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Virginia Free Camping Rank and Rules

Virginia ranks #19 of 50 for free camping

Virginia ranks #19 of 50 for free camping, with 9.5 known dispersed sites per 1,000 sq mi.

Data as of

Virginia free camping in numbers

Virginia ranks #19 of 50 for free camping, with 9.5 known dispersed sites per 1,000 sq mi.

Rank
#19
Known dispersed sites per 1,000 sq mi
9.5
Known dispersed sites
376
Land area
39,490 sq mi
Developed campgrounds
475
State-land rule
Permit required
Forest restrictions tracked
0

Dispersed camping in Virginia

Can you camp on Virginia state land?

Permit required. Wildlife Resources areas really are open by default. Primitive camping is legal across the whole tract once you fill out a free self-service form. Guinea Marsh and Land’s End are the two confirmed exceptions, where camping and fires are not allowed. Camping on Virginia state forests is separately banned unless you hold a group permit. That is the law, not a gap in our data. Every state, with the rule behind each answer: dispersed camping on state land, state by state.

Where is dispersed camping restricted in Virginia?

Our records hold no National Forest restriction on dispersed camping in Virginia. That is not the same as having none, so check the forest's own alerts page before you camp.

How far from a forest road can you camp in Virginia?

  • Ozark-St. Francis, Ouachita, and George Washington & Jefferson National Forests (150 ft). All three publish the same 150 ft figure for how far off the road you may camp.

Each restriction, cited and dated: where dispersed camping is restricted.

How the rank works

We divide the known dispersed campsites in a state by its land area, in square miles, and multiply by 1,000. The rules above sit beside the rank but never change it. The count includes only sites that public sources map, so mapping effort affects the result. Roadside camping corridors and the points we place inside state wildlife and forest areas are not counted.