Campsite Sniper
Virginia · Recreation.gov

Otter Creek Campground

37.5755° N / 79.3378° W · Data Sep 18 2026, checked hourly
Next open date Sep 18Next open weekend Sep 1829 detected openings this week68 monitored sites

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Every site at Otter Creek Campground, colored by availability across the tracked window. Tap a site for its calendar.
Otter Creek Campground

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Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 29 site openings here in the last 7 days
Set a free alert →
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-251534

When Otter Creek Campground reopens

Otter Creek Campground's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 7 days
29
Openings · last 30 days
85
Openings · last 90 days
85

Weekday pattern

Detected openings by day of week · 90d
01020304050601161125221MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUNOPENINGS RECORDED · LAST 90 DAYS · N = 85

Friday accounted for the largest share of the openings Campsite Sniper detected. 52 of 85 openings detected in the last 90 days occurred on a Friday (61.2%), with Tuesday (16) and Thursday (12) next in line.

Hour-of-day pattern

First detected by hour · local time · last 90 days
0102030405045000408121620HOUR OF DAY (24H) · ET · LAST 90 DAYS

The largest concentrations of detected openings were first detected during the 06:00 and 12:00 local-time hours. Those hours contained 60 of 85 detected openings (70.6%). Hours show when Campsite Sniper first detected each opening, in Eastern Time, not when the change was made upstream.

Lead-time profile

Days before stay date · percentiles
P25 · 6DMEDIAN · 26 DAYS OUTP75 · 43D0306090120150180DAYS BEFORE STAY DATE

Half of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 26 days before the stay date; the middle 50% land 6–43 days out. Set an alert if you want Campsite Sniper to monitor future openings.

Highest-churn sites

Most openings · 90d
SiteOpeningsShare of all openings
016  4047.1%
062  67.1%
053  55.9%
014  44.7%
057  44.7%

Site 016 had the most detected openings in the last 90 days: 40. One free watch covers every site here.

02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18 – Oct 25, 2026 · of 68 monitored sites

Of the 2,584 tracked site-nights (Sep 18 – Oct 25, 2026): 2,138 open for online reservation · 294 reserved · 152 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative). Of the facility's 68 monitored sites, 64 can be reserved online and 4 are first-come, first-served.

Where the open windows are

17.3% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 2,138 of 2,584 remain open; here is where they are.

Load status

Sep 18 – Oct 25, 2026
Not open online17.3%
Open site-nights2,138 / 2,584
Reserved (of online inventory)294 / 2,432
Weekday openings1,193
Weekend openings945

Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 1,193 fall on weekdays and 945 on weekends (Fri–Sun).

Open dates by month

Sep 2026 – Oct 2026
04008001,2001,6002,0007471,391SEPOCTSOLID = OPEN SITE-NIGHTS · DASHED OUTLINE = TOTAL BOOKABLE

October holds the most room. 1,391 of 1,700 site-nights are still open there.

Holiday windows

Sites open per night · of 68 sites
WindowNightSites openStatus
Labor DaySAT Sep 50None open
SUN Sep 60None open
MON Sep 70None open

Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night.

Best-availability sites

Most open site-nights · tracked window
SiteOpen site-nights
002  38
021  38
022  38
023  38
025  38

The 5 sites with the most open site-nights in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.

Next windows

As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshot
Next open dateFri · Sep 18
Next open weekendFri · Sep 18

The next bookable night is Sep 18; the first open weekend starts Sep 18. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.

Stays and site detail

2,138 open site-nights across 64 sites at Otter Creek Campground, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.

Multi-night stays. 138 2-night, 125 3-night, 88 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 18 at site 002.

RV length. Longest recorded site here is 80 ft. 27 sites take 25 ft, 9 sites take 35 ft, 8 sites take 40 ft.

Showing 60 of 64 sites with current availability
SiteMax RVHookupsOpen site-nightsLongest runDates
00221 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
02119 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
02227 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
02324 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
02524 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
02628 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
02724 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
02823 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
03030 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
03317 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
03921 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
04221 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
04521 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
05053 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
05871 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
06053 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
06571 ftNone3838 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +26 more
00124 ftNone3722 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +25 more
00420 ftNone3722 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +25 more
02423 ftNone3736 nightsSep 18, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 +25 more
03120 ftNone3728 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +25 more
03721 ftNone3736 nightsSep 18, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 +25 more
04421 ftNone3727 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +25 more
05520 ftNone3722 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +25 more
00322 ftNone3620 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +24 more
01021 ftNone3622 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +24 more
01125 ftNone3622 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +24 more
01527 ftNone3621 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +24 more
01625 ftNone3621 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +24 more
02923 ftNone3636 nightsSep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1 +24 more
04118 ftNone3636 nightsSep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1 +24 more
04323 ftNone3615 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +24 more
05230 ftNone3623 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 +24 more
00519 ftNone3515 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +23 more
03523 ftNone3526 nightsSep 18, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 +23 more
05631 ftNone3521 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +23 more
06630 ftNone3533 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +23 more
03821 ftNone3432 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +22 more
05932 ftNone3432 nightsSep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2 +22 more
00627 ftNone3312 nightsSep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1 +21 more
00724 ftNone3320 nightsSep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 2 +21 more
00820 ftNone3325 nightsSep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1 +21 more
01327 ftNone3312 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 +21 more
01920 ftNone3321 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +21 more
04718 ftNone3317 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 30, Oct 1 +21 more
05123 ftNone3332 nightsSep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2 +21 more
06923 ftNone3321 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +21 more
01817 ftNone3217 nightsSep 18, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1 +20 more
02020 ftNone3226 nightsSep 18, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 +20 more
03221 ftNone3112 nightsSep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1 +19 more
03621 ftNone3129 nightsSep 18, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1 +19 more
04880 ftNone3129 nightsSep 21, Sep 22, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 3 +19 more
01433 ftNone3013 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +18 more
06335 ftNone2914 nightsSep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 3, Oct 4, Oct 5 +17 more
01726 ftNone288 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1 +16 more
06126 ftNone279 nightsSep 18, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1 +15 more
00920 ftNone2611 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 +14 more
06218 ftNone2617 nightsSep 18, Sep 21, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 3, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7, Oct 8 +14 more
05333 ftNone2513 nightsSep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +13 more
01221 ftNone246 nightsSep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 4 +12 more

