Free camping near Rural Retreat, VA
Within 25 straight-line miles of Rural Retreat, VA there are 27 camps: 17 free, 9 fee, 1 unpriced. The closest is Davis Path A.T. Camping Area, 5.6 miles west of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Davis Path A.T. Camping Area, 5.6 miles out. One of them is a camp Dave has slept at.
Who manages them: 25 on the Forest Service; 1 on Virginia DWR; 1 on an agency our record does not name.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davis Path A.T. Camping Area | 5.6 | Free | Dry Run (stream) | 2.3 mi to Groseclose | — |
| Chatfield A.T. Shelter | 6.1 | Free | — | 2.8 mi to Groseclose | — |
| Stony Fork Campground | 8.9 | Fee | — | 6.5 mi to Wytheville | — |
| Knot Maul A.T. Shelter | 9.7 | Free | — | 1.2 mi to Groseclose Store | — |
| Comers Rock Recreation Area | 10 | Unpriced | West Dry Run Fork (stream) | 1.5 mi to Comers Rock | — |
| Partnership A.T. Shelter | 10 | Free | — | 2.3 mi to Shady Grove | — |
| Hussy Mountain Horse Camp | 12 | Fee | — | 8.7 mi to Stevens Creek | — |
| Davis Farm Campsite | 12 | Free | — | 2.4 mi to Sharon Springs | — |
| Chestnut Knob A.T. Shelter | 13 | Free | — | 4.2 mi to Ceres | — |
| Jenkins A.T. Shelter | 13 | Free | — | 2.0 mi to Effna | — |
| Raven Cliff | 13 | Fee | — | 5.2 mi to Ivanhoe | — |
| Big Survey WMA | 13 | Free | — | — | — |
| Raccoon Branch | 14 | Fee | — | 1.7 mi to Sugar Grove | — |
| Collins Cove (Raven Cliff) Horse Camp | 14 | Fee | — | 4.2 mi to Ivanhoe | — |
| Trimpi A.T. Shelter | 16 | Free | — | 4.4 mi to Troutdale | — |
| Hurricane Campground | 17 | Fee | — | 3.5 mi to Troutdale | — |
| Helveys Mill A.T. Shelter | 18 | Free | — | 2.1 mi to Bland | — |
| Hurricane A.T. Shelter | 18 | Free | Hurricane Creek (stream) | 3.1 mi to Quebec | — |
| Old Virginia Group Horse Camp | 18 | Fee | — | 2.9 mi to Troutdale | — |
| Fox Creek Horse Camp | 19 | Fee | — | 3.7 mi to Troutdale | — |
| Grayson CountyDave slept here | 20 | Free | — | 3.3 mi to Troutdale | — |
| Old Orchard A.T. Shelter | 20 | Free | Lewis Fork (stream) | 4.2 mi to Troutdale | — |
| Cherry Tree Iron Mountain Shelter | 21 | Free | Big Laurel Creek (stream) | 3.2 mi to Stony Battery | — |
| New River | 21 | Free | New River (river) | 0.3 mi to Buck | — |
| Grindstone Family Campground | 21 | Fee | — | 5.8 mi to Troutdale | — |
| Thomas Knob A.T. Shelter | 22 | Free | Middle Fork Helton Creek (stream) | 4.9 mi to Mill Creek | — |
| Jenny Knob A.T. Shelter | 24 | Free | Kimberling Creek (stream) | 1.0 mi to Crandon | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Rural Retreat, 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.