Quality Time, Quality Views: Our Favorite Campsites for Twos and Crews (part 3)

Welcome back to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Here you’ll find dripping caves, whitewater, horse trails, and climbing routes galore. After all that excitement, you’re going to be ready for a good night’s sleep. We’ve made a list of our favorite campsites in the area so you can get enough rest to wake up feeling refreshed and ready for more adventure.

LOCATIONS:

Explore Park (Roanoke): At the end of the day, when you’re exhausted from Explore Park’s disc golf courses, ziplines, and mountain biking trails, you won’t have to look far to find a place to crash. The park incorporates two different campgrounds. Don's Cab-Inns Campground provides the choice between pod cabins, yurts, and RV sites. A bathhouse on site means hot showers and potable water. The second campsite, operated by Blue Mountain Adventures, offers primitive tent sites, large canvas tents, and smaller bell tents. Sites at both locations are extremely limited, so advanced booking is recommended. 

Shenandoah National Park (Stonewall): In our region’s National Park, campsites abound. 5 main campgrounds can be found scattered along the park’s Skyline Drive. The 4 primary options, Mathews Arm, Big Meadows, Lewis Mountain, and Loft Mountain all offer numerous sites, while the Dundo Group Campground contains three large areas for bigger gatherings. Mathews Arm happens to sit next to the tallest waterfall in the park, while Big Meadows boasts shade trees and wildlife. All are beautiful. Advance reservations are recommended for all locations.

Shady Mountain Campground (Amherst): Located beside the popular Panther Falls, this small collection of primitive sites offers a quintessential Blue Ridge escape. It is only a short walk from the campground to the swimming hole, where local college students and families alike head in the summer months to jump off the rocks and lounge in the deep pools. Please note that Shady Mountain is an unregulated campground, so it is up to all visitors to pack out what they pack in.

Now that you know where you’re headed, pack up the s’mores supplies and get out there! From the grandiose Peaks of Otter to the quiet solitude of Hone Quarry, the Blue Ridge Mountains will not disappoint. Make sure to stop by Walkabout Outfitter to stock up on fuel for your trusty MSR stove and get a few more wilderness tips from our staff. See you soon!