Raven Cliff Recreation Area
Open seasonally from mid-April through late November, first-come, first-served. No potable water available. Raven Cliff Furnace Trail and Raven Cliff Trail are currently closed due to Hurricane Helene damage. A bridge on State Route 619 is being replaced; use alternate directions.
Flood Watch issued July 22 at 2:18AM EDT until July 22 at 7:00PM EDT by NWS Blacksburg VA
* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible. * WHERE...Portions of northwest North Carolina, including the following areas, Alleghany NC, Ashe and Watauga and Virginia, including the following areas, Bland, Botetourt, Carroll, Craig, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke, Smyth, Tazewell and Wythe. * WHEN...Through this evening. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - An extremely moist environment consisting of PWATs of 1.8-2.2 inches combined with training showers and thunderstorms will lead to the potential for flash flooding across the Flood Watch area today. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
Flood Advisory issued July 22 at 7:26AM EDT until July 22 at 9:30AM EDT by NWS Blacksburg VA
* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected. * WHERE...A portion of southwest Virginia, including the following counties, Smyth and Wythe. * WHEN...Until 930 AM EDT. * IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. Ponding of water in urban or other areas is occurring or is imminent. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 726 AM EDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the advisory area. Up to 2 inches of rain have fallen. - This includes the following streams and drainages... Campbell Creek, Cove Creek, Laurel Run, Hungry Mother Creek, Lick Creek, Mill Creek, Muskrat Branch, Locust Cove Creek, Middle Fork Holston River and Monkey Run. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Wytheville... Rural Retreat... Marion Wytheville... Favonia... Nebo... - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
About
Raven Cliff Recreation Area is a secluded primitive campground tucked into the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests near Ivanhoe, Virginia. The campground offers 20 first-come, first-served sites, each equipped with a gravel parking spur, picnic table, and fire grill. Some sites include pads suitable for tents or pop-up trailers, and select sites can accommodate RVs up to 25 feet. Cripple Creek flows through the recreation area, providing excellent opportunities for fishing, wading, and tubing. Large open fields adjacent to the day-use picnic shelter are ideal for sports and group gatherings. The area's signature attraction is the historic Raven Cliff Furnace, a 30-foot iron ore furnace built from local sandstone in 1810, accessible via the Raven Cliff Furnace Trail when open. This is a pack-it-light destination with no potable water, hookups, or showers. Portable toilets serve the campground, with a vault toilet near the day-use area. The campground operates from mid-April through late November and costs $5 per night per site. Bear country food storage rules apply.
Directions
From I-81 take Wytheville exit 70 or 72 onto US 11 (Main Street). Continue west onto US 21 south for approximately 7.1 miles to State Route 690 (Cripple Creek Rd) and turn left (east) for 3.7 miles. Stay straight on State Route 690 (Slate Springs Branch Rd) for 3.3 miles. Bear right on State Route 642 (Mule Hell Rd) and in 0.3 miles turn right (west) on State Route 619 (Gleaves Rd) for 1.2 miles. Turn left on Raven Cliff Lane and follow to campground.
Amenities
| Water | No |
| Fires Allowed | Yes |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Dump Station | — |
| Wifi | No |
| Pets Allowed | Yes |
| Showers | No |
| Electric Hookups | — |
| Water Hookups | — |
| Sewer Hookups | — |
| Camp Store | No |
| Price | $5 |
Vehicle
| Max RV Length | 25ft |
| Max Trailer Length | — |
| Big Rig Friendly | No |
| Pull Through Sites | No |
Contact
| sm.fs.mrnra@usda.gov | |
| Phone | +1 (276) 783-5196 |
Cell Service
| AT&T | None |
| Verizon | None |
| T-Mobile | None |
Availability
Photos
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