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

Elizabeth Furnace Group Camp

Elizabeth Furnace Recreation Area offers forested trails, campsites and open grassy picnic areas along the tranquil Passage Creek. Enjoy hiking the Pig Iron and Charcoal trail and learn how iron was historically mined and smelted. Spend the day fishing from a stocked trout stream, grilling out at a picnic spot, or taking a stroll across the swinging bridge to view the historic cabin.

Reservable · Recreation.gov2 sitesPets okFires ok

This is the group site. Looking for the main campground? Elizabeth Furnace, 36 sites, is 0.7 miles away.

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
ELIZABETH FURNACE GROUP CAMPELIZABETH FURNACE GROUP CAMPELIZABETH FURNACE GROUP CAMPELIZABETH FURNACE GROUP CAMP
Photos via Recreation.gov

Site mix

group standard area nonelectric2
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

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

SiteSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFires
AGravelFull50 / 15Yes
BGravelFull25 / 10Yes

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 1:59 PM.

Amenities & rules

PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
Tent padsYes
  • Hand pump available year round in the family campground (Please park your vehicle across the street when coming to the family campground to collect water. This helps us avoid any potential car congestion).
  • No water at group campground.
  • No firewood available.
  • Vault toilets available year-round.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Elizabeth Furnace Group Camp30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 2.85 inches of precipitation, 4.7 inches of snowFebruary: 2.45 inches of precipitation, 9.4 inches of snowMarch: 3.77 inches of precipitation, 2.2 inches of snowApril: 3.41 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 4.36 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 4.49 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 3.57 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.96 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 4.76 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 3.35 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 3.29 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowDecember: 3.11 inches of precipitation, 4.8 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 33.6°F averageFebruary: 36.1°F averageMarch: 43.4°F averageApril: 54.5°F averageMay: 62.8°F averageJune: 71.2°F averageJuly: 75.4°F averageAugust: 73.5°F averageSeptember: 66.7°F averageOctober: 56.1°F averageNovember: 45.5°F averageDecember: 37.4°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 in10 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Front Royal, 8 miles from the campground at 930 feet, station USC00443229 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 43 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 21 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From I-81: Take exit 296 off I-81. Turn east on VA 55 and continue 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 the small community of Waterlick. The recreation area will be on your left in about 3.5 miles.

Nearest townFort Valley, Virginia
Coordinates38.9317° N, 78.3208° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗0.8 mi
Outdoor gearMountain Trails ↗7 mi
RV sales & serviceRoad Trip Camping ↗49.1 mi

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

Explore

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.4 mi
    Tuscarora - Veach Gap ↗
    10.6 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.4 mi
    Tuscarora - Bear Wallow
    4.4 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.5 mi
    Charcoal Interpretive
    0.6 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.5 mi
    Pig Iron Interpretive
    0.4 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.5 mi
    Botts
    0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.8 mi
    Mud Hole Gap ↗
    4.6 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 group 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 Group Camp?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Elizabeth Furnace Group Camp?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:59 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Elizabeth Furnace Group Camp have?

2 sites, including 2 group standard area nonelectric.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Elizabeth Furnace Group Camp?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Elizabeth Furnace Group Camp?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Elizabeth Furnace Group Camp?

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 Group Camp?

Fort Valley, Virginia.

Source: Getting there

What if Elizabeth Furnace Group Camp is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Elizabeth Furnace (0.7 mi), Little Fort (8 mi, first-come), and Mathews Arm Campground (11.9 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby