Are you an equestrian lover who prefers a more rustic experience when you visit Townsend? It's easy to find Townsend campgrounds for horse camping with The Dyrt. Find our top-rated horse campsites from other campers like you. Plan the perfect trip in minutes.
$30 - $47 / night
Just across the James River from historic Jamestown in beautiful Surry County, Chippokes Plantation is one of the oldest continually farmed plantations in the country. A working farm since 1619, the park offers modern recreational activities and a glimpse of life in a bygone era. Visitors tour the historic area with its antebellum mansion and outbuildings, stroll through formal gardens, and view antique equipment at the Chippokes Farm and Forestry Museum.
A campground and four overnight cabins allow visitors to stay on the historic grounds. The park has an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a visitor center with a gift shop. It also provides opportunities to bike, hike, ride horseback and picnic. Chippokes Plantation also offers wedding packages and meeting facilities.
Cabins, yurts and camping. For information on the availability of overnight accommodations, particular park amenities or to make a reservation, you can reserve online or call 800-933-PARK. Rental rates for cabins and camping vary by season, dwelling and park. First, determine the appropriate season, which can vary by park, then the relevant rate. You also may want to learn about the cancelation and transfer policies. A fee is charged per pet per night for cabin stays.
Traveler
Plenty of room..showers/bathrooms huge..water NOT at all sites but easy to fill tanks. Some sites close to main road but not a lot of traffic.
Legend
Chippokes State Park is located on the grounds of an old historic plantation, actually one if the original plantations in the area dating back to the 1600’s. The land grant was huge, and as a state park now it provides a rich opportunity to learn about the James River, the natural and indigenous history of the region, the settlement history and role of this plantation in Virginia History, and more. Visiting here provides hiking opportunities to learn about fossils along the river shore, the temperate forest in the woods, and history around the old plantation. Taking the ferry across the river from Jamestown to get here was part of the adventure too. There is a nature center and visitor center that provides lots of info and programs near the river , a network of easy park roads for biking, and the plantation itself, set back further away from the river, provides a wealth of learning, including about the history of crops and trade in this area, and about the lives of the slaves who worked the plantation. The grounds right around the plantation are, in fact, a memorial to the hundreds of souls who lived and worked the land here. It was an amazing learning experience to come to the park, and the options to stay over in the park include standard campsites in a wooded campground, or cabins. The campground has all the usual state park amenities, and was very quiet when we were there in November—so late fall is a great time to come, as the fall weather was amazing
TravelerOverall amazed at the cleanliness of the campground. The staff is very friendly. The park was very quiet going into the night.
TravelerPersonally, I spent my Birthday week 09-13 October there. I had a wonderful experience for my first time car camping. I would've preferred not having noisy camp neighbors but I guess it was to be expected. So happy that I invested in a tent that survived a rainy night with flying colors. It was a training run to get myself accustomed to the many insects that frayed my nerves. I would return though and the next time should be a lot easier on this old woman and her old husband. 😁
Guide
Great little beach area with separate dog beach Tight camping Great fishing Few full hook ups Short walk to beach Decent hiking trails Bring bug spray Very hot in camp ground
ScoutThis campground had beautiful beach access but the tent campsites are too close to other campers which I found awkward. Usually when I think of camping I think of some peaceful time in the woods but I felt like I was in a crowded restaurant. One thing I did appreciate was that the beach and campground were dog friendly and the bathrooms/showers were clean.
Traveler
The website tells a much different story than the camp itself. Mostly long term here and they don’t do a great job of making sure the sites aren’t full of junk. Can tell it used to be pretty nice but seems very run down now. A storm hit right after I got here and now I’m sitting in about 8 inches of water! Good for a night if you just need a stop over, but can’t say I’d like to be here any longer than that.
TravelerWe visited for a bit and fell in love with the peace and serenity. The kids enjoyed the playground for a bit and then watched the sky to observe the hawks. The old ships are a true sight to see!
TravelerWe camped at Kiptopeke State Park in a Super C Dynamax DX3. We enjoyed this park a lot because we had a great site. The majority of the sites in the Kiptopeke State park are on the open space. All sites are spacious, clean and green, but there is nowhere to hide from the sun. There are very few shaded ones and we were lucky to get one of those. Kiptopeke State park has two unguarded beaches on the Chesapeake Bay. Kiptopekes northern swim beach is nearly half a mile long. The south beach, which is even longer is open to swimming, fishing, boating and dogs are allowed on leash. And its absolutely beautiful! We have a video about this park in our YouTube channel- Summertime RV Rovers- RV Campgrounds in Maryland and Virginia: Kiptopeke State Park and Outstanding Dreams Alpaca Farm. Please check for yourself.
ScoutGreat staff. Very helpful and keep the park clean. They have firewood at $6.00 a bundle. We went on a sellout weekend but was still pretty quiet
ScoutMy friends and I love to come and chill here every year. Love falling asleep to the sounds of waves and watching the stars. Great place for fishing too.
GuidePlenty of space at the site and plenty to do. Really enjoyed the beach!
Legend
Arrived shortly after 8 pm after a long day's drive. The sun was going down but it wasn't dark yet. The campground office was locked and deserted. No posted instructions about after hours registration, no pay box. Ran into a park ranger who informed me the campground was closed for the evening; as in, would not take my money. Seriously? The campground is behind a gate with a keypad, so no chance of driving in and talking to the camp host. The ranger was kind and apologetic at least.
Drove a little further south and found a nice site at Bells Island Campground. The host there was happy to take my money.
ScoutLove camping and fishing
ScoutBath houses were clean & the trails were awesome!
ScoutSuch a peaceful place! Hardly anyone there when we went. Sites well spaced, grounds well kept. The hiking is outstanding. A gem of a place. Just be prepared for no Wi-Fi.
GuideFirst time here and will definitely be going back. Many trails, beautiful beach and well maintained campground. Trails were marked well and taken care of. Beach was clean and water was gorgeous. (F Section) Campsites are decent sized. Bathhouse was aged but clean and kept stocked. Camp staff and patrons were very friendly. Also there is Cape Charles, which is about 10-15 mins away. Awesome little town with many things to see, do and try. From good food to distillery to local art gallery. Highly recommend this place.
TravelerPine forests, wild beaches and nice bathrooms
ScoutPlenty of things to do for the active camper. Put put golf, kayak, hiking and much more.
GuideFirst time camping at this state park. Tent site was spacious and very shaded. We camped on the F loop which is tucked away. Site was a quick walk to the swimming beach and bathhouse. If you don't have bikes/don't ride a bike, location is pretty far from camp store and trail heads.
Loved that we could take our dogs on the south beach and enjoy a beach day with our dogs & toddler. Beautiful sunsets on the bay.
Bathhouse is outdated, and did not experience any hot water from the showers. Toddler rolling around in sand meant multiple showers, all chilly.
TravelerLove this camp ground. Just love how clean it is. Bathrooms, showers are a big plus. Nice trails and fishing. Will be visiting again.
ScoutWe come every year because it's on our top list of yearly visits. The beach and staff there are nice. Crabbing and fishing there's very popular. Very pet friendly and they also made a beach side for pets to swim at. Wild animals usually pass by often later in the evening, horses, deer, rabbits etc; sites are nice and big. Some sunny some shady. Park usually fills up when I'm there
TravelerWe spent 3 nights at this park. It's a wonderful place. Great showers & restrooms. Large swimming pool but it was closed. Water & Electric. No sewer but a nice dump place. The host was extremely nice & helpful.
GuideThis is a “Diamond in the rough” location. We stayed is site A08 which was a little uneven, but we enjoyed the shade from the trees as a lot of the middle sites did not have any trees. The beach is within walking distance and the water was a dream! The waves ebbed and flowed instead of breaking in your face thanks to the concrete ships causing a barrier. Kayaking out the the concrete ships was not available when we visited, but they were opening up tours July 15,2021. All in all, we had a great weekend here.
LegendWe really enjoyed the short hiking trails and the opportunity to kayak off the very nice beaches. The boat landing was extremely busy, but a separate section for canoes/kayaks made it slick to get in and out.
The bathrooms are not well maintained, although this time there was hot water! Our site was good and semi-private. Certainly large enough for our two man tent and camp chairs.
A small camp store means you may have to take a trip into town, which is close by. There are also a number of nice restaurants in the area. Gas, groceries, etc. are near by.
TravelerA great nights sleep. Lovely setting, shady and quiet. Bathrooms were brand new, showers were clean & HOT. Coin laundry available. They are in the process of adding another bathroom/shower building so only running at half capacity when we visited. Lots of fun activities for families!
RangerGreat little trails to the beach. The RV areas had zero privacy. The tent camping area had a lot more privacy but the bathrooms in that area were not as clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Townsend, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Townsend, VA is Kiptopeke State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 52 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Townsend, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 5 equestrian camping locations near Townsend, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
