Great recreation area. Nice campgrounds, lots of shade, clean restrooms, small lake and a store, We'll be back.

Our family came for a day visit so I can't vouch for the campsites. The lake itself, though, is incredibly gorgeous. I love the beach area where our kids happily played and dug streams and tunnels for hours. A little island that you can walk to or paddle out to on a float. Lots of space to spread out with a picnic or a bbq. Small park entrance fee (per vehicle) that is totally worth it. read more

3 stars due to the many fallen trees on the trail going around the lake! My buddy took his son yesterday on the trail walk and we were all surprised at the many trees lying across the pathway. They could all be cut and moved in a day easily. Otherwise - it is beautiful and wonderful swim area! read more

My boyfriend and I came and camped here over the weekend and overall it was a good experience and we'd be back. Camping: Many/most of the campsites are in broad view of at least 3-5 other sites, so if you're looking for something really remote and private, this is probably not for you. It does have more of a neighborhood/community feel, and we saw kids playing at the park together, biking, etc. Overall feels very safe and good for kids, but maybe not for people who want a really involved rugged camping experience. Many/most of the sites had camper vans/rvs, I saw maybe 2 other tents, so keep that in mind as well. Fishing: the lower lake is the only one we went to and it was practically empty. Maybe one other couple on the other side. It's a LOT bigger than I expected and totally beautiful. Very peaceful and quiet. They have a sign with the times of year they stock with trout, we went in the dead season I guess so it was pretty slow. The trails around the lake are beautiful though and we saw lots of birds and salamanders in the lake. It was super relaxing. Campsites: the sites are beautifully maintained and very clean. We camped on loop C, and there was an electric hookup, a large picnic table and a great fire pit with a hanging rack for meat and a grill attachment for cooking. Definitely well equipped and very nice. Amenities/accessibility: there weren't any stairs on our loop to the bathhouse, and the bathhouse has ADA accessible stalls. I saw maybe 2 elderly folks in wheelchairs and they were able to get around pretty well. The hiking trails and lower lake probably not, I'd double check the upper lake but it seems like it's probably accessible. The bathhouse has running hot water and toilets and was really clean. We didn't see any staff members except the check in clerk when we drove in. Overall, probably would've liked more private site options, since none of the sites seemed to be very private. We were completely out in the open with no tree coverage which felt a bit weird. Overall it's a beautiful place to camp, great for first time campers and those who lile something a bit more laid back and accessible. We would be back, maybe with more people! read more

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Husband and I (recent retirees) had an enjoyable 3-night mini-vacation at Sherando Lake, including Fourth of July. Camping. We camped in the White Oak Loop A, which is an area for tent camping "up the hill" without hookups. There are water faucets along the roads. There are also campgrounds (B&C) with hookups in the flatter part of the recreational area. The campgrounds are well-maintained with small gravel, picnic tables, grills, and bear boxes. Restrooms were of varying quality, and age, but all were cleaned regularly by staff. For instance, the restroom near A32 was old, while that near A18 was newer and had showers with hot water. Nature. Black bears are sometimes active in the area -- and all park users are encouraged to follow good practices (such as not leaving food unattended) NOT to attract bears. While we didn't see any bears, we did see a water snake in a marshy area. We also enjoyed firefly shows every evening. (Remember insect repellent, too, for some mosquitoes and black bugs). Water Activities. The lakes are clearly the main attractions for many. The lower lake has a 25 acre lake, with a lovely beach area and gentle slope into the water. Many people also bring inflatables, non-motorized kayaks, paddle boats, and fishing rods. There is also a large washroom, visitors center/gift shop (limited hours), potable water, tons of picnic tables, and a lot of parking. The smaller upper lake is accessible from the road that goes past the B&C campgrounds. There are a few fishing platforms, but there is no swimming in this lake. There are quite a few hiking trails in the area. We walked the mostly flat trails around each of the two lakes, as well as the roads within the campgrounds -- but there are more strenuous trails nearby including the cliff trail, a trail to an overlook, as well as one that leads to the Blue Ridge Parkway. All Forest Service staff and volunteers that we encountered were friendly and helpful. There were also a few special programs, including a parade for 4th of July (kids decorated their bikes, ...), and movies and marshmallow roasting at the amphitheater. A few final notes. While the recreation area was mostly calm and tranquil for our first few days, it was a "madhouse" on 4th of July. Every parking space/every picnic table was taken, and people were everywhere! A few things would move Sherando Lake to a 5-star rating for us -- (1) the availability of kayak/canoe rentals, (2) a camp store with firewood, and some camping essentials (marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate, refrigerated sodas), (3) more detailed maps with more information on trail distances and elevation change, and (4) some updates (campground picnic tables and some restrooms (including adding lights into restrooms). read more

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Beautiful lake that is family friendly and save to swim and picnic at. It also has great views from the lake. Parking can be tricky but you'll have better luck either earlier or later in the day. There's a small island bigger kids can swim out to and they allow you to have floors out in the water. There's bathroom facilities and grilling picnic areas too. Clean beach too! read more

Sherando Lake - Lakes Near Me - Waynesboro, Virginia

I love there lake you can picnic there you can camp there you can fish (tip:they have a fishing lake also)

This is a great watery getaway just a short distance off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The lake covers 24 acres, and is allegedly spring fed, although there was also a sign saying it was built by the CCC in 1935. Canoes and kayaks are welcomed outside the swimming area. The swimming area is roped off from the rest of the lake, and features a crescent shaped sandy beach wrapping around a corner of the lake. The water seems pretty clean, although if you venture beyond the ropes the lake bottom ceases to be sand. It becomes this oozy sucking mud that will swallow your feet with every step. Biggest drawback is the 8 dollar day use fee charged by the Forest Service. read more

Sherando Lake - Lakes Near Me - Waynesboro, Virginia

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The staff was very helpful to arrange for a camp site. The camp sites are very close to where you can park your vehicle. The sites themselves could probably hold up to three tents of normal size 2-3 people, but you're only allowed 2 cars per site. There was plenty of wood to be found for the camp fire. We saw a pileated woodpecker and a doe in the woods next to our camp. The walk to the lake is very short and bikes make for good transportation. There is a small gas station right before you enter the camp, if you need something, they have it for a price. Stop in Waynesboro or Charlottesville for supplies. We were surprised by how clean our camp site was when arriving, the staff takes great care to prepare each site for new campers. There is water and bathrooms near most camp sites. Our site had a picnic table, standing counter table and a hook for garbage. Below our camp was a amphitheater with a live bluegrass band that played into the night and ended up singing us to sleep I our tent. read more

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My wife and I haven't visit Sherando Lake in over twenty years. We paid a return visit for a weekend in October camping. The area was as nice as we remembered and the upgrades to the campsites were welcome. There were a couple of issues I can overlook, such as the bathhouse not having hot water and such. The issues I have trouble looking beyond, and issue that soured our visit, as well as our site neighbors was the rudeness of the staff. The exception was camp host Ron, the other staff were more worried about enforcing rules to the tee, to the detriment of an enjoyable time outdoors. Our neighbors had small children that were behaving as small children do, the host threatened the family with fines for being boisterous before eight p.m. As my wife and I were packing, a patrolling host informed us at 10:15 a.m. that we had to leave now, that people were waiting for our site. We camp at many Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland Parks. Virginia parks, such as Grayson Highlands, Pocahontas, Claytor Lake, Occaneechee, Chippokes Plantation, First Landing all have welcoming staff. Regretfully we didn't find this at Sherando Lake. This experience has soured us to Sherando Lake and my wife and I are in agreement that we will not return to Sherando Lake based solely on the staff trying to run the campground as a gulag. read more

Such a great little place to camp! Everything is within walking distance but not crammed together. You have to walk to the top of the hill on the upper lake and take in the view as it is spectacular. The only reason I'm giving 4 instead of 5 is on our way out we asked a ranger if he had a map and he said "you're the one traveling not me" but who could let that ruin an amazing campground experience! Oh and BRING BUGSPRAY! The bugs we especially bad down at the main lake but it was expected being right beside a lake! Have fun! read more

Great park was traveling sky line drive then blue ridge parkway just happened upon the lake. Park rangers friendly and helpful got a last minute spot on Memorial Day weekend. Lots of bathrooms and showers available all clean, great water pressure. Beautiful scenery. Only downfall sites close together and you always have that 1 loud neighbor. read more

We had a wonderful experience camping here. The sites are very well maintained and the facilities are great. The lake is so beautiful... almost magical. The swimming area is clean and maintained, relatively small however. You can kayak/paddle board on the lake and there are tons of beautiful picnic spots. There are sometimes bears in the area, so be aware of that and store your food correctly. I will be back! read more

Great campsite. Clean bathhouses, quiet, roomy campsites. Two beautiful lakes. Only downfall and reason for 4 stars - not full hook ups, only electric. read more