About Mathews Arm Campground
Number of accommodations: 115
Nearby Activities & Attractions
Hiking
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
RV Utilities and Hookups
- Dump station on site
Water and Hygiene
- Potable Water
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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 (851)
What Guests Are Saying
Mathews Arm Campground offers excellent, spacious, and well-maintained sites, making it a perfect base for nearby hikes. Reviewers appreciate the clean facilities, friendly staff, and the intimate atmosphere, particularly during less crowded times. While some noted the restrooms could use upgrades, the overall experience is highly recommended for nature lovers and families.
What Guests Are Saying
Mathews Arm Campground offers excellent, spacious, and well-maintained sites, making it a perfect base for nearby hikes. Reviewers appreciate the clean facilities, friendly staff, and the intimate atmosphere, particularly during less crowded times. While some noted the restrooms could use upgrades, the overall experience is highly recommended for nature lovers and families.
Review Summary
Rayleen S
VerifiedMay 16, 2023 • Stayed at: C156, Loop: C
Luray Caverns a must to see!!
Gerard W
VerifiedMay 15, 2023 • Stayed at: B128 Generator Prohibited, Loop: B
Friendly, efficient ranger at check in. Nice location in Blue Ridge near a nice handful of trails.
Don't hike to Elkwallow wayside for supplies -- they don't allow packs in the store. Best to drive your carbon spewing, climate warming vehicle the two miles, I guess.
Gerard W
VerifiedMay 15, 2023 • Stayed at: B128 Generator Prohibited, Loop: B
Friendly, efficient ranger at check in. Nice location in Blue Ridge near a nice handful of trails.
Don't hike to Elkwallow wayside for supplies -- they don't allow packs in the store. Best to drive your carbon spewing, climate warming vehicle the two miles, I guess.
Tracy K
VerifiedMay 14, 2023 • Stayed at: C154, Loop: C
We come to Mathews Arm several times every year. We usually reserve a campsite but have always been allowed to choose a better site if it’s not taken. This year they said there was a “new policy” and “new reservation system” that wouldn’t allow them to change our site. We slept on a slant surrounded by noisy mobile homes, barking dogs and generators even though we were in a no generator site. The next day the site we wanted remained empty. Not worth reserving sites in advance! Worst camping night ever.
Tracy K
VerifiedMay 14, 2023 • Stayed at: C154, Loop: C
We come to Mathews Arm several times every year. We usually reserve a campsite but have always been allowed to choose a better site if it’s not taken. This year they said there was a “new policy” and “new reservation system” that wouldn’t allow them to change our site. We slept on a slant surrounded by noisy mobile homes, barking dogs and generators even though we were in a no generator site. The next day the site we wanted remained empty. Not worth reserving sites in advance! Worst camping night ever.
Bradley F
VerifiedMay 10, 2023 • Stayed at: A027, Loop: A - 14 Day Advance Purchase
This was our first visit to SNP. We stayed in site A027 and had a great time. It was a nice private site. I do want to note, we had a 35' RV and the parameters on the website made us think it would be easy to fit. Not the case. I wouldn't advise anyone over 25-28 feet try to get into that site. There is also a decent downhill grade on the site, so make sure you have some blocks to get the back end up in the air a bit. Overall it was a great visit and we will be back again, in a different site.
Bradley F
VerifiedMay 10, 2023 • Stayed at: A027, Loop: A - 14 Day Advance Purchase
This was our first visit to SNP. We stayed in site A027 and had a great time. It was a nice private site. I do want to note, we had a 35' RV and the parameters on the website made us think it would be easy to fit. Not the case. I wouldn't advise anyone over 25-28 feet try to get into that site. There is also a decent downhill grade on the site, so make sure you have some blocks to get the back end up in the air a bit. Overall it was a great visit and we will be back again, in a different site.
Charlie A
VerifiedNovember 5, 2022 • Stayed at: C151, Loop: C
Very clean bathrooms
Charlie A
VerifiedNovember 5, 2022 • Stayed at: C151, Loop: C
Very clean bathrooms
Dorothy W
VerifiedNovember 4, 2022 • Stayed at: C152, Loop: C
Very friendly and helpful host!! Ranger talks were very informative
Location Mathews Arm Campground
Address:
3655 Highway 211 East
Luray, VA, 22835
United States
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 miles to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive Thornton Gap Entrance. Follow Skyline Drive north approximately 9 miles and turn left into Mathews Arm Campground.
From Richmond, Virginia area, travel north toward Fredericksburg on Interstate 95 approximately 55 miles to exit 130B for Highway 3 and Culpeper, Virginia. Take Highway 3 approximately 33 miles west to US Highway 15/522 north. Continue on 522 North approximately 20 miles to Sperryville. Turn left onto US Highway 211 West and follow 8 miles to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive, Thornton Gap Entrance. Follow Skyline Drive North approximately 9 miles and turn left into Mathews Arm Campground.
Latitude & Longitude: 38.7601 / -78.2979
Elevation: 828 feet
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: June 4, 2026
