Big Meadows was the second stop at the halfway point on our tour of Shenandoah National Park. First stop was Mathews Arm which is about 1/4 of the way on Skyline Drive (north to south). After Big Meadows, we stopped at Loft Mountain. These parks are well spaced for viewing and hiking in between each campground.

I'm a big fan of campgrounds in national parks. Why do I like this one?

• Simplicity, i.e. no frills but all the basic needs are available

• This one (and the others in Shenandoah) have generator-free areas.

• First-come, first-served sites: About 20% of the 230+ sites can't be reserved.

• The $20 price is a bargain and our Lifetime Senior Pass cuts the fee in half.

• Hiking: Don't miss the Rose River hike and all the cascading waterfalls. You can start near the campground with a trip to Dark Hollow Falls and continue with the Rose River Loop. Pick up the info sheet on the Big Meadows Area hikes at one of the Visitor Centers. The hiking maps are excellent.

• Steven Mather, the first director of the NPS, wanted to create a park in the eastern US that is like the western parks. This park and its campgrounds have that vibe.

The Sites

• Sites are all back in, i.e. no pull throughs.

• Non-reservable sites: Some tent sites, all of C and all of I. Check the photo of the site map.

• Walk-to tent sites: It's not a long walk to your site from a designated parking spot. There are food storage boxes at most sites so you don't have to move food back to your car. These sites are more secluded than the regular sites.

• Generator-free zone: See the site map photo that shows all walk-to tent sites, all of B and part of A in the generator-free zone.

• Choosing a site: Arrive early if you don't have a reservation. Some of the non-reservation sites will be claimed by people staying multiple nights. If you want to be in the generator-free zone, you should probably reserve a site. We were able to get one without a reservation but it was on a weekday in October. If you don't mind having a generator near you, I thought the sites on the outside of E were nice because there is no one behind you.

• Some sites have food storage lockers. Google reviews indicate park rangers insist you keep all food in a locker, camper or vehicle, and you can be fined if you don't. Apparently, bears recognize coolers so you should cover them up in vehicles. (I also heard this at Rocky Mountain NP.) 

Amenities

• Restrooms with a utility sink outside some of them. Potable water and trash/recycling stations are spread throughout the park. These are all shown on the site map photo.

• Showers in a central area: $1.75 for 5.25 minutes. Yes, that's what it is! You can do it! These are the classiest showers I've seen in a national park.

• Laundry facility

• Campstore with ice, wood and some food

• Dump station