Several dispersed camping areas exist in the Monongahela National Forest near Oakland, Maryland, primarily across the nearby West Virginia border. These free primitive camping options include Canaan Loop Road Dispersed, Dolly Sods Backcountry, Lower Glady Dispersed Campground, Gandy Creek Dispersed Camping, and scattered sites along forest roads such as Brushy Ridge Road and Squirrel Gap Road. The U.S. Forest Service manages these areas, which typically feature established fire rings at informal campsites without designated site numbers or reservation systems.
Access routes to these dispersed camping areas vary from maintained dirt roads to rougher forest service routes requiring careful navigation. Canaan Loop Road is accessible for most vehicles from the eastern entrance, though the western portion requires 4x4 capability, especially in wet conditions. Gandy Creek sites are situated along a well-maintained dirt road with some sites requiring short walk-ins for more secluded creek-side camping. Most areas lack amenities such as running water, trash collection, or maintained toilets, though Lower Glady does feature vault toilets. Camping is permitted for up to 14 days in most locations, adhering to standard Forest Service regulations.
The dispersed camping experience near Oakland provides opportunities for solitude and natural immersion. "Sites are spaced out and private," noted one Gandy Creek camper, highlighting the privacy afforded by distance between sites and natural barriers like forest stands. Seasonal considerations significantly impact the camping experience. A reviewer at Lower Glady mentioned, "I drove in during a small snow storm, it was in the single digits for temp, and I woke up with about 8 inches on the ground." The Dolly Sods area in particular features distinctive ecosystems with conditions similar to northern environments. Creek-side sites are common, providing both water access and ambient sound that enhances privacy. Cell service is minimal to non-existent in most areas, making these locations ideal for disconnecting from technology.
"This swath of land, sandwiched between two state parks(Canaan Valley State Park to the south& Blackwater Falls State Park to the north) is managed by the US Forest Service."
"road is easy to drive on- some bumps but we were in a small kia sedan and it was fine, there are a lot of spots visible from the road but there are also some hidden a few steps away from the road that"
"Dolly Sods Wilderness Area, part of the Monongahela National Forest, offers something for every hiker, backpacker, camper."
"Dolly Sods is a wilderness area within the great Monongahela National Forest. I backpacked here in early March a few years ago. Definitely be prepared for high winds and rain."
"So this is quite large, I'm guessing at least 25 to 35 campsites along a 4-ish mile long dirt road that deadends. It is dispersed camping, free."
"Had direct access to water for washing and other needs. However I read in a brochure to not drink the water without boiling for 3 minutes because the area has giardia."
"Brushy Ridge Road is Forest Service Road 75 and is in decent condition."
"The main reason I'm reluctant to give it five stars(I gave it 4) is because nearly all of its many campsites cannot be entered by vehicle; you have to park next to the dirt road that runs north-south through"
"You get to them by a dirt road, park, and then the campsites are a little ways in. No amenities other than cleared level ground and a spot for the campfire."
"Decided to try it even though other review said private property- and seems they were correct but incorrect. Initially you do come to private land with several campsites and campers present."
"I camped at the site closest to the river— right next to it in fact! And it was quite large."
"Sites are located less than a mile from the paved highway. We found 5 spots just off the road. All were easily accessible by cat or with a small teardrop trailer."
"But this one is right off the road, entrance is steep. Decent sized area, stone fire ring, plenty of firewood."
ScoutOvernight tent camping with my dog. Saw a raccoon in a tree. So private and peaceful. The water and wind at night made for a nice relaxing sleep. Plenty of trails to explore.
ScoutSuper remote camp spot! The drive to the forest road was a little tight and windy for an inexperienced mountain driver as myself. Wouldn't want to do it at night.
Most camp spots are on loops of more group camping with 4-6 sites at each loop and I believe there were 3 or 4 loops. Not my cup of tea, too fish bowl for me and way too exposed. Outside of the loops, there were 8-10 sites that were more my style, with the one we stayed at was just right! The most perfect spot in the whole place (for our preferences) we were literally on a babbling creek. Couldn't get any closer. Had direct access to water for washing and other needs. However I read in a brochure to not drink the water without boiling for 3 minutes because the area has giardia.
Saw a lot of people headed further down creek to fish for trout. No cell service for about 20 minutes. We had to drive back to route 33 and the halfway to Elkins to catch a sliver of cell service.
If you are staying at camp and brought everything you need, you're golden. There are lots of things to occupy yourself with exploring. There is a trailhead on forest rd 162 with miles of hiking with a hand full of trails to choose.
We arrived around 4PM on a Sunday. Plenty of sites to choose from. Was about half full. When we got up the next morning to leave, most spots were open. We stayed until mid day on Friday. Action was definitely picking up. Saw more people, more kids and louder noises. We are definitely Sunday to Thursday campers. I want to camp without knowing the neighbors are there. When leaving on Friday most sites were taken.
Had no problems finding plenty of fallen kindling for our fire. We found a great roadside house on route 33 that was selling firewood in their front yard for only $10 a "row" as they called it. We got 2 rows because we werent sure what to expect when we got there. We built a good hearty fire every morning and every evening and still had firewood we left there since there was so much accessible resources.
We ended up doing a lot of "tourist" experiences that was a bit of a drive to get to due to my inexperience in driving in the mountains. The drives were usually 30 minutes to an hour and a half. But well worth the drive.
Elkins is the closest place to "civilization" (north on 33) we went there for cheap gas, ice, and the grocery store. Didn't explore Elkins as it was too "city" for us. We wanted more remote experiences.
Harman was the next closest place (south on 33) not much for exploring, but they have a dollar general (what remote town doesn't have a dollar general?) and a place for gas
Continue on 33 south and hit Seneca Rocks! Such a beautiful sight to see! Also have the oldest general store built in 1902 and Yokums country store. Its like going back in time. Both tourist traps but worth the experience. We went to the recreation area with river access so beautiful to see the cliffs upclose and personal. If you are a climber this is the place for you. We are hikers. But enjoyed the views.
Continuing on 33 south there is smoke hole caverns. Another tourist trap but fun. For $20 you get a cavern tour tack on a little more if you want to go gem "panning" and get a bag of dirt to find gems. Or putt putt. Giant gift shop. Someone said it was the largest gift shop in West Virginia.
From Seneca Rocks if you head west on 28 it will take you past Seneca Caverns. They were closed for the summer due to blasting nearby.
Continuing on 28 west you then come to one of my favorite spots. Spruce Knob. The highest elevation in all of West Virginia, gorgeous views all around! Terrible observation tower that you cant see anything due to trees. Nice picnic area. Going down the other side of the mountain Spruce Knob lake, lots more trail heads AND a fantastic dispersed camping area! Seneca Creek backcountry. Didn't camp here. Will camp here next time. All dirt roads down the other side of the mountain. But so worth the adventure!
From camp and going to Harman take 32 east and that will take you to Canaan Valley state park, didn't explore too much but access to a lot more hiking
Then you come to Davis WV one of the cutest little towns ever! Very developed for back country but very very quaint. The davis depot has some camping/hiking clothes and lots of tourist items with t-shirts stickers and such. But great designs. Spent a hunk of change here. Has a grocery store and a dollar general. And a hiking, camping, backpacking store. Has gear, clothes, shoes, you name it. Had an issue with my hiking boots. Got good quality boots here! There are several small boutique stores a couple of restaurants a brewery and a bicycle shop.
Last point of interest I'll address, on the other side of Davis, Blackwater State Park. Easy in intermediate hiking here did most of our hiking here. Gorgeous falls. 3 to be exact. Nice overlooks. Nice recreation center for the kids. Near Canaan loop rd.[Canaan loop rd has dispersed camping too. This is where I had planned on camping when we came to WV and ended up over in Glady. However, I was told by the guy at the camp store in Davis that it was closed. I cannot confirm this. But just definitely check into it before solidifying plans]
My preferences for camping are not usually the whole tourist thing. But WV has so much to offer I just couldn't get enough! So we kept trekking out to see more. The drive is a lot and was a whole day's journey round trip with spending time at those locations but so worth it. Not that far of a drive in the scheme of things
Will come back to this area over and over for all the dispersed camping options and for all the sights and experiences packed in such a small area.
TravelerI’m a new car camper and my mom and I took a day trip out to check out the sites. When I tell you this is the most beautiful, secluded, peaceful camping site I truly couldn’t have asked for a better find!! I did however (like an idiot) end up going waaay too far down the trail (aka the whole 18 miles) and THANK GOD I drive a 4 runner!! That road gets pretty sketchy in most spots the further you go down but I somehow (by the grace of God) made it through the whole thing IN TWO WHEEL DRIVE!! ugh may never do that again but the camping is fantastic!! If you wanna check out more of the off-roading aspect I recommend checking out nolimitbmore on youtube! Will be spending most of my summer & fall here!!
TravelerFun beginner trail, nice dispersed camping spots. Went there when it was dry so it was an easy drive. Very close to Blackwater Falls so you have all the trails there also have trails down the road with nice lookout points
TravelerGreat spots by the creek. Its nice to wake up by the water and relax with a cup of coffee. Good trails to walk also
TravelerWe came in late Friday & could tell from the 7+" snow covered road in that no one else was going to be here (unless they'd been parked for two days of snowfall). We parked on a site be the creek on a big loop near a vault toilet (nothing better than a 20° toilet seat to wake you up in the morning). These sites were easy to recognize as safe driving spots under the blanket of snow. The road was well marked. The hairpin turn at entrance was wide enough that it was not a problem to navigate in the snow / icy road. Main roads had been plowed thoroughly. Anyway, great stay. Could not see stars but the moonrise was beautiful.
RangerThis swath of land, sandwiched between two state parks(Canaan Valley State Park to the south& Blackwater Falls State Park to the north) is managed by the US Forest Service. The nearest town is Davis, WV.
There is just one dirt road running through it, the first few miles of which are fairly tame: navigable by most standard cars and medium or smaller sized RVs. The further back in you go, after site 15, the road much rougher until it is truly just a jeeps-only type of road. But the good news is that the first 15 of the camping sites take place before you get to that rough part.
And this is TRULY dispersed camping, with most of the camp spots being a good half-mile from each other! The one downside, if you are into privacy, is that all of the sites are RIGHT NEXT to that dirt road, so others will be driving past your site. The good news is that it is not a heavily trafficked road, used primarily just by the other campers in the 10 available spots, by the occasional hunter, and by the even-less-frequent off-roader, hoping to challenge their vehicle on the rough stuff several miles in.
This is all free camping, and all primitive. There are no restroom facilities, no showers, no electrical, no water supply.
The campsites themselves are mostly surrounded by forest, making even the smallest of them quite beautiful. They vary in size from being little more than a 25-foot-long driveway that you can back an RV up into, up to sites that are significantly larger with room enough for more than one vehicle and perhaps a couple or three tents.
While this loop road region has very few activities itself beyond fishing, hunting, and hiking trails, you are just a few miles from the two state parks and from private facilities offering horseback riding, skiing, snowboarding, swimming, and more.
The loop road region itself has MANY trails for hiking or mountain biking (possibly horseback riding— I saw no signage either for or against it), and one trail that is specifically marked as a cross country ski route. Although, from what I can see, several of the trails could work for cross-country skiing, as even the road itself could right after a storm.
While the area is at a fairly high altitude, around 3000 feet, it seems to be built on a kind of high altitude plateau, so the road itself is not that hilly, nor are the camping sites. I don't know for sure if it's a year-round site, but I can tell you that I was camping there in December, no problem. I do understand that the road is minimally maintained, so it might be impossible or difficult to access during very snowy weather.
RangerThe main reason I'm reluctant to give it five stars(I gave it 4) is because nearly all of its many campsites cannot be entered by vehicle; you have to park next to the dirt road that runs north-south through the campable section, making the bulk of them far from ideal for those with campers or rooftop tents, especially given that it's a dirt road, that will be kicking up dirt onto that rooftop tent.
I am aware of at least three along the road that you can drive into, but I have never seen those few drive-in-able sites unoccupied on a weekend, and typically not on a weekday either.
The campsites themselves are wonderful in just about every other regard. Some of them are dispersed enough that you can see no other campsite from yours, and nearly all of them are much more dispersed then you would get at any typical state park's campground.
Almost all of the campsites also have their own views of and direct access to Gandy creek, which I have never seen not flowing generously year-round. Some of the campsites are in places where the water is pooled enough that you could go wading or swimming in. And all of it is good fishing.
The campsites vary significantly in size and shade, so you can get ones with more sun if you prefer, more shade if you prefer that.
All of the campsites are free and I'm pretty sure that the time limit is two weeks maximum, as it is for all the camping areas throughout the Monongahela National forest.
Are you into hiking? There are seemingly countless trails within walkable distance from campsites and certainly within 10 minutes' driving distance, many of them connecting up at the top so you can make a loop by crossing over from one to another and then back down to the dirt road. From what I have seen those trails are not the most well-maintained however. Which means that it can be nettlesome— literally— as in overrun with nettles— during certain seasons, particularly July and August, so you might want to take a machete with you so you can chop them out of the way as you hike upward.
RangerSo this is quite large, I'm guessing at least 25 to 35 campsites along a 4-ish mile long dirt road that deadends. It is dispersed camping, free. And I guess it just depends on what you were looking for. I like to have something a little bit remote, where my campsite is not visible from other campsites. There isn't a lot of that here, but I did find maybe three or four that fit that description, all visible from the dirt road that goes through it.
There were many sites that I simply would not like it all, but might be ideal for your purposes, such as two or three areas where there is essentially a big field with a short loop road with maybe half a dozen campsites right next to each other. These are bordered by trees but there are no trees on those sites. Definitely not my cup of tea, but might be ideal for those who are in campers or motorhomes and what to be near a group of other people doing the same thing.
