Beartree Campground

You don't get any more private sites than at BearTree - the trees and undergrowth are so thick, each site is it's own little island of lushness.

That being said - for some, this may not be the best place.
Have a rig longer than 30'? The road in may be unnerving, and some of the sites impossible to access.

We had originally reserved site #3 - but upon arriving, it was an absolute no-go trying to get our 30' Class A backed into it. There was a deep concrete culvert at the driveway and we bottomed out HARD, making a mess of our rear-mounted bike rack and tearing up the pad.

Upside? We got to meet the extraordinarily amazing and wonderful camp hosts: Patti and Jim who were able to quickly find us a more appropriate site (#34). They kept the campground spotless. I hope you get to visit while they are still there.

When we visit again (and I would) - these are the sites we would want (in order of desirability for our particular rig): Chipmunk Circle #38, #35, #34.

As stated, this is a no-hook up campground. There is potable water available in spigots around the camp, but they are NOT threaded, so if you want to use a hose, you are out of luck. We did not go into the bath houses, but Patti and Jim were busy cleaning or painting them for the two days of our visit.

No cell or internet. We had some OTA TV from the south before heavy weather moved in and knocked the signal out.

Nice bicycling around the camp. The "Beaver Overlook Trail" leads neither to an overlook, nor beavers. Do not recommend.

In the first weekend of June 2021, Sunday was PACKED with campers. Monday and Tuesday were practically deserted. We missed the main blooming of the rhododendron and mountain laurel by about a week. I bet it would have been spectacular.

I spent the first 3 days of June, 2021, at Beartree Campground, a US Forest Service area. Elevation is roughly 3300 feet, and lies about 12 miles NE of Damascus Va. During my stay, the temperature dropped 10-12 degrees F as I headed from Damascus to the campground on US Hwy 58 headed east.

At this time, the only loop that's open is the Chipmonk. It's about 4 miles after the turn onto Beartree Gap Road. The formal entrance is about 1/2 mile from the turn.

The campground is basically off the grid. No cell service, no internet, and no TV. The sites have no hookups but are well-maintained and with the exception of a few sites are about as flat and level as you could expect to find. I'd avoid sites in the upper 30's (I think there are about 40 sites total) as they are not level at all.

There is a small lake, Beartree Lake, with bathhouses, picnic tables, and a beach. It was closed during my stay. I don't know if that's due to Covid, maintenance problems, or staffing issues.

During my stay, the CG was virtually deserted. It looks like the place might get crowded during the weekends as the reservable sites appear to be taken for most Friday-Saturday nights. There are a number of First Come sites so weekend camping without a reservation is possible.

The loop I stayed in has two operating bathhouses. A third is closed for repairs. My 4-star rating is due to the unreliability of the hot water in the shower. I wouldn't call it warm; it couldn't have been more than a couple of degrees above mountain water cold.

My site was awesome. Relatively large and flat, it has a small stream that runs right along its edge. Buy your firewood in town although you can use what you can find on the ground. About 1/2 of the wood I burned was scavenged.

All in all, I like this place. It's convenient to the Va Creeper Trail and there is mountain biking in the forest and throughout the area.

Nirvana: No cell coverage, no power or water for big rigs. Boondocking for camper vans, small trailers or tents. The most private sites I have ever been to at a campground- rhododendron bushes just keep everything private. Main negative is the bath houses need continuous showers but the temps are good. You truly are away at this place. Good hiking and mountain biking from the campground.