Loft Mountain Campground, near Elkton, Virginia, is a solid choice for those looking to immerse themselves in the beauty of [Shenandoah National Park](https://thedyrt.com/camping/virginia/near/shenandoah-national-park). With its spacious sites and picnic tables, it’s a great spot for gathering around the fire and soaking in the stunning views.

This campground offers essential amenities like clean bathrooms and a camp store stocked with firewood, ice, and snacks. Visitors have noted that the sites are generally well-maintained, with some offering a surprising amount of privacy despite being in a national park setting. As one camper mentioned, “We found the campground to be well maintained, well marked, and easy to navigate.”

For outdoor enthusiasts, Loft Mountain is conveniently located near popular hiking trails, including the Appalachian Trail. The nearby Blackrock Summit and Doyles River Falls trails provide excellent opportunities for exploration and adventure. Plus, the scenic Skyline Drive is just a stone's throw away, offering breathtaking vistas that are definitely worth the trip.

While some campers have pointed out that the sites can feel a bit crowded, the overall atmosphere is friendly and welcoming. Whether you're here for a quick overnight stop or a longer stay, Loft Mountain Campground has the essentials to make your visit enjoyable.

## Overview

 Perched on top of Big Flat Mountain, this is one of the largest campgrounds in the park. Loft Mountain is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, providing a wilderness getaway in the historic Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. 
## Recreation

 Shenandoah National Park has over 500 miles of trails, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Some trails lead to a waterfall or lookout, while others wind deep into the forest and wilderness. Trails to the Big Run Wilderness area are accessible from the campground, and pristine waterfalls are a common site along the popular trails. Wildlife viewing is also a popular pastime, with black bears, wild turkey, deer, birds and countless other animals abundant across the park. The campground is located right off of Milepost 80 on the famous Skyline Drive, which runs 105 miles north and south along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Stunning views are available from any of the 75 scenic overlooks.
## Facilities

 This expansive campground offers 207 campsites, as well as amenaties like flush toilets and water and dump stations, which create a comfortable camping experience. Pay showers are nearby at the campstore. 
## Natural Features

 Shenandoah National Park includes 300 square miles of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the southern Appalachians. The park rises above the Virginia Piedmont to its east and the Shenandoah Valley to its west. Loft Mountain's location on the mountain top offers easy access to Skyline Drive which offers sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the surrounding rolling hills and open meadows. 
## Contact Info

 For facility specific information, please call (540) 627-6212. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Two visitor centers with bookstores and exhibits are located in the park (milepost 5 and milepost 51). There are concession managed restaurants, gift shops and lodging facilities scattered throughout the park.
## Charges & Cancellations

 Changing Reservations: There is no change fee if a visitor extends or shortens a reservation, as long as the change includes dates from the original reservation. Additionally, there is no change fee if the visitor wants to switch sites that are the same price with the same reservation dates in the same facility. If a visitor wants to switch dates that are entirely outside of the original reservation dates, there is a $10 change fee. If a reservation is made that includes dates beyond the maximum booking window, that reservation cannot be changed until 18 days have passed from the original booking date. Once a reservation date has begun, visitors cannot change a reservation using the online system or through the Call Center. Onsite staff will assist with changes or cancellations. Cancellations: Visitors may cancel their reservation prior to arrival both on-line and through the call center. A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refund for a cancellation. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's approved rate including tax and applicable add-on. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. Visitors who cancel a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days prior to arrival date will pay a $10 service fee AND forfeit the first nights rate. No-Shows: A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Early Departures: Visitors are requested to notify staff at the facility if they depart early to allow others to use the site. If the visitor chooses to depart early, they may forfeit the approved rate and applicable tax and applicable add-on for the day of departure. If a visitor departs prior to the scheduled check-out date, they may be eligible for a partial refund. Visitors may notify the Recreation.gov call center to request a refund of remaining unused nights. If a visitor requests a refund for an early departure after the facility check-out time (12 noon) has passed, the visitor will not be refunded for that night and is eligible for a refund on any additional nights that will not be used. Refunds: Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Visitors may also initiate a refund request through the call center at any time after their reservation has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive. In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.

Loft Mountain Campground — Shenandoah National Park

Looking for the best campgrounds near Dyke, VA? There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.

Dyke

The Best Camping Near Dyke, Virginia

Ideal car camping spot. Much more secluded/wooded between camping spots than many east coast parks camping sites. Great views within 10-15 minute hike. 

Nice park camping

The family just returned from 3 days hidden away at Loft Mountain. My daughter picked site A33g since it was secluded and we were unlikely to have neighbors during our midweek visit. It was a bit of a walk through lush greenery from the car to the tent site, but once there, you really feel like you are the only humans on the mountain. Our site was flat and spacious with a sturdy picnic table and large fire ring with adjustable height grill. Restrooms were adequate and just over a 5 minute walk. There is even a camp store and new shower facility a short car ride away. We were certainly surprised to have a deer family joun us during dinner. The mountain remained fogged in for most of our stay, but hikes on the AT and Doyles Falls were stunning. Highly recommend this spot!

Foggy dream

When we go camping here it is always like a second home. Everyone is always so kind. There are tons of trails all around. They have a camp store within grounds and a wayside just outside of grounds.

Been going for years

The cool part about visiting Shenandoah is nobody has really caught on to how neat the park really is. It sees the least amount of tourists per year, which is a shame, but also allows you to pretty much own the park while you're here! 

I've stayed in every Campground at least once here- and I can now honestly say that Loft is the one I will exclusively be setting up at from now on. They have the mountain views, the option of total seclusion or more accessible spots, and some really clean showers and bathrooms. The sites are cheap enough along with being pretty large. 

The only negative thing I would have to say is the picnic tables were totally rotted out- but we brought a table cloth to hide it and there were rangers inspecting the tables while we were there to replace them- so this shouldn't be a problem for long.

Our site backed right up to the apalachian trail. There were some extremely breathtaking places to watch the sunset (west facing makes for less impressive sunrises, but we take what we can get.) and you could also walk to quite a few hikes without much trouble!

Showers are hot and steamy- and will only cost you 1.75. The wood is freakishly expensive at 7 bucks a bundle- but you're not allowed to bring wood from other places so it's just one of those things. 

Loved my stay at the park as usual- even got to see a few bears lumber through our campsite!

 

Secluded and tons of opportunity for wildlife viewing!

Liked this campground a lot, while not as intimate as Lewis Mountain, with a couple hundred sites you can luck out. While there are awesome "hike in" tent sites some of them are a little hard to determine if someone's already down there occupying them (See photo) and you may have to basically walk through someone else's site to get to yours. Saying that a lot of these sites are actually pretty nicely spaced out from each other, especially the pull through and back-in. There was a nice amount of Ranger presence as you saw them drive through every so often, so most people seemed to be following the "rules" pretty well. (or at least i didn't witness anything like at Lewis mountain)

We were a little worried before we went through after reading some recent reviews where people were complaining about super high grass and ticks, but we found neither of these to be an issue during our visit.

You will want to make sure and know where the bathhouses are ahead of time if you think you might head there after dark as they are all a little hidden away and so you will want to make sure you know where you're going initially. Although once you find it they are nicely maintained and very clean despite the large number of people using them.

Depending on where you are, the campstore can be a nice long hike in of itself. This is the only location with showers (pay) and while there are a good number, can still get pretty busy with the large number of possible campers.

Like the other campgrounds you have "easy" access to the AT, but unlike the other sites, you kind of have to walk through the "hike in" tent sites which some people might not mind doing, but I felt bad.....

Good mix of open and secluded RV and tent sites

Tent-camped here with a group of friends, and the site was plenty large enough for 2 tents, a makeshift tarp shelter, and vehicle. We ended up getting rained out, unfortunately, but not before we got to do a little hiking and relaxing by the fire :) Beautiful area, with lots of great hiking trails right near the campground.

Great views, secluded sites

We stayed in October in the middle of the week and had a section of the tent camping all to ourselves. Our site was a walk in so there was a bear locker that was extremely helpful to keep our stuff dry with the rain. We read that there were spectacular views, but the views were little peeps of mountain between all of the trees. There were a handful of sites that had a little better view, but I was expecting it to look like an overlook and was disappointed. The bathrooms were immaculate for a campground as well as the laundry facility(great when you have wet gear!). The campstore was well stocked with food to cook, beer/wine, souvenirs, and camp gear. There is also a wayside by the entrance to the campground that has another store and lunch counter.

Poor views, but nice facilities

Lots of cool trails to explore around there

Trails

Me and my best friend decided to head here over the weekend and we're not disappointed! We were able to find a nice spot to set up my Tentsile tent and enjoyed food cooked over the fire and hammocked and hiked all weekend long! The hike we chose was the perfect distance and great one to break in the summer hikes. The weather was nice and cool in the evenings (in May) and only sprinkled a little at night. But we kept nice and dry! The sites are close, but you feel like you have your own special spot without being disturbed by others. The restrooms were in great shape as well. I would definitely go again!

Relaxing and peaceful

Great campground! My only suggestion would be to either do some research or if you can, pick your spot on arrival. Some sites are much more flat than others. I stayed in G loop near the bathrooms. There’s also a utility sink for doing a final rinse of dishes. The camp store is amazing. They truly have everything from ice cream to coffee to hiking poles to sweatshirts. If you forget anything they’ve got it. Firewood is sold there for $7 a bundle in a decent size. The AT is about half a mile from the campground. The bathrooms were always clean. Portable water is available in several locations. The hike in sites in A loop have much nicer views and a much higher level of privacy. They’re only a few paces from the AT. Site A14 and A15 are near the best sweeping views. Overall I would 100% go back. I loved the hiking and amenities offered, I would just try to choose a flatter site. There are garbage and recycling dumpsters available as well.

Nice Campground with Great Amenities 

It’s has small sites, great for tent camping, but not great for a fifth wheel. Bath houses are available and a small amp store.great for overnight camping and some bear coolers are available.

Great view

We visited in early June. It's a large campground, with a mix of tent campers and rv's. When we arrived, we opted for the more secluded tent camping sites towards the back of the campground. While we were happy with our chosen site, what we should have done was snagged one of the spots on the western edge of the campground, which backs up against the AT and an incredible view of the sunset. Even if you don't opt for one of those sites, do yourself a favor and head over there in the evening to watch the sun go down.

Nice facility, great views from west side

Beautiful location, though the sites are fairly small and close together. We stayed on the F loop, which was non-electric but roomier with more privacy. Don't plan on being able to gather dry wood for an easy fire; it rains frequently on the mountain and things tend to stay damp for a while. Showers are coin operated and there's a change machine nearby. The camp store was pretty decent and staff members were extraordinarily friendly.

Beautiful location, cramped sites

We drove into the park for this campground because it seemed to have “walk in” tent camping that was more secluded than typical sites. When we got here, we found out that those sites are actually open fields with little to no privacy while, ironically, the pull through sites at this campground have tons of vegetation and are super private. Great bathroom facilities and we loved our quiet site. Drove south to the 9.8 mi Rip Rap/AT/Wildcat loop. Awesome hike with a great swimming hole about halfway. If you’re comfortable with a strenuous hike, don’t miss it!!!!

Tent campers- grab a pull through! 

Love this camp ground it is well manaqured (although I got poison Ivy) friendly staff and great store clean bathrooms and showers makes a great stay for your Shenandoah stay

love this area

This is one of our favorite campgrounds in the state of Virginia. The higher elevation of the mountain means lower humidity, and while we have seen rain here more often than not, it usually moves through pretty quickly, and we have also seen some incredible sunsets.

Our favorite loop is the western side of A loop--most of the sites are walk-in sites so they offer a little more privacy and no concern of our kids wandering into the street where cars/bikes are going by. If you get lucky site A20 has incredible western views over the valley, and you can watch the sun set directly from your tent.

There are plenty of sites here for whatever type of camping you prefer--large pull-ins for RVs, large tent pads, grassy and open, shady and secluded, and sites that are near each other if you are with friends/family and want to get multiple sites together. Currently loops F&amp;G are by reservation only, which is a shame as they are the best drive-up sites for tent-campers, so if you haven't been there before it makes it tricky to know you are getting a site that will fit your tent. F loop sites are a little larger, while G loop are a little more private.

Very, very family friendly campground, and lots of nearby hiking. One of my favorite trails for kids, Blackrock Summit, is only about 4 miles south on Skyline Drive, though you can hop on the AT directly at the campsite and have ample hiking opportunities without ever getting in the car. During the late spring through the summer it is common to see thru-hikers set up for the night.

Our last visit here was in June, but September/October is my favorite time to go, on account of cooler nights and fall color in the trees.

Large variety of sites  to meet all camping types

This is an honor system, first come first serve. Not a lot of sites here. They do have a store and showers within walking distance though. Some of the sites are really close together with minimal privacy. It was still really quiet after hours and it backs directly up to the Appalachian trail and at least one other hike that we saw. We enjoyed our stay here but would have liked a bit more spread out sites.

Small but still nice.

I recently camped at one of the “tent only” sites, and it was a pleasant stay. The campground hosts are friendly, great amenities, quiet atmosphere, and access to many hiking trails. The camp store is close and is awesome! They have anything and everything if you forget it. Highly recommended if you want to camp in Shenandoah.

Great campground

Great central location in deflation to some awesome hikes and close to civilization. Basic goods and alcohol available in the camp store. Nice spacious and clean camp spots. If you come here early in the season there's also plenty of firewood available in the wooded areas all over the campground. 

I'd have loved to see free showers on the campground but no complaints otherwise.

Will certainly go back!

Great central location

We loved sharing the site with so much wildlife. We had a bear, a doe and her fawn, and a lively family of rabbits. The facilities are clean, and there is a store and showers. Only thing I didn't like was the one way through the whole campground, but I understand the need for it. They have walk in sites for tent campers who want a more wilderness experience or for the through trail campers.

Quiet campground in Shenandoah NP

This campground is perfect for those looking to just get away from things for a couple of days. The drive in from Swift Run Gap or the South Entrance is fairly easy, but off the road enough that you won't hear traffic. The roads within the campground are curvy enough to encourage people to go slow. Also, most sites are hedged on all sides with woods, boulders, and bushes except for the road side.

I've only car camped here, but there were plenty of people hiking into their sites. Those sites look far more remote and peaceful than the car camping, but having a potty-training 1-year old, I opted for a site close to the restrooms. We were actually right next to one and the sounds were a bit bothersome to me, but it was a great trade off for the family.

This is bear country and we saw a few bears lolly gagging in the area. They were curious and never posed a danger from what we could sense. If you are comfortable with being close to a more docile black bear, then you'll get your chance out here. Having said that, keep your food in a bear bag or in your car. DO NOT leave it in a rag top Jeep/car as I've had a friend replace their Wrangler roof after it was torn into by a bear smelling food.

The camp store is loaded with everything you need from food to needed gear. Plus, the showers are a couple of bucks in quarters for 5 minutes and they are far cleaner than I've experienced out West.

There is not a gas station close by, so be sure to have at least a half tank when you arrive. I'm sure the rangers would assist, but just not worth it if you can prepare.

