Best Tent Camping near Star Tannery, VA

George Washington National Forest offers several primitive tent camping options near Star Tannery, Virginia, including established sites and dispersed camping areas. Little Fort Campground provides designated tent sites with basic amenities, while Veach Gap offers backcountry tent camping accessible via hiking trails. Wolf Gap Recreation Area features secluded tent campsites distributed throughout wooded hills with picnic tables and fire rings. These locations primarily serve tent campers looking for more remote outdoor experiences within the forest landscape.

Access to tent sites varies considerably depending on location and weather conditions. Little Fort Campground has drive-in access with designated parking spots, tent platforms, and picnic tables at each site, though some reviews note the tent pads have surfaces "too hard to use pegs." Roads to several campgrounds require careful navigation, especially in wet conditions. One camper noted that Hawk Campground's access road is "a single lane dirt road with parts of it partially washed away" and recommended 4WD vehicles. Most tent campsites provide fire rings, but campers should bring their own water as drinking water is generally unavailable. Vault toilets are present at established areas like Little Fort and Wolf Gap, while backcountry locations typically lack facilities.

The tent camping experience in this region offers seclusion and natural surroundings. Wolf Gap's tent sites are "quite large" and "mostly secluded from the rest of the park," according to visitor feedback. The wooded settings provide shade and privacy, with many sites featuring well-maintained fire rings. For backpackers, Veach Gap offers more remote tent camping opportunities approximately four miles up the trail. One camper described it as having "breathtaking views of the Shenandoah River and surrounding mountains." Sites along the South Fork Shenandoah River provide waterfront tent camping with their own fire pits. At Little Crease Shelter, accessible via a 1.5-mile hike from Veach Gap Trailhead, tent campers can find a more secluded experience with access to a nearby stream for water collection.

Best Tent Sites Near Star Tannery, Virginia (46)

    1. Little Fort Campground

    6 Reviews
    Woodstock, VA
    14 miles

    "The campsites have a fire ring, a picnic table, and a flat area to pitch a tent. They have parking spots next to them. There are permanent structure Vault toilets/ out houses."

    "There are 9 campsites, each with at least one fire ring, a tent pad and a picnic table, and there is a vault toilet in the middle."

    2. Hawk Campground

    1 Review
    Star Tannery, VA
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 984-4101

    "I would not want to drive on this in the rain. There are minimal turning points so if someone is coming in while you're coming out or vice versa, someone would have to reverse."

    3. Squirrel Hollow Road Camping

    2 Reviews
    Wardensville, WV
    11 miles

    "Sites are located less than a mile from the paved highway. We found 5 spots just off the road. All were easily accessible by cat or with a small teardrop trailer."

    4. Veach Gap - GWNF - Backpacking Site

    2 Reviews
    Bentonville, VA
    14 miles
    Website

    "I've both day hiked this and backpacked here several times."

    "Breathtaking views of the Shenandoah River and surrounding mountains. Very much worth the 4 mile hike up to the site. 1,200ft elevation difference from the trailhead to the site."

    5. Wolf Gap Recreation Area

    3 Reviews
    Basye, VA
    17 miles

    "Most sites have a paved parking platform and then a second tier for the camp site. All sites are quite large and include picnic tables, fire rings and large tent platforms."

    "But there are picnic tables and fire pits and a vault toilet for sure. It’s quiet and dark and a bit buggy. Many of the car parking pads are not level. But the tent pads appear to be."

    6. Peters Mill Run/Taskers Gap OHV System

    1 Review
    Woodstock, VA
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 984-4101

    "Great place to camp at if your car can handle it, if you like to offroad this place is for you or if you like hiking this is also for you"

    7. South Fork Shenandoah River

    6 Reviews
    Rileyville, VA
    21 miles

    "Not too many spaces so it can fill up quick. There is a launch in the middle, so there is a bit of come and go."

    "There were plenty of walk in sites beyond ours. Unfortunately there was a decent bit of trash we cleaned up. The road was a little rough, but our 92 ford camper made it, just go slow"

    8. Little Crease Shelter

    1 Review
    Bentonville, VA
    15 miles
    +1 (888) 265-0019

    "First, don't be confused by the drive down to the parking area. You'll go from asphalt to gravel road alongside private property. You're in the right place."

    9. Sky Meadows State Park Campground

    10 Reviews
    Paris, VA
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 592-3556

    "It was a pretty flat walk from the overnight parking area to the campground."

    "Came here for the first time in February 2017 to do a shakedown on some new backpacking and camping gear. Super friendly staff and easy check in process."

    10. The Retreat at Shenandoah Meadows

    1 Review
    Rileyville, VA
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (540) 325-2870

    $23 - $33 / night

    "Every building in the campground is open you can walk literally anywhere you would like. Nobody is there to enforce anything. We had such a good time, that I still give it four stars."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Star Tannery, VA

1043 Reviews of 46 Star Tannery Campgrounds


  • RL
    Apr. 13, 2021

    Sky Meadows State Park Campground

    Great views, primitive camping

    We hiked the one mile into the campground and stayed for a night. It was a pretty flat walk from the overnight parking area to the campground. In the campground there is one bathroom facility with two vault toilets (although one of the doors was locked while we were there, which was unpleasant with a full campground). No running water or showers in the bathhouses. Non-potable water pump is near the restroom. Boil water at least three minutes before consuming. There are two areas with firewood (purchase when you check in or pay $6 cash at the kiosk - honor system). Each site has a bear box, fire ring, picnic table, tent pad with pea gravel, and a lantern pole. Definitely will be back!

    The park has wide open rolling hills and mountain views. Lots of families picnicking and flying kites 🪁💙

  • Jennifer B.
    Oct. 27, 2019

    Red Creek Campground

    Allegheny Plateau and Dolly Sods Wilderness

    Small, primitive campground with 12-sites.  There were a surprising number of trailers and small RVs when I visited, especially when you consider visitors have to drive about 10-miles on a graded dirt road to get there.

    There are some walk-in tent sites for more privacy and you have the option of pure wilderness camping in the surrounding 17,400 acres of Dolly Sods as long as you use existing campfire rings, or use a backpack stove when you can't find one.

    No cell phone service or Internet… No electricity, pit toilets, and a busted water pump, but there is a fresh-water spring. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and lantern pole. 

    The camp hosts are super mellow and also lead the volunteer bird-banding that takes place just across the road from the Red Creek Campground.  

    The plant life and weather at Dolly Sods are similar to Northern Canada, so bring some extra layers. It was at least 15-degrees cooler than the valley when I reached the peak of the Allegheny Plateau. Add the wind and I had to put my sweatshirt after sweating in a T-shirt at Seneca Rocks that same day. 

    Bring a backpack and good hiking boots so you're prepared to experience some of the most amazing scenery and wildlife you’ve ever seen! 

    First-come, first-serve only and often full on weekends.

    *Word of caution: Dolly Sods was used for military training during WWII, so there are artillery and mortar shells still being found in this wilderness. Don’t touch any shells you might find, note the location and report to authorities.

  • Nick C.
    Jul. 25, 2022

    Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park

    Centralized spot in Shenandoah - hot showers!

    I stayed in the tent only / non generator sites which is definitely the way to go. My site was actually a walk in. So I had to park and lug my gear up some steps about 200 feet. The site was shaded with a nice spot for a hammock. Including a fire ring and grill grate, picnic table and a bear box. You are close to the road, so you get noise and headlights in your tent sometimes. Deer and skunk walk through camp all the time. Heard some owls at night. Whooooooo

  • Corey B.
    Jun. 15, 2018

    Little Fort Campground

    Great Stay

    Small and simple campground with a handle full of sites. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Sites are semi secluded from each other. Some sites have direct access to the Peter's Mill Run OHV complex. Vault toilet for all sites to share. No water, no electricity. Have to pack trash out. Sites were first come first serve. Free to camp.

    We camped so we could spend two days on the OHV Trails with the Jeep. Had an incredible time. We'll be back.

  • Terri S.
    Sep. 23, 2019

    Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park

    Beautiful , well maintained

    Big Meadows Campground was wonderful. Facilities were clean and well maintained. Bear box for food storage. Loved seeing the deer so close and other wildlife. Fire ring with grate was available. Large site size. We had site 23. Highly recommend!

  • Carol B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 19, 2025

    Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park

    Full campground, but a happy overnight

    I tent camped for one night at the start of Easter weekend. Lots and lots of folks about, but still enough space to NOT feel encroached upon. Level grass spot for a tent, fairly level paved parking area if car camping, picnic table, fire ring with grill grate. I was on the no generator loop, but in a non electric site (vs tent walk in type). Warm bathrooms, utility sinks in several, pay hot showers, lots of greenery. I will visit again! NO Verizon cell service at all!

  • Lucas B.
    Jul. 2, 2017

    Sky Meadows State Park Campground

    Awesome foray into backpacking

    Came here for the first time in February 2017 to do a shakedown on some new backpacking and camping gear. Super friendly staff and easy check in process. Parking is in a locked lot steps away from trail head which leads to campsites about a mile away. Campsites are in a wooded area of park well away from other park attractions so it's very quiet. Sites are spaced far apart and come with tent pad, picnic table, fire pit and lantern pole. Non potable water is available via hand pump near rest rooms. Rest rooms are very nice and clean. No showers. This was one of my favorite camping experiences ever and I will definitely be back!

  • Jon N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 2, 2022

    Veach Gap - GWNF - Backpacking Site

    My favorite Hike in the area

    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.

  • M J.
    Jun. 15, 2021

    Mathews Arm Campground — Shenandoah National Park

    Wonderful location in Shenandoah

    More quiet than the Big Meadows area (less people for sure!). Simple campground, with all you need to experience a wonderful time in Shenandoah. In the more northern area of the park, and we found that with a Thursday-Sunday time frame there was so many less people. Bathrooms are simple, and no showers. Our site B125 was not huge (are any sites here huge? I didn't see one!), but we had space for our larger North Face tent on the tent pad (just barely!). Our site had a fire ring and picnic table, though no bear box. Seems like some sites had the boxes, and others did not. Be sure to lock up your food and anything questionable here. Policy was pretty strict about that. B125 was tucked against a hill and woods (and man those woods are right at the edge of your site). Across from us was a handicap site, and next to us was a handicap site as well. It meant we had basically no neighbors for our early June weekend camping. Saturday night was quite full all around (still no neighbors for that spot). Some spots at Matthews Arm are reservable, others are first come first serve. It's cheap! You can park some trailers here, but it probably depends on your set up which spots would be best for that. There are a number of trails that you can get to either from campground, or sorta close. We hiked out near the group site and could get to Overall Run Falls (which I believe is the tallest in the park). As with all Shenandoah hikes, a good amount of up and down on this one. We really enjoyed our visit here and will definitely be back! 

    Don't forget to wait for full dark, and then look up. Breathtaking. 

    So. Many. Stars.


Guide to Star Tannery

Dispersed camping in the George Washington National Forest provides tent campers near Star Tannery, Virginia with access to both primitive campsites and established campgrounds. The region's elevation ranges from approximately 800 to 3,000 feet with oak-hickory forests dominating the landscape. Summer temperatures often reach the 80s during day, dropping to the 50s at night, while spring camping can face unexpected rain showers that create challenging conditions on dirt access roads.

What to do

Hike to ridge views: The Veach Gap trail offers a moderate 4-mile hike to ridgeline camping with panoramic vistas. According to one camper at Veach Gap - GWNF - Backpacking Site, "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... Pack up all the water you will need for the day/evening/morning." The trail gains about 1,200 feet in elevation.

Fish or swim in the river: Waterfront tent sites along the South Fork Shenandoah River offer direct water access. A camper at South Fork Shenandoah River noted, "The site at the end of the road is beautiful... there are sites you can walk to all the way down the river... We swam and fished."

Enjoy off-road adventures: Peters Mill Run/Taskers Gap OHV System provides trails for off-road enthusiasts camping near Star Tannery. One visitor mentioned it's a "Great place to camp at if your car can handle it, if you like to offroad this place is for you or if you like hiking this is also for you."

What campers like

Private, spacious sites: Campers consistently mention the generous size of campsites at Wolf Gap Recreation Area. A reviewer noted the campground has "a total of 9 campsites. Most sites have a paved parking platform and then a second tier for the camp site. All sites are quite large and include picnic tables, fire rings and large tent platforms."

Easy access to water sources: Little Crease Shelter offers tent camping with convenient water collection points. A camper described, "Water can be collected from the stream nearby" and mentioned the shelter is "far enough in that it's secluded, but the hike's short enough and easy enough to make it a little more luxurious than a regular backpacking trip."

Bear boxes at select sites: Some sites provide bear-resistant storage for food and supplies. At Sky Meadows State Park Campground, a visitor appreciated that "having a bear box at my campsite to store my food/trash/toiletries was so much easier than hanging a bear bag."

What you should know

Road conditions vary widely: Many forest access roads become challenging during or after rain. A visitor to Hawk Campground observed, "The road in is a single lane dirt road with parts of it partially washed away. I would not want to drive on this in the rain. There are minimal turning points so if someone is coming in while you're coming out or vice versa, someone would have to reverse."

Cell service is limited: Phone reception is spotty throughout the region. A camper at Little Fort Campground warned, "this page says that Verizon has limited service but I have a 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."

Weekend noise levels: Some riverside camping areas can become noisy on weekends. One camper at South Fork Shenandoah River cautioned, "dont disregard the warnings about noise like i did, constant speakers all the time until 4am. i think its out of jurisdiction for park rangers so they wont do anything either."

Tips for camping with families

Try an easy backpacking experience: Sky Meadows State Park offers a gentle introduction to backcountry camping with a reasonable hike-in distance. A visitor shared, "It's about a mile hike in to the campground, which sits in the woods in the park... Sites are large enough for three one person tents."

Look for sites with established facilities: Little Fort Campground provides a balance of wilderness and basic amenities for tent camping with kids. A camper described it as "Great established free campground! We got the last spot around 7pm. Site had a fire pit, table, parking spot, and tent platform... Bathrooms and beer proof trash was provided."

Plan for wildlife encounters: Wildlife viewing opportunities abound but require preparation. At Sky Meadows, a visitor reported, "We had a family of deer pay us a visit each morning" and another mentioned, "At night I saw white-tailed deer and heard owls and cattle!"

Tips from RVers

Know your vehicle limits: Many forest roads present challenges for larger recreational vehicles. At Squirrel Hollow Road Camping, a camper noted, "Sites are located less than a mile from the paved highway. We found 5 spots just off the road. All were easily accessible by cat or with a small teardrop trailer."

Be self-contained: Dispersed tent camping near Star Tannery, Virginia typically requires bringing everything you need. A reviewer described Squirrel Hollow as "True boondocking, haul it in, pack it out" and mentioned, "Looks like a popular weekend camp spot for locals."

Consider seasonal timing: Off-season visits can provide more solitude. One camper observed, "We camped during the week and had nobody else camping on weekdays," suggesting weekday camping outside peak seasons offers the most peaceful tent camping experience in the Star Tannery area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Star Tannery, VA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Star Tannery, VA is Little Fort Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 6 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Star Tannery, VA?

TheDyrt.com has all 46 tent camping locations near Star Tannery, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.