Camping in Shenandoah
- Campgrounds
- 4
- Sites
- 623
- Reservable
- 473
- 127 first-come
- Longest RV
- —
- 3 dump stations
- Cell service
- 0/4
- campgrounds
- From
- $30
- per night
Every campground
Sites, rules and amenities
| Campground | Sites | Reservable | First-come | RV max | Cell | Showers | Dump | From | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Meadows Campground | 221 | 220 | 0 | Yes | No | — | Yes | $30 | Reserve |
| Loft Mountain Campground | 207 | 141 | 50 | Yes | No | — | Yes | $30 | Reserve |
| Mathews Arm Campground | 165 | 112 | 47 | Yes | No | No | Yes | $30 | Reserve |
| Lewis Mountain Campground | 30 | 0 | 30 | Yes | No | — | No | $30 | — |
When booking opens
Booking windows for campsites and lodges
Campground booking · Recreation.gov (National Park Service)
Mathews Arm Campground, Big Meadows Campground, Loft Mountain Campground
6 months (50%), 2 weeks (25%), 4 days (25%)
Reservable sites are released in three sections: 6 months before arrival, 50 percent of reservable sites; 2 weeks before arrival, 25 percent; 4 days before arrival, the remaining 25 percent. The NPS page's worked example puts a later release at 10 a.m. No reservations can be made for Mathews Arm within 48 hours of the selected date. Big Meadows is reservatio…
“6 months prior to the date of your arrival - 50% of reservable sites will be released 2 weeks prior to the date of your arrival - 25% of reservable sites will be released 4 days prior to the date of your arrival - the remaining 25% of reservable sites will be released”
Lodging booking · Delaware North
Skyland, Big Meadows Lodge, Lewis Mountain Cabins
13 months
Arrival dates can be booked a maximum of one year and one month in advance (13 months).
“Advance Booking Limit: You can book your arrival date a maximum of one year and one month in advance of arrival.”
What the NPS says
Reservations, in the park's words
Big Meadows Campground
All sites at Big Meadows Campground are by reservation only. Rangers can make limited reservations on site, but availability is not guaranteed. It is recommended you make your reservation ahead of time. Reservations can be made through Recreation.gov as well as the site map on the campground page. Check the map to see when specific sites are scheduled to be released. Reservable sites will be released in sections: 6 months prior to the date of your arrival - 50% of reservable sites will be released; 2 weeks prior to the date of your arrival - 25% of reservable sites will be released; 4 days pri…
Recreation.gov →Loft Mountain Campground
There is a combination of sites offered through reservations and on a first-come, first-served basis at Loft Mountain Campground. Reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends and holidays. Reservations for many standard sites may be made up to 6 months in advance, with additional sites becoming available 2 weeks prior, and 4 days prior your stay.
Recreation.gov →Mathews Arm Campground
There is a combination of sites offered through reservations and on a first-come, first-served basis at Mathews Arm Campground. Reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends and holidays. Reservations for many standard sites may be made up to 6 months in advance, with additional sites becoming available 2 weeks prior, and 4 days prior your stay. Group sites can be reserved up to one year in advance.
Recreation.gov →Lewis Mountain Campground
Lewis Mountain Campground operates on a self-registration, first-come, first-serve basis. There are no reservable sites. Please follow the posted directions to register once arriving at the campground.
About this data
Site counts, reservation splits, RV limits and amenities are the National Park Service’s own records for each campground, retrieved from the NPS Data API and shown without edits (a dash means the park did not state it). Seasons, fees and availability change — the campground’s Recreation.gov page is the authority for what is open and bookable today.
Sources · 3
- 1.NPS Data API — /campgrounds · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.Reservation, permit, lottery and camping pages of each park on nps.gov and Recreation.gov, read and quoted · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 3.Shenandoah National Park — Camping (nps.gov) · National Park Service
FAQ
Shenandoah camping questions
- How many campgrounds does Shenandoah have?
- The National Park Service lists 4 campgrounds in Shenandoah National Park with 623 sites in total: 473 reservable and 127 first-come, first-served.
- Do I need a reservation to camp in Shenandoah?
- Big Meadows Campground, Loft Mountain Campground and Mathews Arm Campground take reservations, while Lewis Mountain Campground is first-come, first-served. For Mathews Arm Campground, Big Meadows Campground, Loft Mountain Campground: 6 months (50%), 2 weeks (25%), 4 days (25%).
- Is there cell service at Shenandoah campgrounds?
- The NPS reports no cell reception at any of the park's campgrounds. Download maps before you arrive.
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