We recently visited Devils Backbone Basecamp and had the best time. The campground is in Roseland, Virginia and just a few miles away from Wintergreen and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The electric and water RV spots do fill up quickly and it’s very busy on the weekends. We made reservations for October in January, so definitely plan ahead.
We made the trip without kids and visited several wineries and breweries over the weekend. I will put a full list with links below. We always recommend Veritas and Afton Mountain, but I would definitely add Thatch to that list after this trip. We did try the Brewpub restaurant and it was delicious. The nachos were out of this world. Again, definitely make reservations because it gets very busy.
There are several options of places to stay at this campground. They have electric and non-electric sites as well as tent and Hipcamp sites. I didn’t realize it when we were there, but they even have a tent city area for AP Trail thru-hikers. They can stay one night for free.
One thing to note, water lines in the RV spots are lined up best for even-numbered spots and you have to run the lines under your camper for odd-numbered sites.
As I mentioned earlier, the electric sites do fill up fast, but it seems like there are always non-electric sites available. In the future, we may try those spots for a last-minute visit because we can use the gas heat and a lantern for light at night. It wouldn’t be too much of a problem. It’s also cheaper!
Wineries and Breweries:
Hazy Mountain Brewery and Vineyard: This place was new and looked like something out of an Italian vineyard. The view was absolutely stunning and worth the trip. The wine wasn’t great, but they are new and still growing their own grapes.
Afton Mountain Vineyard: This is one of our favorites for the great wine, amazing views and room to move around.
Veritas: This place is beautiful and the wine is great, but it gets insane on the weekends. I would recommend a weekday visit if possible.
Valley Road: This was our first time here and it had a very fun, hip feel. The wine was good, but the varieties might not be what you are used to. Just try a flight and see what you like best.
Brewing Tree Brewery: This place was the biggest surprise. The drinks were good, but the atmosphere was out of this world. Behind the building there was a spot for great live music, but even further through the woods and down a massive hill, there was a second shop right on a creek. I bet they have some killer parties down there!
Thatch Winery: This place had a very laid back, but professional vibe. Comfortable seats and couches on a back deck with sparkling lights overhead. It really made you feel like you were in the woods. A bit classier then the others.
Here’s a quick safety tip before attempting to visit this many wineries in one weekend. Limit your drinking at each location, even if you have a designated driver. I missed out on the dinner of a lifetime one year because I was sick from wine hopping all day. This time I made sure not to have more than I needed of each one and I was just fine!
Happy Family Camper Hacks 