
There’s also an eight-mile section of the Appalachian Trail running through the wilderness area.Īmenities: As this is a wilderness area, there aren’t any amenities offered at the campsite. This wilderness is a hiker’s paradise, with terrain ranging from 1,000 feet of elevation to over 4,000. Three Ridges Wilderness Area When you really need to get off the grid while boondocking in Virginia, it doesn’t get much better than the Three Ridges Wilderness Area an hour south of Charlottesville. More information: Rapidan Wildlife Management Area The road is simply too rough to reach with a normal passenger car.Ĭapacity: Dispersed camping, no limit on the number of sites. It’s recommended that you only travel to the Rapidan WMA with a four-wheel-drive vehicle. You just pull over onto the side of the road and you have your campsite.
Boondocking in virginia license#
To access the WMA, you’ll need a Virginia hunting/fishing license or a wildlife management area pass.Īmenities: Rapidan is considered a primitive camping area, which means there are no amenities like drinking water and toilets. Rapidan Wildlife Management Area One of the most beautiful forests in the state, the Rapidan WMA consists of over 10,000 acres abutting Shenandoah National Park. Let’s take a look at some of the best boondocking locations in Virginia where you can set up camp. If you want to stick close to the Old Dominion’s coastal cities, you’ll have a more difficult time finding a place to park your rental RV. The Appalachian Mountains are less densely populated and have much more potential for camping.
Boondocking in virginia free#
The first thing you’ll notice when looking at popular free campsites or a public land map is that most of Virginia’s free sites are located in the west. Top Locations for Boondocking in Virginia There’s also the issue of how long you can stay, with most of these areas allowing only seven nights within a thirty-night period. Parks just want to know how many groups are camping in the area each night as a safety precaution. Most of these areas require you to fill out a permit application, but it won’t cost you anything. There are loads of wildlife management areas, recreation areas, and wildernesses where you can score a free campsite in Virginia.įree doesn’t equate to no paperwork, though.


In a word, absolutely! While Virginia doesn’t have as large of national forests or as many national parks as you might find in some western states, there’s plenty of public land for boondockers to take advantage of. Get off the beaten path, prepare for self-sufficiency, and save some money to camp in this beautiful state. However, what few realize is just how many free, off-the-grid camping opportunities there are in the Old Dominion State. It’s also home to Shenandoah National Park, one of the most popular parks in the national parks system. and Richmond, the vast majority of its area is open countryside. While the state is known for densely populated urban areas like Washington D.C. They say Virginia is for lovers, and that is certainly true for lovers of boondocking.
