Available sites
115 total sitesAbout Mathews Arm Campground
Activities & Attractions
Nearby
Hiking
Year-round
Hiking
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
RV Utilities and Hookups
- Dump station on site
Water and Hygiene
- Potable Water
Rates, Sites & Availability
115 Sites Available
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Site Details
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115 Sites Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (987)
What Guests Are Saying
Mathews Arm Campground offers a clean, quiet, and well-maintained environment with ample wooded sites that provide privacy for campers. Many visitors appreciate the proximity to various hiking trails and the helpfulness of rangers and camp hosts. While the campground lacks showers and can be crowded on weekends, the overall experience is enhanced by its peaceful atmosphere and beautiful natural surroundings.
What Guests Are Saying
Mathews Arm Campground offers a clean, quiet, and well-maintained environment with ample wooded sites that provide privacy for campers. Many visitors appreciate the proximity to various hiking trails and the helpfulness of rangers and camp hosts. While the campground lacks showers and can be crowded on weekends, the overall experience is enhanced by its peaceful atmosphere and beautiful natural surroundings.
Review Summary
Sue W
VerifiedOctober 30, 2020 • Stayed at: C149, Loop: C
Very pretty campground with nicely sized and spaced sites and most have some natural screening for separation.
Peter E
VerifiedOctober 30, 2020 • Stayed at: B134 Generator Prohibited, Loop: B
We’ve enjoyed every camping adventure in Mathews Arm, and the NPS employees and law enforcement officers are very friendly and professional. The fall colors have been superb this year!
Tim E
VerifiedOctober 30, 2020 • Stayed at: B121, Loop: B
Wonderful time here. Super friendly staff and clean campgrounds.
Felicia B
VerifiedOctober 30, 2020 • Stayed at: C163, Loop: C
Amazing, the scenic drive to the camp ground is unforgettable. The park rangers are informative and helpful. Camp sites are clean and comfortable. Restrooms well maintained.
Tara C
VerifiedNovember 29, 2020 • Stayed at: C160, Loop: C
Great campground! Much more private and spread out compared to Big Meadows. Staff at check in were very helpful and assisted us with securing a first come first serve spot through the entire weekend since campgrounds were filling up. We pulled in with a 1 night reservation for Thursday, but had the option to select a different site that could be reserved for the following 2 nights. It all worked out perfectly and staff were very helpful and flexible with reservations. Great hikes in the area and a scenic drive to Big Meadows area for hiking there.
Tara C
VerifiedNovember 29, 2020 • Stayed at: C160, Loop: C
Great campground! Much more private and spread out compared to Big Meadows. Staff at check in were very helpful and assisted us with securing a first come first serve spot through the entire weekend since campgrounds were filling up. We pulled in with a 1 night reservation for Thursday, but had the option to select a different site that could be reserved for the following 2 nights. It all worked out perfectly and staff were very helpful and flexible with reservations. Great hikes in the area and a scenic drive to Big Meadows area for hiking there.
Daniel O
VerifiedFebruary 12, 2021 • Stayed at: B129 Generator Prohibited, Loop: B
Love this park. Campground is very popular, but worked out fine for our family road trip. Make sure you reserve as many nights as you need.
Daniel O
VerifiedFebruary 12, 2021 • Stayed at: B129 Generator Prohibited, Loop: B
Love this park. Campground is very popular, but worked out fine for our family road trip. Make sure you reserve as many nights as you need.
Jamey H
VerifiedMarch 14, 2021 • Stayed at: B117, Loop: B
Great campground as a base of operations for other hikes! It definitely has other campsites nearby (so you can hear people and see them) but you can find ones that are a little more removed than others. We felt it was easy to stay socially distanced from other groups as well (just left the bathroom when other folks came in and brushed our teeth by campsite).
The rangers were very kind and helpful as well!
Jamey H
VerifiedMarch 14, 2021 • Stayed at: B117, Loop: B
Great campground as a base of operations for other hikes! It definitely has other campsites nearby (so you can hear people and see them) but you can find ones that are a little more removed than others. We felt it was easy to stay socially distanced from other groups as well (just left the bathroom when other folks came in and brushed our teeth by campsite).
The rangers were very kind and helpful as well!
Location & Directions for Mathews Arm Campground
3655 Highway 211 East, Luray, VA 22835 United States
Elevation: 828 ft
Getting There
From Washington, D.C. metro area, travel west on Interstate 66 to exit 43A. Take US Highway 29 South to Warrenton, Virginia, then take US Highway 211 west for 28 mi to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive Thornton Gap Entrance. Follow Skyli...
From Washington, D.C. metro area, travel west on Interstate 66 to exit 43A. Take US Highway 29 South to Warrenton, Virginia, then take US Highway 211 west for 28 mi to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive Thornton Gap Entrance. Follow Skyline Drive north approximately 9 mi and turn left into Mathews Arm Campground.
From Richmond, Virginia area, travel north toward Fredericksburg on Interstate 95 approximately 55 mi to exit 130B for Highway 3 and Culpeper, Virginia. Take Highway 3 approximately 33 mi west to US Highway 15/522 north. Continue on 522 North approximately 20 mi to Sperryville. Turn left onto US Highway 211 West and follow 8 mi to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive, Thornton Gap Entrance. Follow Skyline Drive North approximately 9 mi and turn left into Mathews Arm Campground.
Nearby National Park
In Shenandoah National Park
Approximate driving time: 14 min
Policies & Rules
General
- Black bears, deer, skunks, raccoons and other wildlife share this space with you; please plan to store all food, hygiene items and trash in appropriate containers or your vehicle.
- You are responsible for following all park and campground regulations.
- There are no RV hook-ups but there is a dump station with potable water available.
- Generator hours are 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. with a 60 decibel limit. Vehicle engines must be shut down when parked and may run for no more than five minutes.
- There is a $30 fee per vehicle to enter the park. The pass issued is valid for one week.
- Upon arrival to the campground, please check in at the registration office. If you arrive after hours, directions will be posted at that office.
- Unleaded fuel is available 24/7 at Big Meadows Wayside (milepost 51.2). Electric Vehicle charging stations are only available at Skyland Lodge (milepost 41.7)
- Firewood is available at Elkwallow Wayside 2 miles South of the campground, Sunday - Thursday until 5pm and Friday - Saturday until 6pm. Due to the spread of invasive insects, only kiln dried USDA approved firewood is permitted. Help protect our forest, Click here for more information.
- Cell phone reception is very limited throughout the park.
- There are no showers available at this campground or the closest wayside.
- A no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date (or for day-use facilities, by check-in time the day of arrival). Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date and will hold group day-use facilities until check-in time on the arrival date.
Nearby Campgrounds
Nearby destinations
Last updated: October 20, 2026