Can you reserve a site at Grindstone?

Yes, Grindstone is reservable through Recreation.gov.

How many campsites does Grindstone have?

136 sites in total, of which 0 can be booked.

What is the maximum RV length at Grindstone?

110 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.

Are pets allowed at Grindstone?

Yes, pets are allowed at Grindstone.

Are campfires allowed at Grindstone?

Campfires are allowed at Grindstone. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Grindstone

Campground · Virginia ·

Managed by the USDA Forest Service

Mount Rogers National Recreation Area (National Recreation Area) · Open Access

0
Bookable sites: 110 ft
Max rig length: up to 16
People per site: 10
Accessible sites: 3,739 ft
Elevation

Grindstone Campsite — Photo: USFS · Recreation.gov

Overview

Grindstone Campground is tucked in the Fairwood Valley among pastures and wooded hillsides. The surrounding Mount Rogers National Recreation Area provides endless opportunities for fun and relaxation in the nature setting. The Campground will be closed until further notice due to facility repair needs. Opossum Loop will be open for tent campers. There will be no available water. No Dump Station available.

Recreation

The area offers excellent hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and hunting. Recommended hiking trails include the Mount Rogers Trail at 7.5 miles and the Whispering Waters Nature Trail at 0.6 miles.

Several streams pass by just beyond the campground, with trout fishing available in abundance.

The campground boasts a water play area in the creek, an amphitheater, a playground and volleyball courts to entertain families.

Facilities

All sites have a fire ring with a cooking grate, lantern post, picnic table, and tent pad. Domestic pets are allowed as long as they are attended and kept on a leash no longer than six feet. Standard electric sites have 30 amp service and a water hook-up. PLEASE NOTE ALL CAMPSITES IN COTTONTAIL AND GROUNDHOG DEN WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. NO AVAILABLE WATER IN OPOSSUM, COTTONTAIL, AND GROUNDHOG DEN LOOPS.

Natural Features

At 3,800 feet, Grindstone is surrounded by mixed hardwoods, hemlock and rhododendrons. The Mount Rogers National Recreation Area spans 200,000 acres of National Forest, with four wildlife-rich wilderness areas.

Contact Info

This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (276) 783-5196.

Nearby Attractions

The Mount Rogers Scenic Byway, which traverses more than 50 miles with views of forestland and open rural countryside, is accessible nearby.

The facts

Season: mid-April – late-November — USDA Forest Service, Aug 24, 2026
0 bookable sites
136 sites in total, including non-bookable
10 accessible sites
Vehicles up to 110 ft
Up to 16 people per site
Loops: COTT, GDEN, GRINDSTONE, OPOS

Site types

136 Management

Amenities

Electric hookups
Water hookups
Campfires allowed
Fire pits
Picnic tables
Grills
Shade
Pets allowed

Not recorded upstream: sewer hookups.

