleyball sand court, a dock, you can fish in the lake, rent non motorboats, ATVs welcome."
Stargazing opportunities: Clear nights at higher elevation campsites offer excellent night sky viewing. Several campers mention the quality of star visibility, particularly at Little Fort Campground where light pollution is minimal. "The stars at night were breathtaking," notes a visitor who recommends bringing red-light headlamps to preserve night vision.
Creek sounds for sleeping: Sites near waterways provide natural white noise and cooler temperatures. At Gooney Creek Campground, "The creek flowing along the campsite was gorgeous and it was great listening to the running water at night," according to Dani H., while another camper mentions "beautiful mountain stream flows around the campground on one side and mountains with high steep cliffs on the other."
Wildlife encounters: Multiple campgrounds report regular deer sightings with some bear activity. In Mathews Arm Campground, one camper reports, "We even had a doe and fawn right in our campsite! Just be careful of the black bears," while another notes "Many deers, frogs, snakes, moths, flies, birds, turtles, bears."
Off-grid experience: Limited or no cell service creates a true disconnection opportunity. Several campers mention "no cell service throughout the George Washington National Forest area" as a feature rather than drawback. One notes, "Verizon prepaid plan and I had no service at all starting from about 20 minutes away from the site, so I wouldn't count on having any reception."
Reasonable fees: Many dog-friendly campgrounds near Star Tannery maintain affordable rates compared to larger commercial facilities. "For the price ($10/night and 50% off if you have a National Park Pass), it was pretty good," writes Taylor about Elizabeth Furnace Recreation Area, while another camper mentions "Only $1o due to Covid" with "loads to do."
Reservation systems vary widely: Some campgrounds require advance booking while others operate first-come-first-served. Big Meadows Campground uses a mixed system: "Non-reservable sites! This makes it easier to travel without a plan other than arriving early at a campground. The entire A section (A1-A116) and a small part of C (C143-C145) cannot be reserved. Sites in B (B117-B141), the rest of C (C146-C164), and D (group sites D165-D167) can be reserved."
Road conditions impact access: Some campgrounds require navigating gravel roads potentially challenging for certain vehicles. Christopher K. notes about The Cove: "The road is gravel and could use some work, I'd recommend 4x4 drive," while another camper mentions "long and winding road to get there with no service so be cautious" about Little Fort Campground.
Weather preparation essential: Higher elevation sites experience significant temperature drops at night even in summer. "It was an especially cold night hitting a low of 14F. Very happy for the nearby heated restrooms with hot running water," reports Carol B. about a late-season stay at Big Meadows.
Bear safety protocols: Food storage requirements vary by location but are strictly enforced. "There are no bear boxes at this campground, but there are indeed bears, so keep all food in your car," advises Eric K., while other campers note "You can be fined for leaving food out" in certain areas.
Kid-friendly water features: Shallow creek areas provide safe play spaces during warmer months. At Creekside Campground, families enjoy "lots of ducks wandering around kept us entertained" along the waterfront, though parents should note "Due to the creek it isn't a good place for kids to run around without supervision, there isn't a playground or pool."
Educational opportunities: Several campgrounds offer ranger programs or historical features. "Nice amphitheater with interesting ranger programs," notes Kim L. about Big Meadows, while another mentions the historical aspects: "you can hike to Overall Run Falls from a trail in the parking lot near the campground and turn this into a loop hike."
Consider proximity to facilities: Sites nearest to bathrooms provide convenience but may experience more foot traffic. Veronica S. observes, "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."
Pet-friendly trail selection: Most hiking trails allow dogs on leash but vary in difficulty levels. Trails at Elizabeth Furnace Recreation Area receive consistent praise from pet owners for their accessibility, with one camper noting "Great trails for both riding and hiking" that accommodate dogs of various fitness levels.
Site size considerations: Many dog-friendly campgrounds near Star Tannery have limited space for larger rigs. "Sites are large but many are lined up right next to each other. I recommend staying away from A72 to the end of A. They're lined up too closely for my taste, and there isn't much shade," advises Mary S. about Mathews Arm Campground.
Water access logistics: Not all sites with hookups have convenient water connections. Christopher K. notes at The Cove: "There are 4 water spigots in camp 1. However all the travel trailers hooked up, which means you either had to make friends or disconnect their water in order to have access."
Navigation challenges: Some campgrounds have specific arrival instructions. About Creekside Campground, Seth P. advises, "If you're coming into town from I-81 don't follow Google Maps to the left on Main St, but rather follow the signs to turn right– it makes for an easier access to the campground."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Star Tannery, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Star Tannery, VA is Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 58 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Star Tannery, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 124 dog-friendly camping locations near Star Tannery, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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