There is a short hike (around 1 mile) called Frazier Discover Trail. It starts at a Wayside point at the turn off for the campground from Skyline Drive. It's got a nice incline, but the views are worth it.

My favorite part with the family was the Saturday night Ranger presentation. The location of the presentation allows you to get FANTASTIC views of the sunset while learning about mushrooms, local wildlife, or something else the rangers make interesting. You've got to make the sunset to make it worth it.

This was my second stay at Loft Mountain and I'd do it again.

Awesome Campground in Shenandoah National Park

In our opinion this is the best campground in Shenandoah National Park. Sites are large and many offer privacy. Sites include fire ring and picnic tables. Some of the sites have a mountain view where you can watch the sunset. The campground has great facilities including flush toilets, hot and cold running water, indoor showers ($1.75 for 5 minutes), laundromat, camp store with groceries, camping supplies, wine and beer, sandwiches, and morning coffee. The sites are $15 per night in this campground, and there is an entrance fee into Shenandoah National Park (we paid $30 for a week). The Appalachian Trail runs thru this campground and offers some great hiking.

Loft Mountain Campground in Shenandoah National Park 

Nice shady camp sites. Some are bike in sites and most good shade. Nice trails near by including the AT. Wildlife spotting .. mother bear and 3 babies, deer, snakes, owl, rabbit, etc.

sunset magifcent

Wonderful mountain ridge camping

Loft mountain campsite I’d say is more for hikers, site see’rs, and maybe travelers.  If you want to just get away and go camping, I’m not sure this spot is the best.  If you want to get out and find hiking trails or beautiful sites along Skyline Drive and just need a site to lay your head down at night? This is the place.  Many of the sites are very close together, and in direct view of other camper.  To some this isn’t a problem and it’s really not for me either.  But for the just camping to get out of the city trip is what your looking for, this may not be for you.  
The reservation service through the website was weird.  Must reserve two days in advance, at least.  
We went last weekend of Sept and just drove there on Friday night hopping a walk in would be available. There was.  By Saturday afternoon every campsite was occupied.  The self register when the guard shack is closed is an easy and fair system.  
There is a great store that closes at 8pm but has everything that you probably forgot at home plus more.  They require that you only burn kiln dried wood at Lift Mountain.  They have bundles for sale in the store for $7.  We found out that the wood was still a little moist and did not burn all that great.  
The nearby trails and views are AMAZING!  We did a short 3.3 mike round trip to two waterfalls and it was fantastic.  Later on watched the sunset at one of the Skyline lookouts.  
My overall take: if your looking to really get outdoors and see nature this is your camp.  If your looking for a leisurely camp away, your could find better.

For the hikers and site seers. 

Loft Mountain was the third stop on our tour of Shenandoah National Park. First stop traveling south on Skyline Drive was Mathews Arm and second was Big Meadows at about the halfway point. Loft Mountain is at about the 3/4 mark. 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? Pretty much the same reasons as I liked the other Shenandoah campgrounds:

- All the basic needs are available in a scenic setting.

- Generator-free sections (because I hate noisy generators)

- About 75% of the sites are first-come, first-served sites so you should always be able to find a site if you arrive early.

- The $15 price is a bargain and our Lifetime Senior Pass cuts the fee in half.

- Hiking: There's a lot to keep you busy in the entire national park, but rainy, foggy weather kept us from exploring as much as we'd like. We'll be back!

**Things to Know About the Sites**

- Some sites have food storage boxes. Use them as an alternative to keeping food locked in your vehicle.

- Walk-to tent sites: It's not a long walk to your site from a designated parking spot.

- I was surprised to see that most sites (other than walk-to tent sites) have long, pull through parking pads, and most have a grass buffer (and possibly a few trees) separating the site from the road. These asphalt pads can accommodate RVs of all sizes and have a spacious area behind the pull through with a picnic table, fire ring and room for a tent. Great sites!

- Generator-free sites in loop F and part of G are reservable sites. If you want one of these sites, I recommend a reservation. See the site map photo.

**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.

- Camp store with ice, wood and limited food choices is a short walk from the campground entrance.

- Showers: $1.75 for 5.25 minutes. These are located in a restroom near the campstore and look new. There is a handicapped accessible shower/bathroom combination.

- Laundry facility near the camp store

Camping in the national park is the best!

This campground has some spots that are reservable and some that are first come first serve. There are walk up and drive up sites, all including a fire pit with a grate and a picnic table. The bathrooms were clean and there was a campstore down the road. Great place to stay!

Good for hiking the Appalachian Trail

A lot of space, clear bathrooms, frendly personel

Great place, great time

The views are just breath taking! And such a wonderful quiet place to get your head together!

Picturesc

I’ll admit, I was slightly skeptical booking this place. I don’t really dig large group areas and car camping much anymore... but this place was pretty cool. We got a walk in site, so our tent was way far away from cars and other people. The site included a fire pit w/grill grate, picnic table, and metal bear box. We did have any neighboring campers that we could see or hear, just a few groups off in the distance. There was a convenience camp store that came in super handy. It also offered showers (for $1.75), laundry, and hot coffee, among other things. The campsite was tucked between some really nice hiking areas, so we didn’t have to go far to check stuff out. I absolutely approve of this place. Recommended.      

Pleasantly surprised 

Large ample sights with views at or near sights.  Lots of options! We will return!

Beautiful!   

Loft is my favorite out of the campgrounds I’ve visited in the Shenandoah National Park. I’ve been Big Meadows and Lewis, but never to Matthew’s Arm. No reservations here, so you have to get lucky. But if you do and get a good site, it’s so going to be worth it. We had a site where you park at the top of a hill and hike down a slightly steepish hill to the site. It was shady, wooded, private, and quiet. There were a few sites beside us, but spaced nicely apart. The best tent views are the ones with no cars and bathhouses and this campground definitely gives you that. This one also provides bear boxes for food. 

Favorite mini-hike nearby: Black Rock Summit (see photos). Beautiful views of the park, easy (the whole loop is less than a mile with just 175ft. of elevation gain), kid-friendly, and pet-friendly.

Favorite in SNP

We did not have a reservation and were lucky to get a site. It is a large campground with 200 sites for RV's &amp; tent campers. The site we had was primitive, no water or electric, but had a picnic table, fire ring, &amp; a bear box. Although the sites were close, they were situated to maximize privacy. The campgrounds had plenty of restrooms with flush toilets &amp; sinks. The camp store has laundry facilities and showers that you must pay for, $1.75 for 5 minutes. The grounds and facilities are very clean. An added bonus, you can access the Appalachian Trail right from the campgrounds that provides amazing views

Shenandoah National Park

I’ve been to loft mountain a few times over the years. The overall area is great. It’s right off the AT so there a bunch of trails and it’s not too far away from Big Meadow if you wanted to take a short drive. I would recommend booking in advance to get the best sites right off the trail. A lot of the sites can be close to on another, but if you can get 10-13, those are the most secluded.

Book in Advance

Sitting on top of a mountain with the Appalachian Trail wrapped around you, cant go wrong. Full service amenities available. 

Beautiful 

Well kept sites, clean bathrooms, all first come first serve sites, biggest campground in Shenandoah so can usually find a spot. 

Solid NP campground

I stayed at Loft Mountain in late October of 2019.  The campground was not very crowded, but not empty either.  This is a large campground, IIRC 200+ sites, so manage your expectations about "getting away from it all", but the campsites generally looked fairly private, although to a greater or lesser degree depending on which site you get.  

  

I had no real complaints about this site other than that it is too large and not private enough for my taste.

Typical National Park campsite

Stayed here for the first time this weekend at F-173. The sites were fairly close, but separated by trees, so you felt private. You could hear people on the other side of the trees, but no one was loud and it was very quiet and peaceful at night! Some sites are more private than others, so do a little scouting if that’s what you want! The nearby camp store had all the necessities. Lots of hiking along skyline drive, and a few trails around the campground. When we woke up on the morning we were checking out, we didn’t want to leave! Definitely coming back soon!

Perfect for a getaway

Lots of trails. Perfect for families. Clean bathrooms. Helpful rangers and volunteers. 

Beautiful Shenandoah National Park

Loft Mountain is made for car campers, backpackers, distance bikers, and anyone who wants just basic stuff and then be left alone!

  

The cost is amazing!  Only $15.00 per night ($7.50 for a Senior Pass Holder!) which is a throw back to the olden days for sure.

  

I didn't get a very warm welcome here, but rather a semi-rude ranger who seemed put out with the registration process.  During my professional career, I realized that sarcasm is **not** a good way to make friends and influence enemies!  Once registered, I never spoke to another staff member, which was OK with me.

  

Keep in mind that this campground is at a high elevation so things don't dry too quickly in the morning after a rainy night.

  

I enjoyed my stay here and would return because of the number of sites that are first come first served... no reservation needed!

  

Overall, a good camping experience.

Good campground in an excellent location for visiting Shenandoah NP

This was our stopover going North from Julian Price Campground. We drove about 30 miles on Blue Ridge Parkway from Julian Price towards Loft Mountain. These views included the iconic viaduct, and expansive views of the mountains. Lots of overlooks. Highly recommend this portion of the Parkway (milepost 297 to about 260). Loft Mountain was a nice place to stopover following a long tow day. We had a pull through, lots of privacy between campsites. Plenty of sun for our solar panels, and a quick access to the Appalachian Trail. We were able to hike a few miles of the AT while there. Great campstore provisions- I guess since this is a AT stop over for the many 'real-hikers'. Laundry is also available (although we didn't go in and check it out). We had F loop, F170, generator free (although you could hear the generators over in the next loop). There is not a lot of other hiking trails that spur out from this campground so I am not sure we will stay here again. But overall, we liked it.

Nice stopover, with a beautiful drive on Blue Ridge Parkway

Beautiful spot on to of a bald. Good amount of tree coverage from rain/other groups. Some of the tent sites are close to neighbors, but we made friends! No more than 5 minute walk to bathrooms and water source. Would highly recommend!

Gorgeous! Great spot for hiking and car camping!

Great experience here.

  

We went hammock camping here at Loft Mountain on a Friday night and packed up Saturday morning. We had to pay to get into Shenandoah, and then pay the camping fee for loft mountain.

We arrived around noon and with the hopes of getting a good first-come, first serve site. All of the reserved sites were booked through July. We had no problem finding open spots when we arrived... the ranger actually highlighted all of the available spots for us on a campground map (probs about 15-20 available). She told us site 35 and 44 were great for hammocking (they were 'meh' for hammocking) and we chose site 44 because it was more private and further from the main road. The downside was that the table was pretty rotted out. I believe 33 was another good tent site. 

Some sites are very close to the road and some you have to walk deeper in so if it's your first time camping or you're not looking for anything intense, this campground will def have something for you. 

Quite a few pets but it was all pretty peaceful. We heard a lot of noises at night and a large doe come up to our site early (2 am??) in the morning and it freaked our dog out... pretty sure she woke up the entire campground with her barking lol but other than that we slept well and didn't see any bears or anything like that. 

Things I really loved: bear boxes at each site, the amphitheater (perfect for sunsets), easy access to trails, the souvenir shops, how peaceful it was, water-bottle filling station. 

Recommended close hike: Doyles Run Falls hike where you see 2 waterfalls. It is pet friendly, takes about 2-3hrs depending on how long you stay at the falls, and is all downhill getting there and all uphill coming back. 

Hope this helps someone plan for their trip!

Convenient, laid-back camping

Nicely laid out and well maintain campground. Fellow campers and hikers are nice, great rangers, and clean bathroom and shower ($1.75/5min) facilities, bring quarters or  $1s and $5s for getting change in the machine to use in the showers and laundry. No atm or cash back in camp store. All the great view sites (A sites on the outer right hand side of the loop) that are FCFS were taken upon our Saturday noon arrival,even on a somewhat rainy weekend, so get there early  and stake your claim quickly of you want one of those. However, there were still plenty of very nice sites available, both walk in and drive up) to choose from in A, B and C FCFS loops. You have 30 minutes to choose a site upon arrival and then go pay the $15/night fee at the ranger station. They do take cards and apple pay. Many great trails around. Gets pretty foggy at times and super hard to see so bring a good flash light or headlamps for night time trips to the restrooms and just general visibility. Campsites are nicely maintained for the most part, shrubbery and grasses trimmed, the tables are kinda jacked up so bring table cloths and seat covers for the picnic tables because the wood is all rotted and/or soaked thru. Our site (A52) was a drive up with a small incline to the tent and grill area with a line of trees separating from the road which gave a some good privacy. The tent and grill area was nice and level. Wish the grill was a bit larger but it was fine. Nice sized bear locker too. Rained all night but didn’t cause a lot of muddy or water puddle conditions at our site at all, and water didn’t puddle under the tent. When the sun showed up there was still good shade and also nice sun rays poking thru. Close to trash and recycling, but not right up on it. There was a camp site close by next door and across the road, but didn’t seem like the folks were right up on us. Short walk to bathrooms and ranger station (Short drive to showers which are 2 minutes down where the main camp store  and amphitheater are). $30 entrance fee into the park and the rangers are helpful with trail recommendations and direction.

Well maintained campground.

Great campsite $15/night. About 1/3 reservation and 2/3 first come first served. It is a site that attracts hikers especially, as it is adjacent to the Appalachian trail. Bear boxes are at each site too, which is very convenient especially at a walk in site!

If you can, get site #20. It is the BEST sunset watching spot. You can also watch from the Appalachian trail below that site. 

Showers are coin operated, $1.75 and nicely renovated. Laundry is available too. Poor cell service in most sites, best reception is at the amphitheater. 

Great place to stay!

Nice place, no wifi, cell phone service is limited. Most sites have no hookups. Has bear lockers. 



Good campground 

I love loft mountain. after two years of tent camping, upgraded to see teardrop this year. I always meet great people there and the staff is wonderful (Paula and Lori shout out)

There is no wifi and very little cellular coverage, but we've employed a cellular amplifier and now work remote there often. coupled with a hotspot and wifi extender, or entire campsite is covered. if you need cellular, go to the amphitheater and you'll be able to get connected. g loop, reservations required, also has service is you get the top spots. 

Frequent visitor

Nice large campground with 2 handicapped sites close to the bathroom. Camp store where you can buy firewood, ice, and most anything you may have forgotten. Campsites are fairly well spread apart, most have a patch of woods between them. Bear boxes are at some of the sites for storing your food. Bathrooms are kept clean and have a drinking fountain nearby for water. Showers are available at the camp store. You can hike some of the Appalachian Trail which runs just below the camp. All campsites come with a fire ring and picnic table.

Enjoy your stay

Stayed in tent site 005, and while it wasn’t the smallest of the tent sites or least private, if was very close to the main look road and every car entering the camp loop passes right by the site up the hill within eyesight.  Camp store didn’t allow dogs, and I didn’t feel good leaving my dog unattended in the park (which is their rule) I didn’t get to visit the store.  One good thing was the view from the amphitheater 

Small tent sites with big noise 

Beautiful part of the SNP. I was unfortunately tent camping next to a loud RV, but that was my fault for booking the wrong site! Lovely hikes nearby. 

Opt for the non-generator loop!

Small, nicely laid out sites, although you are close together they are fairly well wooded, so you do get a bit of privacy. Just about every site in our loop was a pull-thru, although half of them technically faced the road, we were lucky enough to go on a very quiet rainy weekend. I wish I had a picnic table and fire grade although there was not much room for us to spread out. There are ample restroom facilities and they are very clean with utility sinks at the building as well. Our site was very level put a lot of the sites are sloped so it’s coming with the camper be prepared to bring the leveling blocks￼. As for Internet, T-Mobile has a connection average one down and less than one up so don’t intend to work here if you have T-Mobile.

Well laid out campground right in the heart of the park

The Appalachian trails runs beside this campground.  There is a camp store for firewood and last minute items.  Sites are basic, bathrooms are clean, showers are available with coins by camp store.

Close to trails

Loft Mountain Campground is a large national park service campground on the southern end of Shenandoah National Park.  The sites are all non-electric, with a mix of pull through and back-in sites, as well as tent only and RV accommodating sites.

We stayed in Loop G, site 182- we were pleasantly surprised to find that Site 182 had a lot more privacy than an ordinarily pull-through site and it was perfect for us, as we tend to like more private, secluded campsites where we can’t see as many people.  The campground was not very busy, and the only other campsites that would have been visible to us if they were occupied was the site directly across from us. 

We found the campground to be well maintained, well marked, and easy to navigate.  After exploring other sites in the park, it was clear that very few sites in the entire campground would be less than ideal- most were spacious and offered ample privacy.  Most of the sites have trees dividing them from one another on three sides, and the picnic tables for the sites are sometimes located a short walk from the parking area to offer even more privacy. 

This was a safe, quiet, and very comfortable campground that was pleasantly close to amenities, easy access to the park, and even a reasonable distance from the highway if you are looking to leave the park and come back later.

We would definitely recommend Loft Mountain Campground- after driving through all the other campgrounds at Shenandoah, and staying at both Loft Mountain and Matthew’s Arm, we concluded that Loft Mountain was certainly our favorite.

Remarkably Quiet and Secluded for a National Park

Loft mountain was nice. They have a camp store to get all of your essentials (beer, ice, and wood!) and can even find a coin operated shower there too. That’s big when you are dirt bagging it out of your truck! 

Shenandoahs are tight, there aren’t too many National Parks that are
Down with Canine’s, and this is one of them. Not really worth playing around with not having them on leash, there are too many people and wild animals in the area. 

Our Ranger was so informative and gave us a lot of options for things to do, so be grateful and listen up!

We did a first come first serve site,
Half of the camp sites are reserve only the other half are just for us last minute people.


Plenty to do in the Shenandoahs

Nice clean campground, nice bathrooms &amp; showers. Be prepared for leveling campers or having a slight angle of tents. Nice tables &amp; spacious private campsites. The skyline drive overlooks  &amp; amphitheater overlook is definitely worth staying here for 


Great

While the campground was large and pretty there is no privacy. There is a large campstore with many snacks and necessities. A water fill and dump site and bathroom/showers and even laundry. All sites are pretty close to eachother but have a decent amount of trees/brush blocking view...however sound carries extremely well. Normal level conversation can be heard from 4 or more sites down. They have a normal quiet time like most campgrounds but you are only "allowed" to run the generator from 8am-10am and 4pm-7pm. Only problem I really had with that is during the hottest part of the day we're not able to run the AC and we have a long haired cat traveling with us. Thankfully it was shaded so it kept just cool to not need it. The rangers/hosts drive around directly bothering people during off generator times to make sure. I dont make a habit of knowing what time it is when I'm trying to relax and immerse myself in nature, only when it gets dark out I pay attention so to not bother others with noise. Also mind you they can't actually enforce these rules but will sure bother you enough to annoy you. Also dealt with hearing several gas powered weed trimmers nearly an entire day we were there but we can't run a generator? They also cut the grass so infrequently that there's just piles and clumps of dead grass everywhere! And considering it's damp nearly all the time it just sticks to your shoes and you end up tracking it all over your camper or tent. We are quiet people, we don't bother anyone and always adhere to quiet times...we just want to be left alone to enjoy camping and this place felt like a prison. We also got told we are not allowed to use our  electric mountain board bc skateboards/scooters don't have brakes. Well it's far from a skateboard and it certainly has brakes. Every ranger/host there is on a power trip and are so condescending...but again let me remind you they can't actually enforce any of the ridiculous rules they constantly remind you of. We've never had a problem like this at any other campground before and we will never return!

Weird generator rules and nosey rangers/hosts

The scenic drive has been absolutely incredible. Stayed one night here traveling through. $30 for the night no power or water at sites. $2.50 for 5 minute shower. Definitely get the feeling that they are trying to get every penny out of us. 

Not worth the money 

This campground was a convenient overnight stop on our trip up Skyline Drive. Easy access to the Blackrock Summit and Doyles River Falls trails! We visited on a weeknight, so there weren’t many other campers, but the campsites are small and crowded. The camp store at the entrance offers essentials like firewood, ice, basic gear, and food. It also has showers with a quarters machine if you have cash ($2.50 for 5 minutes). There are bathroom facilities with flushable toilets and sinks, as well as a utility sink for dishes, but none of the potable water spigots around the campground were running. We stayed in site G182, which was one of the few campsites without a bear box for our food. When we left in the morning, we noticed lots of deer and apple trees growing around the campground, and we saw a beautiful cloud inversion by the camp store/showers!

Convenient w/ basic essentials 

Beautiful campground

Good clean campsites and showers, my only complaint being the showers were pretty expensive at $5 for 10 minutes. Other than that, the ranger at the entrance to the campground was friendly and helpful, and I would recommend staying here.

Nice place

It’s an easy place to camp with all the necessities near the camp store. Love the walk-out sites but they’re not as secluded as you’d hope. 

Great views, clean sites

We had a great time staying here, the site we were at was pretty private behind our camper. 
Bushes and trees on all sides of our fire ring and picnic table. 

Clean bathrooms and wash stations. 

Would recommend! 

Great sites in the park! 

We camped here for 2 nights.
The campsite has the common amenities - a firepit, a bench, and a picnic table. Our site was definitely spacious. 

The bathhouse was not far away and mostly clean. It was awesome to have a dishwasher station with running water. 

Unfortunately our campsite was bumblebee invested. It was cool to watch them, but they got into everything. 

The shower was about 0.3 miles away. They charge $5 for 10 min, which you have to pay in quarters. 

There is also a very nice and well stocked campstore. They had everything you need. 

We drove to the visitor center at the Big Meadow. They had very cool programs and really good food. I enjoyed a blackberry shake, which is kinda famous for the area, and it was delicious.

If you wanna hike somewhere, the AT runs right through the campground. 

The rangers and the host were super friendly and very helpful. 

Nice getaway over the weekend

One of the best sites I've had the fortune to stay at recently. The campground has a wide variety of sites, with the majority as pull throughs and a good handful of walk in tent sites. This site is large and an easy downhill walk from parking to set up camp. The view is unreal, especially for sunset. While you can definitely hear your neighbors, it still has a decent amount of privacy. 

Gorgeous Tent Camping 🤩

Good amount of first come first serve spots. We visited during a weekday and there was more than enough availability.
Nice small trail that runs around the campground. The campstore offers more than enough! We bought a smores-kit, very handy.
I dont know if there are (enough) full hook ups? 


Perfect Shenandoah stopover 

So the drive here is gorgeous. Deer everywhere and a nice drive. But campground wise wasn’t great. We stayed a Friday night and the group across from us yelled, laughed, partied the entire night til 5am. We didn’t sleep at all. Loud music and all. The bathrooms had one working toilet and one sink, however the one “working” toilet was stopped up and trash was everywhere around it. Such as dirty toilet paper and other sanitary things in the floors. 

Overall the loud party beside us ruined the entire experience and I really wish the campground hosts or rangers kept it clean and also upheld the quiet hours. 

Beware 

This campground in Shenandoah has a store and coin shower, flush toilets. The siye we stayed was very spacious, it can fit 2 tents. All sites have a fire ring and picnic table but not all have a bear food locker, so check if you need a food locker. Loft has an amphitheater that’s great for viewing the sunset! It’s connected to the site beside it so privacy is about 7/10

Complete campground with shower

The Shenandoah Mountains are beautiful any time of year, but early fall is spectacular. Ripe blackberries underlie the whole landscape everywhere you go, trees are turning magnificent colors, songbirds are stopping over on their migration south, bugs are nearly non-existent. I enjoyed visiting the park and camping here, especially as it is one or the few National Parks that are dog-friendly and allow dogs most everywhere, --throughout campground, on most trails, and even on the outside deck at cafe by our campground. The park also participates in the "Bark Ranger" program for dogs.

This campground is one of three main campgrounds in the park, and has a Campground store as well as nearby cafe featuring variety of sandwiches, soups and desserts, including local blackberry ice cream! So you will be well-provided for. There is a maze of trails around the campground itself, and just down the Skyline Parkway is access to the Big Run trail network, which provides great birding, hiking, and fishing

Even in the campground among many campers, there is great access to the Dark sky which is  great for stargazing. Ranger programs in the campground feature this and other nature programs. From the campground there is easy access to myriad scenic overlooks along Skyline Drive in both directions. There is a fairly long drive to get to the north end of the park at Big Meadows which is the northernmost campground and where the NPS Visitor center is.  The scenic drive but you do have to double back a long way to get back to Loft campground.

Make reservations well ahead of time! Most sites need to be reserved, a few available for same day. Campground fills up early in the day.  Tent campers are more likely to get a spot.  We got the last site of the day. It had a good drive in for a couple cars, but the tent pad was pretty small. There was a picnic table and fire ring, but the campsite itself was a little overgrown and in need of maintenance. The bathrooms were in need of some cleaning too; usually the National Park Service is good about this, but the park was short staffed and so things were a little rough around the edges. As such, although I would rank the park as a 5, the quality of the campground was only so-so, and overall I ranked the camping experience a 4 because of this

Photos of Loft Mountain Campground — Shenandoah National Park

Real photos from real campers