Warning
GeneralWe are currently replacing the Bolar Mountain wastewater treatment plant and are uncertain how this project will affect our 2026 recreation season offerings. Sugar Ridge Campground and Campground 1 at Bolar Mountain Recreation Area will initially open for first come first served camping to begin the 2026 recreation season. The Beach Area will initially open as well. There will be limited amenities and port-o-potties will be utilized. Morris Hill Campground will be open and reservations can be made through recreation.gov. The Picnic Pavilion will remain closed. The facilities are tentatively scheduled to open on May 15th. We will communicate any changes that may occur due to ongoing construction and improvement of these recreation sites. Please contact the James River and Warm Springs Ranger District office at 540-839-2521 if you have questions.
About Bolar Mountain Recreation Area
Number of accommodations: 85
Campground Amenities
-
Potable Water
Sites & Availability
85 Sites Available
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No available sites
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Site Details
Select a site to view details
85 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 (191)
What Guests Are Saying
Bolar Mountain Recreation Area offers a beautiful and serene environment with clear waters perfect for swimming and fishing, attracting many returning visitors. Camp sites are spacious and well-maintained, and the bathrooms are generally clean. However, some reviewers noted issues with overgrown vegetation, maintenance of facilities, and limited access to firewood and supplies, suggesting areas for improvement. Overall, visitors appreciate the area's natural beauty and the peaceful camping experience it provides.
What Guests Are Saying
Bolar Mountain Recreation Area offers a beautiful and serene environment with clear waters perfect for swimming and fishing, attracting many returning visitors. Camp sites are spacious and well-maintained, and the bathrooms are generally clean. However, some reviewers noted issues with overgrown vegetation, maintenance of facilities, and limited access to firewood and supplies, suggesting areas for improvement. Overall, visitors appreciate the area's natural beauty and the peaceful camping experience it provides.
Review Summary
Brytni I
VerifiedDecember 31, 2021 • Stayed at: 77, Loop: 3
Word of advice: Do not take the route that the GPS leads you if you have an RV. We did not have an RV and it was still a bit sketchy at some points. Other than that - View was BEAUTIFUL! Few spots with cell phone service. Only wish others followed the rules and leashed their dogs.
Carrie H
VerifiedSeptember 26, 2021 • Stayed at: 80, Loop: 3
We always have a great time and was very impressed with how clean and maintained the restroom were. The brush being cleaned up was a plus sense those were the site we were n. Hope to be back next year. Thanks for making our experience great.
Kenneth W
VerifiedSeptember 16, 2021 • Stayed at: 23, Loop: 1
Showers were nasty mold all over walls , and simply not cleaned, we visited several times this is first year I’ve ever seen showers with mold on walls always had cleaned shower from top to bottom.
Akiko A
VerifiedSeptember 14, 2021 • Stayed at: 51, Loop: 2
We reserved #51 campsite. It was a premium lake front view. I loved it and so as my husband and kids (8,10,12yars old) The view was breathtaking and so relaxing. The bathroom and shower was very right behind and very clean. We would love to come back for longer days.
Derek j
VerifiedSeptember 14, 2021 • Stayed at: 69, Loop: 3
Well the overall scenery is great and the fishing is fine. It's more so the angry, loud ,aggressive, drunks that go here to camp with there family. Music until 2am, beer cans cracking open all night, loud yelling and partying. Maybe slept from 3 or 4 am until 7 or 8am. Had a guy drive a bear through the campground Monday morning, around 7 am hounding just started barking and running up the hillside behind the camp, then they were running through the camp. This went on for about an hour, and eventually 2 hounding drove a bear cub directly through our campsite. Literally 5 feet from me and my dog, then the dad at the camp next to us, pulled out his pistol and started patrolling, honestly felt less safe with that, than with a bear running through. I couldn't grab the plates on the truck with the dogs, but it was a dark blue newer model Toyoata Tacoma with the dog cages on the back. All in all, it was a shitshow, and I'm extremely disappointed.
Kyle L
VerifiedSeptember 13, 2021 • Stayed at: 30, Loop: 1
Very nice area, our trip was ruined by some rude people with a very loud generator. Would be nice if there was a generator free area.
Jessica O
VerifiedSeptember 13, 2021 • Stayed at: 63, Loop: 3
I have been coming to Moo Maw Lake for years and love the layout but there are a group of people that always stay in campground 3 that don’t like noise even during the day! They are always complaining. Yes there are a couple in my group that like there music loud and have been informed to keep it down. However after 10 this group doesn’t even want you sitting around your campfire talking. This year they filed complaints on us and we’re having us watched like hawks. We were sitting around the camp playing cards about 10:15 no music, they set off fire crackers to attempt to draw attention towards us to make it look like we were being rowdy. We were not, we were on are best behavior. I would love to see one of the campgrounds set up to allow those who don’t mind a little noise after 10:00am say maybe quiet hour be 11:00 instead so that everyone can enjoy there stay.
Holly H
VerifiedSeptember 12, 2021 • Stayed at: 50, Loop: 2
Nice campground. Security seemed to be a little lacking but overall nice place.
Jordan C. S
VerifiedSeptember 11, 2021 • Stayed at: 55, Loop: 2
A truly beautiful location with clean and well maintained sites and facilities. The sites are a little hard (crushed gravel). So tent campers should bring something soft to sleep on.
Chad E
VerifiedSeptember 7, 2021 • Stayed at: 29, Loop: 1
Nice, clean, and quiet campground. Close to the lake.
Location Bolar Mountain Recreation Area
Address:
756 Twin Ridge Drive
Warm Springs, VA, 24484
United States
Know your route ahead of time, cell service will be intermitten if available at all.
From Covington, take 220 North to Hwy 39 and turn left on Hwy 39. Take Hwy 39 to Hwy 600 (Bolars Draft Road) and turn left on Hwy 600 towards the campgrounds. After about 7.5 miles turn right on Twin Ridge Drive for all campgrounds. Stay straight to head towards the store & marina, an overlook of the lake and McClintic Point.
**GPS often routes vehicles to take Richardson Gorge rd. via the Jackson River tpk. This route is NOT SUGGESTED for travel, especially when towing. It's a narrow dirt road with steep soft edges. Multiple accidents occur on this road each year.**
Latitude & Longitude: 37.9836 / -79.9669
Elevation: 491 feet
Policies & Rules
| Category | About |
|---|---|
| General |
Additional first-come, first-served sites may be available |
| General |
Full RV hookups are not available |
| General |
Click here for more information on George Washington and Jefferson National Forests |
| General |
Check out the forest's campground description for specific information to Fish Your National Forest |
| General |
Don't Move Firewood: Help protect our forests! Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. Moving firewood is illegal in some states. Visit dontmovefirewood.org to learn more. |
Warnings & Advisories
Warning
GeneralWe are currently replacing the Bolar Mountain wastewater treatment plant and are uncertain how this project will affect our 2026 recreation season offerings. Sugar Ridge Campground and Campground 1 at Bolar Mountain Recreation Area will initially open for first come first served camping to begin the 2026 recreation season. The Beach Area will initially open as well. There will be limited amenities and port-o-potties will be utilized. Morris Hill Campground will be open and reservations can be made through recreation.gov. The Picnic Pavilion will remain closed. The facilities are tentatively scheduled to open on May 15th. We will communicate any changes that may occur due to ongoing construction and improvement of these recreation sites. Please contact the James River and Warm Springs Ranger District office at 540-839-2521 if you have questions.
