U.S. Forest Service · George Washington & Jefferson National Forest · Fort Valley, VA

Elizabeth Furnace

Vault Toilets are located throughout the family campground and are available year-round. No Firewood available. Hand pump available year-round near entrance of family campground. Showers and Flush Toilets available from May-October.

Reservable · Recreation.gov36 sitesFrom $10 per night35 ft maxNo hookupsPets okFires ok

The group site has its own page: Elizabeth Furnace Group Camp.

More like this: reservable in Virginia · pets allowed in Virginia

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Elizabeth Furnace
Photo from the area. v343790 (CC BY 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Site mix

Standard, no hookups33
Host/management3
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 35 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

33 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceWater / sewerPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
01Back-in33GravelNo / –8 / –YesYes
02Back-in33GravelNo / –8 / –YesYes
03Back-in33GravelNo / –8 / –YesYes
04Back-in33GravelNo / –8 / –YesYes
05Back-in33GravelNo / –8 / –YesYes
06Back-in33GravelNo / –8 / –YesYes
07Back-in33GravelNo / –8 / –YesYes
08Back-in33GravelNo / –8 / –YesYes
09Back-in33GravelNo / –8 / –YesYes
10Back-in33GravelNo / –8 / –YesYes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length35 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesThe campground has a self-service pay station at the entrance. Sites are currently $10/night with limited services and $20/night when water systems are running (May-October).
AccessibilitySites 01, 02, 03, 04 and 30 more are listed accessible

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Elizabeth Furnace30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 2.90 inches of precipitation, 7.4 inches of snowFebruary: 2.33 inches of precipitation, 6.9 inches of snowMarch: 3.23 inches of precipitation, 3.6 inches of snowApril: 2.82 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 4.36 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 4.22 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 3.94 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.44 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 4.44 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.60 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 2.49 inches of precipitation, 0.7 inches of snowDecember: 2.78 inches of precipitation, 5.1 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 31.8°F averageFebruary: 34.2°F averageMarch: 41.6°F averageApril: 51.9°F averageMay: 61.2°F averageJune: 70.0°F averageJuly: 74.4°F averageAugust: 72.9°F averageSeptember: 66.0°F averageOctober: 54.8°F averageNovember: 43.7°F averageDecember: 35.7°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Woodstock 2 NE, 8 miles from the campground at 675 feet, station USC00449263 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 40 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 24 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From I-81: Take exit 296 and turn east, on VA 55 for 1.4 miles. In center of Strasburg (traffic light), turn left to remain on VA 55. After 5.0 miles, turn right onto SR 678 in small community of Waterlick. The recreation area will be on your left in about 3.5 miles.

Nearest townFort Valley, Virginia
Coordinates38.9247° N, 78.3311° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗under 0.1 mi
Outdoor gearMountain Trails ↗7.5 mi
RV sales & serviceRoad Trip Camping ↗48.8 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Elizabeth Furnace Campground Review 2021 (updated fees for 2021)

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.1 mi
    Mud Hole Gap ↗
    4.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.2 mi
    Sherman Gap ↗
    5.5 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.2 mi
    Pig Iron Interpretive
    0.4 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    Charcoal Interpretive
    0.6 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    Bear Wallow Spur
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    Botts
    0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Natural features

The charming family campground sits in the Shenandoah Valley along Passage Creek, a tributary of the North Fork Shenandoah River. The area is part of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests which spans across Virginia and parts of West Virginia and Kentucky. These forests protect 40 species of trees that are mostly Appalachian hardwood and mixed pine-hardwood forests, 60 species of mammals and 200 species of birds.

Recreation

Enjoy hiking the Pig Iron and Charcoal Trail to learn how iron was made in the area. Another great hike heads up to Buzzard Rock. Passage Creek is seasonally stocked with trout to keep anglers entertained.

Guidebooks for Virginia

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping: Virginia
    Randy Porter, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Camping Virginia and West Virginia
    Desiree Smith-Daughety, 2013
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best tent camping
    Johnny Molloy, 2014
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Elizabeth Furnace?

Sites at Elizabeth Furnace are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Elizabeth Furnace?

The campground has a self-service pay station at the entrance. Sites are currently $10/night with limited services and $20/night when water systems are running (May-October).

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Elizabeth Furnace?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Elizabeth Furnace have?

36 sites, including 33 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Elizabeth Furnace?

The longest site here provides 35 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Elizabeth Furnace?

Yes, pets are allowed at Elizabeth Furnace. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Elizabeth Furnace?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Elizabeth Furnace?

Sites 01, 02, 03, and 04 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 34 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Elizabeth Furnace?

Enjoy hiking the Pig Iron and Charcoal Trail to learn how iron was made in the area. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Elizabeth Furnace?

Fort Valley, Virginia.

Source: Getting there

What if Elizabeth Furnace is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Elizabeth Furnace Group Camp (0.7 mi), Little Fort (7.3 mi, first-come), and Mathews Arm Campground (11.5 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby