Very nice campground. No hookups but generators are permitted during specific times. Lots of pull through sites nicely spaced. My site was level but I selected a poor location near the dumpster area. I'll know for next time. Pay showers $1 for 5 minutes available. Wood was $5 plus tax. Concession managed by vendor - not park staff. Plenty of hiking opportunities, wildlife viewing and good location on the Skyline drive. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Wonderful campground. I can't wait to go back. The tent sites were in the middle of the woods and very well kept. The showers at the main office where clean and the walking trails on Skyline Drive were beautiful. We camped here in a Tent.

Nice park. Has lots of trees, need to be creative to get a satellite signal. Nice to see the deer each morning and night. No cell service, but you can drive to the picnic area and get full Verizon service. Fresh water available and a dump station with rinse and fresh water fill up. We would come again. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Excellent park in terms of size and levelness of site. Sites are all asphalt paved. Not all are level. But ours was this time. This is our second time here with motorhome. Discovered that there is free Wi-Fi in the lobby of the on site lodge hotel. Cafeteria food at visitor's center is walking distance, good, and affordable. Best online reservation system. Sites are shaded. No hookups, but nice to be in the actual park on top of the mountain. Rangers strictly enforce max # of campers which is 6 per site, 2 vehicles per site, and 2 tents per site. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is one of several campgrounds along Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. It's about 15 miles south of the Thornton Gap entrance to Skyline Drive. The camping area is large and attractive, with generator-free and tent-only sections. No hookups, but there is a free dump station about 1/2 mile away. You will see deer and other animals while you are there. This is bear country, so food left outside will be confiscated by the rangers. Cell phones do not work here, but will work at the nearby Big Meadows Lodge. There's also Wi-Fi at the Lodge. Showers are pretty far up the hill from the bulk of the camping sites, and require 4 quarters for 5 minutes. There's no warning before the time runs out, so keep a waterproof watch on, or bring extra quarters! On weekends the campground fills up and there are lots of smokey campfires. During the week in late September, it was pretty empty and quiet. RV sites are very reasonable for most rigs, but really large motorhomes (40 ft and longer) may have to be selective about the site they pick. Most sites will require some leveling. There is a gas station, cafe, visitor center, lodge, amphitheater, and store and at Big Meadows. No diesel fuel. Luray is the nearest town with services, about 50 minutes drive (approx 35 miles). Overall, Big Meadows is a great spot from which to explore Shenandoah National Park. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

We camped here in a 30 foot RV with tow vehicle. No hookups at all. Recommend you disconnect if entering at Thornton Gap and heading to Big Meadows. If towing it's a very steep and windy, up hill route. Pay showers are $1.00 for 5 minutes, very clean. Very quiet, with cooler weather then down in valley. Cannot bring firewood in, must purchase it here. We camped here in a Motorhome.

We have camped at Big Meadows many times. As always this trip was as spectacular as the others. My overall review today is very similar to the others I’ve submitted: overall fantastic. Things normally remain the same here, which is one of the major reasons we keep coming back. But, this visit marked a huge change in campground policy. In a pleasant surprise to us the park has instituted a "Generator Free Zone". This now means that Loops "A", "B" and the walk-in tent sites are areas where the operations of generators are prohibited. We, and now it appears many others must have lobbied for this change. No longer do campers who enjoy peace and quite need to tolerate noisy generators in adjacent sites. We are so glad to see that park officials actually listen to the requests of its visitors. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

