Raymond R. "Andy" Guest, Jr. Shenandoah River State Park

General Information

Shenandoah River Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr. State Park is on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River and has more than 1,600 acres along 5.2 miles of shoreline. The park opened in June 1999. In addition to the meandering river frontage, the park offers scenic views of Massanutten Mountain to the west and Shenandoah National Park to the east. A large riverside picnic area, picnic shelters, trails, river access and a car-top boat launch make this a popular destination for families, anglers and canoeists. Twelve riverfront tent campsites, a campground with water and electric sites, cabins, camping cabins and a group campground are available. With more than 25 miles of trails, the park has plenty of options for hiking, biking, horseback riding and adventure.

This park's hours of operation are between 8 a.m. and dusk. 

Hours

8 a.m. to dusk.

Location

The park is in Warren County, 8 miles south of Front Royal and 15 miles north of Luray. It's off Rt. 340 in Bentonville.

Its address is 350 Daughter of Stars Drive, Bentonville, VA 22610; Latitude, 38.854777. Longitude, -78.306552.

• From Northern Virginia, take I-66 West to exit 13 (Linden). Turn left off the ramp. Go one block to a stoplight where you'll take a right onto Rt. 55 West. At the fifth stoplight, turn left onto 340 South. Drive eight miles; the park's entrance is on the right.
• From I-81 North, take exit 300 onto I-66 East. From I-66, take exit 6. Turn right off the ramp onto 340 South. Follow 340 South through Front Royal, then drive eight miles to the park's entrance on the right.
• From I-81 South, take exit 264 to New Market and Luray. Turn right off the ramp. Turn left at the second stoplight, go one block to another stoplight and turn right onto 211 East. Stay on this highway for 15 miles, where you'll take a right exit onto 340 North. Drive about 12 miles to the park's entrance on the left.
• Drive Times: Northern Virginia, one and a half hours; Richmond, two and a half hours; Tidewater/Virginia Beach, four and a half hours; Roanoke, two and a half hours

Park Size

1,619 acres.

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Cabins, camping

OVERNIGHT FACILITIES

The park, including all of the overnight facilities, is open year-round. Lodging options include standard tent-only sites, electric-water camping, three yurts, four camping cabins (bunkhouses), regular cabins and a lodge. For information on the availability of overnight accommodations, particular park amenities or to make a reservation, you can reserve online or call 1-800-933-PARK (7275). Click here for park fees.

Click here for details on reservation cancellation and transfer policies. There is a charge, plus tax, per pet per night for cabin stays. There are no designated swimming areas at the park.

Note: Be sure to bring confirmation letter(s) or reservation number(s) when you check in. If someone else is checking in for you, make sure the person has the reservation number. The number is needed to enter the cabin or lodge. Camping, cabin and lodge guests should also be prepared to show an ID.

Cabins | Lodges | Yurts | Camping Cabin | Camping

Cabins

Between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, cabins and the lodge are rented by the week. Rentals start on Saturday or Sunday depending on the cabin. This requirement is reduced to a four-night stay three months out and dropped to two nights in the last month before arrival. A two-night minimum stay is required for the rest of the year.  This park has no extra bed rentals. Cabins and lodges are open year-round and may be reserved up to 11 months in advance. Check-in is 4 p.m., and checkout is 10 a.m.

Late arrivals: Check the cabin front door for an envelope with the last name of the person who made the reservation. Instructions are in the envelope. Also, those arriving after-hours should check-in at the park office between 9:30 and 11 a.m. the next day and bring an ID.

When a week-long stay is required, rental for cabins 1-5 starts on Saturday and on Sunday for cabins 6-11. No extra bed rentals. Check-in is 4 p.m., and checkout is 10 a.m.

Cabins have:

• Kitchen: Refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, coffeemaker, coffee filters, paper towels, dishes, a small bottle of dish detergent, silverware, cooking utensils, pots, pans, microwave oven, toaster, can opener.
• Bring food, dish detergent, dishcloths, coffee filters, coffee, seasonings, nonstick cooking spray, soap, bath towels, etc.
• Guests must bring all linens: sheets, pillowcases, blankets, towels, bath mats, kitchen towels and cloths
• No phone, TV, washer or dryer.
• Mission-style rustic furniture.
• Deck.
• Fireplace.
• One complimentary bundle of firewood is provided on the porch. Additional firewood is available for purchase. Do not bring your own firewood.
• Bedrooms: Bed(s), nightstands, dresser, closet and a clock radio.
• Bathroom with shower.
• Climate-controlled.
• A picnic table, fire ring and a charcoal pedestal grill are beside the cabin.
• Wrap-around deck; open porch with rocking chairs and end tables.
• Cabin 2, the lodge and cabin 5 are universally accessible.
• Two vehicles, including trailers, are allowed per cabin. A daily parking fee is charged for additional vehicles. The number of cars allowed to park by the cabin proper varies. All vehicles and trailers must be parked in designated areas. There is no overflow parking area.
• No smoking.
• Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. through 6 a.m. Only overnight guests are allowed in the park after 10 p.m.
• Pets are allowed. There's an extra fee per pet per night, plus tax.

Total sites of each type: Two-bedroom frame, 9; three-bedroom frame, 1; six-bedroom lodge, 1

Site Types:

• Two-bedroom frame: Nine two-bedroom frame cabins; Cabin 2 is universally accessible. Cabins allow a maximum of six and have one queen bed and two sets of bunk beds (that sleep four total), except for Cabin 2, which has the queen bed and only one set of bunk beds. No extra bed rentals. The bathroom has a shower without a bathtub.
• Three-bedroom frame: One three-bedroom frame cabin; Cabin 5 is universally accessible. This cabin accommodates up to eight and has one queen bed, two single beds in a second bedroom and two sets of bunk beds (that sleep four total) in a third bedroom; no extra bed rentals. One bathroom has a shower, and the other has a shower/bathtub combination.
• Six-bedroom lodge (Lod 03-SAT): One six-bedroom lodge is universally accessible and accommodates up to 16. It has three baths, two bedrooms each with a queen-size bed, two bedrooms each with two single beds and two bedrooms each with two sets of bunk beds (i.e., can sleep up to four in each bedroom); no extra bed rentals. The Master bath has a shower, while the other two bathrooms have a shower/bathtub combination.

Total: 10 cabins; one lodge

Lodges

The park has one six-bedroom lodge that sleeps up to 16. No bed rentals. When a week-long stay is required, rental begins on Saturday. Check-in is 4 p.m., and checkout is 10 a.m.

It has:

• Kitchen: Refrigerator, dishwasher, stove, coffeemaker, coffee filters, paper towels, dishes, small bottle of dish detergent, silverware, cooking utensils, pots, pans, microwave oven, toaster, can opener.
• Bring food, extra dish detergent, dishcloths, coffee, seasonings, nonstick cooking spray, bath towels, etc.
• No linens are provided. Guests must bring all linens: sheets, pillowcases, blankets, towels, bath mats, kitchen towels and cloths.
• No phone or TV.
• Clothes washer and dryer. Please use only high-efficiency (HE) detergent.
• Rustic furniture.
• Front and back decks with rocking chairs.
• Maximum six cars, including trailers, per lodge. A daily parking fee is charged for additional vehicles. All vehicles must be parked in designated areas, and there is no overflow parking area.
• Six bedrooms.
• Two bedrooms have queen size beds, two have two single beds and two have two sets of bunk beds each.
• Three bathrooms. Two bathrooms have a shower/bathtub combination, and one has a shower only.
• Next to the lodge are a picnic table, a charcoal pedestal grill and a campfire ring.
• Universally accessible: kitchen, dining area, living room, two bedrooms and one bathroom.
• Climate-controlled.
• Gas log fireplace.
• No smoking allowed.
• Pets are allowed. There's an extra fee plus tax per pet per night.
• Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. through 6 a.m. Only overnight guests are allowed in the park after 10 p.m.

Yurts

Recreational yurts are a modern adaptation of an ancient nomadic shelter. They're basically a cross between a tent and a cabin. The park has three yurts. Yurts 1 and 2 are in the River Right campground, and yurt 3, which is handicapped accessible, is in the RV campground. Each yurt has a large wooden deck, a picnic table, a charcoal grill and a fire ring with a cooking grate. Reservations are required. Parking for two vehicles is available at yurt 3; yurts 1 and 2 share parking with the River Right campground. Parking for those yurts is about 100 yards away. Wagons are available to move supplies to the yurts. Parking is first-come, first-served in River Right campground. More parking is available at Massanutten Shelter, which is several hundred yards away.

Check-in is 4 p.m. and checkout is 10 a.m. Cabin rental and cancellation policies apply. There is a two-night minimum rental.

• Maximum occupancy four. Sleeps three. One queen-sized and a twin-sized trundle pull-out. Guests must bring sleeping bags or blankets.
• Guests must bring all linens:  sheets, pillowcases, blankets, sleeping bags, towels and cloths.
• No smoking, cooking or pets allowed in the yurt.
• Yurts 1 and 2 are within sight of the river and adjacent to a river access point. Yurt 3 is a short walk from the river and river access.
• Dining table seats four.
• No heating or air-conditioning.
• Yurts one and two use the River Right bathhouse. Yurt three uses the RV bathhouse.
• Yurt three is universally accessible.

Total: 3 yurts.

