Mount Rogers National Recreation Area Dispersed Camping

From here take the Iron Mountain Trail west to the Feathercamp Ridge Trail and make a steep decline to the Sawmill Trail. Once on the Sawmill Trail, gain a few views before dropping down to Rush Creek. Climb away from Rush Creek on the Rush Trail to reach Forest Road 90. Then take this gravel road down to the point of origin.

Near Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain, Virginia’s two highest mountains, Grayson Highlands offers scenic views of alpine-like peaks more than 5,000 feet high. Facilities include a visitor center, campgrounds, and hiking trails leading to waterfalls and overlooks. Scenic horse trails and a horse camping area with electric and water hookups, stables and parking for trailers are available. The park provides year-round access to the Appalachian Trail and the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail. The park includes the 5,000-acre Crest Zone with elevations above 4,000 feet, herds of wild ponies and a 50-mile scenic highway.

Or send a check to Cardinal Productions, P.O. Box 4455, Roanoke, VA 24015. Group Loop, which opens May 27, has four tent clusters and four RV clusters. The Opossum Loop of Grindstone Campground will be open April 15 with 20 sites available on a first-come, first-served basis. A port-a-john will be available, but water will not be available. The wastewater system is over 50 years old and consists of two large settling ponds that return water to Big Laurel Creek, a native trout stream that flows into Whitetop Laurel Creek.

Amelia Wildlife Management Area

Take the AT back to the Beech Grove Trail and return to the parking area. Along the way, enjoy streamside woods and open pine oak stands atop Feathercamp Ridge. The wide, road-like Crest Trail offers nearly continuous vistas as it courses the top of Pine Mountain from Scales. Wild ponies, which live in the recreation area year-round, are often seen in this stretch of the high country. Meet the AT after .8 mile, then return to the trailhead at Scales, winding in and out of woods. Start at Beartree Lake Recreation Area then encircle the mountain impoundment of Beartree Lake.

Today the balds are kept open through prescribed burning and regulated cattle grazing by private farmers who lease grazing rights. Two herds of free-roaming ponies make their home in the high country, and also help to keep the balds clear. A private association manages the herds, one of which is in Grayson Highlands State Park. The other lives within the Crest Zone of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Enjoy wooded trails, old farm fields, valley views along Bull Head Mountain, and southern hospitality.

Best Places To Camp In Virginia

You’ll need to stop by the Chopawamsic Visitors Center to fill out some paperwork and pick up your backcountry permit. One of the most beautiful forests in the state, the Rapidan WMA consists of over 10,000 acres abutting Shenandoah National Park. To access the WMA, you’ll need a Virginia hunting/fishing license or a wildlife management area pass. Gaby is a guide and outdoor educator with a passion for introducing people to the world’s most beautiful and unique places. She is a keen hiker, climber, paddler, and skier and has travelled extensively in search of the next great adventure.

E/W – Electric and water sites; 20 and 30-amp; various equipment. Grayson Highlands allows guests to reserve specific campsites. The camping lodge is located back of upper loop campground. The rental season begins on May 1 and ends on the first Sunday of November.

George Washington National Forest Lee District

Raccoon Branch campground offers scenic mountain views, hiking from your campsite, and cold mountain streams popular for trout fishing. There are bathrooms with flush toilets, but no showers. Developed fee-for-use campgrounds are available in Grayson Highlands State Park and at several locations in the National Forest. Thomas Knob Shelter is very inviting, but AT through-hikers should be given “first dibbs” at that location. No fees or permits are needed for backcountry camping in Mount Rogers NRA. State Park camping is only allowed in developed sites. The summit of Mount Rogers is reached via hiking trails.

Parking in the grass along the road shoulder may result in a fine. If parking is full, visitors can explore other areas of the park. The Mount Rogers Recreation Area includes facilities for hiking, camping and fishing. Leave attractive Hussy Mountain Horse Camp and head east on the East Fork Trail to meet the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail. Climb up to Horse Heaven on the VHHT and enjoy occasional views before dropping back down to East Fork. Take Forest Road 14 just a short distance to pick up the East Fork Trail, which winds beneath large pines of the valley to return to Hussy Mountain Horse Camp.

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Pick up the Appalachian Trail and follow it along Wilburn Ridge to the Wilburn Ridge Trail. Do a little rock scrambling in between vistas, then return to the state park via the Appalachian Trail. This path traces Comers Creek — dropping steeply in small cascades and falls — into a rhododendron-choked gorge, then intersects the Appalachian Trail at .4 mile. To access the actual Comers Creek Falls turn right on the AT and continue another .2 mile to view the cataract dropping about 15 feet in a stair step fashion. When you really need to get off the grid while boondocking in Virginia, it doesn’t get much better than the Three Ridges Wilderness Area an hour south of Charlottesville.

There are some great restaurants to check out as well as a handful of historic sites to visit. Plus, Petersburg is also just a short drive from the Monongahela National Forest, so it offers great access to a range of outdoor recreation opportunities. As such, Front Royal has a fantastic collection of hotels, restaurants, shops, and other similar amenities for visitors to enjoy. Front Royal is also just a short drive from Washington, DC, which is also accessible via a commuter bus service. This hike begins at the Bear Wallow/Signal Knob parking area on Virginia Route 678 near the Elizabeth Furnace Picnic Area. From here, it follows a series of four trails up to an outpost that served an important role for both Confederate and Union armies during the Civil War.

This is not a full service lodge; it is a camping facility. The two-room trailer has seven bunk beds, a refrigerator, a microwave, a coffeepot, and heating and air conditioning. Just outside is a deck with two picnic tables and a charcoal grill.

Cruise down the Fairwood Valley back to Fox Creek Horse Camp. Head away from Scales on the Crest Trail and immediately gain views of the high country. Climb to Rhododendron Gap, passing numerous other paths.

Whether you are an experienced cowboy or a little green, our skilled staff and gentle horses make for a pleasant visit. Also offering overnight camping trips with breakfast prepared the next morning. Camping Lodge – Two-night minimum, no weekly requirement.

Some dispersed campsites do have established tent pads or fire rings, but not most. If you’ve come upon one of these sites, congratulations! You just discovered the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Cabins, Camping

For example, the Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the ‘Aconcagua Group’ and the ‘Seven Summits.’ The Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children. It is always advised to check projected weather conditions with Grayson Highlands State Park headquarters prior to any visit. Dogs are allowed but are required to be on a leash in both Grayson Highlands State Park and the Mount Rogers NRA.

Big Wilson Creek, along the northeastern boundary of the park, offers 3.5 miles of fishable waters. From its headwaters to ¼-mile below its confluence with Little Wilson Creek, the stream is designated a “Special Regulation Wild Trout Stream.” A sign marks the area. Below this point, the creek is designated a “Stocked Trout Stream” and requires a trout license in addition to the state fishing license. You can reach the creek via the Appalachian Trail at Massie Gap or by taking the Big Wilson Creek Trail from the main campground. The park has long been a gateway to the state’s highest peak, Mount Rogers, as well as the Appalachian Trail and the Grayson Highlands. As the popularity of outdoor recreation has grown, so has the number of visitors to the highlands.