Lewis Mountain Campground

I’m torn, I don’t want to give this campground a good rating because I don’t want more people going there. At the same time, lovers of tent camping need to know how nice this place is! This is a small campground – 31 sites with some cabins too. There are no water or electric hook-​ups so RVs are a no-​go. Hailing from Alaska where camping means solitude, I’ve been disappointed with a lot of the camping in the lower 48. This campground has redeemed my faith! The sites are mostly spread out, with the sites at the perimeter of the grounds being the best in my opinion. We stayed in 24 and it was great for what we needed. We have a small two-​person tent and some hammocks all of which fit nicely without encroaching on anyone else’s site with plenty of room to spare. The ground is slightly sloped in many of the sites so you may have to get creative to find some flat ground. Many of the sites are nicely wooded so there is plenty of shade from the sun. Some sites have bear boxes for food but ours did not so we just kept our food in the truck. There is a clean bathroom with a sink to wash dishes. Walk a ways up the street and you’ll find three showers and a small laundry. One of the showers is outside (24 hrs) and the other two are inside the camp store which is open 9am-​6pm. The camp store is small but stocked with essentials. It’s a little pricy but that’s to be expected (example: $ 7 for a small bundle of firewood). I think my absolute favorite part about this campground is the solitude. It’s very, very quiet even when the campground is full. I found everyone staying there to be very respectful and we had no issues with noise. If I remember correctly, quiet time is from 10pm-​6am and it was strictly enforced, which made for a very nice experience. After driving through the other SNP campgrounds and seeing how crowded they can get, it’s a no-​brainer, this one is by far the best. That said, get there early (Thursday) if you want to get a spot for the weekend. None of the sites are reservable and they fill up quickly!
As an aside, we did experience something that I found a little disturbing while we stayed there. In a desperate attempt to to find a wifi signal to send an email, I searched to see if anyone had an open network. I was horrified to find the signal «White Pride KKK 420» as an option. We were there for several days and it was available the entire time. It was strongest near the camp host area (not to say that it WAS the host, but it was certainly somewhere near that area). I found it to be quite disturbing given that I have two mixed-​race children. If they had been with me I’m not sure I would have slept well. In short, it takes all kinds to make this world go round, but it’s unfortunate to find these hate-​mongers in such a beautiful and serene place. Hopefully the person responsible moves on quickly and crawls back into the hateful hole from which they came.

We stayed here the last weekend of the season last year (site 2) and at the start of the 2014 season (site 19). Both times it got extremely windy towards the evening and didn’t let up until the following morning. The lady across from us in site 20 had her canopy shelter collapse overnight. Maybe it’s just coincidence, but this campground seems to be prone to a lot of wind. If we did go back, we’d try for site 18.
Also, in case anyone’s curious, the camp store sells bottles of wine.

We stayed at the campground next to the cabin. Like many national park campgrounds, this is dry camping. There is a dump station at nearby at Big Meadow that is available 24 hours. It has both rinse water and potable water. Water is available at Lewis Mountain. Like most parks, generators can be used until about 7PM but then are not allowed until after 8 AM. There are trails nearby and one that starts inside the campground. This is a nice quiet stop when traveling Skyline Drive.

Lewis Mountain is my favorite CG in SNP, because it’s small and tent-​only. I’d give it 5-​stars if I could get in more often! No big RVs or trailers (generators are allowed during designated hours, but we’ve never really found it a problem — no RV, no generator for your A/​C or DirecTV necessary). You get the feel of backcountry camping with the conveniences and amenities of a maintained campground. Plus friendly, down-​to-​earth, old hat co-​campers. On one visit two adorable little boys were pulling a Radio Flyer around selling firewood collected on their family farm. Mellllt!
There are only 31 sites here, so Lewis Mountain typically fills really early on weekends. Any weekend, not just busy ones. Your best bet is to show up Thursday evening/​Friday morning (you’re still lucky to get a site then…) or to come in the middle of the week.
Lewis Mountain has a store, laundry facility, and showers on site. Laundry and showers are coin operated. There’s a camp store for necessities. You can also rent one of a few cabins on the grounds.
A great, private campground most easily accessed from 33 at the Swift Run Gap Entrance Station. Signs at the entrance stations will tell you whether the campground is full yet or not.