Best RV Parks & Resorts near Swoope, VA

July 10-19, 2020

As my wife and I were discussing my review, I asked her what could we point to to take away from a 5-star rating. Neither of us could think of a single thing.

This campground (RV Resort) is simply beautiful. Wooded, stone borders, stone walls, and stone fire pits at every site, plus full hookup at each site. They cater nicely to big rigs, offering numerous pull-through sites as well as back-in sites, as your need exists. Small rigs down to tent trailers camp here as well. There are only two restroom locations (same with the dumpsters; guests do not leave trash near their sites, guests are expected to take care of their own trash), but they are clean, well cared for, and odor free. Showers are the same.

Most sites are spaced enough to give some feeling of privacy, some are fairly close together. A few sites are nicely secluded for those of us that crave privacy. Staff was extremely pleasant and helpful, and include a “Camp host” for after hours problems. Because of Virginia restrictions due to the current COVID situation, as of this writing the pool and spacious game room are not open. Check with them if that is a gamechanger for you. Their cavern tour (discounted for guests at the RV park) was lovely. Marked well, lighted, relaxed. Our tour guide, Haley, was a sweetheart, taking time for the two little kids, and still giving the information older people like. Plenty of things to do nearby, including museums, Civil War Battlefields, shopping, and Skyline Drive (fantastic).

This is a quiet campground, with no street lights, and quiet hours from 11PM to 8AM. Definitely not a party campground, which totally endeared this place to us. Roads are gravel and can be a bit steep, 4-wheel drive is helpful.

We thoroughly loved our stay here, and assuming we are back this way, we don’t even plan on looking at other locations to stay. Can not praise this campground (RV Resort) enough.

KOAs have a standard formula that you can count on: clean, full RV hookups, easy in and out etc. This one has all that - and more! One of the features I look for in campground is hiking trails right out of the campground. Most KOAs don’t have that - but this one does! Great hiking trail info the hills and woods at the back of the property. Gave me and my pups a chance to run, walk & stretch. Also, many KOAs are right near highways or big roads. Not this one. It’s about 3 miles off highest 81, and no highway noise at all. So peaceful. We will return!

This resort exceeded our expectations. Sites are HUGE. They’re in the woods and up hills and around corners so you really feel like you’re camping, not at an rv resort. The value was great for our 2 month stay here. Peaceful. Saw many animals.

We stayed here several times in an RV.  Short-term sites are in the very front but you do have to take a circuitous route through the campground to get back to that area after checking in.  Many long-term sites (lots of weekenders) around the lake and up in the hilly area.  Short-term sites are electric and water only but there is a free dump station down in the back. There is a pool and they also sell propane.  Due to the COVID rules their pool may not be open 2020.  Friendly staff and very quiet for overnighters.  Easy access from I-85.  Not sure about tenting as were RV only.  Definitely worth a visit and highly recommended.

They used to be a KOA but dropped their membership last year because some of KOAs rulesjust didn't make sense for them.

Endless Caverns RV resort is a great place to stay and the location is perfect! There are so many attractions nearby. We stayed over the Labor Day weekend and had a late arrival and Frank was very helpful in leading us to our site.

The campground is very quiet and not lit up like a Christmas tree which is something we prefer. If you’re looking for a great place to stay in the Shenandoah Valley look no further.

The campground is small and well-kept. It has an incredibly chill and laid-back vibe.

You are a quick walk to the brewery and café, where you can grab breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is nice and dark at the campground, so great for star watching. 

There are several small walking paths throughout the property. 

It is very pet friendly. 

It is very quick drive to lots of hiking, including the Appalachian Trail. 

You are also a stone’s throw away from a ton of other really great breweries and wineries. I highly recommend visiting Blue Mountain Brewery and Bold Rock cidery during tour stay for some great food and beverage.

Cell service and wi-fi are spotty at best, but what do you expect? You are in the middle of the mountains. 

Each full hook up site has a picnic table and fire ring. Fire wood available for purchase.

*Warning, if you stay at a full hook up site and are parked in an odd number spot, you will need an extra long sewer hose to reach the connection. For example, we have a small travel trailer and we needed a 30 foot hose. The sewer connection for the odd number sites is on the opposite side of the RV than the electricity and water. The good news is that in a pinch, and your sewer hose does not fit, they do have a dump station on site.

We were just traveling through on our way south and called to see if we could stay for a night. The campground was being shut down for the season but the owners accommodated us anyway! They let us fill water near their home which is on site and had a full hook up available for us.

Great location right on the water. Near a railroad but during our stay it was not running.

This place has amazing views of the mountains as well as a beautiful river running along in it.

The owners Mark and Marsha are super nice and accommodating.

The sites are full hook up

Misty Mountain offers something for everyone - spacious, level well-maintained full hook up sites that can accommodate any size trailer or RV, more rustic tent camping sites, quiet creekside camper sites with electric and water, and both modern and rustic cabins. The camp store is well stocked and even offers a very nice wine selection, plus local canned salsa, spaghetti sauce, and pie! There are many amenities for families - a huge bouncy mat, a fishing pond, playground, large group campfire, sports area, and a nice rec room. They have free donuts and coffee on Sundays, and special events many Saturdays. The shower and laundry facility is very new with modern, clean amenities. The showers are private suites and are large and nice enough that some people with showers in their campers still choose to use the camp ones instead. The site areas closest to the camp store and recreation area are the nicest - the RV sites up the hill by the cabins are smaller and closer together. The whole facility is very well maintained and the camp hosts live on site.

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.

Pros: this campground is fairly quiet (at least when I visited in fall), and has nice amenities including free hot showers.

Cons: they definitely cater to RVs. They have a primitive tent area, but it only has a vault toilet. The bathhouses (with showers and flush toilets) are all located in the loops with full hook up sites; I would expect if you had to choose to put facilities in one area over another, the tent area would make more sense since RVs have their own toilets and showers on board.

Given the chance, I probably wouldn't stay here again unless I was passing through.

Devils Backbone Brewery and Basecamp is amazing! This a great concept to put a nice campground right at a brewery/restaurant. 

The campground is only about a year old and has nice variety of sites. Full hook-up sites are all pull through, large, and flat. The tent sites are large and situated in the tree line for added shade. The bathhouse is one of the nicest we’ve ever visited. There is no wifi and limited cell phone service at the sites, but wifi is available at the main brewery compound. While we loved this campground and can’t wait to return, the one drawback that may take some planning is the hookup situation. There is a tower between two sites with water and electric and depending on the way you pull through the sewer hookup could be on the other side of the rig. This could be an inconvenience if your hoses are not long enough to reach under your rig to the hookups. The even numbered sites appear to be the best with all hookups on one side. 

One of the best parts of this campground is you can just walk to the main compound, which houses the brewery restaurant, distillery, two outdoor bars, fire pits and fire places, and chairs/seating. This area was amazing and nice to eat, drink, and relax. There is also a large stage area for the bands that regularly play. The food and drink were very good and reasonably priced. The price of the campground site was only$55 per night for full hook-ups within walking distance to the main area! 

Additionally, the campground is a prime location for exploring the other numerous wineries, cideries, and breweries in the area. We loved Devil’s Backbone and can’t wait to return!

Important RV directions!
DO NOT follow your gps. There are signs that actually say “gps navigation not recommended”. There are sharp turns, steep (15%) grades and low, narrow overpasses. Best entry is to take 64 to 151 south, then turn in Beach Grove Rd.

Newish campground.  22 ( I believe) full hook up sites, lots of tent sites.  You can walk to the brewery.  

Devils Backbone picks up hikers on the AT, brings them in for free camping and showers, also offers a hikers breakfast.  Your bar mate may be a little rank but they have some stories,

Stopped in for a quick overnight stay. Our site was a full hook up pull through which was decent sized and did not feel cramped. We were able to stay connected to our tow vehicle as the site was long enough to do so. The park had a clean pool and very welcoming staff. We wish we were able to stay longer to take in the sights as it is in a great location.

This campground is really new but is well run. The sites are new, clean and fairly level. The power posts are shared between two campers so that took a few folks by surprise. You do have to think about which way you want to pull in in order to accommodate full hook up needs. The brewery is an easy walk and the food and brew are good. The AT is near so hiking is abundant. One of the negatives is that it is not clear where the campground is in relation to the brewery. When you do locate the entrance, it has a tall stone entry that is barely wide enough for big rigs. Most folks had to pull both mirrors in to get through. We loved it there and met some really neat folks. Very peaceful.

**Campground Review: **

Devil’s Backbone Camp is a unique outdoor retreat that includes a campground at a large brewery complex. This was the best of both worlds, because we are beer enthusiast and avid campers. The campground includes 75 sites split between primitive tent sites, non-electric RV sites, and full hookup RV sites. All site types included a picnic table and fire ring. Check in for all camping is at the brewpub. I’ve included a picture of the map in my pictures for you to get a better understanding of the layout. 

We stayed on site 4 on this visit, which was a full hook up site. All the full hook up sites are pull thru and in an open field so limited shade. The hookups in this area where different than I have ever experienced as the hookups were shared between two sites. If you were on an even number site, this was no problem. However, if you were on an odd number site, you either had to hope you had the length on your water and power lines to run to the opposite side of your rig or you had to pull into the site the opposite way to get the connections on the standards side of your rig. The non-electric sites were back in and had a little more shade. The tent sites were in the woods so full shade. 

The camp is also just miles from the Appalachian Trail, so they provide a free shuttle to the camp, as well as group tent area for registered AT thru-hikers. 

There is single bathhouse in the camp area that is near the tent area and a good walk from both the RV areas. The bathhouse was clean and functional. 

Firewood is available at the camp host.

