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General Information
There are five campgrounds in Shenandoah National Park. They all have roomy sites with picnic table and grill. All are near a section of the Appalachian Trail. All have some accessible sites. All except Mathews Arm have showers, laundry, and a campstore. No campground has hookups for water, electricity, or sewage, but Mathews Arm, Big Meadows, and Loft Mountain have dump stations. All are accessed from Skyline Drive.
Big Meadows at Milepost 51 (first-come, first-served until May 14, then reservations are needed. Dundo Group Campground at Mile 83.7 (reservation only for organized groups through 1-800-365-2267). Lewis Mountain at Mile 57.6 (first-come, first-serve). Loft Mountain at Mile 79.5 (first-come, first-serve). And Matthews Arm at Mile 22.2 (first-come, first-serve).
There are also several campstores: Big Meadows at Milepost 51, Elkwallow at Mile 24.1, Lewis Mountain at Mile 57.6, and Loft Mountain at Mile 79.5.
Wood fires are only permitted in fireplaces in developed campgrounds and established picnic areas.
Fires are prohibited in backcountry.
Campers must not dig into or level ground.
All firearms, including air pistols, rifles, bows, slingshots, crossbows, fireworks and firecrackers are prohibited.
All motor vehicles and bicycles must remain on paved areas.
Pets are permitted but must be leashed at all times. They are allowed in campgrounds, but not in: lodging units, public buildings, conducted walks and hikes and where there is a sign that is marked with a "No Pets" sign. Owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets.
Anglers between the ages of 16 and 65 must have a Virginia fishing license.
| Campground | Open | Close | Sites | Toilets | Dump Station | Laundry | Shower | Store | Fee |
| Big Meadows | Spring | Nov | 217 | Flush | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ 17.00 |
| Dundo Group | Spring | Nov | 7 Group | Pit | No | No | No | No | Call |
| Lewis Mountain | Spring | Oct | 16 tent / 16 RV | Flush | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | $14.00 |
| Loft Mountain | Spring | Oct | 45 tent / 167 RV | Flush | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $14.00 |
| Mathews Arm | Spring | Oct | 179 | Flush | Yes | No | No | No | $ 14.00 |
Campstores
Groceries, wood, ice, and camping supplies are available at the following locations:
Food Service
Dates and hours of service can vary. Please see the park's visitor guide, Shenandoah Overlook.
Elkwallow Wayside (mile 24.1) - Offers a variety of breakfast selections and sandwiches and grilled items for lunch and dinner, with seating outside on the patio or at picnic tables.
Panorama Restaurant (mile 31.5) - Dining room with table service and carryout. The varied menu includes soup, salads, sandwiches, and pizza. Panorama is open for breakfast and lunch.
Skyland (mile 41.7 and 42.5) - Dining room with table service. Menu includes appetizers, salads, entrees and deserts.
Big Meadows Wayside (mile 51.2) - The Wayside houses a full-service dining room with carryout service and offers a varied menu of regional favorites and contemporary food.
Big Meadows Lodge (follow signs from Skyline Drive at mile 51.2) - Dining room in lovely rustic setting. Menu includes appetizers, salads, entrees, and deserts.
Loft Mountain Wayside (mile 79.5) - The Wayside has a dining room with counter service, with seating inside and outside on picnic tables. The menu includes a variety of breakfast selections, sandwiches, and grilled items.
Gasoline
In season, gasoline is available at:
Backcountry Camping
Most of Shenandoah National Park, including its wilderness, is open to backcountry camping. Special regulations for backcountry camping are intended to keep campers and the park in the best possible condition. A free permit is required for backcountry camping. Permits are available by mail from Park Headquarters.
Write:
Superintendent, Attn: Backcountry Camping Permit
US Highway 211 East
Luray, VA, 22835
Or call: 540-999-3500, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm EST.
Permits are also available in the park at visitor centers, entrance stations, and headquarters. At the park, permits will be issued only between sunrise and one hour before sunset.
Appalachian Trail hikers may self-register for permits on the AT near Rockfish Gap (south) and Chester Gap (north).
NOTE: Beginning in June 2001, permits will be available only between the hours of sunrise and one hour before sunset.
1. Upon selecting an area to camp, look for and try to camp on pre-existing campsites out of sight of trails and roads. Please don't create new campsites.
