Why RVers stay here
Otter Creek Campground is the National Park Service campground at milepost 60.8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the lowest-elevation campground on the whole road at just 800 feet, tucked into a valley along a clear, rocky stream near the James River. Our Blue Ridge Parkway guide covers it briefly, mostly as a shaded, relatively flat first-night stop for anyone entering the Parkway from I-81 near Lexington or from Charlottesville. It suits smaller rigs and campers who want creekside white noise, an easy start to the Parkway and a walk down the Otter Creek Trail to the James River Visitor Center.
Practically, there are 27 RV sites and 42 tent sites, no hookups, a dump station and no showers, at $30 a night. The RV limit is 30 feet, with a few sites taking up to 35 feet, so check the campground map, and the season runs mid-May through late October. Reservations are on recreation.gov and you should book early for October leaf season. Nearest fuel is on US-501 at Glasgow, about 15 minutes off the Parkway. The trade-off is simple: this is basic dry camping for shorter rigs, and the low elevation means it is warmer and more humid than the high Parkway campgrounds in summer.
- ✓Lowest-elevation Parkway campground at 800 feet, shaded and relatively flat, right beside Otter Creek
- ✓Ideal first-night stop entering the Parkway from I-81 at Lexington or from Charlottesville
- ✓Otter Creek Trail follows the water about 3.5 miles to the James River Visitor Center
- ✓$30 a night with a dump station and recreation.gov reservations
- !No hookups and no showers; dry camping with a dump station only
- !30-foot RV limit, with only a few sites up to 35 feet
- !Seasonal, mid-May through late October, and October fills early