I have researched some post already but I am looking for any additional information about Lot Mtn Campground and Big Meadows in Shenandoah National Park. Thinking of doing a week next summer and splitting the time between these two parks. Should I skip one and or do the split? I have 36ft with Long Bed Truck. What are best sites based on first hand knowledge? Ideas of what to do other than hike and relax (have 5 and 7 yr old girls). Any trouble pulling up the Skyline Drive from 64 to Loft Mtn Campground or going from Loft to Big Meadows?Any information or photos from those that have been to these campgrounds will be very helpful.Thanks

We stayed at Big Meadows for 3 days several years ago. I remember it being a really good experience. I remember the rangers showed the campers a film about the bears and the damage they can do getting to food. Yes, we would go back.

Big Meadows will have the most wildlife to see especially at dusk each evening.. The bad thing about Big Meadows is it will be crowded and the camp grounds will fill up quickly...... We always stay at LOFT MTN which is very and not so crowded. Both places have a restaurant/way station at the entrance to the camp ground on the main road. Both places do not have Electric hookups but you can get water from a spigot near the bath room buildings... Cell Phone service is spoty at best... We got good HDTV signals from the Virginia side of the mtn using the batwing OTA antenna. Watch you battery usage however if you are not setup for camping off grid. One battery one night is the rule of thumb if you have to run your propane heater with 12VDC blower fan. If you have a generator be prepared to ask for a generator use allowed site when checking in... They will have generator run time restrictions in place also...We are sepup for camping OFF-GRID with our bigger battery bank and can do almost the same as we do at regular camp grounds running the appliances etc except for thr air conditioner and the high wattage microwave unit. We will run down our battery to its 50% charge state by 8Am the next morning which is when we can run our generator for three hours to re-charge the battery bank back up to its 90% charge state so we can do this all over again the next day/night run off our batteries.Both Big Meadows and LOFT Mtn is between two main entrance points to the Shenandoah Natl Park Drive if you are needing to go to a close by town for supplies...Big Meadows probably has more close by things to hike to to see and do but again the downside for us was they were always very much loaded down with folks coming and going.While you guys are in the this area be sure to drive down and check out Sherando Lake Recreation Area off of I64 at the Waynesboro VA exit. You might like this campground better than both Big meadows and LOFT Mtn... It is truly a jewel... Roy Ken

Remember that both campgrounds do not have any hook ups. Both have a section designated for no generators. Generator hours in the designated sites are liberal...8 AM to 9 PM if my memory serves me. Loft Mountain is quite a hill climb to the campground but is very doable. Of the two, I prefer Loft Mountain.

We avoid both as to big and busy. You might see a bear in the apple tress at Loft in the fall.

We have stayed at both Loft Mountain and Big Meadows. Although we enjoy dining at the lodge at Big Meadows, we much prefer Loft Mountain. It seems a lot more peaceful there, and we enjoy all the hiking. As "they" say - YMMV.Ted H.

Shenandoah National Park Loft Mtn and Big Meadows Info

RoyB
Explorer II
Nov 13, 2016
Big Meadows will have the most wildlife to see especially at dusk each evening.. The bad thing about Big Meadows is it will be crowded and the camp grounds will fill up quickly......

We always stay at LOFT MTN which is very and not so crowded.

Both places have a restaurant/way station at the entrance to the camp ground on the main road. Both places do not have Electric hookups but you can get water from a spigot near the bath room buildings... Cell Phone service is spoty at best... We got good HDTV signals from the Virginia side of the mtn using the batwing OTA antenna. Watch you battery usage however if you are not setup for camping off grid. One battery one night is the rule of thumb if you have to run your propane heater with 12VDC blower fan. If you have a generator be prepared to ask for a generator use allowed site when checking in... They will have generator run time restrictions in place also...

We are sepup for camping OFF-GRID with our bigger battery bank and can do almost the same as we do at regular camp grounds running the appliances etc except for thr air conditioner and the high wattage microwave unit. We will run down our battery to its 50% charge state by 8Am the next morning which is when we can run our generator for three hours to re-charge the battery bank back up to its 90% charge state so we can do this all over again the next day/night run off our batteries.

Both Big Meadows and LOFT Mtn is between two main entrance points to the Shenandoah Natl Park Drive if you are needing to go to a close by town for supplies...

Big Meadows probably has more close by things to hike to to see and do but again the downside for us was they were always very much loaded down with folks coming and going.

While you guys are in the this area be sure to drive down and check out Sherando Lake Recreation Area off of I64 at the Waynesboro VA exit. You might like this campground better than both Big meadows and LOFT Mtn... It is truly a jewel...

Roy Ken
its_just_me
Explorer
Nov 13, 2016
We stayed at Big Meadows for 3 days several years ago. I remember it being a really good experience. I remember the rangers showed the campers a film about the bears and the damage they can do getting to food. Yes, we would go back.

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Shenandoah National Park Loft Mtn and Big Meadows Info

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