Grayson Highlands Campground

5564 Meat Camp Road, Todd, North Carolina, 28684, United States

Elk Knob State Park's backcountry group site sits at 4,000 feet in a natural hollow surrounded by Elk Knob, Snake Mountain, and The Peak. The primitive site accommodates 7-25 campers and runs $25 per night. Amenities include vault toilets and bear lockers. Cell service is poor.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Basin Cove sits 1,500 feet below the Blue Ridge Parkway in Doughton Park, reachable only by trail. The eight primitive sites each have a fire ring and bear locker. No water, no toilets, no cell service.

1481 Mt. Jefferson State Park Rd, West Jefferson, North Carolina, 28694, United States

Mount Jefferson State Natural Area sits at 4,800 feet near West Jefferson, offering free access to hiking trails, mountain views, and a single group camping site. The park draws far fewer crowds than nearby attractions, though weekend visitors increase in fall. LTE cell service works even at elevation.

Milepost 239 Blue Ridge Parkway

Doughton Park Campground sits at milepost 239 on the Blue Ridge Parkway at 3,688 feet elevation. Its 121 sites accommodate tents, RVs, and primitive camping across forested loops with flush toilets, potable water, and a dump station. Sites run $30-45 per night. Reviews skew positive for scenery and quiet, though many campers report small sites and outdated facilities.

358 New River State Park Road, Laurel Springs, NC 28644

New River State Park offers 20 campsites along one of Earth's oldest rivers, nestled in the Appalachian highlands at 2,703 feet. The campground includes tent, RV, primitive, and group sites, with amenities ranging from full hookups to walk-in riverside spots. It's a quiet, well-maintained base for paddling, fishing, and exploring the surrounding mountains.

Cherokee National Forest

9941 Hwy 133, Shady Valley, TN, 37688

Backbone Rock Campground sits at 2,100 feet along Beaverdam Creek in Cherokee National Forest, near Shady Valley. The campground has 10 sites total, including two double sites. Fees run $10-$20 per night. You'll find flush toilets and potable water, but no showers or cell service.

Grayson Highlands State Park

Chestnut Hollow Horse Campground sits at 4,446 feet in Grayson Highlands State Park, near Virginia's two highest mountains. The campground has electric hookups, water connections, and quality horse stalls designed specifically for equestrian camping. Wild ponies roam the area, and the Appalachian Trail is accessible nearby.

Grayson Highlands State Park

Hunts Campground sits at 4,633 feet in Grayson Highlands State Park, a primitive camping area near Virginia's two highest peaks. The campground offers access to the Appalachian Trail, wild pony herds, and alpine-like scenery with minimal facilities. It's rated 4.6 out of 5 stars from 109 reviews.

Grayson Highlands State Park

Grayson Highlands State Park Campground sits between Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain, Virginia's two highest peaks, in a landscape of alpine-like balds and rocky outcrops unusual for the eastern United States. The campground offers electric and water hookups, clean facilities with heated bathrooms and showers, and access to trails where wild ponies roam freely across high-elevation terrain.

Grayson Highlands State Park

Horse Stalls Campground sits at 4,511 feet in Grayson Highlands State Park, earning a perfect 5.0 rating from early visitors. The park offers trails, boat launches, and wildlife viewing, with canoeing as a popular activity.

Grayson Highlands State Park

Hickory Ridge Campground sits at 4,341 feet in Grayson Highlands State Park, within sight of Virginia's two highest mountains. The park features alpine-like peaks, waterfalls, a visitor center, and an extensive trail network.

Grayson Highlands State Park

Backpack Parking sits at 4,341 feet in Grayson Highlands State Park, a reserved overnight parking lot designed to eliminate the illegal roadside parking that once choked the Massie Gap area. This isn't a campground with sites or amenities. It's a parking spot you reserve so you can shoulder a pack and walk a short distance to the Appalachian Trail, where you'll need to camp outside the park boundary in Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. The system guarantees you a legal place to leave your car while you hike into some of Virginia's highest and most open country.

20993 Beartree Gap Road, Damascus, VA

Beartree Recreation Area sits at 3,400 feet in Jefferson National Forest, about 15 minutes from Damascus. The 73-site campground wraps around Beartree Lake in two main loops: Chipmunk Circle (larger RV pads) and Beaver Flat (better for tents). Sites run $24-48/night and hide in dense rhododendron groves where you often can't see neighbors. No cell service.

20993 Beartree Gap Road

Beartree Campground sits at 3,400 feet in Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, a few miles from Damascus, Virginia. The 70 sites spread across two main loops and a group area, with rhododendron thickets providing unexpected privacy despite close spacing. Sites run $3-8 per night and accommodate tents, RVs up to 40 feet, and groups. There's no cell service.

1946 Laurel Valley Road, Troutdale, VA 24378, USA

Grindstone Campground sits at 3,800 feet in Virginia's Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, offering 100 sites across multiple loops in a mixed hardwood and rhododendron forest. Sites run $24-36/night and include full hookups, flush toilets, and hot showers. The campground provides direct access to hiking trails, trout streams, and mountain biking routes, though recent reviews note some loops have been closed for maintenance.

3714 Highway 16, Marion, VA, 24354, USA

Old Virginia Group Horse Camp sits in Fairwood Valley within the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, about 15 miles from Marion. The single primitive group site accommodates up to 25 guests and 25 horses for $50 per night. A stream runs through the property before joining Fox Creek, and the camp provides vault toilets but no potable water or cell service.

3714 Hwy 16, Marion, VA, 24354, USA

Fox Creek Horse Camp sits at 4,000 feet in Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, serving as a hub for equestrian riders exploring hundreds of miles of trails. The campground spreads across open fields along Fox Creek, with primitive sites running $5 per night and vault toilets serving the area. Cell service is nonexistent, so plan accordingly.

2021 Hurricane Camp Road, Sugar Grove, VA, 24375, USA

Hurricane Campground sits at 3,050 feet in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forest, where Hurricane Branch meets Comers Creek. The 26 sites range from $20–$40 per night and offer tent and primitive camping beneath mixed oak and hemlock forest. Camp hosts greet arrivals, restrooms stay clean, and there's zero cell service for 15–20 miles in any direction.

6416 Sugar Grove Highway, Sugar Grove, VA 24375, USA

Raccoon Branch Campground sits at 2,880 feet in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forest near Sugar Grove, offering 20 sites for tent and RV camping from May through November. Sites run $20-27 per night and include electric and water hookups, flush toilets, and a dump station, though there are no showers. Highway 16 runs close enough that road noise carries through camp, a tradeoff for easy access to Mount Rogers trails and Dickey Creek.

3158 Blue Spring Road, Rural Retreat, VA, 24368, USA

Blue Springs Gap Cabin sits alone at 4,000 feet in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, a single rustic cabin that sleeps up to 8 people. The $45/night rate includes electricity (April through November), flush toilets, fire ring, and picnic table, but you'll need to haul in all your own water. The cabin's on a remote mountaintop with sweeping views of the Elk Creek Valley and surrounding ridges.

3714 Highway 16, Marion, VA 24354, USA

Comer's Rock Recreation Area sits at 3,825 feet in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forest, offering primitive tent camping near Marion, Virginia. The campground provides access to Hale Lake, Comers Rock Overlook, and hiking trails through Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Sites cost $5 per night and feature vault toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables. Cell service is very limited.

1195 CC Camp Road, Speedwell, VA

Hussy Mountain Horse Camp sits at 3,000 feet in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forest, offering three primitive group loops designed for equestrian camping. Each loop includes hitching rails, fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets. Potable water is available. The campground requires negative Coggins certificates and costs $7 per night. East Fork Dry Run Creek runs through the property.

330 Collins Cove Rd, Ivanhoe, VA 24354

Collins Cove Horse Campground sits at 2,000 feet in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forest near Ivanhoe, offering 10 primitive sites built for equestrians. Each site has a hitching rail, picnic table, and fire ring. The campground operates first-come, first-served for $8-$9 per night. A creek runs alongside the sites, providing water for horses but not for drinking.

544 Raven Cliff Lane, Ivanhoe, VA 24350

Raven Cliff Recreation Area offers 20 primitive, first-come, first-served campsites near Ivanhoe in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forest. Sites cost $5 per night and include gravel parking spurs, picnic tables, and fire rings. Cripple Creek runs through the area, providing fishing and wading access. There's no drinking water on-site, and the only restroom is a vault toilet (porto potty).

Hungry Mother State Park

Burson Electric / Water Campground sits in the wooded hills of Hungry Mother State Park at 2,211 feet, offering paved, level sites with electric and water hookups (select sites add sewer). Campers praise the quiet, well-maintained grounds and proximity to lake access and trails, though full park amenities require a 1.5-mile drive or hike to the main entrance.

