Army Corps of Engineers · Philpott Lake · Henry, VA

Salthouse Branch

Salthouse Branch Campground is nestled on the shores of Philpott Lake in the rugged foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. The park is located in a rural and sparsely populated part of Franklin County near the small community of Henry. Philpott Lake's clear water and natural shoreline make it a unique place for visitors to enjoy boating, fishing, hiking, picnicking and camping. erdc.dren.mil/visitors/virtual/philpott/tour.html

More like this: electric hookups in Virginia · reservable in Virginia · big rigs in Virginia · pets allowed in Virginia

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Salthouse BranchA small playground nestled in the trees and surrounded by manicured grass.Salthouse BranchTrailers and RVs set-up in their sites at Salthouse Branch Campground
Photos courtesy of USACE · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard with electric43
Tent-only32
Boat-in21
Standard, no hookups14
Host/management1
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 76 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

110 sites in 5 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePowerWater / sewerPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
1D-21D1DISLBoat-inNo
1D-21D2DISLBoat-inNo
1D-21D3DISLBoat-inNo
1D-21D4DISLBoat-inNo
1D-21D5DISLBoat-inNo
1D-21D6DISLBoat-inNo
1D-21D7DISLBoat-inNo
1D-21D8DISLBoat-inNo
1D-21D9DISLBoat-inNo
1D-21D10DISLBoat-inNo

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric, water
Max vehicle length90 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
AccessibilitySite 033 is listed accessible

The park offers both camping and day-use facilities, including 44 family sites with electric and water hookups and one group picnic shelter with electric and water. Also available are 46 primitive sites without utilities. Amenities include flush toilets, showers, drinking water and a dump station. A beach, boat ramp, dock, playground, and amphitheater are also on-site.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Salthouse Branch30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 3.71 inches of precipitationFebruary: 3.06 inches of precipitationMarch: 3.85 inches of precipitationApril: 3.46 inches of precipitationMay: 4.25 inches of precipitationJune: 4.65 inches of precipitationJuly: 5.00 inches of precipitationAugust: 4.47 inches of precipitationSeptember: 4.85 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.86 inches of precipitationNovember: 3.13 inches of precipitationDecember: 3.85 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 36.8°F averageFebruary: 39.8°F averageMarch: 46.8°F averageApril: 56.3°F averageMay: 64.8°F averageJune: 72.9°F averageJuly: 76.6°F averageAugust: 75.3°F averageSeptember: 68.9°F averageOctober: 58.4°F averageNovember: 47.8°F averageDecember: 40.4°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Philpott Dam 2, 3 miles from the campground at 1,123 feet, station USC00446692 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 47 inches a year.

Getting there

From US 220, turn onto Henry Road (SR-605), go 6 miles; turn left onto Knob Church Road and go 2 miles. Turn left onto Salthouse Branch Road and follow signs to the entrance. GPS Users: Do not use SR-727 (Stoney Brook Lane) or SR-894 (Johnson Hill Road).

Nearest townHenry, Virginia
Coordinates36.8136° N, 80.0400° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗2.9 mi
Outdoor gearFire Rescue and Tactical ↗31.1 mi
RV sales & serviceHalesford Harbour Marine and RV Service ↗35.4 mi

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

Explore

Video

Camping In Virginia Review Salthouse Branch Camp Ground Henry Virginia

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

Philpott Lake covers 2,900 acres and has 100 miles of shoreline. The lake's steep, rocky banks meet beautiful mixed forests of oak, maple, hickory, pine and cedar. Wildlife is abundant throughout the area. Deer, turkeys, squirrels, raccoons, and a variety of songbirds and waterfowl are commonly viewed.

Recreation

The lake provides visitors with great boating and swimming opportunities. Anglers enjoy fishing for large and smallmouth bass, walleye, bluegill, crappie and catfish. There are two hiking trails accessible from the park. The Dogwood Glen trail is a 4.5 mile out-and-back, multi-use trail open to hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians. The trail is moderate to strenuous in difficulty and connects Salthouse Branch Park to the Philpott Dam Tailrace. The Laurel Ridge trail is 2.25 miles out-and-back trail open to hikers and mountain bikers. It is moderate in difficulty and connects Salthouse Branch Park to Twin Ridge Park.

Nearby

The lake is adjacent to Fairystone State Park and Fairystone Farms Wildlife Management Area, which includes 5,300 acres of public recreational lands.

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 Salthouse Branch?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Salthouse Branch?

Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 2:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Salthouse Branch have?

111 sites, including 43 standard sites with power, 32 tent-only sites, 21 boat-in sites, and 14 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Salthouse Branch?

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

Does Salthouse Branch have hookups?

Yes, electric and water hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Salthouse Branch?

Amenities include flush toilets, showers, drinking water and a dump station.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Salthouse Branch?

Yes, pets are allowed at Salthouse Branch. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Salthouse Branch?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Salthouse Branch?

Site 033 is listed accessible on Recreation.gov. 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 Salthouse Branch?

The lake provides visitors with great boating and swimming opportunities. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Salthouse Branch?

Henry, Virginia. The lake is adjacent to Fairystone State Park and Fairystone Farms Wildlife Management Area, which includes 5,300 acres of public recreational lands.

Source: Getting there

What if Salthouse Branch is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Goose Point (1.2 mi), Horseshoe Point (1.9 mi), and Rock Castle Gorge Backcountry Camping (16.4 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby