Best Equestrian Camping near Natural Bridge, VA

The Red Oak sites were gravel and fairly level and the bathhouse was nice. There is an equestrian camping area (and stalls) for people with horses.  The cabins and lodges have 2, 3, and 6 bedrooms and look beautiful. There is even a canoe-in campground.  Activities that can be done include tubing on the river, canoeing and kayaking, fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding trails, wagon ride, and lots of park events.

This is a wonderful spot for viewing the stars because of the lack of light pollution. James River State Park has been named an International Dark Sky Park.

General: There are four campgrounds in Douthat State Park - White Oak, Whispering Pines, Lakeside, and Beaver Dam (equestrian), each in a separate location. This review is for White Oak. White Oak has 31 sites and It was full when we were there on a Tuesday in mid-October. 

Site Quality: All sites (except 17 and possibly 18) appeared level and were very generous in size with long driveways. Many trees separate the sites. A picnic table, lantern hook, and fire ring complete the site. Sites 22-29 are tucked further away from the others and the bathhouse. 

Bathhouse: Clean and modern. Showers were available but I did not use them so I cannot comment on how well they worked. 

Activities/Amenities: A dishwashing sink, fish cleaning area, and many hiking trails throughout the park, including one (to Blue Suck Falls) that has access directly from the campground. We hiked this but the waterfall was just a trickle when we were there! 

We met friends here, so it was nice to have adjoining sites. Bear warnings were posted throughout the campground, but we didn’t see any!

This was by far one of the best camping trips ever!! I took my grandkids tent camping and we had a fantastic time. The hiking and lake is amazing. We spent a lot of time at the beach and it was so beautiful plus it has a water playground, a diving dock, trees close by so there is shade on the beach in the afternoon, and a snack shack. You can rent boats too. There are multiple camping areas which include one water side so you can have access to the water with your canoes and kayaks, one for big rigs, one for equestrian, and one for tents and smaller campers. This place is beautiful and quiet. We loved it here!! Make reservations because it books up quick. Also, they have many cabins and they are placed wonderfully on the mountain. We went to the Humpback Bridge and a cool train museum that were close the campground.

Douthat is really four separate campgrounds. Three of them (i.e. not Whispering Pines) are located near the lake. Each one had a campground host (volunteer) and wood for sale.

White Oak Campground is larger, wooded, and has a significant elevation change between different sites. Caution should be used with large rigs as the low-water bridge to White Oak has steep approach and departure angles.

Beaver Dam Campground is relatively flat and similarly wooded while also providing equestrian facilities.

Lakeside Campground is smaller but the front row sites provide great lake views. Unfortunately swimming is only allowed in the Beach area which is not directly connected to this campground.

Whispering Pines is a few miles away along the entry road and has a different character. It’s a very flat and wide-open campground perfect for big RVs with much larger sites.

The Lakeside Camp Store is nice and has a to-go counter for food. The facilities, overall, were well maintained and clean. Firewood is for sale for $6 per bundle.

Campground Review: Greenbrier River Trail Mile Post 28.5 Primitive Campsite...(Between Rorer and Renick, WV)

Bikepacking West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail is a delightfully peaceful adventure! If you enjoy bicycling, camping and wilderness...then you this trail is for you. Actually, you can replace "bicycling" with horseback, backpacking, XC skiing. In fact, with a keen eye, you could paddle the Greenbrier River and enjoy these campsites.

These primitive campsites are free, first come-first served and cannot be reached by motor vehicle. The campsites that dot the Greenbrier River Trail are meticulously maintained by State Park employees and are in well thought out locations.

Mile Post 28.5 Primitive Campsite, as all campsites are linear along the Trail and usually positioned between the Trail and the Greenbrier River...with access to the River. This campsite is stretched out a good distance and though not listed on some Trail maps...it does have an Adirondock style shelter near the southernmost tent pad in a partly wooded area. The tent pad to the north of this area is in an open grassy area with tranquil long views of the river. Swimming and fishing are permitted in the Greenbrier River (Fishing: if you have a WV Fishing License). In late June, temperatures were still quite cool, so while the river looked inviting, we did not take the plunge.

Late afternoon showers soaked the three groups of bikepackers that set up camp at Mile Post 28.5 for the night. So being the first to claim the Shelter is a coveted position.

PROS:

• Adirondock Style Shelter
• Raised Tent pads (2)
• Picnic Tables
• Fire Pits w/grate
• Large Pit Latrines
• Bearproof Trash receptacle
• Hand-pump well water
• Quiet & Peaceful
• No cell service

CONS:

• No cell service

Nearby Attractions:

• Droop Mountain Battlefield SP
• Snowshoe Mountain Resort
• Cass Railroad
• Seneca Rocks
• Spruce Knob (WV Highest Elevation)
• Seneca Forest (Thorny Mountain Fire Tower)
• The Greenbrier Resort

**HIGHLIGHTS: **

• Traveling through Droop Mountain Tunnel
• Traveling over the nearly 100 year old steel RR bridges

Traveling the Greenbrier River Trail allows the traveler to be sent back in time...passing through old Railroad towns, seeing old Railroad buildings, water towers offers a glimpse backwards.

Heavy rainstorms brought down numerous trees across the GRT during our trip...but the State Park  employees worked diligently and feverishly to clear the trail. At one location, employees graciously offered to assist us haul our bikes over the multiple downed trees as they worked to clear them.

It is easy to see how the Greenbrier River Trail made Backpacker Magazine's Top Ten hiking trails in North America...surrounded by wild and often very remote wilderness, abundant wildlife, a century old trail, a picturesque river, great camping...ticks all the boxes!

Greenbrier River Trail Mile Post 49.3 Primitive Campsite, Watoga, WV

West Virginia's **Greenbrier River Trail  (GRT) **stretches from its Northern Terminus at the Cass Railroad Station, Stumptown 78-80 miles (depending on what resource you read) to it's Southern Terminus in North Caldwell. The Greenbrier River Trail is a Rails-to-Trails initiative, so being a former track bed, the surface is predominantly ballast, though there are some black-topped areas. Some locations of the trail that either see more sunlight or less traffic have seen grass overtake the trail to form a "two-track" or at times a mown grass trail. Most parts drain well and easy to navigate, while some heavily wooded areas adjacent to rocky cliffs see more puddling and thus muddier...but all navigable. 

Because of it's relative remoteness and light traffic, wildlife flourishes along the GRT. This is bear country so I would recommend utilizing a bear bag or bear canister for your food and toiletries. I used a BearVault BV500 that I strapped to the Salsa EXP Anything Cradle attached to my handlebars...worked great. Eliminated concerns about losing food items and attracting Yogi and Boo-Boo. A Father/Daughter duo trailing us observed a juvenile bear not far off the trail mid-day. But bears aside, raccoons, chipmunks and other rodents can wreak havoc on panniers or backpacks containing food and fragrant toiletries. 

At the time of our visit there were 15 Primitive or Rustic Campsites along the Greenbrier River Trail. Each person traveling the Greenbrier River Trail will determine which primitive campsite they prefer for a night's rest. 

All the primitive campsites positioned along the Greenbrier River Trail (GRT) are free, first-come, first-served. Note that some offer more amenities than others, so those will likely be the sought after locations.

Traveling West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail is a highlight whatever mode of travel permitted, whether on foot, horseback, bicycling or even paddlecraft...no motorized vehicles are permited. The Greenbrier River Trail was chosen by Backpacker Magazine as one of the top ten best hikes in the U.S. of A. That's quite the billing to live up to.

I will add that we chose to bikepack the GRT, so I felt we did not stop at all the available sites, cascades, waterfalls, bridges, etc purely because we were a little spread out and by the time you past by a special site, the others were too far down the trail. While I absolutely loved our entire GRT trip...had I been on foot...more exploring would have taken place.

PROS:

• Raised fine gravel tent pad
• Nice, clean, maintained and stocked pit latrine
• Picnic table
• Metal fire ring
• Metal Bear-proof trash receptacle
• No cell service

CONS:

• No water pump
• No cell service
• Tent pad located very close to elevated trail

NEARBY HIGHLIGHTS:

• Town of Marlinton
• Watoga State Park
• Greenbrier Resort
• Snowshoe Mountain Resort
• Cass Railroad
• Seneca State Forest
• Seneca Rocks
• Spruce Knob (WV highest elevation)
• The Wild Bean Cafe and Thunderbird Taco (Lewisburg)  (Suggestion: Order the Guacadilla!...thank me later)

The GRT Mile Post 49.3 Primitive Campsite does not offer a well water, so fill up before you get there. Although, if you utilize a filter, you can draw water from the river or the tributary down the trail several hundred feet. Even though Mile Post 49.3 tent pad is directly alongside the trail, traffic is so light that it is really a non-issue. There is not a large clearing and with dense vegetation...pack your bug juice.

This is West Virginia, so even in populated areas cell service can be spotty...but on the trail, I would not count on it. This is both a blessing and a curse. However, for safety purposes, I do carry a Garmin InReach Explorer + in case of emergencies.

The GRT Mile Post 49.3 Primitive Campsite makes for a great overnighter from either Marlinton or a nice out-and-back from Cass Railroad from the north or from North Caldwell from the South...eliminating the need for a shuttle.

Final Thoughts: Whether you chose to spend the night at Mile Post 49.3 or not, is not the point...all the primitive campsites along the Greenbrier River Trail are great choices...the point is, mark your calendars, plan this trip and travel West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail!