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Best Campgrounds near Huttonsville, WV

625 Reviews
CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BYFord

Dispersed camping opportunities dominate the area surrounding Huttonsville, West Virginia, with several free sites nestled within the Monongahela National Forest. Mower Basin offers multiple primitive campsites with mountain views and access to hiking trails, while Stonecoal Dispersed Camping Area provides riverside sites along Shavers Fork of the Cheat River. The region includes both primitive backcountry sites and developed facilities like Kumbrabow State Forest, which features tent camping alongside rustic cabins. Audra State Park Campground provides more amenities including electric hookups, showers, and water access. Most dispersed camping areas accommodate both tent and RV camping, though many forest roads have limited clearance for larger vehicles.

Road conditions throughout the Monongahela National Forest vary significantly, with many camping areas requiring travel on gravel or dirt roads. Several campsites like those at Mower Basin sit at higher elevations with impressive views but potentially challenging access. "The spots are not huge, so don't plan on a big group, but if your group wants to spread out, that could work as the sites are fairly tightly packed in there," noted one visitor about the Gaudineer Knob area. Most dispersed sites lack drinking water, toilets, or other amenities, while developed campgrounds like Kumbrabow State Forest and Audra State Park have facilities including picnic tables, fire rings, and restrooms. Cell service is unreliable throughout the region, with many areas completely lacking coverage. The primary camping season runs April through October, with many established campgrounds closing during winter months.

Campers consistently mention the peaceful environment and scenic beauty of the area as major highlights. The Monongahela National Forest provides excellent stargazing opportunities and access to numerous hiking trails. Water features prove popular, with many sites positioned along creeks and rivers. One visitor remarked about Kumbrabow State Forest: "I stayed in space #7, located next to Mill Creek, where I enjoyed the relaxing sound of this gurgling stream all night long." Privacy varies between sites, with some offering significant seclusion while others are more exposed to neighboring campers or forest roads. Wildlife encounters are common, particularly at remote sites, and visitors should practice proper food storage. The mixed-use nature of many campgrounds allows for various outdoor activities beyond camping, including fishing in stocked streams, mountain biking on forest roads, and hiking on maintained trails.

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Best Camping Sites Near Huttonsville, West Virginia (135)

    1. Dispersed camping at Mower Basin

    11 Reviews
    Durbin, WV
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 636-1800

    "I chose for this trip to pay a visit to the Monongahela Nation Forest in West Virginia. I plan on dispersed camp in the Mower Basin for seven days. "

    "I do a lot of dispersed camping, and have done several dispersed camping sites in West Virginia recently. Mower Basin is, hands down, my favorite one so far."

    2. Audra State Park Campground

    33 Reviews
    Volga, WV
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 457-1162

    "Audra State Park, is a bit off the beaten path but well worth the journey. Tucked away, just outside of Buckhannon, WV...home of West Virginia Wesleyan College."

    "v=VLUEBlIxHpo) Trails undulate with the terrain. The short trail within the campground area is steep in areas but offers some nice views."

    3. Kumbrabow State Forest

    5 Reviews
    Huttonsville, WV
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 335-2219

    $16 - $60 / night

    "**
    Kumbrabow State Forest offers lots of great trails, rustic cabins, and a primitive campground."

    "Beautiful campground located in the middle of nowhere. Quiet and peaceful with a fantastic stream going through the campground to either fish or play in."

    CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BYFord

    4. Stonecoal Dispersed Camping Area

    4 Reviews
    Durbin, WV
    8 miles
    Website

    "Good access to water with the river. No mosquitos. Soft ground for staking a tent. Getting here long after dark isn’t an issue, because you can drive right into a campsite."

    "Stayed 9/5/2020 - FREE Site "Turnaround"

    This was difficult to find on Apple Maps, but if you pin the location, it takes you right to it.  "

    5. Little River Dispersed Campsites

    6 Reviews
    Durbin, WV
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 456-3335

    "We arrived around 6pm on a Friday evening. A couple of the spots were taken but we found a lovely spot in the group campsite - there was no one else there!"

    "Very very quiet location. You can collect fallen material for fires, and we marched off into the woodlands for a little hike."

    6. Monongahela National Forest Dispersed Site

    3 Reviews
    Durbin, WV
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 636-1800

    "The camp site was on a small gravel road, tucked up in the forest, only 1 or 2 other campers, but the grounds man who delivered my firewood checked on my 1-2 times a day."

    7. East Fork Campground and Horse Stables

    6 Reviews
    Durbin, WV
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 456-3101

    "Nice well kept campground adjacent to the Durbin Rocket steam locomotive. They are doing a train robbery this week, robbers are riding horseback to steal a guarded shipment!"

    "Very peaceful, surrounded by mountains. The campground had stables and catered to people with horses, but we felt very welcomed by the owners."

    CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BYFord

    8. Gandy Creek Dispersed Camping

    17 Reviews
    Whitmer, WV
    22 miles
    Website

    "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"

    "Some you walk-in a short distance but are rewarded with amazing sites on the creek, secluded and wooded. Other places you can camp in your vehicle or park at the site."

    9. Holly River State Park Campground

    15 Reviews
    Hacker Valley, WV
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 493-6353

    "I should preface each of my reviews for West Virginia campgrounds and state forests by stating...West Virginia has the nicest and friendliest people I've come across...and that is a pure pleasure in this"

    "We enjoyed the beautiful drive in with the fall colors and the little stream next to the road that goes through the campground. The sites are a little tight if you have a bigger camper."

    10. Dispersed Camping off Forest Road 227

    1 Review
    Huttonsville, WV
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 636-1800
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Recent Camping Photos near Huttonsville, WV

339 Photos of 135 Huttonsville Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Huttonsville, WV

625 Reviews of 135 Huttonsville Campgrounds

  • R
    Dec. 12, 2025

    Gandy Creek Dispersed Camping

    pretty well dispersed along the beautiful Gandy Creek

    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 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.

  • Camp With Me
    Dec. 9, 2025

    Pocahontas Campground

    Neat old National Forest Campground

    Stayed here for a night so we didn't have to keep driving. Had the place to ourselves. Neat for a night. I took a video as well. https://youtu.be/XaYCE0Evkno

  • R
    Dec. 5, 2025

    Lower Glady Dispersed Campground

    An odd mix of campsite types, but something for just about everybody!

    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. 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.

  • R
    Dec. 5, 2025

    Gladwin Dispersed Camping

    lovely and remote camping place ... but small

    the size of the available campsites were not small, but the overall place is. Near as I can tell, there are pretty much just five traditional sites and also a field or two where one could choose to camp but there's no driveway or parking area. 

    I camped at the site closest to the river— right next to it in fact! 

    And it was quite large. I was camping by myself, but there were at least three different places in that one campsite that could fit a large tent— so then actually three large tents total could comfortably fit in this one Spot -- possibly good for a group then. 

    The campsite's driveway itself is long enough that you could park a good-sized camper trailer in there. 

    As others have pointed out, it's a little hard to get to this place, and a little hard to figure out you are there when you are there because it's not well marked. If you do dispersed camping much, you sort of recognize the signs— not literal signs but rather the fact that it is dispersed camping. 

    The furthest two campsites among them— the one I picked and the one on the other side of the creek/River a little ways down — were the most private..  Both are visible from the road, and the one right by the water that I was in is a deep enough lot that you can choose to put your camper or tent further the back of it, further from the dirt road that goes through it. 

    Note that there were signs suggesting that the road going over that bridge is not usable when the waters are running high. Given that the campsite I was in is directly next to it, I imagine it would also flood, not just the low bridge. And that would mean that the other campsite's not reachable when high water is happening. 

    Other notable things: 

    1. absolutely no cell phone reception, no hint of it nearby that I got. 

    2. Do not confuse the open farmer's field with a couple dozen campers that is very nearby— that is not Gladwin dispersed camping but rather a private long-term rental spot.

    3. enjoy hiking? The 330 mile long Allegheny trail is right there next to the dispersed camping grounds

  • R
    Nov. 22, 2025

    Dispersed camping at Mower Basin

    Not for everybody, but definitely for me! dispersed camping at its finest

    I do a lot of dispersed camping, and have done several dispersed camping sites in West Virginia recently. Mower Basin is, hands down, my favorite one so far. And I suppose it depends on what you value and what you are looking for, but here's why I'm particularly fond of Mower Basin camping: 

    1. Many of the sites are legitimately dispersed, i.e. nowhere near other campsites, and sometimes not even visible from the main dirt road. 

    2. Remote enough that it is often not crowded because it does take a bit of work to get to it. 

    3. Significant variety from one camping spot to another. Some have stellar views from their 4000 foot-elevation perch, loooking down into the fog covered valleys far below, while others will have you surrounded in dense forests of pines, and some have tons of sun exposure -- handy if you've got a solar generator to charge. 

