The Homestead--30 minutes northwest of Charlottesville in northwest Virginia--is ranked number 12 in Travel & Leisure 2010's list of World's Best Hotels for Families. This luxury hotel is nestled in the Allegheny Mountains, a prime spot for hiking, swimming and fishing. For those who want to ditch the resort experience for camping in the great outdoors, there are plenty of options within a 30-mile radius of the grounds. The campsites are near the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest and Douthat State Park.
The Homestead
The self-proclaimed "birthplace of Southern hospitality," The Homestead is located in Hot Springs, a northwest Virginia town with a population of about 300. Of the 11, 500 acres of the facility, only 325 are developed into the 483-guest room establishment. Outdoor activities for guests include three championship golf courses, horseback riding, trout fishing and downhill skiing. The Homestead also is a historic site that has hosted guests since a decade before the American Revolution.
George Washington Forest and Jefferson National Forest
The George Washington and Jefferson National Forest in northwestern Virginia reaches to the West Virginia border along the Appalachian Mountains. Scenic drives and nature viewing are a couple of favorite activities for visitors. Hiking trails, most notably the Appalachian Trail, delight campers as well. Lakes, ponds and streams provide ample fishing, swimming and boating opportunities. Campgrounds in the forest include Bolar Mountain, the Cave Mountain Lake Recreation Area and the Hidden Valley Dispersed Camping Recreation Area.
Tent camping at Bolar Mountain cost $16 to $18 to enter as of 2010, while Cave Mountain Lake is $15 a night for tent camping. Primitive camping at Hidden Valley Dispersed Camping Recreation Area is free of charge. Blowing Springs, which costs $10 a day, offers a combined 23 spots of both tent and RV camping.
Douthat State Park
Douthat is on the national Register of Public Places and is one of six original Virginia state parks that opened in 1936. The outstanding scenery includes lush trees that change color in the fall, all overlooking the placid 50-acre Douthat Lake. Swimming, boating and fishing spots are located throughout the lake. Wilson Creek, just below the dam, is an especially good trout fishing spot. The creek is located on the east-central portion of the lake. Visitors of Douthat State Park camp at Beaver Dam. The 26-capacity campsite includes RV hookups, restroom and shower facilities. In addition to nearby nature trails, there's convenient access to the lake for swimming, fishing and boating.
Other Campgrounds
Several independent campgrounds exist in the area within a 30-mile radius of The Homestead. Campgrounds in Hot Springs include McClintic Point Primitive Campground and Blowing Springs Campground. In Covington, eight miles southwest of Hot Springs, you will find Bola Mountain Campground.
These campgrounds differ from the state and national parks in that they offer more creature comforts. For example, consider the Buckhorne Country Store and Campground in Clifton Forge, 10 miles south of Hot Springs. The facility, which offers both RV and tent sites, provides bathroom, laundry and shower facilities. These sites, including Buckhorne, also commonly offer clubhouses, playgrounds and recreation areas.
Considerations
Camping season for Virginia is from April to the end of October. Campers can make public and private campground reservations through the National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS). The service provides a comprehensive register of campgrounds, their locations and their amenities. Bears, foxes and rattlesnakes are some of the animals one must beware of when hiking area trails.
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