North Creek
Sites are first-come, first-served. Recreation.gov lists this campground for paying on site, and you may be able to pay with the Scan and Pay feature of its app.
More like this: first-come in Virginia · dark sky in Virginia
Amenities & rules
| Dark sky | 6.2 miles from Natural Bridge State Park, a certified International Dark Sky Park |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Season | Mid-March to late-November |
| Forest | George Washington & Jefferson National Forest |
| Fees | $15 per single site per night. $30 for the double site per night (maximum 12 people). Fees are paid on site at the self-service kiosk. Reservations are not accepted. |
George Washington & Jefferson National Forest recreation page ↗
Weather by month
Getting there
From I-81: Take exit 168 (Arcadia). Follow VA 614 (Jennings Creek Road) for 2.9 miles through Arcadia to FS 59 (North Creek Road). Turn left on FS 59. The campground is 2.4 miles ahead on your right.
| Coordinates | 37.5414° N, 79.5847° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Sharp Top Store ↗ | 6.9 mi |
| RV sales & service | MT Joy RV ↗ | 7.3 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 25.1 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
No site-by-site records, no fee schedule or photos in the Recreation.gov record. What is here comes from the agency's own listing. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the record fills in.
Explore
Trails nearby
- 0.2 miWhitetail1.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.9 miCornelius Creek ↗2.8 mi trail · hiking, bike · national_recreation_or_other
- 1.9 miApple Orchard Falls ↗3.3 mi trail · hiking · national_recreation_or_other
- 2 miWilson Mountain3.4 mi trail · hiking, bike
- 2.1 miSprouts Run ↗3.3 mi trail · hiking · national_recreation_or_other
- 2.6 miLittle Cove Mountain2.7 mi trail · hiking, 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.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside George Washington and Jefferson National Forest.
- inGeorge Washington and Jefferson National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 3,487,961 acres
- 4.4 miThunder Ridge Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 2,427 acres
- 6.2 miJames River Face Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 8,907 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Historic landmarks nearby
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Guidebooks for Virginia
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at North Creek?
No. North Creek is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at North Creek?
$15 per single site per night. $30 for the double site per night (maximum 12 people). Fees are paid on site at the self-service kiosk.
Source: Forest Service
Is North Creek open right now?
Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Mid-March to late-November.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does North Creek have?
12 sites.
Source: Forest Service
Is North Creek good for stargazing?
Natural Bridge State Park, a certified International Dark Sky Park, is 6.2 miles away. Skies that dark carry for miles; a moonless night here should show the Milky Way.
Source: DarkSky International
What if North Creek is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Cave Mountain Lake Group Camp (3.6 mi), Cave Mountain Lake Family Camp (3.6 mi), and Hopper Creek Group Camp (4.4 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby