West Jefferson's RV campgrounds are concentrated within a 20-mile radius of town, with most sites positioned along major travel corridors like I-70 and US-40. Summer temperatures typically range from 70-85°F, making late May through September the busiest camping season. Winter camping options remain available though limited, with temperatures often dropping below freezing from December through February.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Sky Lake Resort offers multiple lakes stocked for fishing enthusiasts. "The views are fantastic and if you like to fish, this is the place for you!" notes reviewer Gregory L., who appreciated the peaceful setting that's "close enough to civilization to be convenient yet still far enough away to be peaceful."
Water recreation: Jackson Lake Park features a swimming pond with large inflatables during summer months. According to Jess N., "Lots of fun for kids with the swimming pond and arcade," though she warns "bathrooms were VERY far from the camp area."
Disc golf course: Jackson Lake Park maintains an on-site disc golf course alongside other outdoor activities. Theresa P. mentions, "There is a 'lake' (more of a large pond) on the property, with fishing, and large inflatables to play on in the summer. There is also a disc golf course."
Family activities: Several campgrounds organize structured activities for children. Chris C. from Jackson Lake Park notes they have "quite a big staff to take care of the place, lifeguard, and run the children's events like Tye-dye, archery, etc."
What campers like
Clean facilities: Poor Farmer's Campground receives positive feedback for maintenance. "Clean family oriented and spacious. Well run facility w good restrooms and showers plus electric hook up per site," writes reviewer loud F., who also appreciated "very little light pollution overall" due to the rural setting.
Friendly atmosphere: Seasonal campers at Welcome Woods RV Campgrounds create a welcoming environment. Ashley R. shares, "The campground is mainly seasonal campers and all seemed very welcoming and nice... Many people stopped and made sure to invite us to the common area where the festivities were going on."
Convenient overnight stops: Lakeview RV Park serves travelers passing through. Bucky W. reports, "Staff is very friendly and we got a nice pull through site for a quick stop over my way to upper Michigan. There's a really nice pond and has water activities if you stay longer. Easy in/out."
Streamside play: During summer months, children enjoy water features at multiple campgrounds. At Poor Farmer's Campground, Vance M. appreciates "A stream that runs through the campground is nice for the kids to play in when it's too hot for them on the playground."
What you should know
Bathroom facilities vary widely: Quality and maintenance of restrooms differs significantly between campgrounds. Jess N. at Jackson Lake Park found "the bathrooms they did have only typically had one working stall" and suggested "This campground would REALLY benefit from a couple porta johns."
Reservation systems: Sky Lake Resort and Fishing offers a streamlined reservation process. Gregory L. explains, "The one thing I really liked was that the entire reservation and check-in process was online, you didn't have to check in at the office, just put your info into the website and you were all set."
Site spacing considerations: Some campgrounds place sites close together. Gregory L. noted about Sky Lake, "The sites themselves are nice and level, but a little on the small side...You still have room for a fire and a table, but if you like to spread out this might not be the best place for you."
Seasonal camper presence: Several RV campgrounds near West Jefferson house full-time or seasonal residents. At Sky Lake Resort, Gregory observed, "It does seem there are quite a few people there full time, but everyone was nice so not a big deal."
Tips for camping with families
Entertainment options: Tomorrow's Stars RV Resort provides child-friendly facilities. According to Buck B., it's a "Perfect for a family, has swimming pool, putt putt, and other child friendly activities... also has small fishing pond... convenient to town for supplies."
Activity planning: Children may need supervised activities during longer stays. At Jackson Lake Park, Chris C. observes, "if you have kids, the pool and the lake activities will keep them busy all day and give them a great opportunity wear themselves out for a good night sleep."
Weekend events: Poor Farmer's Campground schedules regular weekend activities. Vance M. notes, "They usually have a lot of activities for the weekends planned" which complements their playground and stream access.
Accommodation alternatives: For families without camping equipment, some parks offer cabin rentals. At Jackson Lake Park, Theresa P. stayed in "a basic cabin with a queen bed and 2 twin bunk-beds, a very small bathroom with a toilet and shower, and a small kitchenette with a microwave, sink, and mini-fridge."
Tips from RVers
Site preferences: At Alton RV Park, Sharon J. recommends, "Sites are close but we had plenty of room for what we needed. We could have put out awnings if we had wanted to." She adds this park is "small, maybe 35 sites, clean well maintained" with owners who "have rules and they DO enforce 'em."
Hookup availability: Poor Farmer's Campground offers varying levels of utility connections. Allison W. explains, "Most of the sites are electric hookup only, some are electric and water, but we got a full hookup site, which was what we were hoping for."
Pull-through convenience: Gordon B. at Poor Farmer's Campground appreciates the ease of parking: "I am pulling a 33 foot trailer and it was easy to park with 30 amp electric and water hookup."
Service availability: For RV maintenance needs, Poor Farmer's Campground offers additional services. Allison W. notes, "They are also an rv service center, and have a shop with parts, if you need them."
