Lake Camping Near Elliston, Virginia, US: 12 Best Lake Campsites 2026

Looking for a camping adventure near Elliston, Virginia? Hipcamp has over 1200 options to choose from! Whether you're into biking, paddling, or hiking, there's something for everyone. With campsite options like Rivers Edge Trail Camp (267 reviews), Savage Acres on Craig Creek (269 reviews), and ON TOP . CAMP - NW NC Ashe Co (240 reviews), you're sure to find the perfect spot. Plus, amenities like toilets, pet-friendly spaces, and potable water are popular features. The average price per night is $30, but you can find options as low as $5. Get ready for an unforgettable camping experience in the United States!

100% (678)

Top-rated campgrounds

Looking for a camping adventure near Elliston, Virginia? Hipcamp has over 1200 options to choose from! Whether you're into biking, paddling, or hiking, there's something for everyone. With campsite options like Rivers Edge Trail Camp (267 reviews), Savage Acres on Craig Creek (269 reviews), and ON TOP . CAMP - NW NC Ashe Co (240 reviews), you're sure to find the perfect spot. Plus, amenities like toilets, pet-friendly spaces, and potable water are popular features. The average price per night is $30, but you can find options as low as $5. Get ready for an unforgettable camping experience in the United States!

100% (678)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Thunder BRidge

99%

(688)

46mi from Elliston · 26 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Natural Bridge Station, VA

Starting December 1, or first night below freezing we will be closing down Bath House and only access will be at outhouses. Only sites near outhouses will be open and there will be no access to water. Situated at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains and bordering the Jefferson National Forest, Thunder BRidge has scenic, large, private tent sites and cabins in the woods for those who want to experience camping at its finest. Many of the sites border Elk Creek. Our RV sites are large, flat and at the edge of the forest in a well kept open green space. Our 100 acres was originally a camp built by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the "30s and early '40s, then a boys' juvenile detention center and Big Brothers'/Big Sisters' camp, which closed in 2009. The tent sites and cabins are in the forest, away from the buildings out front, but you're free to walk around and check out the historic site. Most of the buildings out front are artist studios (currently for 16 artists). We like to share the camp with others and watch it come back to life. All within a short driving distance are the Natural Bridge, wineries, breweries, Natural Bridge Zoo, Safari Park, Dinosaur Kingdom, Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, James River, historic Lexington, Devil's Marbleyard, Glenwood Horse Trail, swimming holes, etc. We have river access 2 miles up the road if you'd like to fish or put your kayak or canoe in. Truly, there is something nearby for everyone. We'd be happy to give you recommendations of things to see and do. If you are a star gazer you won't be disappointed by our dark sky. We want to share our property with those who want to stay for more than one night, so we do not accept inquiries of single night stays.

2. W.T. Farm?

96%

(14)

34mi from Elliston · 6 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Union, WV

What makes W.T. Farm special is the diversity of textures of the landscape. We have great mountain top views, as well as, a deep holler with cliffs, rock outcroppings, and waterfalls. The fields are full of fruit and nut trees and there are 5 ponds. Each of these supports its own flora and fauna. I acquired stewardship of this land 35 years ago and have developed perennial orchards wherever possible. I started with pears and have branched out into pawpaws, apples, persimmons, currants, black walnuts etc. and I boast that I planted the first commercial hickory oil orchard in the world. I am an eccentric horticulturalist and graft cultivar varieties onto existing trees like oaks, hickories, black walnuts, and even the maligned invasive honeysuckle, autumn olive and multiflora rose. Just last year I bought an adjoining farm that opened up 50 acres of more orchard planting. It is on top of the mountain and offers an expansive view of the valley and ridge system that defines our region. Funny thing is that because the land between the old farm and the new farm is divided by cliffs in the holler the only way to get from one to the other is a 12 minute drive or vigorous hiking. On this new land is a historic log cabin I am renovating that is said to be one of the original settler's cabin on the mountain. Because of the amount of tree fruit I grow and the varied landscape, there is a rich diversity of birds and animals to be seen. One of my favorite walks is along the cliffs to the top waterfall where there is a sweet wading pool. I have also built a number of ponds and four of them are quite swimmable. One has a dock and is where we spend much summer time refreshing and frolicking. The farm is also a small (very small) licensed farm winery and we make and sell traditional hard cider from our apples and pears. Our cider can be purchased along with our nut oils and flours and other farm produce you may not be familiar with. We live to eat. Coming here is a gastronomical adventure! I run the Acornucopia project from here and from it we are developing a foragers network that would very much suit the lifestyle of hipcampers. We pay foragers for wild nuts they gather. Also often there is an opportunity to work on the farm harvesting and processing food. Let me know if that is something you would like to do. Treely Yours, Bill

3. Beaverdam Falls

98%

(119)

31mi from Elliston · 4 sites · Lodging · Covington, VA

Nestled on a private 65-acre farm in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia, Beaverdam Falls is located on VA SR-311 (Kanawha Trail) in the Sweet Springs Valley. Nestled in the old community of Earlehurst, between Covington & Roanoke, Beaverdam Falls are an historic series of waterfalls on private property. The Falls are at the headwaters of Dunlap Creek and are the terminus for the Sweet Springs. Available for guest stays & recreation, are the Upper Falls portion. Surrounded by the verdant George Washington National Forest, the Upper Falls, displays a constant waterfall of around 40-feet in height, & decorates the final mile stretch of the Sweet Springs, both on our property. Additional beautiful cascades pepper our tract of Beaverdam Falls as well. This private tract of unparalleled Virginia countryside will simply astonish your expectations. As the source of the Falls, Sweet Springs Creek, serves as a long, unique home for trout, calcified travertine rock, chalybeate water, and ancient beaver dams (as well as active ones!). Beaverdam Falls is a rare place for the lack of stone and the centuries of beavers who have left their trace in & on our creek—and swamp, the Stick Marsh, which has an active beaver dam. Be careful! They do bite!

4. Jefferson National Forest

98%

(27)

488 sites · Bluefield, Virginia

Literally thousands of miles of hiking trails can take you anywhere you want to go.

Pets

Electrical Hookup

Toilets

5. Claytor Lake State Park

100%

(2)

16 sites · Snowville, Virginia

Explore the miles of hiking trails along this serene lake.

Pets

Campfires

Showers

6. Infinity Acres Ranch

99%

(110)

49mi from Elliston · 7 sites · Tents, RVs · Ridgeway, VA

Rick & Laura relocated to Ridgeway VA 18 years ago and are in love with the southern pace and park-like setting of the fields, pond and woods surrounding our Ranch. Folks were fascinated with our animals and kept saying we should open it up to the public!! We finally did just that! Then in 2012 we established an Animal Interactive Educational Non-Profit! Currently we share our domestic and exotic animals to benefit 1000's of folks each year! Now we are opening up the Ranch to you as a HIP CAMPER! You can learn more about us by following Friends of Infinity Acres Ranch on FACEBOOK, and also check out our website and watch the videos! Just google Infinity Acres Ranch to find us online! Many CHOICES!! You can choose to have an interactive experience, or just enjoy the tranquility of being in the country!! (fyi: roosters &; peacocks add to the experience, but also may wake you up!! ) Talk with Laura when you book and decide what will work best for YOU!! Strict supervision of children is required. Any aggressive behavior or harassment of the animals is prohibited!

7. Bluestone Camp & Retreat

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(37)

43mi from Elliston · 5 sites · Tents, RVs · Hinton, WV

Bluestone Camp & Retreat is a Presbyterian Summer Camp Program with organized summer youth and family camp activities over 4 weeks in June and July, and a three-season Retreat Destination for a variety of church, non-profit, and family groups April through November. We are a ministry of the Presbytery of West Virginia (PCUSA) serving member congregations as well as many other church and non-profit organizations. Bluestone has been in operation since 1953. Our Mission is to provide experiences that are character building in nature through Summer Camping Programs and other programmatic events for children, youth, and adults; and to provide opportunities for recreation, rest, and renewal through the use of our facilities as a Center of Christian Hospitality. We have five camp sites that overlook the Bluestone Lake Reservoir.  Each is a clearly defined 60' x 20' space along one side of a level grass field, and each is equipped with a 50/30/20 amp electric pedestal, water spigot, sewer drop, picnic table, and an above ground steel campfire pit. There is also a shower house available for Hipcampers to use.   We have two price points: 1. Our Regular Price per night is $35 based on double occupancy. Each additional person (ages 12 and older, max = 6 people per site) is $10. 2. Our price increases to $50 per night for the months of June and July which is our high season. Each additional person (ages 12 and older, max = 6 people per site) is $10. Youth and Children ages 11 and younger are free, so keep that in mind when you select the number of guests in your party!

8. Camp 4everyoung

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(4)

41mi from Elliston · 2 sites · Tents, RVs · Sandy Level, VA

3/4 of mile to Leesville Lake (Walking Distance), lake access has small boat ramp, picnic tables, grass area to relax and enjoy the day at the lake. The 10 acres offers a large fire pit and hang out area, plenty of room for walking or hiking the property. Very nice full outdoor bathhouse with hot water and composting toilet. 5 min ride to Smith Mountain Lake Dam visitors center, 15 min to Magnum Point Marina, 25 mins to Rocky Mount, Va and Gretna, VA. Hiking, fishing, biking, golf all with 25-30 mins. https://www.smithmtn.com/ https://business.visitsmithmountainlake.com/list

9. Philpott Lake

80%

(5)

215 sites · Bassett, Virginia

Discover Philpott Lake's serene beauty and outdoor adventures.