The site we were on was very unlevel H211, which is the main reason for the rating. Most of the sites at this campground are too unlevel for big rigs with auto levelers. Our pull-through site had such a tight turn and a huge tree trunk, so we had to back into it instead. If site was even, I would rate this campsite a 9. Dump station and fresh water fill available. Huge pull-through sites and paved pads. Too bad they're not level. Generator hours 8AM-10AM, 4PM-7PM. Cool enough, so no need for AC. There was not enough space for our awning to go out because of the tree trunks, but enough space for slideouts. Camp host used a golf cart to lead us to our site: nice service. Very beautiful campground with many trees and deer. I will return, but will try a different campsite. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Big Meadows is the flagship operation for Shenandoah National Park, and it merits repeated visits. It has the best set of ranger and wildlife programs in this region. The climate is good at 3600 ft elevation. There are a wide variety of sites depending on loop. Our family customarily likes to use Big Meadows as the last night or two of an extended trip as it's not far from our home. There's little to no leveling or site preparation to be done and lots of facilities and events to entertain the kids; it makes for a nice low-key diversion to end a journey. If coming in October, I'd advise a midweek trip to avoid the tourist traffic pouring out of Washington, DC. Even then, Monday through Thursday are nice and quiet. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is a fantastic NPS campground, and a remarkable escape just 2 hours outside of the Washington, D.C. metro area. Usually quiet, mostly wooded with large, roomy sites. Many super fantastic walk-in tent sites as well, which we've used many times over the years. Now that we're in a trailer, I do wish they had a few full hookup or at least electricity sites available. But the tradeoff is worth it. Many great day hikes within a short drive, ranger activities, etc. Big Meadows is larger, more popular and usually more crowded than the slightly-more-remote Loft Mountain, but both are great. If staying for a longer period in the park, recommend splitting time between here and Loft Mountain. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

Big Meadow is our absolute favorite! We've been here 3 times tent camping, and will now return with our new motorhome. The sites are well laid out, and have good privacy offered by landscaping. Multiple access points from the campground to AT trails is a plus for hikers. Some wooded sites back up to the Trail. Laundry facilities and showers were clean. On-site host keeps the facilities neat & tidy. Easy walk to the campstore and nature museum. Black bears were present in the spring; we encountered one napping in the middle of the trail-luckily he ran away! We camped here in a Tent.

This campground is in the middle of the Skyline Drive with a visitor center,amphitheater, laundry, trails, showers, ranger talks and walks. It is a nice campground with the Appalachian Trail just steps away. Plenty of deer walking throughout the campground and some beer sightings as well. Visitor Center had a few films to watch, exhibits and a big meadow to lookout on and explore. At night the lights from the towns in the valley glisten down below. Nice campground! The Virgina Piedmont is to the east and the Shenandoah Valley to the west. If you haven’t driven the Skyline Drive or camped here you definitely should. When the days are sunny and clear like it was the views are outstanding and there are so many hikes one can choose. We camped here in a Motorhome.

The showers were not in the most convenient location, and are $1.00 for 5 minutes. The attendant was most helpful and very friendly. The laundry had four washing machines and six dryers, I think. Deer were everywhere. Everyone in my group saw a black bear except me. Cell connection available only on the back porch of the Lodge which is very nice. We enjoyed the entertainment one evening in the Taproom. Great hiking trails from easy to difficult. Senior rate $10.00 per night. (866) 875-8456 We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

Excellent campground, even without power and water. Large spaces, plenty long for the longest rigs. Heavily wooded sites with plenty of shade. A short walk to restrooms and showers. We'll be back here in October. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Very nice park. Really like the park even though no water or electricity. Though it was 99 degrees at bottom of Skyline Drive, campground was ony 81 degrees. Love the hiking, and saw plenty of wildlife (11 bears, 3 turkeys, 1 Peregrine Falcon, numerous Chipmunks, 1 Timber Rattlesnake, and 100's of deer). Showers were a little small and could have used a cleaning, but nothing too bad. Will gladly camp here again! We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

