Natural Chimneys Park and Campground - Mt Solon, VA
Natural Chimneys Park and Campground – Dog-Friendly Adventure in Mt Solon, Virginia
Located in the scenic Shenandoah Valley, Natural Chimneys Park and Campground offers a unique blend of natural beauty, family-friendly amenities, and pet-friendly attractions. This well-maintained park is best known for its stunning rock formations, called the “chimneys,” which can be enjoyed with no hike required, as well as its extensive network of pet-friendly trails and shady campsites that welcome dogs and their owners. The park is a favorite spot for dog lovers looking for dog-friendly hiking in Mt Solon, Virginia, and is renowned for its peaceful, relaxing atmosphere and welcoming staff.
Natural Chimneys Park features picnic tables, covered picnic areas, playgrounds, hiking trails, and a cold swimming hole—making it ideal for a wide range of outdoor activities with your pup. While there isn’t a dedicated fenced dog run, pets are welcome throughout the park (leash rules apply), and the spacious grounds are perfect for a leashed walk or hike. The park also offers plenty of shade, spacious parking, and is very well maintained, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable visit for both two-legged and four-legged guests.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are dogs allowed off-leash at this park? Dogs must be leashed while at Natural Chimneys Park and Campground.
- Is there a fenced area for dogs? There is no designated fenced-in dog area at this park.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, there are multiple pet-friendly hiking trails available throughout the park.
- Is there shade or shelter available? Yes, the park has plenty of shaded areas and covered picnic shelters.
- Are restrooms available for owners? Yes, restrooms and bath houses are available.
- Where is the best place to park? The parking lot is right next to the chimney rocks with convenient access to most amenities.
- Are there staff or rangers present at the park? Yes, the park office is staffed and the team is noted as helpful and friendly.
- Are picnics or BBQs allowed? Yes, there are picnic tables and bonfire rings on the campsites and picnic shelters available for group use.
- Is the park regularly cleaned and maintained? Yes, reviews regularly mention the park is immaculate and well-maintained.
- Is there a playground or activities for kids nearby? Yes, there are two playgrounds, a splash pad, basketball courts, and pickleball courts available.
- Is there a fee or membership required to enter? Visiting the chimneys is free, but other activities, camping, and parties may have associated fees.
Reviews
Parking lot is right next to the chimney rocks. Lots of hiking trails with different levels of difficulty. Park was clean with many campers. They have an area for concerts and place where they show movies. Nice place.
A really nice campground to stay at. We’re mountain bikers and this campground was perfect for us to get to two different downhill parks – Bryce and Blue Mountain. We actually stayed two extra nights (and lucky for us, there was a cancellation – on 4th of July weekend!)
Pros –
Huge shaded, campsites available. No problem getting your big rig in there.
2 Clean bath houses with 3 showers and 3 bathroom stalls each.
Immaculate grounds
Pool
Wonderful, friendly staff at the office. They are just so helpful and so pleasant.
Ice cream treats and fire wood to purchase in office.
Lovely hiking trails.
A very cold swimming hole 😛
Really cool chimney stacks you can see without having to hike anywhere.
Electric and water hook ups, picnic table and bonfire ring located on campsites.
Pet and golf cart friendly
Decent size playground for the kiddies
Cons –
Only one complaint. The showers in one of the men’s bathrooms were not all working in one of the bath houses.
Campsites are grass areas, so if it rains a lot, it will get saturated and mushy. However! The staff will move you to another available spot if that happens! Bonus!
In conclusion, this is a very nice, very reasonable place to camp! It was so peaceful and all the campers were so friendly and we made a lot of new pupper friends 😊 We absolutely love this campground and will use it whenever we come to downhill up here. Nearest store is about 20-25min away. There is a very small, single pump, gas station/convenience store at the end of the road.
Beautiful Natural Chimneys no hiking is needed.
The place is very calm, clean, and perfect for everyone.
I saw that the main activity of this place is camping or having pícnics. However, if you are not planning to Camp here, you can also access to the park. So, you can go directly to the chimneys by driving with your car. From the parking to the chimneys the distance is just like one minute walking. So, you don’t need to hike to see the chimneys.
The lady that attended me at the main entrance, she was so nice with me. She explained me about the park and how to get to the natural chimneys. So, when you get there I recomend you to ask them about any question or additional information about the park.
About hiking: there is one small hiking trail if you want to see the chimneys from another point like the top side overlook. It will take like 5-10 minutes walking to get there. And if you want to hike more just follow the trail.
Park fee: I paid Zero dollars to just see the chimneys. Basically, visiting the chimneys is free. But, for other activities like camping or having a party contact them.
In conclusion, there is not so much to see there but the place has its own charm.
I’ve been going here since I was a kid in the 70s. There have been a lot of changes over the years, but some things remain the same. The staff is kind, courteous, and AWESOME as usual. The sites are huge and spacious. The trails are kept in good shape, and the location of the campground is surrounded by farmland for a quiet stay. Last but not least, the Chimneys are spectacular and a must-see from below, and from the trail that takes you above and behind them. This place holds many memories for me, and I will continue to make more.
The hike up to the overlook wasn’t bad at all. It’s a nice,quiet spot to sit and enjoy nature. There’s not much to see, though, probably because it’s not high enough. It’s in a small, rural area, so be sure to bring snacks and fill up your gas tank. I didn’t find it impressive. And, you can’t go inside the chimney rocks.