Free camping near Buena Vista, VA
Within 25 straight-line miles of Buena Vista, VA there are 25 camps: 21 free, 4 fee. The closest is Punchbowl A.T. Shelter, 3.7 miles south of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Punchbowl A.T. Shelter, 3.7 miles out. 2 of them are camps Dave has slept at.
Who manages them: 20 on the Forest Service; 3 on Virginia DWR; 2 on an agency our record does not name.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punchbowl A.T. Shelter | 3.7 | Free | Little Irish Creek (stream) | 2.6 mi to Beverlytown | — |
| Brown Mtn Creek A.T. Shelter | 5.1 | Free | Brown Mountain Creek (stream) | 2.0 mi to Willow | — |
| Oronoco | 5.3 | Free | Nicholson Run (stream) | 0.9 mi to Oronoco | — |
| Amherst CountyDave slept here | 6.7 | Free | Otter Creek (stream) | 2.4 mi to Beverlytown | — |
| Cow Camp Gap A.T. Shelter | 8.0 | Free | Little Cove Creek (stream) | 2.0 mi to Alto | — |
| Johns Hollow A.T. Shelter | 8.3 | Free | Sheppe Pond (water) | 0.8 mi to Snowden | — |
| Matts Creek A.T. Shelter | 9.5 | Free | Matts Creek (stream) | 1.0 mi to Snowden | — |
| Seeley-Woodworth A.T. Shelter | 13 | Free | Elk Pond Branch (stream) | 2.6 mi to Montebello | — |
| Short Hills WMA | 14 | Free | — | 8.3 mi to Glasgow | — |
| Hopper Creek | 14 | Fee | — | 5.7 mi to Glasgow | — |
| Cave Mountain Lake Campground | 14 | Fee | — | 5.8 mi to Glasgow | — |
| Goshen WMA | 16 | Free | — | 4.5 mi to Goshen | — |
| Thunder Hill A.T. Shelter | 16 | Free | — | 7.7 mi to Glasgow | — |
| Priest A.T. Shelter | 17 | Free | Coxs Creek (stream) | 2.4 mi to Alhambra | — |
| In George Washington National ForestDave slept here | 17 | Free | — | 6.4 mi to Buchanan | — |
| Colon Hollow Shelter | 18 | Free | North Creek (stream) | 1.8 mi to Solitude | — |
| Bryant Ridge A.T. Shelter | 18 | Free | — | 5.9 mi to Buchanan | — |
| Cornelius Creek A.T. Shelter | 19 | Free | — | 8.1 mi to Buchanan | — |
| Dispersed camp — Nelson County, VA | 20 | Free | Harpers Creek (stream) | 1.4 mi to Tyro | — |
| Harpers Creek A.T. Shelter | 21 | Free | Harpers Creek (stream) | 2.0 mi to Love | — |
| Cove Mountain A.T. Shelter | 22 | Free | Cove Creek (stream) | 1.9 mi to Buchanan | — |
| Maupin Field A.T. Shelter | 23 | Free | Campbell Creek (stream) | 0.9 mi to Love | — |
| Sherando Lake Group Campground | 23 | Fee | — | 4.9 mi to Wintergreen | — |
| Little North Mountain WMA | 23 | Free | — | 2.9 mi to Augusta Springs | — |
| Sherando Lake Campground | 23 | Fee | — | 4.4 mi to Wintergreen | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Buena Vista, VA, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.