This is one beautiful park and campground. We were here during the middle of the week and there were many nice sites to chose from. Reservations can be made on the NPS website, but we went spur of the moment and were fine. There are no hook-ups at the campground so consider this to be a rustic type stay. Our site was level, freshly mowed and had a fire ring. Park maintaence crews seemed liked they were everywhere working. Restrooms were spotless. Showers ($1. = 5 min.) weren’t in the restrooms, but located in a common area near the camp store. Camp store was fully stocked; firewood is available at $5 a bundle. Various Ranger programs were given daily and covered a variety of topics. The evening campfire program is always outstanding. Deer wandered throughout the campground all hours of the day and night. Big Meadows Lodge is located only a short hike away from the campground. Dining hall, tap room and gift shop are all located there. There is a wayside area as you enter the Big Meadows complex where you can purchase fuel. The only negative issue here …..Use of generators. The campground isn’t segregated as to having all large motorhomes with generators located in one section of the campground. Here someone little tent can be located directly next to a 30’ class “A”. We were forced to tolerate the motor home in the site directly behind ours run his noisy generator the entire time we cooked and ate dinner. The park should re-evaluate their rules on generator use OR place all the generator-equipped motor homes in their own section of the campground. Overall a great place to camp. We camped here in a Tent.

As always a beautiful camping place. We try to get up here often during the summer living not too far away from it. Always lots of deer. Cell phone reception was good on the north side on part of the Appalachian Trail. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

This is one of the nicest NPs I have ever stayed at. They have an area with pull throughs that does allow generator use for about 5 hours per day, enough to recharge the batteries. No hookups but that is normal for a NP. If you have a large rig, make sure it will fit on the site given to you by the reservation system. We had a problem the first night. Staff was very friendly and moved us the second night. Tents had nice sites with freshly mowed grass. Only about 4 showers for over 100 sites, could be a wait. Also charged $1 for 5 minutes. Lots to see inside park and the surrounding area. We will stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is one of my favorite camping locations. Although, this is my first year doing so with a HTT. It is a VERY quiet campground, at night. Almost early (no animal, insect, tree frog sounds.) Because of this, at one point, we were convinced were heard a bear growling in the woods. Turned out to be someone snoring. (That's okay. I'm sure I got them back.) Fire wood is very expensive. We only had fire Saturday night, and Sunday morning (for cooking). It took about $35 of firewood ($4.95 per small bag of wood). Showers are one of the best in the Nat'l Park system: and actually IN the park. We stayed in B-118. All RV sites seemed to be very level. Good supply of fresh water. There is a great park store, very close, for supplies. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

A great campground to stay at on the parkway. We watched to deer come into the campground in the evening. Beautiful. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

In spite of the fact that this campground lacks hookups, this in a very special place to stay along Skyline Drive. Take a walk behind the shower building along the short trail to the lodge for an excellent dinner overlooking the Shenandoah Valley. Nature trails, trails to a waterfall, large sites, and clean facilities. This is a special place. We camped here in a Truck Camper.

Nice, plenty of space We camped here in a Motorhome.

Very nice National Park Campground. Campground has pay showers, camp store, and laundry on premises. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Absolutely LOVE coming here! We live in VA and go to the mountains quite a few times a year, always staying in Big Meadows Mixed Camping. Always clean and quiet with so much to do and the price cant be beat. Whether its an RV or a tent, the price is still $19.00 per night. Wildlife abound - I've seen more black bear this year than I have in the 18 years I've been coming up here! Highly recommend to everyone! We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

There are many good things about this park. The ranger programs here are outstanding! We've done 8-10 of them on a variety of topics: and have learned a lot. Hiking out of this park is also excellent, with well marked and well maintained trails. The meadow itself is fantastic: huge and diverse. The best time to go is at dusk, when one can see a multitude of deer (w/fawns) feeding in a natural context (i.e., not begging for food in a campground). It's really something to see. The campsites themselves are fairly large. Some afford good views off the Skyline Drive. My major objection involves the park's generator policy, which allows generators to run from 8-10:00 a.m. and 4:00-6:00 p.m. every day. The noise during these hours is unbelievable! In fact, many people just turn their generators on and then leave the park, allowing them to run full-throttle for 2 hours at a stretch. Don't plan to sit outside during these hours. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

