Community Forums

2-bone · 04-04-2010, 06:09 PM

I will be visiting Roanoke soon and would like camping suggestions close to there. Help....

smlranger · 04-04-2010, 06:36 PM

How close to Roanoke do you want to be? Tell me what you will be in....Class C, Class A, TT, etc. Are you looking primarily for a place to stay and not interested in amenities or do you want a pool, etc?

Some options:

> Roanoke Mountain campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is within 3 miles of downtown Roanoke. However, it is typical BRP campground. No utilities at the sites but they have dump station, potable water hydrants, and flush toilets. No showers. Sites are small but my 36' DP could fit on 3 or 4 of the sites.

> Dixie Caverns Campground. This is off Rt. 460 West just west of Salem, VA. It is not much but will suffice as a place to park the rig for a few days. They do have utilities at the sites.

> Smith Mountain Lake State Park. 38 miles from Roanoke on Smith Mountain Lake. Very nice park that will accomodate rigs up to 32 - 34 feet. Water and electric at the sites, dump station as you exit. Boat ramp, swimming beach, nature center.

> Bedford Area Visitors Center. Rt. 460 at Rt. 122 in Bedford 30 miles east of Roanoke. They have 3 full hook up sites which are available on a first come, first served basis. However, they are not always used so your chances are good you can get one. $25 per nite.

There are a couple of campgrounds in the Lexington/Natural Bridge area. Jellystone and the Lexington KOA. Jellystone has the bigger sites, plus a pool and lake.

There are really not a lot of good options in the immediate Roanoke area.
>

2-bone · 04-05-2010, 05:33 AM

Thanks smlranger, We are in a 36' class A. We are going to visit my daughter who is in the police academy and want to be close to town. The first one you mentioned will probably suite our needs if there is a vacancy. Do you know if reservations can be made? I'll try to find out on my own.

smlranger · 04-05-2010, 07:55 AM

That one is Blue Ridge Parkway and is National Park Service operated. Not sure they do reservations but if you are coming before Memorial Day and/or arriving during the week, there should be spaces available. Like many of the older NPS campgrounds, the loops are tight and spaces small. However, my 36' DP will fit in any of 3 or 4 sites in the 'Trailer Loop' near the dump station. They are all back in sites with the exception of two pull thru's just past the dump station....they are not too level but I've seen 40' rigs squeeze in those. There is usually a campground host in the first site as you enter so they should be able to help get you situated. If you can live on your holding tanks for a few days and don't mind using the genset during the daytime hours, it is really a nice place.

The best way to get to the CG is to use I-581 South and continue on to U.S. 220 South to the Parkway entrance on the right just out of town. Take the Parkway North for about one mile and turn left on to the Roanoke/Mill Mountain loop road and the CG entrance will be about 1 mile on your left. Leaving the CG, turn left and head down Mill Mountain parkway which turns into Walnut Avenue which connects to Jefferson Street just a few blocks south of downtown.

I work at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital which is located just off Walnut Avenue and feel free to call me if you get there and have any questions about the area....540-798-5369.