Book on Recreation.gov

136 campsites at Grindstone

Accessible only

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Surface	Max rig	People
023	COTT	Management	Back In	Paved	60 ft	6	♿ 🐾
025	COTT	Management	Back In	Paved	65 ft	8	♿ 🐾
026	COTT	Management	Back In	Paved	70 ft	6	♿ 🐾
027	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	100 ft	8	🐾
028	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	110 ft	8	🐾
029	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	75 ft	8	🐾
030D	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	65 ft	16	🐾
034	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	—	8	🐾
036D	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	80 ft	16	🐾
037	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	90 ft	8	🐾
038D	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	90 ft	16	🐾
040D	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	110 ft	16	🐾
043	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	70 ft	8	🐾
044	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	80 ft	8	🐾
045	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	66 ft	8	🐾
046	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	80 ft	8	🐾
047	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	70 ft	8	🐾
048	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	65 ft	8	🐾
051	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	75 ft	8	🐾
052	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	90 ft	8	🐾
053	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	100 ft	8	🐾
054	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	85 ft	8	🐾
055	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	80 ft	8	🐾
056	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	65 ft	8	🐾
057	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	66 ft	8	🐾
058	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	65 ft	8	🐾
059	COTT	Management	Back In	Gravel	70 ft	8	🐾
022	GDEN	Management	Back In	Paved	65 ft	8	♿ 🐾
024	GDEN	Management	Back In	Paved	65 ft	8	♿ 🐾
060	GDEN	Management	Back In	Paved	65 ft	8	♿ 🐾
061	GDEN	Management	Back In	Paved	65 ft	8	♿ 🐾
063	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	75 ft	8	🐾
064	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	66 ft	8	🐾
065	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	70 ft	8	🐾
066	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	60 ft	8	🐾
067	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	76 ft	8	🐾
068	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	76 ft	8	🐾
069	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	72 ft	8	🐾
070	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	70 ft	8	🐾
071	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	70 ft	8	🐾
072	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	79 ft	8	🐾
073	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	75 ft	8	🐾
074	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	75 ft	8	🐾
075	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	70 ft	8	🐾
076	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	75 ft	8	🐾
077	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	70 ft	8	🐾
079	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	70 ft	8	🐾
080	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	65 ft	6	🐾
081	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	80 ft	8	🐾
082	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	90 ft	6	🐾
083	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	75 ft	6	🐾
084	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	74 ft	8	🐾
085	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	85 ft	8	🐾
086	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	70 ft	8	🐾
087	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	75 ft	8	🐾
088	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
089	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	75 ft	8	🐾
090	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
091	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
092	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
093	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
094	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	♿ 🐾
095	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
096	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
097	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
098	GDEN	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
XXX	GRINDSTONE	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	6
XXX1	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX10	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX11	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX12	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX13	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX14	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX15	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX16	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX17	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX18	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX19	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX2	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX20	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX21	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX22	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX23	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX24	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX25	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX26	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX27	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX28	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX29	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX3	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX30	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX31	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX32	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX33	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX34	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX35	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX36	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX37	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX38	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX39	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX4	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX40	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX41	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX42	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX43	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX44	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX45	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX46	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX47	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX48	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX49	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX5	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX50	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX51	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX52	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX6	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX7	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX8	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
XXX9	GRINDSTONE	Management	—	—	—	—
001	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	6	🐾
002	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
003	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
004	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
005	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	—	8	🐾
006	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	—	8	🐾
007	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	78 ft	8	🐾
008	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	55 ft	8	🐾
009	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
010	OPOS	Management	Back In	Paved	35 ft	8	♿ 🐾
012	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	—	8	🐾
013	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
014	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	80 ft	8	🐾
015D	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	100 ft	8	🐾
016	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾
017	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	♿ 🐾
018	OPOS	Management	Back In	Gravel	35 ft	8	🐾

Getting there

From Marion, Virginia, take exit 45 to Highway 16 south. Continue for 17 miles, then turn right onto Highway 603. After 6 miles turn left into the Grindstone Campground entrance.

36.68694, -81.54111 · 36°41'13.0"N 81°32'28.0"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Low °F	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Precip in	3.7	3.2	4.3	4.1	5.1	4.4	5.1	4.1	3.5	2.8	2.7	3.5

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 7.8 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

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Common questions about Grindstone

Can you reserve a site at Grindstone?: Yes, Grindstone is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does Grindstone have?: 136 sites in total, of which 0 can be booked.
What is the maximum RV length at Grindstone?: 110 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.
Are pets allowed at Grindstone?: Yes, pets are allowed at Grindstone.
Does Grindstone have hookups?: Electric, Water.
Are campfires allowed at Grindstone?: Campfires are allowed at Grindstone. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Camping near Grindstone

Fox Creek Horse Camp 2.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Old Virginia Group Horse Camp 3 mi · Campground · we watch it
Hurricane Campground 3.8 mi · Campground · we watch it
Beartree 5.9 mi · Campground · we watch it
Raccoon Branch Campground 7.7 mi · Campground · we watch it
Blue Springs Gap Cabin 15.8 mi · Campground · we watch it
Backbone Rock Recreation Area Pavilions 16.5 mi · Campground · we watch it
Backbone Rock Campground 16.5 mi · Campground · we watch it
Whitetop Station Visitor Center 6.6 mi · Facility
Beartree Recreation Area 7.9 mi · Campground
Pat Jennings Visitor Center 10.9 mi · Facility
Appalachian Trail Conservancy - Damascus Trail Center 14.2 mi · Visitor Center

Comments

Contact

Email sm.fs.mrnra@usda.gov
Book Recreation.gov

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-03-26.

Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.