Nomadic camping
Best for self-contained campers. There are no toilets, showers, or potable water at this Hipcamp.
Off-lead friendly
Pets can be off-lead at this Hipcamp.
Boat-in
This Hipcamp is accessible by boat.
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93% Recommend43 ratings · 16 reviews
Recommends
· August 2024
James was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable! Made sure we knew everything about the river and campsite we needed to to have a fantastic and safe trip, even called me and walked me through every land marker and part of the river I needed to pay attention to. Fantastic and helpful owner!!
G
Glen P.
11 months on Hipcamp
If you enjoy overnight canoe trips Big Island offers an ideal spot for camping. This is a canoe in site only. While the area is a bit rocky there are enough areas with small river rock that with a thermorest/sleeping pad offer good tent sites. The view up river to the west is superb. Ample wood for a nice campfire and you can fish and swim/ wade right from camp. With the number of folks that paddle and overnight this section of river it’s nice to know you can reserve this site and have a guaranteed river side campsite. Note that approaching and leaving the site there are a number of class 1-2 ledge type rapids that in low water require some navigating. We had a great trip and will reserve this site again.
D
David W.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2023
Tent · Group trip ·
CampSite 1 So Channel River Rt
Fantastic offering, and thankful to have this campsite as an option!
Max J.
4 years on Hipcamp
Amazing camping!! It felt like we had the entire river to ourselves as late afternoon arrived and the flow of kayaks and canoes slowed down. Plenty of space for tents and exploring, great shallow swimming pools for our kids, and lots of shade during the hottest part of the day. We will definitely be back! Word of warning - read and pay attention to the instructions on STAYING LEFT when you leave the island. There are lots of rocks and some tricky rapids in the center.
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Charlie D.
3 years on Hipcamp
Not recommend
· June 2023
DON'T GO unless you know the area!!
Tent · Group trip ·
Big Island on the Middle James
Long story short...there were rapids & rocks galore & after 5 hours we never found the campsite! We ended up going back upstream towards the boat ramp & found a small place to camp for the night since it was starting to get dark out! Only go here if you're familiar with the area & comfortable maneuvering through rapids & huge rocks!
When we tried to call the host we got no answer... multiple times! Let a message & got no return call.
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Beth C.
2 years on Hipcamp
Had a great time staying here! I will definitely book again when the time comes.
J
John L.
2 years on Hipcamp
Beautiful stretch of river. Had a small group paddle trip from Scottsville to Bremo Bluff, and stayed here overnight to break up the trip. Campsite was peaceful with great spots to set up multiple tents. Very peaceful with great fishing and swimming right from the "beach" on the island. Saw an incredible amount of wildlife (Bald Eagles, Osprey, Herons, Turtles, and much more). Saving this campsite to my list to stay again!
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Chris G.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· October 2022
Bald Eagles, Rapids, Ideal Views!
Tent · With pets ·
Big Island on the Middle James
Such a gem of a camp site. We put in at Hardware River boat ramp, stayed 1 night, and took out at Bremo Bluff boat ramp. There were a few patches of small rapids the closer we were to the island - nothing bad at all. Our river level was about 4.1 ft.
An ideal weekend! Campsite 1’s side of the island had multiple fire pit areas and good tent sites. We opted to stay right on the bank, as there was more sand and fewer larger stones. But that wasn’t the only spot to fit that description. Saw bald eagles swooping over the misty morning river. 10/10, will stay here again!
Savannah T.
7 reviews
A good buddy and I camped at Campsite 1 on Big Island for a single night during a short day and a half river canoe trip on the middle James. The camp is in a beautiful spot, with just enough river noise and plenty of space for multiple tents. Firewood was plentiful as well. Great view of the moon and stars from the sites nearest the water. Be aware you will need to be able to navigate Class 1 and Class 2 rapids to get into and out of the site, but that's part of the fun!
S
Sean R.
2 reviews
Recommends
· June 2022
My favorite river camping spot
Tent · Group trip ·
Big Island on the Middle James
Truly this spot is a gem! I've camped here twice now and at different river levels, and it's the best spot I know to camp on the James. First, there's the comfort knowing that you've paid to camp there. Second, it's a lovely beach area with plenty of space for camping. We even hit it at pretty high flows (with lots of experience with swift water) and there was still land to camp and hang out on. Third, for all the sites I look for when paddling other sections or on other rivers, this hits all the marks: there isn't a road or house in view (despite a small opening in the trees far across the river), it's forested all around, you have plenty of places to swim and wade, there are rocky and sandy areas to camp (i.e., not muddy), and lots of cool areas to explore. We could even see the milky way at night! I'd hate to blow up this spot, but it'd also be unfair to not share what a lovely spot this is!
Will D.
4 reviews
Recommends
· July 2021
Group trip ·
Big Island on the Middle James
Great secluded stay with perfect campsite set up and plenty of firewood right at the spot. Will definitely stay there again.
S
Shane B.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2021
Group trip ·
Big Island on the Middle James
Great large site with dry streambed to explore.
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Ryan D.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2021
Incredible getaway, almost don’t want anyone else to find this little gem!
Cass C.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· September 2020
Group trip ·
Big Island on the Middle James
This is a great campsite. Plenty of space, excellent views, and a nice riffle in the river adjacent to the site where we spent a few hours relaxing in the water. The ground is very rocky, so make sure to bring a sleeping pad or even small air mattress if you can fit it on your boat.
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Scott F.
2 reviews
Recommends
· June 2020
Group trip ·
Big Island on the Middle James
What an awesome spot! We arrived at the site on a Friday when the river level was about 6.5ft at Scottsville and we left at flows of about 5.5ft on Sunday. We had plenty of space to spread out and camp. Note, the ground can be pretty rocky (round river rock), so make sure you have a back pad. I'm sure at lower levels there is more sand to camp on, but most of the landscape (like you see in the pictures) is rocky. Still, I've camped on many islands, and this one was by far one of my favorite! Enjoy!!
Will D.
4 reviews
Recommends
· June 2020
James was very polite and responsive. Great site overall. Beautiful spot and scenery. Pay careful attention to where you are, for it would be easy to miss.
Edward Y.
5 years on Hipcamp
Location
Scottsville, Fluvanna, Virginia, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by James S.
Joined in May 2018Things to do nearby
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