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Driving Directions
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Nature Camp is easily reached from Interstate 81. From Exit 205 (Raphine), midway between Staunton and Lexington, take Rt. 606 (Raphine Rd) east to Steele’s Tavern (1.5 miles to the first stop sign at US Highway 11). Turn left on US 11 and then immediately right on VA Highway 56 (Tye River Turnpike) east. Drive 1.6 miles into Vesuvius, straight past the first sign for Rt. 608 on the left, and then bear south (right according to the sign, but essentially straight ahead) on Rt. 608 (South River Rd). (DO NOT CROSS THE RAILROAD TRACKS AT THIS TIME.) In 1.9 miles, you will cross the railroad tracks; continue on 0.7 miles and take the first gravel road to the left, marked as Nature Camp Trail. When the road forks at the sign for Nature Camp, turn right and drive into Camp. Please note that the road crosses a narrow, stone bridge; vehicles with trailers are not recommended. The parking area is on the left just beyond the swimming pool.

If traveling from the south, you may alternatively leave I-81 at exit 200 (Fairfield). Turn right (east) at the end of the ramp onto State Rt. 710 (Sterrett Rd). Drive to the first stop sign (US Highway 11), and turn right (south). In the middle of “old” Fairfield, turn left on Rt. 710 (Red Hill Rd). This turn is not well marked. Take 710 to the stop sign at Rt. 706 (Borden Grant Rd). Turn left and then immediately right to stay on Red Hill Rd. At the next stop sign turn left on Rt 608 (South River Rd), and drive just under 4 miles. Look for a gravel road to your right, marked Nature Camp Trail. When the road forks at the sign for Nature Camp, turn right and drive into Camp. Please note that the road crosses a narrow, stone bridge; vehicles with trailers are not recommended. The parking area is on the left just beyond the swimming pool.

Location map (PDF file)
Closeup of map (PDF file)

Here we’re taught not only to appreciate things as they naturally are, but also to see the opportunity in what we do, and let the world slow down at the same time. This, I believe, is our constant, and the most powerful one of all: the ability to approach the world with refreshed positivism.

Will D., Gloucester, VA
Will D.Gloucester, VA

At a place with such a variety of people, much of what you learn is through conversation and not necessarily what you set out to absorb. I come back each year for an experience impossible to comprehend if not here. I come back to learn how to pursue the commitment we have to better lives for ourselves, our planet, and generations to come. I come back to spend time with some of my favorite people in the world. I come back because I don’t know what my life would be like without Camp.

Maggie J., Fredericksburg, VA
Maggie J.Fredericksburg, VA

Going to Nature Camp is no longer just a want. It is a necessity, an essential part of my summer. It holds a very special place in my heart, and it always will. I always leave with a sense of balance and well-being, having totally soaked in all the wonders and virtues and lessons and friends and learning and nature.

Emily G., Durham, NC
Emily G.Durham, NC

Going to Nature Camp has taught me many things. When I first went to Nature Camp, I could not tell the difference between a death angel mushroom and an oyster mushroom. I also could not have told you the difference between quartzite and limestone. Since going to Nature Camp, I can tell you these things and many more. Nature Camp is truly a wonderful place. From my first day to my last, I have the most fun I will have all summer.

Phoebe W., Fredericksburg, VA
Phoebe W.Fredericksburg, VA

Nature Camp is a true chance for immersion learning. My family has been amazed how many times the academic learning at Nature Camp has been connected to my school and home life.

Josh C., Williamsburg, VA
Josh C.Williamsburg, VA

I feel that there could never be any words to explain my feelings for Nature Camp. It’s a different world there: no TV, radio, cell phone, or anything from the real world. Nature Camp has changed my life forever. I believe that when people cross that tiny bridge going into camp, they become their true selves. They take their masks off and have a break from everything in the world.

Hannah S., Mount Jackson, VA
Hannah S.Mount Jackson, VA

There is just something special about Nature Camp. Maybe it’s the smell of being outdoors, the freedom of being away from your parents, or that you are at a summer for two weeks. I do not think those are the reasons why Nature Camp is so special. I think it’s the people you meet, the science things you learn about, and the pride and confidence you walk away with at the end of the session.

Kelsey G., Fredericksburg, VA
Kelsey G.Fredericksburg, VA

I have attended Nature Camp for four years and have never had a more rewarding experience. Nature Camp has taught me what one person who cares can do to make a difference. The hikes to Table Rock, the salamander searches at Buttermilk Springs, the breathtaking view from Lookout Rock, and of course the Sunday hikes to undiscovered mountain peaks are experiences one cannot have anyone else, and experiences I will remember forever. I have made friendships at Nature Camp that promise to last a lifetime.

Lucy A., Ruckersville, VA
Lucy A.Ruckersville, VA

There is a coveted two weeks in the heart of the summer that is called Nature Camp. It is the best thing that I do all year and is what I most look forward to. I grow mentally there more in two weeks than I do in the rest of the year.

Buck T., Fredericksburg, VA
Buck T.Fredericksburg, VA

For the past three years I have attended Nature Camp and loved it. Most four-year-olds, when asked what they want to be when they grow up, say a fireman, a ballerina, or an astronaut. When people asked me what I wanted to be, I replied confidently, “A nature scientist. I want to save the land.” Ten years later my answer still hasn’t changed.

Veronica P., Williamsburg, VA, Camper
Veronica P.Williamsburg, VA, Camper