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
carel a
VerifiedOctober 14, 2022 • Stayed at: B133 Generator Prohibited, Loop: B
Nice campground with some vegetation between sites.
Faith H
VerifiedOctober 12, 2022 • Stayed at: B132 Generator Prohibited, Loop: B
Quiet and welcoming campground. Rangers manning the check-in station very friendly. Elkwallow wayside nearby. Good trails/ hikes to choose from right from the campground. Bathrooms very clean.
Faith H
VerifiedOctober 12, 2022 • Stayed at: B132 Generator Prohibited, Loop: B
Quiet and welcoming campground. Rangers manning the check-in station very friendly. Elkwallow wayside nearby. Good trails/ hikes to choose from right from the campground. Bathrooms very clean.
Kristin M
VerifiedOctober 11, 2022 • Stayed at: B127, Loop: B
We love this campground but ended up picking a different site once we got there because we didn’t realize that this site is handicapped accessible so there was no fire pit ring on the ground, just a raised grate. Looked like a nice site though!
Alisha L
VerifiedOctober 11, 2022 • Stayed at: B125, Loop: B
We stayed at Matthew's Arm campground over on a Sunday evening to Monday. Since there were few campers, it was quiet, however, the garbage truck came through before the sun, disrupting the peace and quiet.
I also found it stressful to figure out the firewood situation. We arrived in the park about 6:30pm, so Elk Wallow wayside and the campground check-in were both closed. We found that the campground host had a stash of firewood so we grabbed a few cords. However, there was no place to pay for the wood. Checking out the next morning, we discovered from the ranger that in order to pay for the used firewood, we had to drive to Elk Wallow Wayside, purchase wood then drive back to Matthew's Arm campground and deliver the firewood to the host site. This process is ridiculously inefficient and discourages campers to follow through, especially those on a tight schedule. Since campers are now required to buy firewood locally it would make sense to have firewood and a paybox at the campground and/or at Elk Wallow and include this information in the reservation description. Until this process changes, I would suggest to anyone arriving after check-in to purchase firewood in Sperryville or Luray on your way into the park.
Otherwise, we had a nice visit to Shenandoah NP and Matthew's Arm campground was a good experience.
Kristin M
VerifiedOctober 11, 2022 • Stayed at: B127, Loop: B
We love this campground but ended up picking a different site once we got there because we didn’t realize that this site is handicapped accessible so there was no fire pit ring on the ground, just a raised grate. Looked like a nice site though!
Alisha L
VerifiedOctober 11, 2022 • Stayed at: B125, Loop: B
We stayed at Matthew's Arm campground over on a Sunday evening to Monday. Since there were few campers, it was quiet, however, the garbage truck came through before the sun, disrupting the peace and quiet.
I also found it stressful to figure out the firewood situation. We arrived in the park about 6:30pm, so Elk Wallow wayside and the campground check-in were both closed. We found that the campground host had a stash of firewood so we grabbed a few cords. However, there was no place to pay for the wood. Checking out the next morning, we discovered from the ranger that in order to pay for the used firewood, we had to drive to Elk Wallow Wayside, purchase wood then drive back to Matthew's Arm campground and deliver the firewood to the host site. This process is ridiculously inefficient and discourages campers to follow through, especially those on a tight schedule. Since campers are now required to buy firewood locally it would make sense to have firewood and a paybox at the campground and/or at Elk Wallow and include this information in the reservation description. Until this process changes, I would suggest to anyone arriving after check-in to purchase firewood in Sperryville or Luray on your way into the park.
Otherwise, we had a nice visit to Shenandoah NP and Matthew's Arm campground was a good experience.
Mary S
VerifiedOctober 5, 2022 • Stayed at: B133 Generator Prohibited, Loop: B
Easy check in. Camp site was just fine. Quiet, comfortable.
Mary S
VerifiedOctober 5, 2022 • Stayed at: B133 Generator Prohibited, Loop: B
Easy check in. Camp site was just fine. Quiet, comfortable.
Samuel L
VerifiedSeptember 25, 2022 • Stayed at: B138 Generator Prohibited, Loop: B
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
