## Overview

 The Peaks of Otter Campground is nestled between the bases of two dominating mountains in the rolling hills of Virginia. Campers enjoy a rare serenity in this rustic setting. Relax, and leave your cares behind! 
## Recreation

 The 24-acre Abbott Lake is one of the biggest attractions the Peaks of Otter Park has to offer. The lake is well-stocked with small mouth bass and bluegill. A crystal-clear mountain stream winds through the nearby picnic area. Numerous hiking opportunities range from demanding, scaling the area\'s high mountain peaks, to the moderate short, flat trail around Abbott Lake. Hikers are likely to stumble upon one of the mountain meadows, filled with wildflowers and migrating butterflies in the spring and a fantastic assortment of colors in the fall. Abundant wildlife like deer and wild turkey are spotted daily at the Peaks of Otter Campground, and many rare species of birds reside or migrate along the mountain ranges. Summer interpretive programs are provided for visitors to learn about the wildlife as well as the history of the area.
## Facilities

 Campsites are shaded under an umbrella of thick trees, and provide campers with picnic tables, lantern poles, and campfire rings/grills. The campground also offers modern conveniences like flush toilets, drinking water and a dump station.\_\_ Peaks of Otter Campground almost always has campsites available. In addition to the 60 sites available for advance reservation, there are 79 first-come, first-served campsites available. Availability of first come, first served sites cannot be tracked through Recreation.gov. These sites must be booked in person at the campground kiosk. 
## Natural Features

 Three mountain peaks sitting atop a thick blanket of forest make up the Peaks of Otter-- a recreational oasis spanning acre upon acre of rolling landscape along the famous Blue Ridge Parkway. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic byway that follows the high crests of the central and southern Appalachians for 469 miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The Peaks of Otter Lodge and Restaurant are located within walking distance of the campground, as is the Sharp Top Country Store. Restaurant dining, grab-and-go meals, snacks, souvenir items, camping supplies, firewood, and ice are all readily available to campground patrons. The Johnson Farm, an old mountain farmstead restored and preserved to look as it did in the mid-1800s, is just a short walk away. Another restored historic structure, Aunt Polly\'s Ordinary, sits on the northeastern shore of Abbott Lake.

Peaks Of Otter Campground — Blue Ridge Parkway

We enjoyed our Peaks of Otter Campground stay. This was the first Campground that my wife saw so many bear boxes which freaked her out, but we had a good time. We enjoyed the walking trails around the water. 

We didn't take advantage of hiking Sharp Top because we had a little person with us who was a bit high maintenance. We would come back again, but only if it were just the two of us, no kiddo. They can't ride bikes or scooters in the campground. Campground definitely more for adults only.

Be sure to bring supplies that you need with you, it is a bit of a drive to anything else.

Quiet campground

I was pleased with my campsite and the campground as a whole. Most of the area is in full shade which is great for the hot summer months. The host was very friendly and helpful, and he made regular rounds, probably every 2 hours, to make sure everything was fine. It was quiet and uncrowded.

As much as I enjoyed my stay, I have to give POO (yes, they really do use that abbreviation 😂) 4 stars because 1) there are no showers and that’s a big deal if you’re staying more than a night or two; 2) the sites and tent pads were pretty small, a 4p tent is about all you can fit; 3) food lockers are shared between several sites; and 4) it’s not a good campground for hammocks.

Beautiful campground high in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Very territorial deer, will stalk you on way to dumpster!

Quiet, mossy green, sun dappled roomy sites

It was such a nice area and a great hike. The hike was long and steep at times but it was so beautiful and nice. Loved this area

Great hiking and camping experience 

We stayed in site #7, in the trailer loop. It was a pull-through site with an additional area containing a picnic table and fire ring, accessible via a small set of steps up the hill. The whole campground is kind of “carved” out of the mountain, and is therefore quite terraced in appearance, so a lot of sites had a similar setup to ours (as in, a lower pull-through space for trailer and TV plus an upper “walk-up” area). I hadn’t seen anything like it before, and I thought it was really neat. The setting was heavily wooded, so the shade combined with the higher elevation made for a very cool, pleasant retreat from the July heat.