If your looking for peace and quiet, this is the place. We tent camped here during the middle of the week in both July and September. July was a bit more crowded but no problem finding a good site. Although weekends could be a problem. Wildlife everywhere. Deer, racoon and skunks wandering through at all hours. You can hear the coyotes howling every night, now that was cool! Kids would love this. Ranger programs excellent, but not held every evening due to budget cuts. We grabbed our favorite site with a valley view, only problem is these premo sites aren't "tent sites" and a 35' class A pulled in next to us. We had to tolerate his generator until quiet hours started but the view was well worth it. No hook-ups but there's a dump station on site. Rest rooms were spotless, showers were hot! I avoid loops B & C due to the raised fire pits, but thats me. You can drive up to the lodge for a full course meal and local entertainment every night in the taproom. Highly recommend if "rustic" is what your looking for, but luxury is only a short drive away. We camped here in a Tent.

Cost with Golden Age $7.50 – no hookups at all! We took site 20, which was a small pullthrough looking out over the mountain. Another National Park Service campground on Skyline Drive. This campground has only 31 sites and a huge picnic area. It is on the Appalachian Trail so that it is very popular with those hiking the trail and other trails on the Drive. All sites were taken for the weekend and most of the campers moved out on Sunday especially after a violent thunderstorm Saturday night. We have a 25 foot RV and could fit in most sites but anything bigger it would be a tough fit. Only two pull throughs. Very popular campground and also with the bears. Three bears were in the campground the night before we pulled in. Beautiful drive getting to the park coming from the north or south. We camped here in a Motorhome.

We enjoyed this park for just a one night stay while passing through on our way home. The park is nice and well kept but is very busy. The sites feel isolated, but the crowd noise reminds you that it is not. I caution people on the "pull thru" sites. We had problems in a site in the B loop getting in (and out) in our 24' motor home. I would call ahead if you are in a big rig and reserve a spot that way. We ended up in E94- Nice spot and close to a bath house for restroom facilities. Generator hours are limited, so keep that in mind if you have a medical need that would require longer use. Over all it is a nice park and we would stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.

The pull throughs are paved and are adequate for a 30' TT and tow vehicle. It was very easy to level both side to side and front to back. It was hot when we arrived but there was a nice breeze all night with cool temps. It was buggy sitting outside so take the insect repellent. The only place for potable water is at the dump station. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

Very well kept campground with very good privacy. There are numerous pull throughs to make parking your RV easy. The drive to the campground is on Skyline Drive and is very scenic. With the Appalachian Trail next to the park, there is plenty of hiking opportunities. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is a great park for dry camping, big rig friendly a lot of pull throughs and spaced out for privacy. The only drawback might be the showers are a drive if you need them, other than that we will be back. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Very well kept campground with very good privacy. The rangers are very personable yet professional. The drive to campground is on Skyline Drive and is very scenic. With the Appalachian Trail next to the park, there is plenty of hiking opportunities. The only downside is that the showers are located a significant distance from the campground sites and cost $1 for 5 minutes. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Love, love, LOVE this part of the park! We tent camped, many times. Best area of the park. The bathrooms are clean. Coin-op showers. Beautiful views! Easy access to the Appalachian trail. Some tent sites are downhill. Plenty to choose from. You can even check out the sites before you choose. Super awesome bear-proof boxes make it convenient to store food. Camp store is fully stocked, except for feminine products. But they sell beer and wine! A++ all the way. The only downside was some Park Ranger gave my husband a hard time entering the park. We camped here in a Tent.