Hungry Mother State Park

Creekside Campground sits in the wooded interior of Hungry Mother State Park, a 2,215-acre mountain park built around a 108-acre lake in southwest Virginia. The campground serves RVs and larger rigs with electric and water hookups, positioned near the creek that feeds the lake. Elevation hovers around 2,648 feet, and the park's 12 miles of trails, sandy beach, and boat rentals are all within easy reach.

Hungry Mother State Park

Hungry Mother State Park Campground sits at 2,270 feet in Virginia's forested mountains, surrounding a 108-acre lake. The 10-site campground offers electric and water hookups, with site lengths ranging from 26 to 75 feet. Campers check in at the Discovery Center and navigate a one-way clockwise road system through the park.

Hungry Mother State Park

Hemlock Haven Campground sits at 2,385 feet in Hungry Mother State Park, offering lake access, wooded terrain, and a full roster of park amenities including boat rentals, swimming, and a large conference center. The campground has earned a 5.0 rating from its single review.

Hungry Mother State Park

Royal Oak sits on a forested hillside above Hungry Mother Lake in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, offering tent-only camping on elevated wooden platforms accessed by stairs. The campground is known for being exceptionally clean and well-run, with modern bathhouses and a secluded, wooded atmosphere. Sites are tucked among mature hardwoods and rhododendron at 2,382 feet elevation, and the steep terrain means you'll be hauling gear up stairs. Not ideal for those with mobility concerns, but rewarding for campers who want immersion in nature with convenient amenities nearby.

Grayson Highlands State Park

Grayson Highlands State Park Campground sits between Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain, Virginia's two highest peaks, in a landscape of alpine-like balds and rocky outcrops unusual for the eastern United States. The campground offers electric and water hookups, clean facilities with heated bathrooms and showers, and access to trails where wild ponies roam freely across high-elevation terrain.

Grayson Highlands State Park

Backpack Parking sits at 4,341 feet in Grayson Highlands State Park, a reserved overnight parking lot designed to eliminate the illegal roadside parking that once choked the Massie Gap area. This isn't a campground with sites or amenities. It's a parking spot you reserve so you can shoulder a pack and walk a short distance to the Appalachian Trail, where you'll need to camp outside the park boundary in Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. The system guarantees you a legal place to leave your car while you hike into some of Virginia's highest and most open country.

Grayson Highlands State Park

Hunts Campground sits at 4,633 feet in Grayson Highlands State Park, a primitive camping area near Virginia's two highest peaks. The campground offers access to the Appalachian Trail, wild pony herds, and alpine-like scenery with minimal facilities. It's rated 4.6 out of 5 stars from 109 reviews.

Grayson Highlands State Park

Chestnut Hollow Horse Campground sits at 4,446 feet in Grayson Highlands State Park, near Virginia's two highest mountains. The campground has electric hookups, water connections, and quality horse stalls designed specifically for equestrian camping. Wild ponies roam the area, and the Appalachian Trail is accessible nearby.

1946 Laurel Valley Road, Troutdale, VA 24378, USA

Grindstone Campground sits at 3,800 feet in Virginia's Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, offering 100 sites across multiple loops in a mixed hardwood and rhododendron forest. Sites run $24-36/night and include full hookups, flush toilets, and hot showers. The campground provides direct access to hiking trails, trout streams, and mountain biking routes, though recent reviews note some loops have been closed for maintenance.

3714 Highway 16, Marion, VA, 24354, USA

Old Virginia Group Horse Camp sits in Fairwood Valley within the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, about 15 miles from Marion. The single primitive group site accommodates up to 25 guests and 25 horses for $50 per night. A stream runs through the property before joining Fox Creek, and the camp provides vault toilets but no potable water or cell service.

Grayson Highlands State Park

Hickory Ridge Campground sits at 4,341 feet in Grayson Highlands State Park, within sight of Virginia's two highest mountains. The park features alpine-like peaks, waterfalls, a visitor center, and an extensive trail network.

3714 Hwy 16, Marion, VA, 24354, USA

Fox Creek Horse Camp sits at 4,000 feet in Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, serving as a hub for equestrian riders exploring hundreds of miles of trails. The campground spreads across open fields along Fox Creek, with primitive sites running $5 per night and vault toilets serving the area. Cell service is nonexistent, so plan accordingly.

Milepost 239 Blue Ridge Parkway

Doughton Park Campground sits at milepost 239 on the Blue Ridge Parkway at 3,688 feet elevation. Its 121 sites accommodate tents, RVs, and primitive camping across forested loops with flush toilets, potable water, and a dump station. Sites run $30-45 per night. Reviews skew positive for scenery and quiet, though many campers report small sites and outdated facilities.