3 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Spacious Skies Shenandoah Views and Big Meadows Campground include luxury glamping accommodations nestled in Virginia's scenic Shenandoah Valley, just a short drive from Mathias, West Virginia. Spacious Skies features well-appointed yurts with comfortable bedding, electricity, and climate control systems that maintain ideal temperatures year-round. Guests staying at these upscale outdoor retreats enjoy private fire rings, picnic tables, and proximity to pristine natural surroundings. Big Meadows provides safari-style canvas tents with raised wooden platforms, premium mattresses, and stylish furnishings that blend rustic charm with modern comfort. Both locations offer glamping experiences with enhanced amenities including hot showers, clean toilets, and convenient access to drinking water. One visitor noted, "This is a wonderful place to go with lots of fishing, hiking, and playgrounds for the kids whether for a day trip or glamping, this is a nice spot."
The Shenandoah River provides a stunning backdrop for glamping experiences, with several locations offering direct waterfront access for swimming, fishing, and paddling opportunities. Rock Tavern River Kamp features unique yurt accommodations situated just 20 feet from the river's edge, combining luxury with prime outdoor recreation. According to a camper, "We could not have asked for a nicer location with spotless bathroom and shower facilities!" Hiking trails meander through the surrounding mountains, with the Lina Constable Overlook trail offering rewarding panoramic vistas after a moderate one-mile climb. The region's glamping resorts typically remain open from early May through November, though several boutique camping operations maintain year-round availability. Visitors appreciate the thoughtful balance of nature immersion with upscale amenities, and the proximity to Luray Caverns, Shenandoah National Park, and local farmers markets where guests can purchase regional specialties and artisanal goods.
"Nice facilities (shower, bathrooms, garbage, etc.), but the campsites themselves leave a bit to be desired. Pros: deer wander the grounds, making for some beautiful morning animal encounters."
"This was a great campground location to many, many National Park Trails. Our stay was during the last week of September. We met up with family who live in the area and got 3 sites hugging the AT."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 - $75 / night
"There is Rockcliff lake and small beach area, an overlook (Lina Constable Overlook) to hike to right off the camp loop but it’s 1 mile steep incline at times but worth every step. Gorgeous!"
"The area closes completely (entrance gate is locked) from Dec 21 - May 1. The site was super clean and well maintained. Lots of hiking trails and a very easy one that loops around the Rockcliff Lake."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $25 - $105 / night
"This campground has an awesome location between Harrisonburg and Luray/Shenandoah. It has great amenities like a pool and playground, a camp store and lots of friendly and helpful employees."
"Bathrooms are very clean. Ice, propane, and other items are available on site at the store. Halloween was in full effect including a haunted walk."
"We enjoyed the many trails and walking our dog along the river. We would highly recommend and will come back."
"Normally we’re tent campers, but this time we opted for the climate controlled cabins of this state park. Cabins were wonderful. Essentially a little house off in its own little “cabin neighborhood.”"
Available this weekend
from $27 - $384 / night
"There’s a small bathroom attached to back of camp store nearby. Then the larger bathhouse down the way. The RV sites were flat, clean, in an open area. We will, for sure, be back."
"Usually go camping with a Little Guy teardrop trailer, but with the current state of the country, didn’t feel comfortable with sharing bathroom facilities. We booked Yurt #1. It was fantastic."
"When we arrived at Spacious Skies the office staff was so nice and helpful! I had not made a reservation online because since this was our first time I was unsure of how everything works."
Available this weekend
from $31 - $219 / night
"But as with most campgrounds, the air was filled with kids laughing and campfire smoke. We played mini golf and the course needed a lot of work. We also went to the pools."
"beautiful location, nice campground. not a lot of woods but lots to do including jumping pillows, paddle boats, swimming. the cabins are spacious and nice though you have to bring your own linens. the"
"This campground is the highest in West Virginia, it has a total of 65 campsites 30 of which are electric and 35 are non-electric."
"This was our first stay in a state park campground in West Virginia and it was a great stay. Arrived during a steady downpour and rented a cabin for the first night but camped the second night."
from $50 / night
"Electricity. Air conditioning. Running water. The property owner manager is very accommodating and pleasant to talk with.
Highly recommended.~Robert
art505.com""Everyone loves it - there is something for everyone from hiking, swimming, outdoor games, fishing, watching the donkeys or just enjoying the fire pit in the evenings. The views are spectacular!"
Campground full this weekend
TravelerLong drive thru spots, lots of space between campsites. Really inexpensive laundry ($1 to wash $1 to dry) $5 showers for 10 minutes. Nice bathrooms. Dry camping at its finest. Close drive to Grand caverns and Luray caverns.
GuideI fear that yurt glamping may have ruined me against tent camping again! This was absolutely lovely. We stayed in the painted horse yurt. Cozy, comfy, lots of amenities. The only downside here is the sulfur odor the water in the bathroom has, but it is very good for your skin at least! I’d stay here again for sure.
ScoutFriendly staff, great riding right from the camper and a neat playground for the kids.
GuideQuite the dump and almost no one around to talk to. There is a bathroom with running water, flushing toilets, and a shower. But it is cramped and not attractive. Most of the sites are right underneath the freeway, and very noisy. Primitive sites away from the road noise are nothing more than a wide area of the dirt road.
ScoutWas looking for a last-minute getaway on a busy weekend, and they seemed the best option. I've always associated private campgrounds with crowding and sites on top of each other. I couldn't have been more wrong about The Cove. There is more wooded space between sites than in many National Parks.
Some sections are best accessed via 4WD, which I think is a great way to keep things from getting too crowded.
Such a huge diversity of types of sites, from lakeside to wooded, to open fields. They have something for everyone.
The bathrooms are ok. Other than the shower area and the reception, most toilets are pit toilets. If you want to be walking distance to showers, make sure to book sites near them. For most sites, it's going to be a hike or a drive.
And on top of that, they have a beach for the kids, boat rentals, and a range.
This was our first visit, but we will definitely be coming back.
ScoutFirst camping trip in VA and honestly the only time we’ll come here. Noisy, plots are on the main road people speed down, loud music at all times. Plus the bathroom was great, taken care of but this isn’t camping. Great if you need people around you.
RangerThis KOA has cozy spots among the trees and off any major road. Shower houses are squeaky clean and spots are spaced out just right! Some extra amenities: playground, camper core signage, and many other things!
TravelerNice, clean, parking lot type campground. Great pool with lots of built in splash features for kids and a big slide. No real view from site 665 ~ just the top of some mountains. No river view at all. There is a golf cart trail to the river access with parking, but then there are big steps with no hand rail. Lucky a nice man let me hold onto him walking back up. My husband was carrying the gear and couldn’t help me. It seems everyone brought a golf cart. They had rentals, but too expensive. Again ~ great for young families.
ScoutSuch a hidden gem! Beautiful place. Great host! Just what we were looking for
Mathias, West Virginia sits at the intersection of mountain terrain and river valley at an elevation of approximately 1,450 feet in Hardy County. Campgrounds in this region typically close from late November through April due to mountain weather conditions, with nighttime temperatures dropping below freezing even in early fall. Local sites receive about 38 inches of precipitation annually, creating lush forest conditions throughout the camping season.
Hiking at Trout Pond Recreation Area: Explore multiple trail systems surrounding a crystal-clear lake with natural features. "This place is not just a big pond where you can fish but also it has tons of cool hikes all around it," notes Jonny D. The area includes unique geological formations along the trails.
Swimming at Rock Cliff Lake: The clean, sandy beach area provides excellent swimming conditions during summer months. "Swimming is excellent with sand beach. Big catfish in clear water. Water was so clean that it was throbbing with freshwater jellyfish," reports Fred F., who visited Trout Pond Recreation Area.
Viewing Wildlife at Big Meadows: The campground's open areas attract abundant deer populations that move through campsites regularly. "We saw many deer and bear while camping. Just being in Shenandoah is a soothing experience. With so many hiking trails and waterfalls nearby we love to camp in Big Meadows - and for the star watching at night," shares Rachel M. from Big Meadows Campground.
Mountain Biking at Shenandoah River State Park: The trail system offers routes appropriate for beginner to intermediate riders. "Park offers very doable hiking and mountain biking options for beginners. Campground access to the Shenandoah River," notes Laura N.
Clean Facilities: Bathhouses and common areas receive regular maintenance. "Campground is meticulously clean with daily restroom cleaning and trash pick up. Very small campground store on site but a much larger store at visitor center," reports Kim L. at Shenandoah National Park.
Spacious Sites: Many campgrounds offer good separation between sites. "The tent sites are big and clean and the staff was super friendly. They have chickens and ducks roaming around and Our dog got to chase a chicken off the site. She loved that!" mentions Liz U. at Harrisonburg-Shenandoah Valley KOA.
Natural Swimming Holes: The region offers river access points and swimming areas beyond traditional pools. "This campground is awesome! It takes us back to a time when camping was camping without all the crazy commercialization that has overtaken so many campgrounds today... They have an honest to goodness swimming hole!" explains The C. at Rivers Edge Campground.
Star Viewing Opportunities: Dark sky conditions support excellent astronomy. "The sky was absolutely perfect to view from the campground - you could bring a telescope!" notes Sienna L. who camped at Blackwater Falls State Park.
Seasonal Weather Variations: Mountain elevation creates significant temperature shifts. "It was an especially cold night hitting a low of 14F. Very happy for the nearby heated restrooms with hot running water," shares Carol B. about late-season camping at Big Meadows.
Wildlife Precautions: Bears remain active throughout the region. "There were lots of siting and they take food clean up seriously. You can be fined for leaving food out," warns Anna R. about camping at Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park.
Limited Cell Service: Connectivity varies greatly by location. "There is no cell service. We went to the visitor center and connected to the WiFi if we needed to do something online," reports Veronica S. about her stay at Big Meadows.
Road Access Challenges: Some campgrounds require navigating steep mountain roads. "There are some pretty steep inclines to even get to the campgrounds. Unless you have a powerful vehicle pulling your camper, it would help to release your water supply and fill up when you get to the campground," advises Chris J. about accessing Trout Pond Recreation Area.
Ranger Programs: Educational activities provide structured entertainment. "Nice amphitheater with interesting ranger programs. Busy traffic in park but nice trails are accessible from campground," notes Kim L. from Big Meadows.
Playground Access: Several campgrounds maintain dedicated play areas. "This is a wonderful place to go. The beach is nice and lots of fishing, hiking, playgrounds for the kids. Whether a day trip or camping this is a nice spot," shares Wendi C. about her experience at Trout Pond Recreation Area.
Animal Interactions: Farm animals at some sites provide unique experiences. "We have three children who absolutely loved petting and feeding Mules and Donkeys!" explains Kayla M. from Middle Ridge Campground.
Activity Planning: Allow time between adventures. "We hiked around Rock Cliff Lake and observed petrified wood. Swimming is excellent with sand beach," mentions Fred F., suggesting families can combine educational hiking with recreational swimming.
Site Selection: Check your specific needs against available sites. "Site 11 and 13 both look nice and a bit more length to them and have electric (15 amp). We found that sites 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 are FHU (not sure what amp electric though)," advises Laure D. about Middle Ridge Campground.
Water Management: Mountain water systems can have pressure variations. "Water pressure was just a bit weak and used our water tank and pump during our stay. Best we could get for water pressure out of the hose was 25-20 psi," notes Stephen H. about his stay at Middle Ridge.
Road Navigation: Account for tight turns and steep sections. "Road to access the campground was good with some tight turns up the hill the last couple of miles. The campground itself is gravel roads that were pretty tight gettin in and out of and fairly steep with trees on all sides," warns Stephen H., suggesting rigs over 36 feet may face challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Mathias, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Mathias, WV is Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 131 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Mathias, WV?
TheDyrt.com has all 28 glamping camping locations near Mathias, WV, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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