Lewis Mountain Campground

"Camp host made me feel unwelcome. 8/11/23 9:30 am I was making bacon in the cast iron skillet on the Coleman stove when Mary the camp host (30 yo white female, former military) got my attention by calling "Good morning!" and then she asked when I was leaving. I responded "Isn't check out time 12 noon?" and Mary said yes but then said she just wanted to know when we were leaving. "Do you want us to leave?" I asked. Oh no, Mary said, she was "just asking". Yet she stood there waiting for an answer, not taking the hint that her question was not welcome. I responded 12 noon, which is check out time. But Mary-the-camp-host's message was clear and my last memory of this beautiful 5 day trip to Lewis Mountain Campground is the camp host asking me how soon I would be gone. My kids and I started packing up since it was clear we were no longer welcome. Lewis Mountain Campground at Shenandoah National Park 5/5 stars. Mary the camp host 3/5 stars. In the next hour, 4 separate cars stopped, rolled down their windows, and asked me if I was leaving my camping spot. The last man was so aggressive he parked at the end of the camp site and when I asked him to leave me alone, he mocked me and said "Don't cry! It's normal to ask when people are checking out." Except I don't agree this behavior is normal. It's unwanted attention bordering on harassment. Check out is 12 noon and I was paid up until then. When I was finally packed up, I found a nice family driving by in a white pick up truck with their windows up (because they were not pressuring anyone to leave their camp site early) and gave my camp site to them. The aggressive guy who told me "not to cry" was parked on the neighbor's camp site, watching me like a hawk, determined to take my camp site the moment I left but he did not get it. The non-aggressive family did. Lewis Mountain Campground is a lovely place but when the vultures start getting aggressive for camp sites it creates a stressful situation and bad memories."

"Great campground! Make sure you get there early to get a good spot. Some spots are very large, and some are super small. First come first served. Anne was awesome! Super nice and helpful! Beautiful setting, very secluded. Most adhered to the quiet hours, which was nice and unexpected! This will definitely be my go to campground!"

"Small and quiet campground with a lot to offer. Very friendly and helpful staff. Plenty of opportunities for beautiful views. The wildlife is abundant and easy to watch as they seem unafraid. Located right on the Appalachian Trail. Several day hiking opportunities from this location."

"This place is a hidden gem. It‘a a cozy campground tucked away in the mountains with forest surrounding it and a short drive from trails and scenic views. The staff is friendly and even accommodated me after hours. There’s an outfitter store on premises. Despite being many miles from the nearest town, they sell everything at competitive prices. You can buy snacks, drinks (including beer and wine), firewood, tents, sleeping bags, and all sorts of trinkets that will make your stay a little more enjoyable. A few things to note: if you like hammock camping, it might be hard to find trees that are close enough together. If you plan to have a campfire, I recommend bringing a hand saw with you to gather downed wood in the forest (this is expressly allowed). Buy a bundle of dry wood from the outfitter to get your fire started, and then use gathered wood to keep it going. Most importantly: the weather on Lewis mountain may differ from the surrounding area. Check the spot forecast before going. I got snowed on when I thought it would only rain. But it was remarkably beautiful to wake up to!"

"Really nice campground as far as campgrounds go. The staff were incredibly helpful and friendly, the facilities were surprisingly clean and well-maintained, and the surroundings were beautiful. The general store had food, water, firewood, camping supplies, and most of the things you could possibly need, albeit at a somewhat inflated price. Cell phone service was spotty at best, but it was better than it was in many other areas of the park. Located pretty far south on Skyline Drive, but because of that, it felt peaceful and secluded. As a bonus, there was a trail leading from the campsite to Bearfence Mountain (my favorite spot in the park) which was part of the Appalachian Trail. There are around 25 or so campsites here and they go fast, so if you're coming during peak season or on the weekend, get here early to get a spot (we arrived on a Friday morning in late December 2021 around 9:30 AM and there were only two sites left)"