NPS · Blue Ridge Parkway · Virginia

Peaks Of Otter Campground

The Peaks of Otter Campground is nestled between the bases of two dominating mountains in the rolling hills of Virginia. Campers enjoy a rare serenity in this rustic setting. Relax, and leave your cares behind!

Partly reservable 143 sites 77 ft max No hookupsPets okFires ok

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

More like this: first-come in Virginia · reservable in Virginia · big rigs in Virginia · pets allowed in Virginia

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗

Photos courtesy of Wayne Bersch, Debbie Webber, NPS · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Tent-only		88
RV, no hookups		53
Host/management		2

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served. For the first-come sites, arrive early on a weekday and take what is open. The booking page shows which of the reservable sites are open. The first-come playbook

Site guide

Will my RV fit

Towing a trailerRear or front mounted accessoriesi

Tow vehicle length, ftTrailer length, ft

The longest site here provides 77 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

141 sites in 3 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Fits, ft	Surface	Shade	People / vehicles	Fires	Accessible
A01	Loop A	RV	Pull-through	23	Paved	Full	6 / 2	Yes
A02	Loop A	RV	Pull-through	19	Paved	Full	6 / 2	Yes
A03	Loop A	RV	Pull-through	19	Paved	Full	6 / 2	Yes
A04	Loop A	Tent only	Back-in	19	Paved	Full	6 / 1	Yes
A05	Loop A	Tent only	Back-in	18	Paved	Full	6 / 1	Yes
A06	Loop A	Tent only	Back-in	19	Paved	Partial	6 / 1	Yes
A07	Loop A	Tent only	Pull-through	31	Paved	Partial	6 / 1	Yes
A08	Loop A	Tent only	Back-in	18	Paved	Full	6 / 1	Yes
A09	Loop A	Tent only	Back-in	22	Paved	Partial	6 / 1	Yes	Yes
A10	Loop A	Tent only		28	Paved	Full	6 / 1	Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

Hookups	None
Max vehicle length	77 ft
Equipment	RVs & trailers, Tents
Pets	Allowed
Campfires	Allowed, subject to restrictions
Accessibility	Sites A09, A15, A19, A24 and 4 more are listed accessible

Campsites are shaded under an umbrella of thick trees, and provide campers with picnic tables, lantern poles, and campfire rings/grills. The campground also offers modern conveniences like flush toilets, drinking water and a dump station. Peaks of Otter Campground almost always has campsites available. In addition to the 60 sites available for advance reservation, there are 79 first-come, first-served campsites available. These sites must be booked in person at the campground kiosk.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →

The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Buchanan, 7 miles from the campground at 880 feet, station USC00441121 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 44 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 11 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Roanoke, Virginia, take the Blue Ridge Parkway north for 26 miles to Milepost 86. From Bedford, Virginia, follow Route 43 to Blue Ridge Parkway; the campground is on the left before reaching the Parkway.

Coordinates

37.4431° N, 79.6047° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Outdoor gear	Sharp Top Store ↗	0.3 mi
RV sales & service	MT Joy RV ↗	7.5 mi
Dump station	Dump station ↗	30.8 mi

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

Explore

Video

Peaks of Otter Campground - Blue Ridge Parkway, VA

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

2.4 mi
Fallingwater ↗
0.7 mi trail · hiking, bike · national_recreation_or_other
4.5 mi
Little Cove Mountain
2.7 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

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside George Washington and Jefferson National Forest.

in
George Washington and Jefferson National Forest ↗
National Forest · Forest Service · 3,487,961 acres
8.7 mi
Thunder Ridge Wilderness ↗
Wilderness · Forest Service · 2,427 acres
11.2 mi
James 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

Hopper Creek Group Camp

Reservable9.7 mi

FS · VA

Cave Mountain Lake Group Camp

Reservable10 mi

FS · VA

Cave Mountain Lake Family Camp

Reservable10 mi

Historic landmarks nearby

On Register Atlas →

National Historic Landmark · 13 mi

Natural Bridge

Natural features

Three mountain peaks sitting atop a thick blanket of forest make up the Peaks of Otter-- a recreational oasis spanning acre upon acre of rolling landscape along the famous Blue Ridge Parkway. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic byway that follows the high crests of the central and southern Appalachians for 469 miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.

Recreation

The 24-acre Abbott Lake is one of the biggest attractions the Peaks of Otter Park has to offer. The lake is well-stocked with small mouth bass and bluegill. A crystal-clear mountain stream winds through the nearby picnic area. Numerous hiking opportunities range from demanding, scaling the area's high mountain peaks, to the moderate short, flat trail around Abbott Lake. Hikers are likely to stumble upon one of the mountain meadows, filled with wildflowers and migrating butterflies in the spring and a fantastic assortment of colors in the fall. Abundant wildlife like deer and wild turkey are spotted daily at the Peaks of Otter Campground, and many rare species of birds reside or migrate along the mountain ranges. Summer interpretive programs are provided for visitors to learn about the wildlife as well as the history of the area.

Nearby

The Peaks of Otter Lodge and Restaurant are located within walking distance of the campground, as is the Sharp Top Country Store. Restaurant dining, grab-and-go meals, snacks, souvenir items, camping supplies, firewood, and ice are all readily available to campground patrons. The Johnson Farm, an old mountain farmstead restored and preserved to look as it did in the mid-1800s, is just a short walk away. Another restored historic structure, Aunt Polly's Ordinary, sits on the northeastern shore of Abbott Lake.

Guidebooks for Blue Ridge Parkway

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

Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway
Randy Johnson, 2017
Find at Bookshop.org
Blue Ridge Parkway Exits Guide
Kenneth Culp, 2023
Find at Bookshop.org
Lonely Planet Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trips 2
Amy C. Balfour and Virginia Maxwell, 2022
Find at Bookshop.org
Moon Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip
Jason Frye, 2018
Find at Bookshop.org
Hiking and Traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway, Revised and Expanded Edition
Leonard M. Adkins and J. Richard Wells, 2018
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 Peaks Of Otter Campground?

For some sites. Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Peaks Of Otter Campground?

Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Peaks Of Otter Campground have?

143 sites, including 88 tent-only sites and 53 RV sites without hookups.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Peaks Of Otter Campground?

Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are there showers or a dump station at Peaks Of Otter Campground?

The campground also offers modern conveniences like flush toilets, drinking water and a dump station.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Peaks Of Otter Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Peaks Of Otter Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Peaks Of Otter Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Peaks Of Otter Campground?

Sites A09, A15, A19, and A24 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 8 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 Peaks Of Otter Campground?

The 24-acre Abbott Lake is one of the biggest attractions the Peaks of Otter Park has to offer. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Peaks Of Otter Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are North Creek (6.9 mi, first-come), Hopper Creek Group Camp (9.7 mi), and Cave Mountain Lake Group Camp (10 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby

Which national park is Peaks Of Otter Campground in?

Peaks Of Otter Campground is a Blue Ridge Parkway campground. Entrance fees, alerts, and hours are on Park Atlas.

Source: Blue Ridge Parkway