Belle Isle State Park Campground

Hello,

Wow is all I have to say about this camping trip. It was partially our own fault because we had to rush in and didn’t research local bug populations. But holy crap! We kayaked in a sunset which was gorgeous and their were six tent sites. 4 of which were close together and two new ones which were really nice. No one was there but us. You can boat or hike in. We did primitive tent camping and it was so beautiful with our own lake view and private site for the time being but the BUGS were from another planet. We had super mutant mosquitoes and horse flies. They were resisitant to citronella candles, essential oils, and bug spray with 40% deet. We only found relief in the water. They invaded our tent as well and spent an hour in the evenings killing them before bed but still woke up with welts. If we come back it will be in winter when there are NO BUGS!!!!!! (Hopefully)

Amazing Site but SUPER MUTANT BUGS GALORE 

I used to live by this park and I visited it all the time with my cousins as kids! There are a couple playgrounds, swing sets, and tons of open areas for children to enjoy. The trails are nice and fairly well kept. The little sandy beach is by far my favorite part of the park though! The water is shallow and warm in the summer. In fact, the water is so shallow that you can wade almost 400 meters out or more! There are often crabs, small fish, and sometimes jellyfish floating about. There is always cool driftwood and shells to collect along the sand. Belle Isle is a great place to visit for day trips or over night camping! I’d definitely recommend it to anyone in the area that wants to get a small taste of the Chesapeake Bay and it’s wildlife and plants. 

Adorable

Only 30 sites, all which have electric/water hookup. We’ve been here twice now, once with an RV and once in a tent. Most sites are shady and level, with lots of space between. The park rangers are friendly and knowledgeable, and there is a LOT to do. Beautiful hikes and bike trails, a small beach for the kids to splash in. We stayed in site 20, with friends across the way in 11, and it was a great way to see friends, but also have privacy. Sites 19 and 20 would be great buddy sites as well. We love it there!

Quiet and peaceful!

Spent Halloween here on a last minute reservation and man were we happy! This campsite is remote to the rest of VA for the most part, but hey isn’t that what camping is all about? Site #16 was perfect. It was gravel site that was level and very well maintained. Possibly our favorite campground in a VA State Park so far, it was that great of an experience. Come stocked with food and water since I don’t think there’s any large food markets that are close by (I could be wrong). We had water hookups and electric. They also have firewood sold at the campground that they sell on the honor system.

Impressed

I had some family members camping here, and took a quick day trip just to look around and take a couple of small hikes, and to use the dump station. 

Campground has a shower/bathroom/laundry block that looks well taken care of. Washers and dryers are $1.25. There is a handicap shower available. Dump station was $10 for non-campers. 

Nice hiking trails right along the waters edge, but you’ll want to bring some bug spray to fend off the voracious mosquitoes. We were there in mid-October, I shudder to think what it’s like in the summer. 