James River Depot

99%

540 reviews

· Glasgow, Rockbridge, Virginia · 30 acres

Hosted by Wendy O.

5 tent sites

Near Shenandoah National Park

Within a 60-minute drive from the Rockfish(South).

Best in Virginia: 3rd place

Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2023.

Best tent-sites: 3rd place

Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2024.

Amazing views

Hipcampers say this spot has amazing views.

An active hay field nestled between the river and the railroad. A great place to enjoy some R and R. We love to float the James and there is easy access to the river on our property. A beautiful field as well as some trees for added shade. Fun to hear the trains and the water as you get amazing views of the night sky.Narrow entrance is marked with a sign, James River Trail. Drive over the tracks and through the hayfield to find your slice of wooded, riverfront camping. All sites are primitive with one shared portable toilet. All sites have a picnic table and fire pit with a grate. There are two active railroad lines; one on each side of the river. They do run through the day and night and are obligated to whistle when approaching our crossing. I have my camp listed as dispersed but all 5 sites are labeled: I treat it first come, first choice. All sites are on the river! I can't accept or allow RV's or trailers. Zoning restrictions-sorry. Firewood is available at $10 per wagon load. We are very close to the Jefferson National Forest where you can find great hikes like the Belfast trail fondly called Devil's Marbleyard. We are also just a few miles from the Natural Bridge State Park.

What to expect

Tent site

Camping area selected or assigned upon arrival.

6 guests max per site

Campfires allowed

Firepit, private

Toilet available

Portable toilet. No toilet in winter months

Pets allowed

Off leash. Please limit dogs to two per site. We have found some dead fawns recently and attribute their death to dogs. Please keep your dog with or near you as there are small critters that we don't want to stress out or disturb.

Picnic table present

No potable water

Bring your own water, purify from river or stream

No showers

Pack it out

Cooking equipment absent

There is a metal grate at each site. We built them high- about 21/2 feet off of the ground. Great for pots and slower cooking when you have a hot or big fire.

No wifi

Things to know

Getting there

Check in: After 12:00 PM

Check out: Before 12:00 PM

On arrival: Head straight to site

Cancellation policy: Flexible

Minimum nights: 1 night

Accepts bookings: 9 months out

Park at listing

No wheelchair access

Max 2 vehicles

2WD accessible

During your trip

Follow the

Leave it better

Inclusion policyWe have a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination at Hipcamp. We are committed to helping our Host and Hipcamper communities be inclusive.

ExtrasAvailable at checkout

Firewood Bundlegood

$10.00

Fill up a small wheelbarrow with wood for your site. Wheelbarrow holds between 12 to 15 pieces of wood. All wood (split & unsplit) is outside site #4.

Yoga experience

$50.00

The price is for your group. Enjoy a private class in the field. I'll bring the mats. I've been teaching for about 12 years and own a studio in Lexington. Message to be sure I'm available before purchasing.

Cornhole Boardsrental

$10.00

Want to play some cornhole? 1 set available. $10 is for 24 hours- can rotate on a busy weekend. Please protect bags from rain, they are the real deal-corn.

Reviews

99% Recommend701 ratings · 540 reviews

Andy S.

9 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· April 2025

Tent

Really enjoyed our stay. Top tier spot in VA. Would recommend to anyone

Chance W.

1 month on Hipcamp

Recommends

· April 2025

Embrace the Power

Tent · With pets

Stayed long enough to see the weekend warriors off and the one nighters get in late. Completely blown away at how clean everything was, is and was left by everyone. Truly a place of possibilities. Bring a Frisbee or soccer ball and take advantage of the wonderful space. Campsites are far enough apart for strangers and still close enough for groups or friends. Well layed out and the restrooms were clean and stocked. The firewood was ample and the road was passable by almost any vehicle, leave your Lowrider at home; the railroad tracks are .. well railroad tracks! If you want quiet time enforced, politely ask your neighbors to turn down the music or don't; but it is up to you. The dog was happy and free. When other dogs were around everyone respected each other's space and to my surprise only the skunk peed on our tents. Well the dogs tent anyway 😂 He's still getting made fun of. The James was average height and the water was most refreshing. Thank you train conductors for seeing us and honking when we danced for you! Embrace the railroad. It's there, so are you ; Go with the rumble, squish a penny or go underwater and feel the power when two pass at the same time; but don't be surprised they are frequent. I could go on but see for yourself, dig in for a week or have it in the spare pocket for a late night. The James River Depot sets the bar very high for pack it in and out camping. The owners have clearly done more than mowed you a spot with a pot. Thank You!!

Liam S.

8 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· March 2025

STAY HERE!

Tent · With pets

First stay with hip camp. Can’t say how great it was! I met one of the owners the first day and he was very nice! The camp site was pristine if your a star gazer this is your spot! There is a massive field with a lot of open space. The trains barely ran at night and it was nice to see them during the day. Water access was good. Personal I would clear it out a little bit more. All around amazing place !

Jesse B.

3 reviews

Recommends

· March 2025

Tent

James river depot is super awesome, the site is right next to the water and has a fire pit, picnic table, and grate that you can cook on, as well as a porta potty. Really cool if you are into trains

Paul K.

3 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· March 2025

March Tent Camping

Tent · Group trip

The property is beautiful, well maintained and easily accessible. It was perfect for 4 humans and 3 dogs. We went in March and the weather was perfect. I proposed to my girlfriend at the base of our camp site on the James River 😁.

Jess S.

4 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· March 2025

Tent · With pets

This was a very nice spot right on the river. Nice and flat and well maintained. We will definitely stay again.

Location

Glasgow, Rockbridge, Virginia, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of Monacan and Shawandasse Tula (Shawanwaki/Shawnee) First Nations according to

Native Land Digital.

To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking