Staunton River State Park Campground

The campground needs some updating- there’s only one bathhouse with just 2 showers- if the campground would’ve been full, it would’ve been miserable. Also only one dumpster and it’s on the way out of the campground. BUT it’s a designated dark sky park & the stars were amazing. They also lend out telescopes. They also have nice walking trails & if you like to paddle, the river is nice & flat. There is little to no cell service.

This is a pretty standard campground. Sites are extremely close together and campground is kind of tiny. One bathhouse for the whole campground. This park would probably appeal to equestrians, boaters, and RVers over tent campers. Unfortunately the promixity of other campers was stressful this weekend because of the screaming family right next to us. River views are nice. Probably won’t return.

We stayed in a tent, and enjoyed the quiet and the bird, but especially the skies. This is part of the International Dark Sky Association. We brought stargazing folding chairs (Nemo Stargaze Luxury Recliner, find on Amazon, et al) and binoculars. The campground will loan very easy-to-use telescopes, too! That was really cool. It was clean and quiet. The camp host was very nice as were the rangers and the Park Manager.

They have public star parties there, so check with the park on when they are.

We camped here again at Staunton River State Park, this time we stayed in site 21, which is an electric site near the bathrooms/showers and one of the best for viewing stars. There is little tree cover and a sort of field behind the campsite where you can set up your telescope and see the stars really well. We were also able to rent one of the telescopes they have at the Visitors center (for free!) and use it throughout the stay.

We came the weekend after the fourth of July which was hot but surprisingly not too crowded. We participated in some of the parks' programs this time around and it made it such a great experience, especially for the kids. They had smores around the fire on a Friday night, where they handed out smores ingredients around a big campfire near the visitors center and you could chat with other campers. It was so nice! Then they had a outdoor movie afterwards. The next day we went to a "feed the animals" program, where the kids got to meet and help feed all the animals in the visitors center and learn more about them. There were turtles, snakes, fish! The kids loved it! We did the Junior Ranger hike and the kids all got badges. Hopefully the pool will be open next summer because it was so hot and that would have been awesome! But there is another Virginia State Park nearby, Occoneechee, that has a splash pad that we went to. Such a fun time!

My husband and I love this park. Small campground only 2 loops. We like to go during the off season when there are less families. If you like star gazing the park is one of very few that is a certified dark sky park.

We had a great weekend here. Enjoyed outdoor movie on Friday. Park rangers had great kids programs including animal feeding frenzy where we learned about snakes and turtles and we invoked in feeding. Also lots of any pelts to learn about. Park is part of international Darksky Association, great for stargazing and viewing. Telescopes for rent. Great water access for kayaking . Sites were nice and level with some having separate area for tent/camper and terrace for picnic table and fire ring.

My gkids and I stayed here one night because they wanted to earn a winter camping badge and it was so worth it! We were there on a beautiful chilly clear night and the sky and stars were amazing! If you love stargazing this is the park for you. It is an International Dark Sky Park. There is a large open field by the park check in and store. The park offers rentals of telescopes too. They also have a nature learning lab, some cool animals, and a fantastic gift shop. This was our first time here and we are definitely going back. Since we only stayed one night we didn't get to explore the park much but it looks fantastic and we can't wait to go back some time this summer. The gkids brought their bikes and loved riding around the park. It was rather empty since it was still technically winter. The showers were hot and the bathrooms were clean. The rangers were nice and helpful. I can't wait to see this park in the summer in all of its lush and leafy splendor.

We got a non-electric site and in November is was in the 30's at night - pretty cold for tent camping! But we bundled up and made lots of fires! Fire wood is available at the visitors center for a fee. The campsites come with a fire ring, picnic table, room for two cars. We have a pretty large tent so I was a little concerned we weren't going to be able to fit, but were able to squeeze two tents on the tent pad, it worked out just fine. The amenities are great. Bathrooms are within walking distance from all campsites. Ours was a bit of a walk uphill but not bad. Nice clean, hot showers! Lots of friendly families camping here but was overall very quiet and peaceful. The visitors center is awesome! We didn't try it this time, but you can rent a telescope for free to view the stars! They have a huge gift shop as well. And a fun playground that the kids enjoyed. We made a reservation here because the park is an International Dark Sky park and we wanted a great view of the stars. Boy did it deliver! Beautiful starry skies! And some great views of the river and hiking close to the campground was awesome as well. Would love to come back again soon!

Nice, wide open areas! Beautifully maintained park, great staff, LOVE the care and attention that they've put into restoring and preserving the older buildings.

The campground at Staunton River State Park has lots of shade, water and electrical hookups, level sites, are not on top of each other, and… gravel sites. I understand the reason for gravel sites, but it is NOT good for tent campers, especially for campers that do not have freestanding tents. The first two attempts at driving tent stakes in resulted in bent stakes. Even though I said the sites are not on top of each other, they are still close enough that you do not get much privacy. The noise from other campers was fairly loud. Two units(e.g., camper+ tent) are allowed, but there is little room for anything, especially since campers are supposed to keep everything within the boundaries of the“timbers.” We got one of the largest sites, and it still was crowded. There was a fire ring with a grate, a picnic table, and two lantern poles, but again, everything was tight. Fitting two vehicles within the limits was nearly impossible. I know we weren’t supposed to set anything up outside the boundaries(please forgive us), but we set up our dining canopy and hammocks outside of the timbers. Despite the campsite limits, I still think this campground and the state park were great. There were many miles of trails for biking, hiking, and horseback riding. We rode our bikes along a couple of the trails, but we had to steer around horse poop(not always successfully). The trail itself was scenic at times when we rode by the river, and it was not too difficult. There are enough“bumps” for bikers to get their heartbeats jumping, but the trails are easy and moderate. Kayaking and fishing seemed to be two of the more popular activities. There is a boat ramp, and beside the boat ramp, there were several people fishing. Many kayakers came and went as we put our kayaks into the water. The one thing kayakers have to be aware of is the presence of speed boats. We got hit by passing boaters several times. Other activities at this campground/state park are disc golf, playing on the playground, tennis, and swimming. Unfortunately, the swimming area is closed for 2020 because of the pandemic. However, several people were swimming at the boat landing. When it is open, the swimming pool area is exceptional for a state park. There is a water slide and a really nice swimming complex. Staunton River State Park is also designated as an“International Dark Sky Park.” Unfortunately, we did not take advantage of that. After biking and kayaking all day and camp cooking during the evening, we were exhausted. There is no shortage of things to do, and I wish I could have stayed at least a couple more days. Overall, the park is a fairly nice place, but if you take a tent, make sure it is a freestanding tent.

The campground is well maintained and the sights are awesome. The hiking trails are also do horses and parts have been beaten down and there was a lot of horse poop in the trail. Still worth the hike to see the peaceful water though.

Love this park. I stayed in cabin #4 twice in the last year and had a great time! The park offers several activities: hiking, biking, fishing, wildlife viewing, boating (if you bring your own boat), stargazing (the park has been recognized as International Dark sky and there are two telescopes that can be checked out for free at the visitor’s center). The staff is very polite and the gift shop is great! While staying there I saw a skunk, a groundhog, several deer and a great variety of birds. We enjoyed gorgeous sunsets from a little beach area near the cabins. The cabins are rustic (they date back to 1936) but very cozy and clean.

We loved everything about this park.

Clean bathrooms, friendly rangers, beautiful scenery.

Large, flat and level spots were great. The pool here is amazing and it’s a designated star watching area and they even “rent“ (no charge!) telescopes from the very nice Visitor‘s Center!

We went to this park. We had a real good time.We played volley ball. Some of us fished. We cooked on the grill everything was so nice. Me and my family plan to go back.

We stayed over Memorial Day and even though the park was full it was pretty quiet. Good park for families as they have a pool and s on wines show movies at night. Good trails for walking.

The park doesn't offer much in the way of difficult trails. It's very geared toward recreation with a central pool and a large paved road running through the park. The trails run along the river and are easy for novice hikers. Checking into the park in the evening is a little difficult, and the instructions for leaving a few weren't easy to find. We learned that you have to leave and envelope on the visitor center door. The campgrounds aren't well lit and are a little ways into the forest so finding a spot at night is hard without your headlights on but you run the chance of disturbing other campers. The spaces had a gravel pad for tents, picnic tables, and some water sources.