Loft Mountain vs Mathews Arm
Two Shenandoah National Park campgrounds, side by side.
Loft Mountain and Mathews Arm are both run by the National Park Service in Shenandoah National Park, about 40.7 miles apart in a straight line. Loft Mountain is the bigger campground, with 202 sites to Mathews Arm's 164. Both list a nightly fee of $30. Both are open Apr 29 – Nov 1, 2026. Only Loft Mountain lists electric hookups (1 site). For RVs, Loft Mountain takes rigs up to 55 ft and Mathews Arm up to 52 ft. Loft Mountain's records list showers, flush toilets and camp store; Mathews Arm's don't. Both pages include a campsite layout from Recreation.gov site records. Riders get more bike-legal trail within 5 miles of Loft Mountain (5.2 mi vs 1.1 mi near Mathews Arm).
| Campground | Loft Mountain Campground Virginia | Mathews Arm Campground Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Federal (National Park Service) | Federal (National Park Service) |
| Season | Seasonal: Apr 29 – Nov 1, 2026 | Seasonal: Apr 29 – Nov 1, 2026 |
| Nightly fee | $30 | $30 |
| Number of sites ≠ | 202 | 164 |
| Electric hookups ≠ | Yes (1 site) | Not listed |
| Water hookups | Not listed | Not listed |
| Sewer hookups | Not listed | Not listed |
| Max amps | Not listed | Not listed |
| Max RV/trailer length ≠ | 55 ft | 52 ft |
| Cabins | Not listed | Not listed |
| Key amenities ≠ | Showers Flush toilets Camp store Pets allowed ADA-accessible sites Food storage lockers Camp host | Pets allowed ADA-accessible sites Food storage lockers |
| Nearest bike trails (≤5 mi) ≠ | Little Flat Mountain Loop: 1.5 mi, unrated Blackwell's Trail: 1.9 mi, unrated Blue Ledge Trail: 1.9 mi, unrated | Neighbor Mountain Trail: 4.3 mi, unrated |
| Campsite layout | Site map + site list | Site map + site list |
| Distance between (straight line) | 40.7 mi | |
| Links | Full details Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗ | Full details Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗ |
Highlighted rows (≠) differ. Not listed means our sources don't say, not that the campground lacks it. Facts come from Recreation.gov (RIDB) site records, bike trails from OpenStreetMap difficulty tags; distances are straight-line. Confirm fees and dates with National Park Service before you go.
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More Shenandoah National Park comparisons
- Big Meadows vs Loft Mountain
- Big Meadows vs Mathews Arm
- Big Meadows vs Lewis Mountain
- Lewis Mountain vs Loft Mountain
See all campgrounds in Shenandoah National Park.