Best Cabin Camping near Swoope, VA

Beautiful river access directly from tent site! Lots of amenities from hot tubs, fishing pond and a heated pool. Staff was friendly and site was well maintained. Bathrooms were clean. Only complaint is that tent sites are really close together.

Tons of great hiking trails many with views of beautiful waterfalls. We took our lab and she enjoyed the trails as much as we did! One night we camped out at Big Meadows campground and got to enjoy the peaceful surroundings. The next two nights we stayed in an awesome dog friendly cabin at the Big Meadows Lodge. They were so accommodating for our furry friend. We were given a cabin with its our screened in porch just for her to enjoy. (Not many cabins have this feature) They even gave her a cute trail dog bandana which she wore with pride on our hikes. At night there was a nice little spot close to the campsite to hike up and see the beautiful expanse of stars. The best stars I’ve ever seen! Another exciting feature were all the wildlife. We saw so many chipmunks, deer and even a few snakes. The coolest part was seeing some black bears in the trees ! Awesome to see and we also felt very safe for park rangers were very attentive to keeping everyone at safe distances. Totally recommend these gem in VA!

Pros- the grounds are very nice, lots of trees, level sites, some grass, lots of activities for the kids. Tent sites by the river, a pool, hot tubs, store, cafe with limited items. Laundry facility. Wild but tame bunnies are everywhere. 

Cons - we were there in October and they close on 10/31 for the season so we got the feeling they weren’t that into it anymore. Bathrooms and showers were disgusting. Very dirty with what appeared to be mold around the upper section of the shower. Store not well stocked. Hot tub room had a mildew odor, same with the bathrooms. Laundry was dirty, machines not clean. No wifi, no cable and cell service is limited - definitely not good for Verizon. There were no fewer than half a dozen people walking around with their phones held high trying to get a signal and all seemed to congregate in  front of our trailer so we were able to hear their conversations. We thought the cable issue might have been on our end but after taking to other campers we found out they were having the same problem. Spaces are tight.

Bonus - Halloween is a big even in many RV parks and this was no exception. There were a few campers who fixed up a trailer as a haunted house and decorated the outside to the max. We did enjoy our evening walk around the park looking at decorated RVs.

Although we could see the potential the park, we wouldn’t stay again.

We used to love this place.  I'm not a huge endorser of conglomerates, however this is an instant that I wish the people that own this campground would take a page out of their book.  I'd almost swear they added more sites.  We were in a teardrop camper and we were practically on top of our neighbors.  The pluses here are there is a falls that you can walk to and wade out to.  Always fun!  You can rent an inner tube and float down the river.  There are cute bunnies on the property.  The minuses-we found the bathhouses not so great, the pool when we were there wasn't in good shape and after that, we didn't even bother with the hot tubs.  There is a lot to do in the area, but having said that, it's not worth the money for another visit.  It's sad because we really loved this place in the 90's.  Luckily, lots of breweries, wineries, food and neat bars around to visit!

A favorite of our for years! All types of sites and hookups plus cabins. Fishing, lake swimming, hiking, educational opportunities galore. Security is good but not overwhelming. Virginia is for lovers and camping lovers!

This is one of the cabins operated by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC). This one is located in Shenandoah National Park, around milepost 59, so you will need to pay the entrance fee to SNP if you do not have an annual pass, and it is a primitive cabin, so there is no water or electric, and all trash must be packed out.

This cabin is very easy to access--park at the entrance to the fire road off Skyline Drive, and it is about a .2 mile hike, crossing the AT along the way.

The cabin has a covered porch with a picnic table and outdoor fireplace, and ample firewood available under the agreement that guests replenish the firewood that they use. There is a sawhorse and wood-splitters available for this. Inside the cabin are three sets of bunk beds, each double wide.

Amenities include:

Mattress pads for each bed, wool army blankets, interior wood-burning stove, interior picnic-table, pots and pans of varying sizes (including a cast iron skillet), flatware, glassware, ceramic bowls, plates, and mugs, and a coffee percolator.

