Westmoreland State Park

We enjoyed last open weekend of season - Nov. 29‐30, 2019. Cold and not many campers so smallish sites were not an issue. We reserved a site thru Reserve America so we could see photos of site before arriving. Sites offer forested tree cover for shaded camping. Good dry wood available so we nestled around campfires. Then hiked beautiful trails with gorgeous wintertime views of Rappahannock River. Trails often follow high ridge lines or near the steep bluffs along the river. Definitely hike Laurel Point Trail through groves of mountain laurel and the River Trail along the beach and then up a Lord of the Rings staircase to follow the bluffs. Summertime visits offer beaches, swimming pool, picnic areas, 7 miles of nice trails, and great views of river.

We are avid campers. This was the worst grounds we have ever stayed at. The sites are so close together good luck having any privacy. Our fire pit was about 4 feet from the next site over. The site says a limit of 6 campers per site, but that obviously isn’t upheld as there was a family next site over that had at least 30 people all partying and blasting Mariachi band music so loud we could barely talk. The pool was DISGUSTING! There was all kinds of gross floaties, it was over crowded, and once we witnessed kids puking in the water and the maintenance people simply scooped the chunks out and resumed as normal, we were done.

We liked the forested setting, the numerous trails, and the scenic beach. We didn't like the ridiculously un-level sites, the non-working water spigots, and the lack of privacy between sites. Overall it was a nice campground, but certainly not deserving of 5 stars.

A few things to keep in mind. Your reservation is not site specific which means you get to choose a site upon arrival. If you're arriving during a busy time of year this could mean you get stuck with the site at a 45-degree angle with a busted water spigot. Generators are NOT allowed. If you need power pay for a site with electric (and forget about solar here - too many trees). The sites in loop B are level but very close together. The sites in loop A are all crazy un-level but farther apart. The bathhouse in loop A is old, but clean with plenty of hot water and is even heated (important on a chilly fall morning). There is a washer and dryer in loop A that only costs $1.00 for each and works well.

During the time of our visit the pool and nature center were closed for the year, but we enjoyed the trails, the beach, and the surrounding area. Be sure to check out George Washington's Birthplace only a few miles down the road.

We have visited many of Virginia's State Parks and they have all been great. We arrived in the evening and is normal with most of the State Parks, it's first come first served. We stayed in Campground A, and like other reviewers found the spots to very un-level. We had to abandon our first spot and noticed that the Camp Host spot was available. After confirming we could use it, we setup camp. It had a sewer connection as well. That's not the norm, but we were happy we got lucky. The park has great trails, but to get to the river, you have a serious elevation change, so when hiking the are moderately difficult hikes include long hills or stairs. One thing we have noticed about the state parks are that most are large and require some kind of transportation (bikes, but car is preferable in this park due to hills) to get to park features. Beach and pool area were great. Lot's of tables and grilling stations, a snack bar (wasn't open as we were there in off season) kayak/canoe rentals etc. View was spectacular. We didn't use bathhouse so can't comment on those. Also rangers were friendly and very helpful.

The location is gorgeous, but there are several campground issues that hopefully will be fixed in the near future. We frequent Virginia State Parks and these campgrounds are not quite up to the standards set by the other parks. Close though. When we arrived we checked in and headed to Campground A. Very few spots were level, and some that were had no water coming out of the faucets. We wasted a lot of time trying to find close to level with water that worked. I'm talking about the type of unlevel that all your leveling props can't fix. Gave up and went to campground B and found a perfect wooded spot (it was still hot out) with water and electric. I wish the ranger at the desk had warned us about campground A. Makes me wonder if they even know about its condition. Campground B was wonderful except the bathhouse was in bad shape. It needs some serious detail cleaning and upgrading. Since we were staying long enough to fill our grey tank several times, we showered in the bathhouse. Shower curtains were half torn apart, shower stall needed some serious scrubbing. But good pressure and hot water. Still worth visiting. Two amazing beaches with resident bald eagles and blue herons. They allow dogs at the beaches and picnic area, including swimming, but I forgot to ask if that was just because it was after Labor Day or all year round. The written rules don't say they do, but the Rangers and visitors center said yes. Sunsets are gorgeous, kayaking awesome. Stratford hall, a few miles away is worth a visit. There are vineyards nearby, and the Northern Neck is surprisingly very rural for being so close to DC. Colonial Beach and Montross have restaurants and grocery stores. There is a camp store and a small market near the state park entrance. If you are trying to avoid touristy areas, this is the place. When you hear booms that sound like cannons going off in the distance, it is the Naval weapons testing facility about 30 miles away. It was just for a short time in the morning of Monday and Tuesday. Not loud enough to bother you, but enough to make us wonder, what the heck was going on. The campground and visitors center are located at the top of the cliffs, so don't think you can just leisurely ride your bike to the beach, like I did. With all of my 27 gears, I still could not ride back up, and I live and bike in the mountains!

I called ahead to check availability and the girl who answered the phone was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. We knew we would be arriving after 4:30pm, so she told us to go to Campsite A and find an open spot. The blue signs signified water and electric hookups. I asked about payment and was informed that they work on the honor system and we could "settle up in the morning". It was dark when we arrived, but the roads were very easy to navigate and the pull-through was very flat.
The sunrise over the Potomac was gorgeous! We also did one of the easy paths down to fossil beach. We have a 1-year-old and 3-year-old, the path was reasonably easy. We weren't there for very long, but I would definitely go back for a longer stay.

Rate listed is for an in-state resident standard site. Electric/water site is $30. Out of state residents fees are $24/$35.

We tent camped last spring with my daughter's girl scout troop. The two campground loops are in wooded shady areas. Most sites are smaller and not big rig accessible, but a few are. We squeezed two tents on to the tent pad and it was a tight fit. Reservations are available but not site specific. We saw a raccoon and fox in the campground after dark. The bath house and showers were adequate, but the hot water did run out during the busy Saturday evening.

The park is located along the Potomac river. There is a Fossil Hike that is about a mile long down to the river. You can search for fossils and sharks teeth in the sand along the river's edge. Park has some sifters they lend out on a first come first serve basis to sift through sand to look for items. Ranger led programs are also available in-season. A boat launch is available as well as a swimming pool (to early in the season when we were there.) The boat launch and swimming are included in camping fees. The camp store sold firewood and "forgotten" camping needs. No real groceries beyond s'more things.

We did have some Verizon cell service but I don't remember has good it was.

We are considering camping here again this summer as a family.