Price reflects Federal Handicap Access Pass rate of $7.50 per night (50% off). We camped here for 12 nights and really enjoyed it. However, most sites are very un-level and are backwards (your awning will be on the wrong side unless you drive the wrong way in like we did). Lots of wildlife to see in the camp... deer, birds, snakes, bears, wolves, etc. Bath houses are small but adequate; showers are at the camp store and cost $1 for 5 minutes. Laundromat is available and very inexpensive to use. Church services are held each Sunday morning at 9:30 in the amphitheater. Cell service is spotty at best; TV reception was good with just an antenna. It is 20 miles to town, 41 miles to a Walmart so come prepared. If you want to get away from it all, this is the place to come. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

My new favorite place to camp. Bluebirds, goldfinches, peeping frogs, pleasant little border of green around each site hides the neighbors from view. Sunrise and sunset were both breath-taking. Meandered a bit on Appalachian Trail. We want to go back soon. We camped here in a Tent.

It is a very nice NP campground, fairly large, well separated sites. It seemed the more level sites were in A Loop, where we were, next time we will bring the toad, as the amphitheater, Camp store & showers were quite a walk away. The only real problem was, all the sites on the inside of a loop, (left side of the road), are backwards, you have to get turned around, & go the wrong way into your site, to get your awning on the right side. But all in all, a great relaxing weekend away from the constant upper 90 degree heat. We'll be back. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Overall this campground is nice. Our biggest complaint was the toilet and bath facilities. The Men's restroom on our loop had only one stall toilet. This is the largest campground on Skyline Drive for goodness sake! At the camp store, the Men's bath house had only one working shower for the entire weekend. As it is now, I would not stay here again. There are better choices. It's time for updated facilities at this National Park campground. We camped here in a Tent Trailer.

A beautiful campground. Lots of trees, shrubs and grass. Very quiet. Large, private sites. Lots of deer and rabbits. Raccoons can be a problem. One tried to steal the graham crackers off the picnic table while we were sitting around the fire making s'mores! No hook ups, but the dump station was nearby. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Excellent campground for big rigs. Easy access. Loops A and B are best for big rigs, most level and large sites. Loop C very unlevel. Super large driveway and grass area at almost every site. No hookups. Very beautiful and nature at its best. Feels like you are in the middle of nowhere. All roads and pads are paved. Lots of birds singing, no traffic noise. Access to Skyline Drive via Rt. 33 very easy. Park Rangers all very nice, no problems. Rate per night is excellent for what you get. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is a fantastic NPS campground, and a remarkable escape just 2 hours outside of the Washington, D.C. metro area. I agree with the other reviewers: quiet, remote, natural feel no matter what time of year. We've camped here many times over the years, usually in tents. Now that we're in a trailer, I do wish they had a few full hookup or at least electricity sites available. But the tradeoff is worth it. Many great day hikes within a short drive. If staying for a longer period in the park, recommend splitting time between here and Big Meadows, which is also fantastic and offers even more close-by day hike opportunities. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

Quiet & peaceful, even on a holiday weekend. Spacious sites, well situated and private. We spent two peaceful nights here, hiked the nearby trails, and completely relaxed. We camped here in a Tent.

No hookups at all but there are restrooms and water and a campstore with laundry and showers. This campground is one of four on the Skyline drive in Shenandoah National Park. There is also another one that is for groups only. You can make reservations here for about 30 of the sites. Most of the sites are pull through and good size even for the largest campers, but there are a number of sites that are not level. Real nice tent sites. We moved from reserve site to a non reserve site only because it was more level, but actually this site faces west so we were able to look at the views looking down on the valley, and at night one can see the lights of the towns in the distance. Great views! The Appalachian Trail goes right around this campground so easy to get on to go hiking either way. We arrived on opening day May 15 a Friday and it was quite interesting within 6 hours most of the sites in the campground were taken. Lots of deer roaming through the woods and through your sites. Very nice campground! We camped here in a Motorhome.

No hookups, but who cares. This place is awesome anytime of year. We've camped here in the spring, summer, and fall and are never disappointed no matter the weather. Reservations are easy online but usually some spots available b/c of no-shows. Can not recommend this place enough. (Also Big Meadows is just as awesome!) We camped here in a Tent Trailer.

We had a good time here... would definitely go back again. We camped here in a Truck Camper.

It was OK... nothing spectacular... will explore other avenues We camped here in a Truck Camper.

