Augusta County-run park and campground beside the Natural Chimneys limestone towers, with water-and-electric RV sites, a store, and historic jousting tournaments each summer.
About this place
Centuries ago, an inland sea receded across what is now the Shenandoah Valley, carving out the dramatic rock structures that anchor Natural Chimneys Park & Campground. Today, seven limestone pillars soar up to 120 feet above the pastoral landscape in Mt. Solon. From one angle they evoke massive chimneys jutting out from lush valley greenery; from another, they resemble the formidable towers and turrets of a medieval castle. In addition to serving as a scenic day-use park, the grounds host a seasonal campground operating from May through October. The park offers over 2.5 miles of shared hiking and biking trails. About a mile of the trail network is flat, winding peacefully through hardwood stands alongside the North River. The remaining paths ascend steep hills and rocky ridges, rewarding hikers and advanced mountain bikers with west-facing overlooks behind the rock chimneys and panoramic views of the valley floor. Wildlife is plentiful across the grounds, which sit along the Mountain Trail of the Virginia Birding & Wildlife Trail System—visitors often encounter songbirds, chipmunks, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, and occasionally black bears. Anglers can fish three-quarters of a mile of North River frontage, which is regularly stocked with trout during the cooler months, though low water levels send the river underground between mid-summer and autumn. Recreational amenities include picnic shelters with charcoal grills, a swimming pool, a children's playground, an outdoor stage, and courts for basketball and volleyball. The park is also famous for its 75-yard straight jousting track, complete with timber frames and spectator bleachers. Every year, it hosts the National Hall of Fame Jousting Tournament in June and the August Natural Chimneys Jousting Tournament—recognized as the oldest continuously held sporting event in North America.
Features seven limestone pillars rising up to 120 feet that resemble medieval turrets. Home to the Natural Chimneys Jousting Tournament, the oldest continuously held sporting event in North America, hosted along a 75-yard track with timber frames. Included on the Mountain Trail of the Virginia Birding & Wildlife Trail System. North River frontage offers stocked trout fishing from fall through spring.
Good to know
Walking or hiking shoes, fishing gear and Virginia fishing license (if angling), basketball or volleyball equipment (courts are open, but gear is not provided), and charcoal if using shelter grills.