Pets

Electrical Hookup

Toilets

10. Blue Ridge Parkway

91%

(34)

250 sites · Independence, Virginia

Buckle up for 469 miles of driving perfection along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Pets

Toilets

Campfires

11. Moncove Lake State Park

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(2)

49 sites · Union, West Virginia

Discover Moncove Lake State Park's serene beauty and outdoor fun.

Pets

Electrical Hookup

Toilets

12. Fairy Stone State Park

94%

(8)

35 sites · Bassett, Virginia

Fairytale legends and storybook scenery enchant visitors at this Virginia park.

Pets

Toilets

Campfires

13. Smith Mountain Lake State Park

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(9)

24 sites · North Shore, Virginia

A relaxing lake with an ice cream boats making deliveries? Count us in! RV hookups and cabins, too!

Pets

Toilets

Campfires

14. Bluestone Wildlife Management Area

275 sites · Peterstown, West Virginia

Discover the natural splendor of Bluestone Wildlife Management Area.

Pets

Campfires

Picnic table

15. Bluestone State Park

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(1)

81 sites · Hinton, West Virginia

Discover Bluestone State Park's lush landscapes and outdoor adventures.

Pets

Electrical Hookup

Campfires

Public campgrounds near Elliston

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(1)

Caldwell Fields Group Campground

9.9mi from Elliston · 2 sites · Tents, RVs · in Jefferson National Forest

Boley Fields Group Campground

17mi from Elliston · 1 site · Tent, RV · in Jefferson National Forest

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(1)

White Rocks Campground

21mi from Elliston · 35 sites · Tents, RVs · in Jefferson National Forest

100%

(2)

Claytor Lake State Campground

25mi from Elliston · 16 sites · Tents, RVs · in Claytor Lake State Park

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(1)

Steel Bridge Campground

26mi from Elliston · 3 sites · Tents, RVs · in Jefferson National Forest

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(1)

Jamison Mill Campground

27mi from Elliston · 12 sites · Tents, RVs · in Philpott Lake

The Pines Campground

27mi from Elliston · 10 sites · Tents, RVs · in Jefferson National Forest

The Milky Way from Rocky Knob Campground

95%

(20)

Rocky Knob Campground

28mi from Elliston · 110 sites · Tents, RVs · in Blue Ridge Parkway

Horseshoe Point Campground

28mi from Elliston · 49 sites · Tents, RVs · in Philpott Lake

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(2)

Moncove Lake Campground

29mi from Elliston · 49 sites · Tents, RVs · in Moncove Lake State Park

Salthouse Branch Campground

30mi from Elliston · 91 sites · Tents, RVs · in Philpott Lake

94%

(8)

Fairy Stone State Park Campground

30mi from Elliston · 35 sites · Tents, RVs · in Fairy Stone State Park

Stories from the community

Jennifer

2 weeks ago

30 ft travel trailer

Weekend Trip to Bluestone Camp & Retreat

Mark is a great host and communicator. He gave us clear directions on what roads are best for pulling a trailer. Our rv site was awesome as we were the only people staying here at the time. The sky was clear for amazing star gazing and this location is about an hour from New River Gorge National Park. T-Mobile home internet was “weak”, about 25 Mbps - but enough to stream a tv show. Verizon cell was about 2 bars and T-Mobile cell was 1 bar. One thing to consider when staying here is the road in is very steep - about 14-16% grade, so if you have more trailer than truck, you may burn up your transmission/brakes. We would definitely stay here again!

S

Seth

November 2025

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Thunder BRidge

Camp experience was great (aside from the directions pulled from the app not being accurate - had to ask a couple of locals for directions to get un-lost). Adam was super friendly and check-in/out was super simple.

Tian

November 2025

27 ft Class C

With kids

Weekend Trip to Infinity Acres Ranch

We absolutely loved camping at Infinity Acres! We were a party of 7. 4 adults and 1 kid in our 27ft class C RV, and then 1 adult and 2 kids in a tent. There was plenty of space for camping and hanging out, enjoying the fire pit. We cooked 3 meals over the fire, including some Bass that we caught in the lake! We are novice fisherman, so Rick even helped the kids getting the poles set up and giving advice on bait. Our RV is a 27ft Minnie Winnie, 13ft clearance, and barely fit into the spot. Laura came to greet us and we actually had to trim a couple of branches to be able to fit, but she was kind and helpful and we made it work no problem. The kids absolutely loved watching all of the animals. We took a few hikes through the woods and made our way to "Narnia". And the fishing pond was great. Our oldest son caught his biggest fish! The views were great, so much foliage, and the property sits atop a hill so you've got quite a bit of visibility. We will absolutely stay here again, both kids and adults had a great time at Laura's place!

R

Randy and Rebecca

November 2025

30 ft travel trailer

With pets

3 nights at Bluestone Camp & Retreat

Very peaceful and quiet. Very nice facility and very nice people. Perfect if you just want peace quiet.

c

chris

November 2025

With kids

Weekend Trip to Thunder BRidge

Great location! So much space and quiet. Cabin was very comfortable. Highly recommend

Z

Zsolt

October 2025

32 ft travel trailer

5 nights at Bluestone Camp & Retreat

Great quiet place, Mark was very helpful, site are level and clean

K

Kelsey

October 2025

29 ft travel trailer

Weekend Trip to Bluestone Camp & Retreat

Beautiful land and very quiet. Definately remote but worth it! Mark was very helpful and kind.

C

Carolyn

October 2025

Weekend Trip to Thunder BRidge

Indoor fireplace. Plenty of room. Outdoor grills. Love. Coming back with friends.

Louis

October 2025

20 ft travel trailer

Weekend Trip to Bluestone Camp & Retreat

This was a great campsite and Mark was a perfect host! We’d absolutely stay again.

C

Chris

October 2025

Weekend Trip to Beaverdam Falls

The entire property looks well run, the waterfall is pretty & you can hear it from the text, It was very moist out, as expected this time of year. We paid extra for bedding & it was totally worth it to arrive with the bed made. The bedding was perfect, very comfortable. The only negative at all is the text does have mold & just needs a routine power wash, not a big deal. Would definitely recommend! The leaves have started to change at that elevation and it was gorgeous!

This is the 3 walled kitchen shed with electric, cold running water and a sink, outdoor shower, fridge, table and chairs, hot plate

Kyra

September 2025

4 nights at W.T. Farm?

I'm so glad we stayed here. This was such an incredible place it really feels like a hidden treasure. Incredible views EVERYWHERE. We came here specifically for the stars and milky way, which were amazing, but the fall colors really stole the show. This was the most wildflowers I've ever seen! Goldenrod in every direction. We were also completely alone here and there's plenty to explore. This is our new favorite place!

B

September 2025

With pets

Weekend Trip to Thunder BRidge

Absolutely amazing stay. Adam has created a truly relaxing and welcoming environment. I came out with a few friends to celebrate a birthday and it was absolutely perfect. We cannot wait to comeback!

T

Terri

September 2025

Tent

With pets

6 nights at W.T. Farm?

WT Farm is an absolutely beautiful place! After spending a week there, I cannot believe there isn't a mile long waiting list to visit. The abundance and variety of crops Bill grows is simply astonishing and I was able to spend a time with him picking pawpaws and seeing where he makes his cider. And I was lucky enough to bring away some of his farmer's market goods that he had on hand. The campsite was above and beyond what I was expecting and I will definitely return since I didn't want to leave. If farm to table, complete serenity, or stunning night skies are your thing, this might be the place for you.

A

Aaron

September 2025

Weekend Trip to Beaverdam Falls

Loved this place. Everything was perfect and camp sites were supplied with a number of necessities you don’t have to bother brining yourself. Great visit and will be back many times.

M

Monny

September 2025

Weekend Trip to Beaverdam Falls

Beautiful and relaxing place to stay. We really enjoyed our time here—the waterfall is amazing, with stunning mountain views, wildflowers, butterflies, a cave, and so many hummingbirds this season. We’ll definitely come back again! 🌿✨

Laura

September 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Camp 4everyoung

Camping with amenities. They have solar lights around the fire pit and leading up to the bathhouse that has a composting toilet and a hot shower! Lots of love shows in this place.

B

Barbara

September 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Bluestone Camp & Retreat

This location is a must see! Could not have chosen a more perfect place for my first tent camping experience in over 15 years. It was a beautiful spot and the pictures don’t begin to compare to the real thing. The grounds are perfectly maintained and the bathhouse was spotless clean. It’s got a charm and nostalgic feel that would be hard to find elsewhere. Mark was a great host and a pleasure to chat with. I’m not an experienced camper but can say with confidence that this place has set the bar high and will be hard to top.

C

Christopher

August 2025

13 ft travel trailer

With pets

Weekend Trip to Bluestone Camp & Retreat

Nice location. Helpful host. Would do again. Dog friendly.

C

Carla

August 2025

With pets

1 night at Beaverdam Falls

What a magical place!!! Zero complaints. The whole property is gorgeous and beautifully maintained. I wish we’d have stayed longer than one night, but we’re already planning to come back. There’s so much to do and see. The host was super kind and accommodating. The communal space with coffee and muffins in the am was a delight. Their sites have everything you need. I usually camp primitive but ngl I enjoyed the perks of the permanent tents and structures w/ comfy beds on site. Can’t recommend this place enough. Posted a couple pics and have had many friends contact me for the link. The waterfall is truly awe inspiring and the cave is just cool as can be. 10 outta 10. Grateful to experience this little slice of heaven!