I stayed here for the Labor Day 2007 weekend in a group site. There was allot of confusion with park staff whether I booked a regular site or a group site. I showed them my reservation noting a group site with up to 15 people with 3 cars. It's funny that with all the confusion the marker by the road at this site said Group site. There was only parking for two cars and the reservation said I was allowed three. They asked me to park my third car at a nearby site. This was a major pain since all food has to be put in cars at night. My site was beautiful and cozy but very unlevel for tent camping. It would also never work for a popup. The parking spaces were very small. This campground is much quieter than Big Meadows. We originally looked at big Meadow but decided on Loft Mountain because of the group site availability. We camped here in a Tent.

Great park! Quite large for a NPS park but really well laid out so you aren't camping right on top of each others. They has a lot of really secluded tent sites but they are a bit of a hike if you take a lot of equipment like we do when we tent camp! The RV sites are nicely wooded and fairly well separated, too. Lots of great hiking. Nice ranger programs nightly during the summer. Showers are only available at the camp store which is a little bit of a walk from some of the sites. We camped here in a Tent.

I'm used to camping in the Midwest, but the sites seem so very close together! I felt like I was camping in my back yard (not very wooded) - besides the beautiful mountainous views that you could take a short walk to see. You could definitely see/hear other campers very easily. I wish the sites were more secluded because they aren't at all!! Shower is also quarter/coin operated at the camp store which is sort of off the grounds. Can see that being annoying if you have kids... Lots of hiking/sightseeing activities to do in the park. We camped here in a Tent.

If you like rustic this is the place for you. Roads throughout campground are all paved. Site was large, level, shaded and fairly isolated. Ours wasn’t, but pull thru sites are available here. Rest rooms were modern and very clean. Our site was near the restroom and the exhaust fan was rather noisy, so keep that in mind if you are looking for absolute quiet. The best part of the trip was all of the wildlife. Deer everywhere, also spotted skunks, vultures and a family of wild turkeys. Kids really enjoyed the Ranger Programs, they were well prepared and very informative. Overall a great place to come and escape your everyday routine. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

OK, I admit we are " resort " people and prefer the upscale resorts versus the rustic CG's. But we found a hidden gem on Loft Mtn. If your looking for a great quiet getaway, you need to check out this NPCG. It sits on top of Loft Mountain and provides you with some amazing views. Even during the 4th of July weekend we found it to be quiet, peaceful and stress free. We had deer wander right through the camp sites and it added even more to the overall enjoyment. If your in a big rig like we were (40 ft. quad slide) try the sites on "A" Loop. There are several pull thrus there and they offer you a great deal of privacy. No need to worry about mud or dirt as the park roads and camp sites are all paved. The Skyline Dr. trip was uneventful. Just take it easy and watch for deer. They are everywhere up there. We cannot wait to get back here and camp again. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This no reservation CG is at mile marker 80 on Skyline Drive in the park. Nearly all of the sites are pull arounds and varied in how tight the turn is and level they are. The roads to and throughout the CG are paved and in good shape. Bathrooms are simple flush toilets; there are no hook-ups, laundry or showers right in the CG but there are pay showers and laundry at the campstore nearby. We have a 30 ft class A and had plenty of room for the RV and our toad. We saw some sizable RV's in some sites but the curve of other sites could give big rigs some difficulty. Sites on A loop were crowded but offered a view off the mountain. We liked D76 for being level and the spacious grassy area to the right of the RV. There were trees and other greenery between many of the sites. Campground closes the end of Oct. We would stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is a quiet and peaceful park, with deer wandering all about. We had a site on the edge of a high cliff, with a view out over the valley far below. Very nice. Our site was situated right on the AT, so hiking is possible right out of your door. Pay showers and a camp store are available, but no electricity. The generators were loud at times and run far too long by fellow campers. The sites are large and pretty private. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

What a wonderful campground! This is truly a way to get back to nature - while we were sitting at our site 3 deer walked right by - what a treat for the kids! There are no hook-ups but the sites are paved (most are pull-thrus) and it's very quiet. Our site was level. They don't take reservations but as long as it's not a holiday weekend, the ranger said that you'll probably be ok. We camped here in a Tent Trailer.

