Campgrounds and RV parks near Montvale, VA

Montvale sits in Bedford County at the base of the Blue Ridge, roughly midway between Roanoke and Lynchburg and minutes from both the Blue Ridge Parkway and Smith Mountain Lake. That location gives RV travelers two very different camping worlds within a short drive: high-elevation federal sites along the Parkway, and full-hookup lakeside resorts to the south. On the mountain side, Peaks of Otter Campground sits at the foot of Sharp Top mountain, with sites for tents and trailers or RVs, water, and comfort stations with flush toilets and cold water sinks but no showers or hookups. Smaller options in the surrounding foothills include Limestone Park and Middle Creek Campground. Down at the lake, Halesford Harbour is home to a 41-acre RV park offering 133 luxury campsites, and it is the area's only year-round RV park, geared toward seasonal guests. Sweetwater RV Park rounds out the mix for travelers who want a quieter base close to Montvale itself.

Federal sites use one system. Reservations for portions of Peaks of Otter Campground can be made online at recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777, and bookings open six months in advance and sites sell out quickly. About 40 percent of the sites are reservable, and the remaining sites are first-come, first-served for travelers who arrive without a plan. Private parks handle their own bookings directly. Halesford Harbour Resort takes reservations through its own website and through Campspot, and is oriented toward longer seasonal stays rather than one-night stops. Smaller local grounds such as Sweetwater RV Park, Limestone Park, and Middle Creek Campground are typically booked by phone or through the operator's site, with holiday weekends filling first.