Camping Cabin

Four camping cabins

• Check-in is 4 p.m.; check-out is 10 a.m.
• Guests must bring all linens:  sheets, pillowcases, blankets, towels and cloths.
• Sleeps up to four; no extra bed rentals
• Two-night minimum.
• Week-long stay is not required during prime season.
• No bathroom, kitchen, fireplace, air conditioning or heat.
• Four walls, a roof, two sets of bunk beds with mattresses, a table, four chairs, small porch, screened windows, electrical outlets, one lighted ceiling fan, an outside picnic table, a fire ring, a charcoal grill and a lantern post.
• No tents, campers or other camping equipment are allowed at sites.
• Use campground bathhouses for bathrooms and showers.
• Parking for two cars.
• Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. through 8 a.m.

The transfer deadline policy, cancellation and pet fees for camping cabins are the same as those for cabins.

Camping

Camping is year-round. Shenandoah River's developed campground has 31 sites with water and electric hookups for various equipment - tents, popups and RVs up to 60 feet long. The campground has centrally located restrooms with hot showers. Sites have fire-rings, picnic tables and lantern holders. Twenty-six sites are back-in, and five are pull-through.

All sites are specifically reserved.
Site-specific details
Photos of the sites

Four camping cabins (small bunkhouses) also are in the EW campground. They are unheated. The maximum occupancy for the camping cabins is four. There are 12 standard tent-only sites in the Right River Campground, which isn't near the EW Campground.

Those arriving after 4:30 should check in at the contact station booth at the park's entrance. A rack outside the booth has envelopes with check-in documents for each guest.

EW Campground Sites (year-round)

• EW - Electric and water hookups for various equipment (tents, popups, RVs) up to 60 feet; bathhouse with hot showers. Tents must fit on a 20' by 25' tent pad.
• Check-in is 4 p.m.; check-out is 1 p.m.
• Outlets provide 20, 30 and 50-amp current.
• Each campsite has a steel fire-ring that can be used for cooking and campfires.
• All camping equipment and vehicles must fit on the campsite. Sites can accommodate up to two camping units, but only one can have wheels. The site rental includes parking fees for up to two vehicles. Customers must pay parking fees for additional vehicles.
• Those visiting overnight guests must pay a daily parking fee and leave the park by 10 p.m.
• Quiet time is from 10 p.m. through 8 a.m.
• Campsites have round grills on a cement pad on the ground. The grill can be used to make a campfire or for cooking. Campfires are allowed only in the designated area.
• Those arriving late should register at the visitor center the next morning.
• Firewood is for sale at the camp host site; to help prevent the spread of invasive species, please do not bring your own firewood.
• Pets are allowed.

River Right Campground (tents only, year-round)

Twelve standard tent canoe-in or walk-in sites (TentStd), each with a picnic table, grill and fire ring. Sites are reserved by site number.
Site-specific details
Photos of the sites

The sites are less than 50 yards from the parking lot. The campground has a full-service bathhouse. Potable water is available near the two vault toilets, and gray water sinks are near the bathhouse and the vault toilets. There are two river-access points and parking for up to 21 vehicles.

Cottonwood Primitive Group Camp

This walk-in site is for tents only, accommodates up to 30 people and is about 100 yards from the parking lot. The site is open year-round, depending on weather and site conditions. There's a bathhouse nearby. Call the Customer Service Center, 800-933-7275, to reserve this site. The cancellation fee for a group site accommodating at least seven people is higher than is the fee for individual campsites.

Total sites: 10 tent standard sites, 32 EW sites; 4 camp cabins; one group site.

Recreation

TRAILS

The park offers a total of 25 miles, of trail. All 25 miles are open for hiking and biking and more than 14 miles are open to horses.

SWIMMING

There are no designated swimming areas. Wading and floating are permitted.

FISHING, BOATING

The park offers car-top access in the day-use area, located 3.2 miles downstream from the Bentonville access area. The "fish trap" access area, near Shelter 3, is suitable for wade fishing. Freshwater fishing is available for those with a Virginia freshwater fishing license. The park does not rent boats. There are three car-top launches and two outfitters within five minutes of the park.

HORSES

Yes, but no horse rentals. State law requires that visitors carry a copy of a negative Coggins report with each horse brought to the park.

Park Trail Guide

Click here for the park's trail guide.

Download (external link for use with Avenza App) the geo-referenced map

Download the geo-referenced map for this park

Nearby Attractions

Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive, Skyline Caverns, Luray Caverns, Sky Meadows State Park, Down River Canoe Co., Front Royal Outdoors.

Picnic Shelters

Four shelters may be rented through the Customer Service Center. Call 1-800-933-PARK. They are available in two sizes: large and very large. They are rented all day from 8 a.m. to dusk. All shelters have lighting, are universally accessible, and feature pedestal grills, a water fountain and electricity (a single 15 amp 120v receptacle). Also, all are adjacent to parking. Daily parking fees apply to all shelter guests. Click here for park fees.

Cancellation policy: No refund within 14 days before reserved date. Before then, there's a cancellation fee.

Shelter 1 (large) - It is riverside, accommodates 50 and is universally accessible. The shelter, which is octagonal and has 900 square feet of floor area with seven picnic tables, is about 200 feet away from a restroom.

Shelter 2 (large) - It is riverside, accommodates 50 and is universally accessible. The shelter, which is octagonal and has 900 square feet of floor area with seven picnic tables, is about 150 feet away from a restroom.

Shelter 3 (large) - It is riverside, accommodates 50 and is universally accessible. The shelter, which is octagonal and has 900 square feet of floor area with seven picnic tables, is about 300 feet away from a restroom.

Massanutten Shelter (extra large) - This shelter overlooks Massanutten Mountain and the river, and can accommodate 100. It's about 34 x 34 feet with two 12 x 20 foot wings, is about 300 feet away from a restroom.

Meeting Space and Facilities

MEETING FACILITIES

None at this park.

VISITOR CENTER, GIFT SHOP

The visitor center features local wildlife and has touch-screens for learning about the region's history and bird species. An aquarium has fish from the Shenandoah River. The center's gift shop sells snacks, novelty items, shirts, jackets, etc.

RESTAURANTS

There are restaurants 8 miles away in Front Royal, where guests will also find several grocery stores. Two convenience stores in Bentonville are about a quarter-mile from the park.

LAUNDRY

The EW Campground has a coin-operated laundry.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER

The River Bend Discovery Center is located in the park above the Massanutten picnic shelter at 132 Campground Rd. Bentonville, VA 22610. Currently, the discovery center is only open during a scheduled program. To find out what events are happening soon, see the yellow box below, call the interpretive office at (540) 622-2262, or email megan.goin@dcr.virginia.gov.

SPECIAL FEATURES

None.

Other Info

ACCESSIBILITY

• The lodge, cabin 2 and cabin 5 are universally accessible.
• Although motorized vehicles are not permitted on park trails, electric wheelchairs and electric scooters that meet the federal definition for wheelchairs are allowed to enable people with disabilities to use the trails.
• All picnic shelters are accessible via paved sidewalks. Day use restrooms are also accessible. Shelters feature wheelchair accessible picnic tables.
• Unpaved paths leading to campsites, vault toilets and the bathhouse are covered with pea gravel. Bathhouse toilets have rails, but vault toilets do not.

NATURE, HISTORY PROGRAMS

Shenandoah River offers a variety of educational programs all year round. Programs range from guided hikes and boat trips, vernal pool explorations, crafts, campfires, private programming, cooking demos, Jr. Ranger programs, field trips and so much more. Once scheduled, all programs will be listed below in the yellow “Events, Programs” tab. The events tab is updated monthly, and printed program guides can be found in our visitor center and bulletin boards throughout the park. If you have questions about our park programming, please call our interpretive office at (540) 622-2262 or email megan.goin@dcr.virginia.gov.

We offer our “Reserve A Ranger” program during the winter months. With this program, you can reserve a private program for your family or group at no extra cost. See the “Reserve A Ranger” options for November 2024 – February 2025.  

Click here to view all parks' events, festivals, workshops and interpretive programs.

FIELD TRIPS

We offer field trips for schools and homeschool groups. To schedule a field trip, please call our interpretive office at (540) 622-2262 or email megan.goin@dcr.virginia.gov. 
Fall Field Trip list

CONCESSIONS

Drinks and snacks are available at the visitor center.

HISTORY

The first component of Shenandoah River State Park was the 922-acre Jeni Tract, which was acquired in 1994 as part of a 1992 state bond referendum. In addition to the Jeni tract, other properties acquired for the park include the Maddox tract (171 acres), Hidalgo tract (7 acres), Parsall tract (22 acres), the Cullers tract (484 acres), and a tract from Norfolk and Southern of about 15 acres.

FRIENDS GROUP

The park enjoys the support of a nonprofit citizen group, Friends of Shenandoah River State Park. Its mission is to help the park provide educational and recreational opportunities while fostering stewardship and community involvement. The group meets on the first Tuesday each month, and everyone is welcome to attend the meetings. To join or learn more about the group, click here.

MASTER PLAN

Master plans must be written for parks before they're built. The plans are updated at least once every 10 years thereafter. The plans cover the size, types, infrastructure and locations of facilities as well as the site's special features and resources. Three public meetings are held during the initial development of each plan. Click here for this park's master plan.