Beartree

George Washington & Jefferson National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Damascus, VA, VA

Price: From $24 per night

Price range: $24–$55 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (132 reviews)

Season: May through October

Beartree offers a relaxing, family-friendly atmosphere and a variety of recreational activities. Located in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, the campground boasts a sprawling layout with both group and individual campsites. A small creek flows through the campground, offering a refreshing spot to wade and fish.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Showers, Dump Station, Electric Hookups, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/beartree to be notified when sites open up.

Beartree offers a 14-acre lake with two fishing piers plus a creek running through the campground, making it excellent for anglers. Located in Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, it provides hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing opportunities within a scenic mountain setting.

Wildlife alert: Eastern Hellbenders and Yonahlossee Salamanders present in the area—stay on designated paths near water features. Coyotes documented in the region; secure food and keep distance from wildlife.

Insider tips for Beartree: Book early—this is a federal campground with high demand and limited availability Bring your own hookups or use self-contained RV; most sites have no electric/water/sewer hookups despite dump station availability Fish both Beartree Lake (14 acres with piers) and the creek flowing through camp for variety

Skip Beartree if: You need electric hookups at your site—only some sites have them and booking notes say 'no hookups at most sites'. You require year-round camping—seasonal May-October operations only. You're visiting outside May-October window.

Best time to visit Beartree: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Fox Creek Horse Camp (Marion, VA), Old Virginia Group Horse Camp (Marion, VA), Hurricane Campground (Sugar Grove, VA), Backbone Rock Campground (Unicoi, TN).

Cell Phone Coverage at Beartree

Cell signal at Beartree (Damascus, VA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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George Washington & Jefferson National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Beartree

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Damascus, VA, VA★ 4.3 (132 reviews)From $24/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Beartree offers a relaxing, family-friendly atmosphere and a variety of recreational activities. Located in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, the campground boasts a sprawling layout with both group and individual campsites. A small creek flows through the campground, offering a refreshing spot to wade and fish.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV99 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites4 sites
ToiletsFlush toilets
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowersFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesDump Station
Family & Pets
Drinking WaterElectric Hookups

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need electric hookups at your site—only some sites have them and booking notes say 'no hookups at most sites'✕ You require year-round camping—seasonal May-October operations only✕ You're visiting outside May-October window

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand and limited availability

Bring your own hookups or use self-contained RV; most sites have no electric/water/sewer hookups despite dump station availability

Fish both Beartree Lake (14 acres with piers) and the creek flowing through camp for variety

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Eastern Hellbenders and Yonahlossee Salamanders present in the area—stay on designated paths near water features. Coyotes documented in the region; secure food and keep distance from wildlife.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
1111111111· George Washington & Jefferson National Forest
Getting there →

Beartree Campground is located at 20993 Beartree Gap Road, Damascus, VA, approximately 9 miles from the town of Damascus. From I-81 South take exit 29 and turn left on Hwy 91 South for 13 miles. In Damascus, at the intersection of Hwy 91 South and US 58, continue to US 58 East for approximately 7 miles. The campground is on the left. From I-81 North take exit 19. Turn right and continue on US 58 East for 12 miles to Damascus. Continue on US 58 East another 7 miles to the campground on the left.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — George Washington & Jefferson National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at George Washington & Jefferson National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Beartree cost per night?+
Beartree costs $24–$55 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Beartree open?+
Beartree is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Beartree have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Beartree?+
Beartree can accommodate RVs up to 99 feet.
How do I make reservations at Beartree?+
Beartree is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Beartree?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Beartree is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Beartree open, and what are check-in times?+
Beartree is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Campground Brochure & MapBeartree Recreation Area WebsiteMount Rogers National Recreation AreaVirginia Is For LoversBeartree Recreation Area TrailsWashington County Information
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$24 /night★ 4.3 (132)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Beartree cost per night?+
What season is Beartree open?+
Does Beartree have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Fox Creek Horse Camp

Marion, VA

From $5/night

Old Virginia Group Horse Camp

Marion, VA

From $50/night

Hurricane Campground

Sugar Grove, VA

From $20/night

Backbone Rock Campground

Unicoi, TN

From $10/night

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