OT-Camping in Blue Ridge Mts (VA)?

[bostonsmama]

Anyone been camping in the Blue Ridge Mountains (in Virginia) or in the mountains of West Virginia? DH and I have access to a pop-out camper trailer w/ AC, generator and mini kitchen/bathroom/bed later this summer/fall and would like to plan a leisurely trip to the mountains since it's close to us. Neither of us our super-experienced campers/hikers, although we have done many guided hikes and supervised camping trips. Any recs for pretty campsites near a water source, close to mtns and walking trails?

Looking for book and internet resources or personal experience. Online I'm getting a lot of "watch out for black bears...experienced tent camping only" areas.

TIA.

Larissa, the sand-filled cloth tomato. Asking advanced forgiveness for typos, omissions, & incredibly incoherent posts. Baseline July 25th.

Proud Aunt to Jack Dorian, born to my bro & SIL 3/06

[american_mama]

My sister went to school at Tech and said Smith Mountain Lake is very beautiful. Not sure what their camping facilites are though; I think she just went on day trips.

I would call the state Division of Natural Resources or State Parks or whatever it's called and ask if they have a brochure or booklet that covers this. In New York State, there's a great booklet that covers tourism and camping facilities with a handy grid in the back describing facilities at each camping spot, map, etc.

[Lucia]

Hi Larissa,
I went to school in the Blue Ridge Mountains/Shenandoa Valley...small women's college, Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, VA. I loved that whole area. I will try to think about some of the places we camped (although it was all tent camping when I was in college). It really is a beautiful part of the country, especially in the fall when the leaves start changing colors.

Here are a couple of links that might be helpful.
http://virginiacampgrounds.org/
http://www.virginia.org/site/content.asp?MGrp=1&MCat=13&MItm=34
http://www.virginia.org/site/features.asp?FeatureID=4&Rgn=16000
http://www.nps.gov/shen/

Have fun planning your trip!

[hez]

We stayed at Shenandoah National Park & Hungry Mother State Park on a two week camping trip when I was a kid (holy crap, just realized it was 20 years ago ;)).

We used a pop-up & a tent-- both on the same camp site. My parents used to keep the coolers and whatnot in the tent to make more room in the pop-up. I remember doing some hiking, swimming & playing ball with my dad in Hungry Mother State Park. The hiking couldn't have been too bad-- we had my brother with us, who was in 1st grade. I remember hiking a little on the Appalachian Trail while we were at SNP, and the campground we were in had a lodge where we went to hear someone play a dulcimer. Don't ask why I remember that ;) Anyway, it was pretty benign as far as camping goes-- the worst we had on that trip was wildlife like skunks and deer wandering through campsites. I think we even took our bikes and the kids biked around the campground.

The only bad thing I remember about that trip was Dad having to pull off to the side on occasion while we were driving on the Parkway, because the brakes were smoking (from having to deal with the trailer on the downslopes).

Have fun!!!

[caleymama]

We lived in VA for several years pre-kids (Hampton Roads area) and went to the Virginia Outdoors Weekend in late September probably 5 or 6 years ago now. It was held at Hungry Mother State Park out in southwestern VA. The event was a 3-day weekend that was put on by the state (http://www.dgif.state.va.us/events/calendar_descriptions.pdf)- it looks like 2006's has already happened. Anyway, the park was gorgeous. We were tent camping but the facilities were fine. My favorite part was canoeing on the lake early one misty, foggy morning. That and the bluegrass concert there one of the evenings. Just perfect! Here's a link to the park website: http://www.state.va.us/dcr/parks/hungrymo.htm#Fishing.

We haven't been to any other parks out that way but I am sure others are very nice too. We heard wonderful things about Fairy Stone State Park but never ended up getting there before moving out of state: http://www.state.va.us/dcr/parks/fairyst.htm. Fairy Stone isn't as far west as Hungry Mother S. P.

Have fun and HTH!

[elephantmeg]

We live in the Shenandoah Valley and love our camper. We've stayed at: Claytor Lake park (near Radford/Dublin), 81 exit 101 I think, very nice bathrooms, good sites, lake with swimming/boating etc, campsites are somewhat close together, not very "woodsy", lots of deer but I can't immagine any bears. I think there are some walking trails. My grandma lives right off the park and we were actually there for a cousin's wedding so we didn't spend a lot of time "at" the campground. Fairy Stone, adequate bathrooms, nice sites, lake with swimming, lots of hiking trails-a little more woodsy but I felt perfectly safe there. Fairy stone hunting in the adjacent field was fun for awhile. Natural Chimneys (kinda near Harrisonburg/Bridgewater, exit 240) is my favorite. Pool, river, walking trails, lots of people on bikes. Decent bathrooms, not a national parkservice so more expensive. The hike to the chimneys is great. We got engaged there :). Todd lake is that direction too but it's pretty rustic. Cold water in the showers. There is the lake and lots of walking trails. Great camp site, no hookups. We went when I was 12 weeks pregnant (second trip there, the first was great) and in the height of morning sickness and I nearly killed Wesley. The road getting there is very twisty :) We're headed back at the end of the month, I'm looking forward to it! I've heard great things about Smith Mountain lake (or at least the lake houses, my BIL and SIL go often) and stayed in a cabin at Skyline drive when I was a teen, its beautiful. Definitely check out the websites and when you call to make reservations they should be able to answer questions.

http://www.uvrpa.org/naturalchimneys.htm

[rprav8r]

I live a stone's throw from Shenandoah Nat'l Park. Check out http://www.nps.gov/shen/pphtml/camping.html for info about camping in the Park. Big Meadows is especially nice - some really nice hikes to waterfalls nearby, lodge (with food!) etc. Big Meadows is on Skyline Drive, which winds along the ridge-tops. The Blue Ridge Parkway picks up where Skyline Drive leaves off (it goes south at Afton, Skyline Drive goes north) and there are some great hikes just south of the Park border - Humpback Rocks is a favorite.

Some advice: Yes, watch out for bears this time of year. Take advantage of the resources at the ranger station - maps, expertise, etc. Try to plan a trip for mid-week. It can get crowded on weekends. Watch out for poison ivy - it's everywhere. Wear appropriate clothing and footwear (totally common sense, but bears repeating).


-Ry,
mom to Emma, stillborn 11/04/04
and Max, 01/05/06

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http://b1.lilypie.com/aKGqm5/.png[/img] ([img)

[hez]

Big Meadows-- that was where we stayed, I think :)

[bostonsmama]

I really appreciate all the suggestions. It was quite overwhelming to even know where to begin. After looking into various campgrounds, we decided that the cost in gas of hauling a camper w/ our SUV would so greatly offset any savings by staying at a site w/ electric hookups that we opted to stay at an Inn and just drive to the best areas for day hikes and tours to the waterfalls, skyline drive, valley, and lakes for fishing. We made reservations at this beautiful location in Lexington:
http://www.brierleyhill.com/

The owner said there's easy access to hiking trails and fishing spots (for DH). We're pretty excited and very grateful for the suggestions. We'll let everyone know how it works out after we go.

Thanks again!
Larissa, the sand-filled cloth tomato. Asking advanced forgiveness for typos, omissions, & incredibly incoherent posts. Baseline July 25th.

Proud Aunt to Jack Dorian, born to my bro & SIL 3/06

[rprav8r]

Now *that's* my kind of camping!


-Ry,
mom to Emma, stillborn 11/04/04
and Max, 01/05/06

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/34550.gif
http://b1.lilypie.com/aKGqm5/.png[/img] ([img)

[Lucia]

I agree, that is the way to "camp"! I love Lexington...spent a lot of time down there at Washington and Lee and at VMI :) Hope you have a wonderful romantic escape! Let us know how the Inn is because I would like to plan a trip to Virginia later this year.

Hope you are feeling well,
Lucia

[dules]

Looks lovely! Will you still be close enough to your RE to go for checks if need be? We did betas and ultrasounds every week till 10 weeks with DD post IVF before we were released to the OB (who wanted to see us at 11 weeks), so it was a pretty busy 3 months. :)

Best,
Mary

[bostonsmama]

Yeah, we can't afford to be there more than 3 nights, but it's only 3 hours from our clinic, and is close enough to major/metropolitan areas with hospitals so that if anything went "wrong" I'd feel we were in good hands. And it's not so remote that any online pharmacy couldn't overnight me any broken/misplaced meds.

We even called to ask if we could use their refrigerator b/c we'll still be giving injections that need refrigeration when we go. Hopefully it'll really be relaxing and the light exercise of a small dayhike or relaxing fishing trip w/ DH will be just what the doctor ordered. Just in case, when we see our RE tomorrow in DC, we'll ask for their medical "blessing."

Once we get something established, I'm sure we'll be better equipped to decide if we can do some "real" camping or not. Until then, slow and steady wins the race! ;)

Larissa, the sand-filled cloth tomato. Asking advanced forgiveness for typos, omissions, & incredibly incoherent posts. Baseline July 25th.

Proud Aunt to Jack Dorian, born to my bro & SIL 3/06

[bostonsmama]

The timing was perfect; our doctors said now would be the best time to go, so we slipped over to the Shenandoah Valley from our appointment in DC (which was a very short drive, 3 hrs including a stop at a gorgeous mountain reststop). The views on the way down I-81 and I-64 were breathtaking.

The day we arrived we drove through the quaint and historical town of Lexington, VA. Robert E Lee and Stonewall Jackson are interred there and both have museums and historical sites in their honor. It's also the home of Washington & Lee University and the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), which offers free tours. After we checked in we actually went back to these sites and toured them.

The Brierley Hill Inn is just as gorgeous as in the pictures, and the views are absolutely spectacular, especially from the mountain-facing rooms (Peace, Once Upon a Time-our room, and Wedgewood). The innkeepers were a sweet couple from Louisiana named Ken & Joyce. Their grandson was visiting while we were there...such a funny little guy! There was capuccino/coffee/tea/soda/bottled water, homemade lemonade, fresh baked cookies, chip sacs, candies, & fresh fruit available 24 hours, and we used a lot of that to pack lunches for our daily sojorns into town and on day-hikes. There were also 200+ new release & classic DVDs (and countless books) to watch or read in the parlor or your room. The A/C was nicely cold (70 deg) but there are fireplaces (gas) in every room. Everything was so clean and pretty. The rooms all have some sort of antique furniture, oriental rugs, 300+ thread count sheets and designer linens. The bed was comfy, but the pillows were stiff. We loved the chamomille lotions, shampoo & mouthwash provided. So yummy smelling & relaxing-we took 4 bottles home w/ us.

The highlights of the stay were: walking up and down the hill from the house to the winding road in awe of the view, picking/eating sweet ripe blackberries from their garden bushes, watching deer and rabbits graze in the hills...so close you can touch them, having humming birds flit in and out of the veranda, watching the sun set over the hills on the west-facing deck, eating breakfast (which was sumptuous & divine) on the veranda and picnicking on the same veranda for dinner w/ a bottle of wine. Joyce prepares everything herself w/ fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. My favorite breakfast started w/ a chilled honeydew melon soup (made w/ local melon sherbert, OJ, melon juice & lime zest), followed w/ zucchini muffins, apple/grape/kiwi fruit art, and macadamia nut waffles w/ whipped cream, bananas and maple syrup! Other days brought strawberry or apricot-pear chilled soup, cheese/egg/potato fritata, bacon with bread pudding...it was divine. They also let us use their kitchen in the evenings to prep dinners so we didn't have to spend extra money eating out. We picked up a rotisserie chicken or some cooked pot roast, some ready rice & fresh steamed veggies from a deli and warmed them at the inn and ate on the deck. They even washed our dinner dishes (and they don't serve dinner). The extras and hopsitality are what really grabbed us. As part of tradition, on the last morning of your stay, the innkeepers take a picture of you against the mountain view on the veranda and print you as many copies as you'd like and frame them in a commemorative mat/frame. Ours came out so great (I think)!

The only negative (or...it could be a positive) is that they don't allow children under 12 to stay there; not even babies. But IME this isn't atypical B&B policy. They also don't allow pets.

Overall, it really was such a beautiful & restful stay. Lexington is close to everything: just 10 minutes from the Natural Bridge and waterfalls, 20 min from the stunning Goshen Pass-where you can fish, swim, hike, raft (wich we did), 30 min from Millsborough and the Mill Creek Cafe-where you can get the best slice of sour cherry & blackberry pie, 50 minutes from Warm Springs and 70 minutes from Lake Moomaw-a fishing, boating and swimming paradise. We went to all these places, can't you tell? The Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive are a scenic drive. Rockbridge Vineyards also has a divine Ice Wine that rivals that of Germany.

I've included some pictures: the first is a view from the veranda, the second our last morning at breakfast (fog had rolled through), and the last is just after sunset on the back deck rocking chairs talking to some other inn guests. One couple had 8 children (and was from my area)...she, too, said this inn was so restful/relaxing that she was sad to leave.

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Larissa, the sand-filled cloth tomato. Asking advanced forgiveness for typos, omissions, & incredibly incoherent posts. Baseline July 25th.

Proud Aunt to Jack Dorian, born to my bro & SIL 3/06

[ChunkyNicksChunkyMom]

Larrisa you look like a very pretty pincushion, no tomatos!!!

http://www.etsy.com/view_item_sold_anon.php?listing_id=77128&transaction_id=35053
Susan

#1 Nick 11-18-04
#2 Kate 04-26-06

[octmom]

Glad you had such a nice time in my neck of the woods. I went to W&L and worked there for a year after graduation, so I spent five years living in Lexington. It remains one of my favorite places in the world. We only live about an hour away now, so we make it over there for day trips a few times a year. We were just there a couple of weekends ago on one of those unseasonable days that was not hot and humid. :) Next time you go, be sure to have lunch at the Palms and ice cream at Sweet Things.

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03
DD, Katie 3/06

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[bostonsmama]

Haha! How funny! We did exactly that! We had lunch at the Palms (I had a rueben w/ curly fries, DH a club w/ onion rings). Then we went over to Sweet Things and had blackberry sherbert and fresh-made chocolate ice cream. We wanted to get the honeydew melon sherbert our innkeeper used to make that melon soup, but they only had cantaloupe, and it wasn't as good. I can't wait to go back.

We actually looked at property there and considered buying, but none of the lots with enough acreage (& not too much acreage) had the spectacular views we were looking for...or they were too on top of the neighbors (subdivided 1/3 acre lots w/ planned communities and too many covenances). We did come close to buying a nice strip of land for $69K, but it was already under contract when we went to bid. Oh well. We might just keep looking. I don't think I would ever tire of the view. You are blessed to live in such a gorgeous area. We even drove through Charlottesville on the way home and it is idyllic and serene.

Larissa, the sand-filled cloth tomato. Asking advanced forgiveness for typos, omissions, & incredibly incoherent posts. Baseline July 25th.

Proud Aunt to Jack Dorian, born to my bro & SIL 3/06