Pre-existing Campsites. Campsites have been created and established by prior visitor use and are not posted or signed. You must camp at least 20 yards from a park trail or an unpaved fire road. Dispersed Camping. If you cannot locate a pre-existing campsite, you may camp on a previously undisturbed area. Please use "pristine site camping" Leave No Trace practices to minimize the impacts of your campsite. Limit your stay to one night and camp well out of sight of trails and roads and other camping groups. Otherwise, "Pre-existing Campsite" regulations apply. Designated Campsites. Campsites are park-constructed and posted to concentrate backcountry camping at specific high-use sites. Presently, designated campsites are provided only at Appalachian Trail huts to accommodate overflow camping.
2. Backcountry campfires are not permitted (except at pre-constructed fireplaces at backcountry huts and day-use shelters). Use a backpacking stove.
3. Maximum group size is limited to 10 people. Groups larger than 10 people must divide into smaller groups and obtain a separate backcountry camping permit for each group. The separated groups must comply with "camping party" campsite requirements described in this bulletin.
4. Food must be stored in one (or more) of the following ways so that wildlife cannot have access to it:
No Camping may occur:
7. Camping may not exceed 2 nights in one campsite location or fourteen (14) consecutive nights in the backcountry.
8. Properly dispose of human waste. Defecation within 20 yards of streams, trails, or roads is prohibited. If designated facilities are provided, use them. Solid human waste must be buried in a hole at least three inches deep.
9. Carry all trash out of the backcountry and properly dispose of it. "Pack it in; pack it out." Enhance the backcountry experience for all visitors by keeping it clean. Carelessly discarded food scraps and trash may be harmful to wildlife. Leave glass containers at home.
10. Pets must be leashed at all times and are not permitted on some trails.
The Six Principles of Leave No Trace
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
Carefully designing your trip to match your expectations and outdoor skill level is the first step in being prepared. Adequate trip planning and preparation helps to accomplish trip goals safely, while minimizing impacts on the environment and on other users.
Know the area and what to expect, including regulations and special concerns of the area.
Travel in small groups, during seasons or days of a week when use levels are low.
Bears may be present; balance safety concerns in bear country with ecological and social impact concerns.
Select appropriate equipment to help you Leave No Trace.
Repackage food into reusable containers, creating less trash to pack out.
2. Camp and Travel on Durable Surfaces
Whenever you travel and camp, confine your use to surfaces that are resistant to impact.
In popular areas, concentrate use. In remote areas, spread use.
Hike on existing trails to minimize disturbance to wildlife, soil and vegetation.
Choose an established campsite, one with a slight slope so rain water can drain.
Store food so that it is unavailable and uninviting to bears and small animals.
Before departing, make sure your camp is as clean or cleaner than when you arrived.
3.Pack It In, Pack It Out
Trash and garbage have no place in the backcountry. Consider the words "Leave No Trace" a challenge to take out everything that you brought into the backcountry. Pack out all of your liter.
Repackage food into reusable containers and remove any excess packaging.
Dispose of trash and garbage properly.
Store food and odorous items in bear resistant food containers or hang items 10 feet above the ground.
4.Properly Dispose of What You Can't Pack Out
As visitors to the backcountry, we create certain kinds of waste which cannot be packed out. These include human waste, waste water from cooking and washing.
Dispose of human waste responsibility, utilize pit toilets or dig a cat hole at least six inches below soil surface 200 feet from the water.
Use toilet paper sparingly, pack it out in doubled plastic bags to confine odor.
Minimize soap and food residues in waste water. Consider using boiling water.
Avoid contaminating water sources when washing, maintain 100-200 feet from a water source.
5. Leave What You Find
The Wilderness Act states that wilderness "... is recognized as an area... where man himself is a visitor who does not remain... with the imprint of man's work substantially unnoticeable..."
People come to the wildlands to enjoy them in their natural state. Allow others a sense of discovery by leaving rocks, plants, archaeological artifacts antlers, and other objects as you find them.
Minimize site alteration when camping, do not build structures.
Avoid damaging live trees and plants.
Avoid disturbing wildlife.
Leave natural objects and cultural artifacts for others to enjoy.
It is illegal to remove any cultural objects from Shenandoah National Park cultural artifacts are protected by the Archaeological Resources Protection Act. All these "pieces of the past" contribute to our understanding of human and natural history, including the effects of disease, climate changes, and shifting animal populations on the land and her people. Removing these artifacts takes them out of context and removes a chapter from an important story. If you discover an artifact, enjoy it where it is. Leave it as you found it.
6. Minimize Use and Impact from Fires
The use of campfires in the backcountry, once a necessity, is now steeped in history and tradition. Stoves are now essential equipment for minimum-impact camping trips because they are fast and eliminate firewood availability as a concern in campsite selection.
These principles and practices depend more on attitude and awareness than on rules and regulations; they must be based on a respect for and appreciation of wild places and their inhabitants.
Tips and Hints
Emergency gear - Waterproof matches in airtight containers, metal matches, fire starter and ‘tinder' are suggested. Extra food and clothing, a signal mirror, smoke flare, durable space blankets, plastic bags, and a good first aid kit are extremely valuable if you plan on being out for several days. Cord can be used to make a shelter and hang food in trees. Most hikers carry water purification filters or chemicals. Some even carry pocket strobe lights, and a few carry personal locator beacons. Plan to be self sufficient in any emergency. The land is vast and remote, and you cannot count on early help if you have difficulties.
Equipment - Try and keep your gear lightweight yet durable. Equipment should withstand rigorous use in a rough, mountainous countryside. Help could be many hours away should something go wrong with your gear.
Food and Supplies - Bring your food, equipment and other supplies with you. Avoid food such as bacon or smoked fish, soaps, and cosmetics with strong odors as they attract bears. Bottles and cans are hard to dispose of. If you take them in, you are expected to carry them out. Without some sort of bear proof storage, you should be prepared to hang your food as high as possible.
Footwear - Boots should be a sturdy hiking or mountaineering type that provides good ankle support. Some hikers prefer boots with the rubber shoe and leather upper, like the Maine Hunting Shoe. You can count on your feet getting wet regardless of your boot type, so durability and support should be a prime concern. Many pair of socks are essential. Tennis shoes are good for crossing rivers.
Insects - Insect repellent is highly recommended.
Map - USGS maps provide the most detailed topographic information. Although campsite and trail information are often outdated, these are the preferred maps for mountaineering and cross-country travel. Maps, books and pamphlets are sold at park headquarters and ranger and information stations.
Rain gear and clothing - Durable rain gear that covers both the upper and lower torso is a must for hikes of any length. The rain gear should keep out water in a steady down pour. Since you will eventually get wet in any significant rain storm, wool or synthetic clothing that insulates when wet is highly recommended for wear under rain gear. The weather can change quickly and without warning. Expect rain and drizzle. Hypothermia is always a possibility with wet conditions and cool temperatures.
Stove - A stove is essential for meal preparation.
Tents and sleeping bags - You should have a tent with a waterproof floor, rain-fly, and a no-see-um netting, and this tent should be designed to withstand strong winds. Bring plenty of extra stakes and strong cord to keep the tent secure. Synthetics like ‘Polarguard' or ‘Fiberfill' are better than down in a wet environment because synthetics will insulate when wet while down will not. A sleeping pad will provide insulation as well as comfort.
Be Bear Aware
Avoid surprising animals at close range. Whistle, talk, sing, or otherwise make noise when hiking in areas where visibility is limited or bear sign present. Take no pets; they are prohibited in the backcountry. A dog's valor may turn into retreat bringing an infuriated bear to you.
Be alert to sign (droppings, diggings, fresh tracks, etc.), sounds, or other indications of bears. Be particularly wary when hiking wildlife trails or other areas where bears concentrate.
Food and beverages should never be left unattended. Foodstuffs with strong odors such as fish, cheese, sausage, and fresh meats should be stored in a food cache, a bear resistant container, or suspended 10 feet above ground. Carry all refuse and garbage out! Buried refuse will attract bears.
Keep packs and other personal gear on your person. It is easy to become separated from belongings left lying on the ground when a bear unexpectedly approaches. Bears will investigate, often destructively.
Do not approach bears.
The minimum safe distance from any bear is 50 yards; from a sow with young it is 100 yards. These are MINIMUM distances, there are many times that greater distances are required!
Regardless of precautions taken, you may come across a bear. Usually they will run away. A bear standing on hind legs may only be trying to sense you better, not preparing to attack. Even a charge is often a bluff, ending abruptly short of physical contact.
If you see a bear at a distance, turn around or make a wide detour. Keep upwind if possible so the bear will get your scent and know you're there. Talk in an assured tone to communicate your presence. Treat animals as if cubs are nearby. Assume the bear will be defensive. Do not approach closer to scare a bear away as you may be considered a threat.
Avoid actions that interfere with bear movement or foraging activities.
Be satisfied with a distant photograph, or use a telephoto lens. Many fatalities and injuries have been related to photography.
Do not corner an animal. Allow them plenty of space and an escape route.
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