The pit toilets are good, reasonably clean. They are however even more dispersed than the campsites— roughly one every mile. Keep that in mind while you are picking a campsite. You may want to be close to one, and then that would limit your choices. If you don't care how close you are to one of the toilets, then you have lots and lots of choices.
One of the best things about this location is if you are into mountain biking or hiking or trail running. There are an absolute ton of choices for you, some of them starting right there from the campsite or right at the end of it and several more within half a mile. The Allegheny trail runs right through the campsite with the road itself serving as part of the trail, then immediately turning into singletrack trail on the far ends of this several-miles-long dispersed camping area.
Dispersed camping near Oakland, Maryland offers primitive sites across the nearby West Virginia border in Monongahela National Forest. The region sits at elevations between 2,500-4,000 feet with a climate that produces significant precipitation year-round. Winter temperatures can drop into single digits with snowfalls exceeding 8 inches overnight, creating challenging but rewarding conditions for experienced campers.
Fishing opportunities: Lower Glady Dispersed Campground provides access to quality fishing spots. "Nice camp sites, and good fishing," notes Wyatt S., who found the area's streams full of fish. Local anglers often share knowledge with newcomers about the best spots and techniques.
Hiking to waterfalls: At Gandy Creek Dispersed Camping, hidden waterfalls await discovery. Tommy S. described finding "a hidden waterfall across the creek. If you listen, you can hear the loud falls over the normal creek sounds... I noticed it as I was collecting firewood on the opposite shore, and felt some water about 20 degrees cooler than the creek joining from the mountains."
Winter camping adventures: The elevation creates opportunities for snow camping experiences. At Canaan Loop Road Dispersed, Rhea B. reported, "We camped here on a winter road trip fully prepared for the worst weather and this mountain top dispersed site delivered. It was muddy and snowy but our Subaru made it fine about half way into Canaan loop road."
Creek-side seclusion: Campers appreciate the privacy at Gandy Creek sites. "Each site is secluded and creek front. We stayed at the last site with the cliff over hang and it was magical," reports Sandra B., highlighting the unique rock formations along the creek.
Spacious campsites: Squirrel Hollow Road Camping offers generous space for multiple vehicles. Jon D. noted, "Large campsites and relatively quite. We took two vehicles and found several suitable sites."
Varied terrain: The region offers diverse landscapes within short distances. At Dolly Sods Backcountry, one camper observed, "With the incredibly varied landscapes and diverse vegetation, Dolly Sods truly feels like you are somewhere far north from WV. The ferns and evergreens reminded me of being in Maine, the vast meadows felt like I was in Wyoming or Montana."
Site availability challenges: Popular areas fill quickly on weekends. At Lower Glady Dispersed Campground, Leonard M. advised, "Dont try to show up on a Friday afternoon. We tried to get a spot this weekend and arrived around 430pm on Friday. Every single spot was taken."
Road conditions vary: Access roads range from maintained gravel to rough forest tracks. Clayton S. explained about Canaan Loop Road, "If you come in from the east, it's a very well maintained road for any vehicle (RVs may have trouble turning around), but the last mile or two you need a 4x4."
Weather preparedness: Mountain weather changes rapidly. Temperatures can drop significantly overnight, even in summer. Snow can occur unexpectedly in spring and fall. Pack additional layers and rain gear regardless of season.
Easy first-time dispersed camping: New to primitive camping? Harley G. found Canaan Loop Road ideal: "This was our first night ever for dispersed camping for us. Did have nice secluded spots for camping. Road was a little rough so take your time."
Stream exploration: Children enjoy wading and exploring creek edges at Gandy Creek. "Several spots along the creek are deep enough for swimming," shared Sandra B., making it perfect for hot summer days with kids.
Cell service limitations: Dolly Sods Backcountry has minimal connectivity. Jennifer R. described the sporadic service at Gandy Creek: "There's minimal cell reception and by that I mean you'll be walking along and all the sudden your phone will start dinging because you hit a pocket where you get one bar of reception and the text messages pour in."
Site selection for trailers: At Lower Glady, Kevin C. reported, "Sites are level and have good back-in driveways. Fire rings are large." This makes the area workable for smaller travel trailers and campers.
Turnaround considerations: Joe W. described the layout at Lower Glady: "We pulled our 28 foot travel trailer in past I'd say ten other campsites that were taken. The last big turnaround featured four rv accessible campfires for us to pick."
Road clearance requirements: For Gandy Creek, Sandra B. advised, "We took our car but the roads were a bit rough and I wouldn't recommend anything too low to the ground." Higher-clearance vehicles provide better access to the more remote sites.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Oakland, MD is Canaan Loop Road Dispersed with a 4.7-star rating from 14 reviews.
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