A short walk through the tent area brought you to the large brewery area. This area includes a brewpub, large outdoor seating area with fire pits and an outdoor stage, a distillery, cigar and cocktail lounge, an additional outdoor bar and grille, a breakfast building with craft coffee, and a gift shop. They also have their own green house to grow vegetables and source local farms for ingredients that they use in their brewpub kitchen and grille. 

The property also included two large cabins to rent and two hiking trails (one 3km and another 5km). 

We found good cell phone service with Verizon throughout the property. The camp area did have Wi-Fi, but it was a little bogged down on this Fourth of July stay (full campground). 

While we camped, we also had the opportunity to check out a few of the local attractions. Being at the base of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, there are many outdoor activities to take advantage of. We hiked to Humpback Rocks which is a decent climb, so be prepared, but once you summit, the views are amazing. The area around the camp also had many other breweries, ciderys, wineries, and distilleries. One cidery is right across the street from the campground, was fun to visit, and has lots of outdoor seating. We did enjoy our visit here and do recommend this campground. 

The main reasoning for the 4-star rating instead of a 5-star is due to the single bathhouse that is a good walk from the RV areas and the very unique water and power hookups in the full hookup area.

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**Product Review: **

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. At this campground, I tested the Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier. The variety pack from Liquid I.V.  includes powder packs in the flavors of lemon lime, acai berry, and passion fruit. The packets are very easy to use (just mix one packet with 16 ounces of water) and are small enough to pack in your backpack, purse, or even your pocket so you have it with you when you want to use it. With the hydration multiplier, drinking one 16-ounce bottle of water is equivalent to drinking three bottles of water. I found that I enjoyed all three of the flavors in the variety pack. I am not a big regular water drinker, but having a little flavor made me drink the water quicker and more frequently. Having this while hiking in the area and after enjoying the large selection of adult beverages in the area made me feel rejuvenated and ready to get out and see more of the area.

We stopped here overnight on a trip from Chicago to Virginia Beach. We had reserved a pull through but were just short in length and had to disconnect the tow vehicle for the night. They had longer sites so if this is important I would discuss when making reservation.  Site size was decent and definitely not on top of our neighbors giving us some space to enjoy. Campsite hosts were very friendly and recommended a swimming hole just a few miles down the road on the Blue Ridge Parkway that locals go swimming. Some nice amenities for the kids included jumping pad, nice park, pool and a few table games. Campground was quiet at night and we enjoyed a nice fire that evening. We found some time to drive the parkway. We did not think we would be able to squeeze it into the visit but it’s hard to pass up and they are literally right next to it. We did not get a chance to check showers or bathhouse as we had full hook ups and showered in our trailer. I would definitely recommend this campground and would stay again

We really like the location of this campground as we wanted to explore the VA wine country, Monticello, Skyline Drive and other sites in the area. Overall, we liked the park which had nice campsites, was very clean and well-kept, and we liked our campsite which was level and had full hook-up. 

Our campsite was a back-in which was in a quiet corner of the campground. The site was long enough for our 45’ motorhome and tow car. The site was perfectly level, gravel, and had nice grass on the patio which our dog enjoyed. All the utilities were well-placed, so you didn’t need additional hoses. The cable hook-up provided us with plenty of television channels and the wifi worked well (albeit we just used it to check email and did not stream anything). Some campsites are pull-thrus (if you don’t wat to unhitch or back up) but it seemed this section was busier with transient campers coming and going and the sites seemed a little tighter. Some back-in sites have a wooded area behind them and more shade than our relatively open site. There are tent sites situated under trees for shade and to add a little privacy. Tent areas have a picnic table and fire pit along with a wooden bench and high table you could use for food prep. The campground does not allow hammocks so make sure you have a tent and were not planning on sleeping in your hammock. 

As you would expect with a KOA, there are lots of amenities and many that are geared towards kids (although we didn’t see too many during our stay). There are two really nice playground with slides, swings, climbing walls, game room, swimming pool, bouncy pillow, etc. There is a small little basketball area with one hoop and a paved surface which is adequate for shooting hoops but not playing a full-court game. The dog park was surprisingly big and we were impressed at the size which was big enough to throw a ball for our lab. Other nice amenities were the fishing pond and a½ mile nature trail in the campground.

Nestled right up against the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, this is a great spot with semi- private spaces and full hook ups for RV’s. Check in was smooth with an escort. Resort has a pool on the property, well kept bathrooms, playground, and you can see the pride the staff has in the property and upkeep. There is a cavern tour which was really awesome (and relatively inexpensive), and the local town New Market has some small town shops and restaurants if you feel the need to explore locally. If Endless Caverns aren’t enough, nearby Luray Caverns are pretty close too which is very touristy.

Keep in mind that this campground is on the side of a mountain and it can get steep getting to some of the sites- but they have done a good job with copious amounts of gravel on roadways for traction.

Overall great experience and we’ll be back!