No detected openings were recorded in the last 90 days. Campsite Sniper monitors Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area continuously and will alert you if that changes.
Of the 72 tracked site-dates (Sep 18 – Oct 11, 2026): 52 open for online reservation · 12 reserved · 8 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative).
Where the open windows are
Load status
Sep 18 – Oct 11, 2026Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 10 fall on weekdays and 7 on weekends (Fri–Sun). The split covers the 17 open site-nights on mapped sites; 52 site-dates are open across all monitored inventory.
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Oct 2026September holds the most room. 26 of 39 site-dates are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 1 site| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night.
Holiday windows — day use
Units open per date · of 2 day-use units| Window | Date | Units open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked date.
Availability
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| 001 | 17 |
This site currently has 17 site-nights available.
Availability by day-use unit
Most open reservation dates · tracked window| Unit | Open reservation dates |
|---|---|
| 004 | 19 |
| 003 | 16 |
The 2 day-use units with the most open reservation dates in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotThe next bookable night is Sep 22; the first open weekend starts Sep 25. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
1 overnight site and 2 day-use units are represented in the current inventory. Day-use units are excluded from every night-based figure on this page — site-nights, longest runs, multi-night stays, holiday stays and RV fit; their reservation dates are listed separately below.
Multi-night stays. 2 2-night, 2 3-night, 2 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 22 at site 001.
All 1 site with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Not recorded | None | 17 | 9 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6 +5 more |
Day-use inventory
All 2 day-use units with current availability
| Unit | Open reservation dates | Consecutive dates | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 004 | 19 | 11 dates | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 4 +7 more |
| 003 | 16 | 7 dates | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 2, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +4 more |
About Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area
Overview
Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area, named for the old Vesuvius iron furnace, is the Wayne National Forest's premier developed recreation site. The 143-acre lake and 1,200-acre complex provides the perfect spot for a getaway.
Recreation
Lake Vesuvius is a popular location for swimming and fishing. Anglers may catch bass, catfish, crappie and bluegill. A boat ramp is located on-site. A swimming beach is located at Big Bend.
A large playing field and multiple hiking trails are available within the recreation area. The accessible 1/3-mile boardwalk along the southwest edge of the lake provides an opportunity for a leisurely stroll through the area, and the slightly longer 1/2-mile Longbow Archery Trail, accesses at least 25 field targets for shooting practice. The area boasts more than 25 miles of hiking trails and more than 45 miles of horseback riding trails.
Facilities
The recreation area offers two developed family campgrounds, a group camp and group picnic shelters. The group campsite can accommodate up to 50 people for tent camping. It is equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills. Accessible vault toilets, showers and drinking water are provided.
Group shelters can accommodate up to 150 people. Picnic tables, campfire rings and grills are provided, as well as accessible flush toilets and drinking water. One shelter provides electricity, while the other does not. Each has access to an amphitheater.
Natural Features
The lake sits on Storms Creek, which was dammed in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The rugged hills and rock outcroppings offer a scenic backdrop for this beautiful recreation area. The historic Vesuvius iron furnace is located at the base of the dam.
Getting there
From U.S. Highway 52 at Ironton, take State Route 93 north for less than 10 miles to Lake Vesuvius Road (County Road 29). Turn east toward Lake Vesuvius and travel 1 mile to the recreation area.
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
Photo gallery
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area?
Reservations for Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area are made through Recreation.gov. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 52 of 72 tracked site-dates are open (72.2%), though availability can change. Pick a site or unit on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this facility for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 16:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area?
2 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 22 at site 001. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which month has the most availability at Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area?
September 2026, with 26 open site-dates in the current snapshot of 39.
When is the next open date at Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Tue, Sep 22 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 25. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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We run paced availability checks for Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area. One watch covers every matching site.
When a match opens, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.