Absolutely beautiful campground. Not a lot of sites but very spacious. Private showers, no WiFi, firewood on site, lots of shade, trails and walking distance to the river. Highly recommended. Close access to Shenandoah National Park.
Campground: What’s not to love!? Shenandoah National Park is right around the corner. This state park campground is clean, with spacious sites and beautiful views of the mountain ranges and the Shenandoah River that backs right up to the campsite. You will enjoy 30/50 amp electric and water. No sewer at the sites, so plan on using the dump drain on the way out.
Product review: As a ranger for the Dyrt, I get to test products from our awesome partners. While camping at Shenandoah River State Park, I’ve been testing out my Terrain hat from Banner and Oak https://bannerandoak.com. Here is what I think about the hat:
My Banner & Oak hat fits great. It’s durable and looks great. I especially like apparel with Buffalos on them, so this fits the “bill”. Banner & Oak are all about the great outdoors and exploring. Check out their hats, apparel and other things on their website!
Sites were easy to get in and out for trailers. Lots of space and woods between sites. Water and electricity hookups, gravel and paved pads. Picnic table and fire ring. Showers and bathrooms were clean and large size. Plenty of hot water and water pressure. Laundry facilities were great and worked well. Lots of trails around to walk and some to the river. Even a few bike trails. Nice are for kayak launch. They have a horse area as well. Large picnic and day use area. We stayed at site 15 and it was great for camper and large tent. Plenty of space for everyone. Love the area and hope to get back again. Used it as camp while we Day hiked in SNP.
Important to note that the primitive sites are walk-in only - but the walk is very short.
Primitive sites do not take reservations, so you select your own based on availability when you arrive. If you can get **site 5** that is crucial. The other sites still looked good, but site 5 is large, nicely laid out, and RIGHT on the water. No steps down, but a brilliant view.
The park in general is nice, and while not as grandiose as Shenandoah proper it is less expensive and loss populated. For $25 a had perfect quiet and I will definitely go back.
Sites had water and electric. Flush toilets and showers, a little moldy but hot and good water pressure. Showers were first come first serve unisex. Sites don’t have a lot of trees. We used 2 lantern posts for dog lead and it was hard to find shade. It was a short walk to water and felt fantastic in the July heat. You couldn’t pay me to sleep here in a tent in July. Hot hot hot. Trails were wooded and shaded, but no bugs. Fire flies everywhere tho. There is an honor system for firewood at host site. No verizon service and weak sprint service. Local river companies shuttle tubers back and forth, but they take a different road, so you really don’t cross paths.
We just visited the park this week. Wow what a beautiful state park. Very well up kept, clean and amazingly friendly rangers. We rented a Yurt number 2. In my opinion it has the best location of the 3 Turks they have. It’s it the woods close to a boat landing you can see a bit of the river. In the fall or spring I’m sure the view is amazing. The yurt was clean and simple. Surrounded by a amazing deck with 4 rocking chairs and a picnic table on it. Down below you have a fire pit, a grill and an additional picnic table. Yurt 1 is right next door if you have a larger group that would be perfect. The one we stayed in sleeps 4 comfortably. The park has a huge network of hiking and bike paths all very well maintained. The river water is so clear you can see the bottom. The only only down side is you can not drive your car up to the yurt. But they offer little carts to load your things in and pull. Yurt 2 is the farthest away from the parking area, but well worth it.
Having camped here in late Winter, our experience may be a bit biased; the campgrounds were empty and a gentle snow made an already peaceful setting positively serene.
Still, I have to give 5 stars. There are other activities hosted in this park, but our tent site (pic attached) was very much segregated from the main area and IMMEDIATELY on the water. It felt like we could have paid several hundred a night for lodging right on a charming little river.
I can't wait for an excuse to go back.
Shenandoah River State Park is located right on the Shenandoah River in northern Virginia. It is just a short drive from the northern section of Shenandoah River National Park and includes lots of hiking trails, a few canoe launches, gorgeous views, and nature center, and lots of different camping options. The park encompasses more than 1600 acres and includes 5.2 miles of pristine shoreline.
Campground Review
I stopped at Shenandoah River State Park on a two-week road trip from Vermont to Alabama. I had been traveling for a few days when I stopped here, and I did not make reservations in advance for a Thursday night in May. I arrived at about 3 pm and popped into the visitor center to ask about my options for camping for the night. Turns out that campers have a lot of choices here.
Camping options include huge RV sites with water and electricity hook-ups, small camping cabins, yurts, and large cottages with separate bedrooms, bathrooms, full kitchens, and air conditioning, which I guess isn’t really camping at all. The last option, and the one I chose, is “primitive” camping, which are large, private tent sites along the river. The only thing primitive about them is that they have no vehicle access. You park your car in a lot nearby and truck your stuff out to your campsite.
These primitive sites have access to a large bathhouse with private showers, as well as grungy pit toilets that are a bit closer to many of the sites. The campsites have a fire pit, lantern pole, and picnic table, and some have room for several tents. A few of the sites are right on the Shenandoah River, with incredible views. My site, #3 had a river view but was set back a bit from the banks. All of the sites are wooded and quiet.
There are carts available at the parking area for lugging your stuff out to your site, and there is also a small shed with firewood that you can purchase for $6 a bundle. The rangers come through every so often and are incredibly friendly and knowledgable about the area. I learned that there are copperheads within the park, as well as huge bees that look menacing but are pretty harmless. Bears also frequent the park, so it is very important to pack away your food in your car or your bear-proof cooler. Don’t have a bear-proof cooler? Check out the RovR Rollr 60 below.
This was a clean, quiet campground, with beautiful hiking trails and great river access. The cost for a primitive campsite was $36, which I thought was a bit pricey. It is cheaper for Virginia residents.
It may get really busy on summer weekends, but I only saw a handful of people during my visit. There is a privately run ziplining course within the park, and a local outfitter does paddling trips that begin up-river and include class I and II rapids. All-in-all, I give Shenandoah River State Park 4 stars for their primitive campsites, and I can’t wait to come back to stay in a yurt.
RovR RollR 60 Review:
As a ranger for The Dyrt, I am occasionally given products to test and review on my camping adventures. During this trip, I was thrilled to test out the RovR Rollr 60 cooler. The Rovr was recently ranked #1 for ice retention by Outside Magazine, so I was excited to use it for a mega road trip where I knew I wouldn’t be able to restock it with ice every day. Plus, I was carting large quantities of Vermont beer to my family in Alabama, and warm beer is really lame.
The RovR Rollr is a “rotomolded cooler,” which basically means that it has a consistent wall thickness and two full inches of foam insulation to keep the insides frosty for a lot longer than traditional coolers. They are also made with heavier, more durable plastics that ensure that they last longer than other types of coolers.
The downside to the RovR Rollr, and all high-end rotomolded coolers, is that they are quite a bit heavier than their competitors. Fortunately, the RovR Rollr line includes incredibly rugged tires that make it easy to maneuver just about anywhere. I did have trouble lifting it in and out of my car and dragging it up a full flight of stairs, but because of the tires and the sturdy handle, my issues were minimal.
RovR Rollr 60 Features:
This cooler is really big and holds 60 quarts of food, beverages, and ice. It is a workhorse, and can definitely keep enough food and drink cold for a long weekend or more. The RovR Rollr includes a removable plastic bin that secures snuggly into the cooler to keep your food dry, but still nice and cold. You fill this bin with your eggs, meats, and veggies, and then pour the ice into the cooler on top of your beverages. This system is so great — no more fishing for Hershey bars when your cooler turns into a lake.
The RovR website mentions that the RovR Rollr will give you 10 days of ice retention if you follow some recommended steps, which includes prechilling everything, keeping the cooler full, and keeping it out of full sun. I could do none of these things, but keeping the cooler in the back of my car (in the sun), half full, and not prechilling anything, the ice lasted a good 4 days before needing to be replaced.
There is a handy valve to release excess water, and the dual-grip handle is made of aluminum for easy pushing and pulling. The latches are made of sturdy rubber and the lid is fitted with an airtight gasket, making it entirely bearproof. The cooler comes with a 5-year warranty, and many of the parts can be removed and replaced if necessary.
The RovR Rollr comes with a removable, foldable wagon bin that secures firmly to the top of the cooler for easy transport. I kept dry goods in here that didn’t need to be cold - fruit, cereal, trail mix, peanut butter, etc.
Optional Add-Ons
For this particular adventure, I just got the cooler and the wagon bin that fits on top, but there are a bunch of optional features that would make the RovR even more versatile. These include an attachable cutting board, drink holders, an umbrella holder, and a bike kit for pulling the cooler behind your bike.
Bottom Line
The RovR Rollr 60 is obviously a high-end cooler with a high-end price tag, but the quality is obvious from the very first use. This is an investment for sure, but totally worth it. My biggest complaint is that it is heavy and a bit unwieldy for one person to maneuver. And to be fair, this is a big cooler that is not meant to be used by one person. I was impressed with the rugged tires, the overall design, and its ability to keep stuff cold and dry and would love to invest in a smaller model for smaller adventures.
The sites are generous and well maintained but no trees. Had odd experience with camp host. Apparently old women steal campsites regularly because he thought I had and had to call the ranger and double check because I’m obviously a liar. Not a good experience . To be a state park in the mountains it is a bit Stark. but it’s very new so give it some time when trees can grow up and I’m sure it will be great. There are lovely hiking trails and you can get to the water it is a bit steep and hilly so be careful of your equipment. The other campers there were just amazing and helped me when the transmission fell out of my truck
Great views of the blue ridge mountains with many river access points. The Virginia Canopy Tour is fun. We camped with our pop-up in the RV section. Sites were spacious and the bathhouse clean. We checked out an adventure pack from the visitors center and hiked the River Trail, thus our son became a junior ranger. Tent sites, RV sites, camping cabins and large cabins all available. Firewood for sale in the park. We’ll be back! More trails to hike!
We’ve come to this campground twice: Once just our family of four and another time with my in-laws. This park is nice and secluded with a number of family friendly hikes. Facilities are clean with plenty of wood to buy and carts to help transport supplies from the parking lot to the camp sites. We recommend renting the yurts which were perfect for our in laws. They were just a few steps away from our camp site in a more comfortable setting. We foresee coming to this park many times over the coming years. It’s the quintessential car camping experience.
There are several rustic campsites located on the Southfork of the Shenandoah River, as well as modern electric sites, RV sites, and cabins. Park and campgrounds are clean and well maintained. Tons of trails, wildlife and activities in and near the park. This state park is adjacent to Shenandoah National Park and is just as beautiful and rich in history!
This is a cool place to camp if you are just getting into backpacking or are just looking for an easy but primitive camp experience. The primitive tent sites are private, on the river and only a short hike from the parking area. The bathhouse facilities are excellent maintained as well. There are fun local activities nearby such as boat and float rentals as well as zip lining
It is a nice size place with lota of hiking to do
Beautiful views, tons of hiking & biking trails. Wild life is visible everywhere you go. the children’s programs offered on the weekends were great too.
This is a really great view of the shanondoah river. Not really much to do but not a bad spot to spend lunch with the kids or grab a kayak.
This campground is nice and the primitive spots are right next to the river. The spots are a short walk from the parking area and the campground provides wagons to transport your stuff. great fishing and swimming right at your camping spot.
One of my favorite campgrounds - particularly when I bring first time campers. Clean grounds and importantly clean facilities. Park offers very doable hiking and mountain biking options for beginners. Campground access to the Shenandoah River
We adored this campground. Initially we reserved a camping cabin. We arrived early and had the opportunity to drive around and check out the park. Lucky that we did. The camping cabin without AC was in direct sun along with the entire camping pad and all other camping cabins were the same. Additionally, they were snug tight with the RVs without any isolation or seclusion. The pad is very close to the loop road so if you have children it makes for a cramped area to play. We elected to trade for a tent site which was right off the Shenandoah River. Beautiful! Well shaded and large! It's marked a "primitive", but hardly is. Has picnic table, showers, camp ring and camp pad. The only thing "primitive" about it was it's a walk-in campground. There are carts to help you carry your gear in. Staff was friendly. Park very well maintained. Bathhouse was AWESOME, but POOR ventilation so it makes for a SAUNA when it's in the warm season. You can wade, fish, canoe, kayak, zipline, tube, hike, bird watch, etc. Other than the camping cabins, this place was super.
Great state park. There are plenty of things to do there. They have a visitor center with programs, zip lining for the adventure in all of us and also hiking. The camping sites are nice. They are not very private and shaded with trees. They also have cabins to rent.
Go bike, fish, swim, hike, relax,
This is a good state park. Not anything fancy. The views are amazing and the hiking make up for the no frills compared to other state park facilities.
Peace and quiet. Communing with nature at it's finest.
I would highly recommend this campsite/park for fishermen, boaters, and families looking for a fun time near the water. The park offers cultural and nature based events on a regular basis. There are picnic tables, primitive campgrounds right near the water, campsites with electrical/water amenities, and cabins in the park.
Absolutely gorgeous mountains and scenery. There is a chance you will even get to see some black bears-- saw them once thankfully from my car
It wasn't super cold, but it wasn't beautiful. Lots of water activities and all things are rent-able. Maybe I just didn't have a great time, but this place is HUGE.
What a wonderful stay! This is one of my favorite campgrounds!!! I will start at the beginning! When you book online you can not pick your site! This is the only campground I have stayed at that I could not pick the site. You book online the dates you would like. The day you arrive it is first come first serve! I recommend you arrived at the check in time so you can pick your site! We arrived at check in and had our pick of the sites! Brings us to the sites! They are huge! The site we were on was stone but very nice! Low dirt coming in your camper! Water/electric sites available! A few small cabins available! The state park has a lot to offer! There are trails that run right by the campsites! So good for a hike or a nice morning trail run! I chose to run in the morning and ran the trail right alone the Shennandoah River! Which runs through the park! You can fish the river, tube down the river or boat!!! There are beautiful overlooks in the states park! There is a great little nature center! The rangers were very nice and helpful! During your stay you purchase firewood right at the camp host! Very nice!! When you stay there you are close to some area attractions! Take a drive down to Luray Caverns! Get there early! About an hour drive! You are also close to the Shenandoah National park entrance! You do have to pay to get in the National park! (pass is good for 7 days) But well worth it! Kids can do activities and become junior rangers! Tons of ranger lead activities to offer! Or just drive down skyline drive and enjoy multiple overlooks! Take a hike on miles of trails, including the AT that runs right through the park!!! Pack your lunch if you like or stop at the snack bar! But be careful there are black bears! One ran out in front of our car! Obey the speed limit! Happy Camping!!!