On top of the world! Beautiful and clean. Better have a dual battery on the RV cause there's no elec. ;) Nice and peaceful. If you want a CG that's relaxing this is it. If you want waterslides, arcades, and mayhem you'll have to look elsewhere. Plan to go back yearly! We camped here in a Truck Camper.

I love Loft Mountain! Wonderful programs put on by the Park Rangers. We have been there four times this summer and never a negative experience. Campsites are designed to provide some privacy, but there is still ample opportunity to visit with your fellow campers. The wildlife is wonderful, lots of trails to hike, or just plain peace and quiet to enjoy! We camped here in a camper.

The wild life comes alive especially after dark! Lots of Deer and a few bears. The campgrounds are manicured wooded lots, mostly pull throughs. The showers are in a central location and are coin operated. We camped here in a camper.

This campground is one of the four main ones in Shenandoah National Park and the closest one to the north entrance. The Appalachian Trail surrounds it and there are many hikes in the area to take and many to some great waterfalls. It has a nice layout and opens up around May 15, so when we were there the deer stroll into the park with no fear of humans. Eight bear were spotted around the area of the campground, and driving here bobcat jetted across in front of us and then stared as we went by. 25% of the sites can be reserved and the others are first come first serve. It was empty on the weekday we were there in May but on the weekends it is usually full. Hiking, observing nature and wildlife and driving the Skyline Drive are the favorite things to do. The day we were here was sunny and clear. We camped here in a Motorhome.

It is the first campground inside the National Park when entering from the North. A rustic campground with no hook-ups. There is a fairly steep downgrade entering campground. It has a good dump station with fresh water available to fill tanks. Camp fees don't include the $15 access fee for the National Park. Sites varied from wide and level to narrow and steep. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

We have camped there only one time while visiting Lurray Caverns. The check in and payment were on the honor system. The site that we chose was right near the restrooms for convenience of the children. The restrooms were well lit and clean, even during the off-season. There was no odor at our site from the facilities. It was very quiet and really beautiful! We were high up on the mountain and the view of the winter sky was fabulous! There were so many stars to be seen, it was absolutely amazing. We were in a "primitive" area, which means that there was no on-site water or electric hook-ups, but isn't that what camping is all about? Some or our "neighbors" were up late with a campfire, and we borrowed their ax to split some wood as we ran out before heading to bed. The site was large and flat and well shaded in parts. We will definitely be returning to Matthew's Arm in the future!! :) We camped here in a Tent.

This CG is at mile marker 22.2 on Skyline Drive in the park. The trip into the park from Front Royal was very easy; we didn't notice the grade, probably because the speed limit is only 35 mph. Most sites in the CG are shaded by nice tall oak trees (nice except for the acorns that pelted us constantly and forcefully on a couple of very windy days and nights), these paved back-in sites tended to be a bit sloped fore and aft as well as side to side. There were sites in a more open area (about C150 to C170) that looked a bit more level. We have a 30 ft class A and had plenty of room to park our toad in front of the RV, we did not see any sites that looked large enough for a big rig (40+ ft) and a towed vehicle but there may be a some that we missed. The roads to and throughout the CG were paved and in good shape. Bathrooms were clean, simple flush toilets; there are no hook-ups, laundry or showers at Mathews Arm but it was peaceful and the autumn leaves were lovely. There is a campstore at the Elkwallow wayside about two miles from the CG. We had several deer wander through the campground. There is a dump station with two ports that is well situated a bit away from the entrance to the CG. We liked the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center and in general the north end of the park seems less congested than the central and south sections, we would stay here again. Campground closes at the end of Oct. We camped here in a Motorhome.