Mice are very common here. There is a box inside the cabin to lock food in at night to keep mice out--we could hear them at night while we were there. There is a privy located a few yards away from the cabin, and a spring several yards beyond the privy where water can be obtained, though it will need to be purified.

This cabin has great views, and is a great place for people of all ages, including small children--we came here the first time for our son's 1st birthday. However the AT runs directly behind the cabin. Even in April we already saw several hikers, some stopping at the spring, others who were obviously aware of the cabin as a potential place to stop and rest. We also came in November and did not see many other hikers, and even with the very cold temperatures still stayed fairly warm inside the cabin overnight thanks to the wood-burning stove.

This park is in one of my favorite parts of VA. Very beautiful area with plenty of off grid seclusion! It’s a nice scenic drive getting to the park on a quiet and well maintained back road.

The rangers at the park are very knowledgeable and kind and have no problem answering questions. There are many camping areas in the park, Some near creeks and on the lake as well. There are also cabins here! Plenty of picnic areas and great fishing as well!

It’s $8 a day for a fishing pass and you can rent John boats or kayaks here as well, In season the lake and creek are stocked with plenty of Rainbow trout. You can keep them for dinner if you like! Just follow all DNR laws on size and amount!

Some spots include clean bathrooms, hot showers, soda machines, fish fillet tables, Picnic tables, fire pits and so on.

I highly recommend this park for your next getaway or along your way!

We stayed in one of the cabins at Lewis Mountain, which had a queen size bed and bathroom with a small shower. Towels, soap and shampoo are provided. Each cabin has a sheltered area and fire pit for cooking and eating. The folks in the camp store were very friendly and went out of their way to provide hospitality. A couple of trails run right by the campground.

We’ve been here twice. Once for our anniversary and we stayed in one of the cabins with our dog, and once tent camping. The cabin was reasonably priced and comfortable. They are all grouped together and could be fun for a family reunion or some larger gathering with friends. The tent camping experience was with our kids, and it was a little hard to keep them entertained. The hiking trails were a short distraction, but not long or difficult enough to wear them out.

We used this in the offseason as is was one of the only ones in the area that stays open for most of the year. This is not a primitive/secluded campground if you are looking to get away and spend some time in nature. It would make a great group/family glamping campsite as is has all of the amenities, including playgrounds, a pond with a "beach" and golf cart rentals to get around.

Great access, 30, 50, primitive, pull in, back in, cabin, pretty much full gamut. Quickly becoming a favorite

We stayed 3 nights in cabin here, everything was very well maintained and very clean. The staff were very helpful and clearly had great pride in the facility.

Spent 3months here and absolutely loved it! There’s always tons of activities to do for everyone of age. Gold cart parades, crafts hours, poker run, corn hole tournaments. And of course their lake that has two jumping decks, water slide, snack bar , restaurant and off to the side a little store for floats with putt putt golf and Jenna,etc.

The restaurant has great food, but a quick snack is usually preferred. On weekends the staff and owners make sure your having fun and go out of their way to cheer you up.

There’s also a huge playground with volleyball and basket ball court near the pavilion. Along with a small arcade room and a huge fire pit ring to hang out at. Not to far from there is a dog run for both big and small and a fishing pond next to it.A few hiking trails that have the creek follow you around along with wildlife all around you.

They also have golf cart rentals :) A lot of gravel with a few green patches on their sites. But still easy enough to bike ride around. Weekend sites are spacious and so are the monthly/seasonal areas. And there’s tons of cabins to rent in front of the lake. Bring the whole family!

Memorial weekend was great! Rented a cabin near the fishing pond. Kids loved the activities, huge water slides, bounce place, pool, and The James River. Even caught a fish! 😁

We rented a cabin with fantastic sunset views.  This park has great walking and equine trails, a fantastic visitor center, and a wonderful outdoor park/adventure zone for the kiddos.