About Otter Creek Campground

Overview

Otter Creek Campground is located at the Blue Ridge Parkway's lowest elevation, only 649 feet above sea level. Picturesque Otter Creek winds through this quiet, rustic campground. Night skies are spectacular here, and there are several nearby trails to hike including the Otter Creek Trail, which is accessible from the campground. Just imagine enjoying the crackle of an evening campfire with the murmur of the creek in the background! Relax....

Recreation

The James River/Otter Creek recreation area has fishing in Otter Lake and a number of hiking trails including Trail of Trees, Otter Creek, Otter Lake Loop, and James River Canal.

Hike the Otter Creek Trail to James River Visitor Center . There visitors can view a restored canal lock from the Kanawha Canal, part of the historic James River transporation artery which was once the primary commercial route in the state of Virginia.

Facilities

Both RV and tent sites are available at this well-kept campground. Sites are equipped with grills, picnic tables and lantern posts. Amenities such as flush toilets, drinking water and a dump station are also at hand. All sites are available for advance reservation, and may be booked on the day of arrival.

Natural Features

This area's abundant water and warmer temperatures support plant and animal communities that are unlike those found at other areas on the Parkway. A short walk along the Trail of Trees or a hike along the clear, cool waters of Otter Creek will give ample proof that there is more to the Blue Ridge Parkway than mountain-top vistas.

Nearby Attractions

Otter Creek Trail (3.5 miles/5.6 km) parallels the Parkway road as it meanders from Otter Creek campground to the James River Visitor Center. Most sections of this trail are easy to hike and can be reached from many points along the motor road. Otter Lake Loop Trail (0.9 miles/1.4 km) provides scenic views of Otter Lake. This is also a good trail for watching wildlife. Look for beaver lodges and dams along tributary streams. Early morning and late evening are prime times for wildlife observations. Trail of Trees (0.4 miles/.6 km) begins near the James River Visitor Center and wanders through a shaded stream drainage. Trail signs identify many of the trees and shrubs of the river valley. This trail also affords a handsome view of the James River water gap, a rare geological feature. Canal Lock Trail (0.4 miles/.6 km) begins at the visitor center and crosses the James River on a walkway beneath the bridge. The restored Battery Creek Lock, located a short distance from the bridge, is typical of those constructed in the 1800s as part of the James River and Kanawha Canal. This canal, with nearly 100 locks, helped make the river a major transportation corridor before the Civil War. Exhibits at the Battery Creek site explain how locks were used to raise and lower boats to adjust for the changing elevation of the river.

68 monitored sites4 FCFS sitesRVs up to 80 ftNo hookups68 shadedPets OKFire pitsMax party 6

Getting there

Traveling from the Lynchburg area on Rte 29, turn onto Rte 130 West. Travel approximately 25 miles to the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance. From the ramp, turn right (north) onto the Parkway. Travel one mile to the Otter Creek Campground. Traveling from the Lexington/Buena Vista direction on Rte 81, take the Blue Ridge Parkway exit to Rte 60 E towards Amherst. Drive approximately 16 miles, turning at the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance sign. At the Stop sign, turn left (south) onto the Parkway. Travel approximately 16 miles to the entrance of Otter Creek Campground.

Milepost 60.9 Blue Ridge Parkway434-299-5125 (MAY - OCTOBER)
BirdingCampingFishingHikingHistoric & Cultural SitePhotographyVisitor CenterWildlife Viewing

View on Recreation.gov ↗   Get directions ↗

FAQ

How do I get a reservation at Otter Creek Campground?

Reservations for Otter Creek Campground are made through Recreation.gov. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 2,138 of 2,584 tracked site-nights are open (82.7%), though availability can change. Campsite Sniper has also detected 85 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site 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 campground 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 11:17 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.

How often do new openings appear at Otter Creek Campground?

Campsite Sniper detected 29 site-date openings at Otter Creek Campground in the last 7 days, 85 over 30 days and 85 over the last 90.

Which day of the week had the most detected openings at Otter Creek Campground?

Friday accounted for the largest share of the openings Campsite Sniper detected in the last 90 days: 52 of 85 (61.2%). Days reflect when Campsite Sniper first detected each opening, not when the change occurred upstream.

Can I get a multi-night stay at Otter Creek Campground?

125 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 18 at site 002. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.

Which sites at Otter Creek Campground fit a 35-foot RV?

9 of the 68 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 80 ft.

Which month has the most availability at Otter Creek Campground?

October 2026, with 1,391 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 1,700.

How far ahead of a stay do openings appear at Otter Creek Campground?

Half of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 26 days before the stay date; the middle 50% landed 6-43 days out. Campsite Sniper can monitor future changes for dates you select.

When is the next open date at Otter Creek Campground?

As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Fri, Sep 18 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 18. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.

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