Facilities/Overall Park: Bath house was decent. On the ladies’ side, there were three flush toilets, two sinks with cold water only, and no soap. Was pretty old, but reasonably clean and adequate for our needs, since we were just passing through for one night. The CG as a whole looked kind of overgrown and neglected, but for some reason that added to its charm for me. The overgrowth made everything look extra green and lush, and I really like the heavily forested, secluded feel.

Surrounding Area/Attractions: The Peaks of Otter area seems to be a pretty popular destination on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is a nice-looking lodge and restaurant on the (gorgeous) lake right around the corner from the campground, as well as an NPS visitor center, hiking trails, and a shuttle bus service that takes you to the top of one of the three peaks for which the area is named. We didn’t partake in any of these activities, since we were just passing through on our way down to the Smokies, but it would have been nice to explore a bit more.

Overall, I felt this was a very pretty, peaceful, and perfectly serviceable campground for an overnight stop, and would make a nice weekend destination. Not sure there is enough going on in the area to keep one occupied for more than a few days, and I know I personally would need at least electric hookups and showers for any type of extended stay. However, I wouldn’t hesitate to return for a night or two!

Very quiet, shady and secluded!

This is a huge campground it has 137 sites that is right in between two mountains. Each site has picnic tables, lantern poles, tent pads, food storage lockers, and campfire rings. 63 of their sites are available for advanced reservation and then 79 first come-first serve basis. The bath house has flush toilets, water spigots, but no showers. There is also no electric, water, or sewer hook-ups.

Lots of hiking trails, but make sure you look at the map because we unfortunately did not look at it well enough and thought that the trail was a loop when it led to the opposite side of the mountain and we had to hitch hike back to the campsite. The trails are well marked and lead to awesome views. Rate is $20 a night.

Great Trails

This was an awesome stay. Went with my friends and my sisters and I really loved this place. It wasn’t crowded, the staff was super friendly, and the sites were all reallt nice. There was a campstore, but not much else there besides hiking. Bring you own fire wood because it was like $8.50 per bundle. 

  

Definitely check out sharp top and flat top hikes. Both were beautiful, but slightly difficult so just be prepared. Also bring bug spray because the flies were terrible at the top. There’s a nearby winery too. 

  

Really amazing stay!

Quiet, secluded, and super nice 

Sites were very clean and well taken care of. There are tons of campsites available but they are spaced out enough to still feel secluded. Great location in relation to several popular trails. Will definitely be returning.

Beautiful and Secluded

On the Blue Ridge Pkwy. 10 miles from Bedford VA.  No electricity, no showers, and barely an internet signal. Had to go to Bedford or south 4 miles to an overlook to connect. That said, I stayed two weeks and made it work. Showers at the Y in Bedford and internet at the library to work.  Beautiful views and lots of wildlife. Saw one bear. So if you don't mind some inconvenience I highly recommend. The rangers were very friendly and helpful. The bathrooms were spotless!

Peaks of Otter 

I have to admit that it was an amazing campsite! Double decker with picnic table, lantern pole, and fire pit up stairs and over looking your paved campsite. We were walking distance to the dumpster and public bathroom ( no showers). It also offered no hookups which was fine, there was a dump station on site… The biggest downer for us was just getting to and leaving the site! RVLife took us up and down some insane switchbacks that were just not appropriate for anything larger than maybe 30ft tip to tail?? I wouldn’t advise staying here unless you’re a class B/C, pop up, or 20ft TT. Lodge is nice and has decent prices. 

Not Big Rig Friendly! 

The pros:
- Clean Bathrooms with flushable toilets
- quiet campground
- close to the lodge and “store” if you need firewood or other items
- bear boxes scattered throughout the campground
- $20 per night
- BEAUTIFUL in the fall!
- they have more campsites available on FCFS basis than they do for reservations on recreation.gov

The not so great:
- the campsites can be tricky to get into depending on your vehicle. Many of the parking areas are on a hill. 

Overall, I would stay here again! 