Best Cabin Camping near Swoope, VA

Thunder BRidge is a unique property tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Near Natural Bridge State Park in Virginia, the campground was once a CCC camp. Now it is home to many quiet tent sites, screen cabins, log cabins, and even some fully furnished rental cabins.

The campground is about 60% wooded, the rest is open ground with buildings from the camp's earlier days. The open area includes  several artists' studios.  At one edge is a forest creek, great for wading. 

The campground is mostly tenting sites and rustic cabins, but there are RV sites in the open area.

This is not a "resort" but you won't find a more beautiful, quiet campground!

We camped here the last night of the season (Nov30) and shared the campground with a mix of tent campers, car/van campers, and a few larger units. The bathrooms were plentiful, heated, hot running water, and a utility sink available. Our site had some privacy and some extra due to about 50% occupancy. Showers and laundry were closed for the season but are centrally located near entrance area of campground. Elevation above 3000 feet and plenty of deer! It was an especially cold night hitting a low of 14F. Very happy for the nearby heated restrooms with hot running water.

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!

In our opinion this is the best campground in Shenandoah National Park. Sites are large and many offer privacy. Sites include fire ring and picnic tables. Some of the sites have a mountain view where you can watch the sunset. The campground has great facilities including flush toilets, hot and cold running water, indoor showers ($1.75 for 5 minutes), laundromat, camp store with groceries, camping supplies, wine and beer, sandwiches, and morning coffee. The sites are $15 per night in this campground, and there is an entrance fee into Shenandoah National Park (we paid $30 for a week). The Appalachian Trail runs thru this campground and offers some great hiking.

We spent several days in Seneca State Forest. I want to highlight the Thorny Mountain Fire Tower for this review.

Renting and staying in the Thorny Mountain Fire Tower is a special opportunity...and I believe everyone should enjoy its uniqueness and solitude...for several reasons. One selfish reason is so that perhaps other State and National Forests would do the same thing...refurbish, but leave rustic remaining fire towers and rent them out like a campsite or cabin. There is much history and lore that is behind every fire tower.

The Thorny Mountain Fire Tower was built by the CCC sometime around 1935...and is erected at an elevation of 3458 ft. Nearly 70 steps up the structure brings you to 3507 ft (by my gps). From that height, you get to enjoy long mountain views in both West Virginia and Virginia. The tower cabin structure has 360 views...11 windows and a windowed door...so you don't miss any of the show! It is not insulated, but then again it is not available during the winter months. There are no, I repeat, no amenities in the tower...but that's half the allure..only two spring cots/mattresses...four folding wooden chairs...and two tiny nightstands. Four can stay...but only two have the beds. My back preferred the floor. At the base of the tower there is a lockable structure that houses a pit latrine on one end and plenty of dry firewood on the other end. You do have a picnic table and fire ring on a gravel pad north of the tower base. No running water...period. So all water must be acquired 15-20 minutes down the mountain at the Park Headquarters (which also has the only showers/bathrooms(2)...and laundry room...super clean!). The State Park employees that operate the headquarters there are the most kind, gracious and hospitable folks you will find. You will need to reserve a spot far in advance...so don't leave it to the last minute.

Our stay was memorable and pleasurable. While some might balk at the expense per night...it is the rare opportunity you are paying for. And...I will do it again in the future!

Watching storms roll in across the mountain tops...fog settling into the valleys like white foaming rivers...being perched beside rainbows...moonlight piercing the night through your curtainless windows...and reveling in the surreal sunrises and sunsets did it for me! Your closest neighbor is waaay down the mountain.

Note: Do not make my mistake and not listen closely to directions up to the tower. I took the first gravel road right...well...dirt road. It happens to be an unmaintained alternate service road to the tower...not good. Ordinary vehicles will be damaged...and two-wheel drive probably won't make it. My SUV survived, but I was questioning my sanity at times. The roads are gravel most the way up Thorny Mountain...and the last bit up to the tower had experienced recent washout from storms, so the going was rough but very doable.

I think eight of the windows still open, and they provide slide screens to insert so the cross breeze is amazing day and night. But they must be removed and the windows shut when the rain rolls in or you will get wet. The roof does not have enough overhang to keep the rain out...nor does it amply cover the walk-around deck...so it'll drip on your noggin'. But hey, your camping...you're gonna get wet.

Can't recommend the experience enough...who knows how long this type of opportunity will exist. Just Do It!

Montebello is a lovely campground. There are tent, RV sites and cabins with campground bathroom. There are showers, slop sink and laundry. The pond at front has stocked trout and a small lake in the back has bass and crappie. Suitable for paddle boats or kayak. There was also a playground for children. You check in at the cute store across the street.

I stayed in the tent area. The site has a fine gravel pad, picnic table and fire ring. I was in site 2 near the lake. A crowd with chairs sat above my site on the hill that were rather noisy. But biggest drawback was distance to bathroom which I had to drive to.

Lots of good trails nearby and a small one around the lake. I plan to return in the fall.

We did not have a reservation and were lucky to get a site. It is a large campground with 200 sites for RV's & tent campers. The site we had was primitive, no water or electric, but had a picnic table, fire ring, & a bear box. Although the sites were close, they were situated to maximize privacy. The campgrounds had plenty of restrooms with flush toilets & sinks. The camp store has laundry facilities and showers that you must pay for, $1.75 for 5 minutes. The grounds and facilities are very clean. An added bonus, you can access the Appalachian Trail right from the campgrounds that provides amazing views