    4. Trails nearby— some of the finest trails I've experienced in WV— which is a lot of trails since that is one of my prime reasons for camping is to be near trails for hiking or trail running. There is a gorgeous network of trails defined as multi-use but designed particularly for mountain bikers, complete with berms, moguls, and generally sufficient width for navigating without hanging up a handlebar. Most noteworthy: the trails are beautifully groomed, well-maintained(which is definitely not the case in many of the national forest trails in the region). 

    5. Many of the sites are very tent-friendly, and most are also camper/RV friendly. Because of the roughness of the road to get up to Mower Basin, I doubt you could get easily get a large motorhome up here, but I have seen MANY fifth wheel or campers up to 25 feet in length. I wouldn't call the road four-wheel-drive, high clearance terrain, but it is fairly rotted, so you want to drive slow. 

    Reasons why it might not be perfect for everyone: 

    1. Really remote. I'm pretty sure the nearest hospital is at least an hour away, and I never get cell phone reception at any of the sites I have camped at. At best, I might get a momentary rush of incoming emails at one or two spots along one of the trails. But, for the most part, you will be truly off the grid here.

    2. Definitely not perfect if you aren't into dispersed, primitive camping, so look that up if you aren't familiar with it. The short story: if you need to go#2, be ready to dig a hole unless you've got a camper.:-) 

    3. Because of its remoteness and high altitude, it could be impassable for any vehicle in winter when there's heavy snow.

  • VanRumschpringa V.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 13, 2025

    Braley Pond Campground

    It’s good

    Follow the sign pointing to the picnic area. Sort of defined sites. Sort of flat. A Thursday in November and there were 2-3 others here before me. Big travel trailers.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 28, 2025

    Audra State Park Campground

    Quiet

    A beautiful park located on a river very quiet. Campsites are small only electric is available bathhouse clean. The roads are very narrow with sharp turns.

Guide to Huttonsville

The Monongahela National Forest surrounds Huttonsville, West Virginia, with over 900,000 acres spanning elevations from 1,000 to 4,800 feet. Temperatures can vary significantly based on elevation, with higher sites like Mower Basin experiencing temperature differences of 10-15 degrees cooler than valley locations. Most dispersed camping options sit on gravelly forest roads with limited or no cell service coverage, particularly in remote areas.

What to do

Trout fishing in stocked streams: Multiple sites along Gandy Creek Dispersed Camping offer direct creek access for anglers. "It's amazing and peaceful. Plus the fishing is wonderful," notes one visitor, while another mentions "several nice spots right along the creek" with areas "spread out and private."

Hiking mountain trails: The area features numerous single-track trails for various skill levels. A camper at Dispersed camping at Mower Basin observed, "Following the road all the way to the final site you will cross paths with no fewer than 5 distinct and different toughness hiking trails, there are likely more, but I was only there for a week."

Heritage railway experience: The historic Durbin Rocket steam locomotive runs adjacent to East Fork Campground and Horse Stables. "They are doing a train robbery this week, robbers are riding horseback to steal a guarded shipment!" reports a visitor, offering a unique local attraction for campers.

What campers like

Swimming holes: Creekside camping areas frequently feature natural swimming spots. At Gandy Creek, one visitor notes, "Several spots along the creek are deep enough for swimming." Similarly, another camper shared, "If you park and walk down to the river, if you turn right, there's a beach area about 50 yards down that offers a great spot to take a dip!" at Little River Dispersed Campsites.

Night sky visibility: High elevation campsites provide exceptional stargazing opportunities. A Mower Basin visitor reported, "The moon was bright but you could still see hundreds of stars." The limited light pollution and elevated positions create optimal conditions for astronomical viewing.

Privacy between sites: Many dispersed areas offer significant separation between campsites. As one camper at Gandy Creek observed, "The sites are so spaced out on the road that each is very private, though you see an occasional car drive by." Most Forest Service sites maintain natural buffers between camping areas.

What you should know

Weather variability: The region experiences rapid weather changes, particularly at higher elevations. At Holly River State Park Campground, a camper noted, "Every morning and every night it rained which made it difficult to swim and fish. The park workers said this is common year round."

Road conditions: Many camping areas require travel on unpaved forest roads. One visitor to Little River Dispersed Campsites warns, "The road is narrow and you'll need to pull off to the side to let cars pass coming in, and the road is riddled with pot holes and is entirely gravel."

Wildlife precautions: Bear activity is common throughout the region. A Little River camper reported, "Not even 2 minutes from our dispersed camp site we were charged by an extremely aggressive black bear," advising fellow campers to "keep ALL FOOD in the car's trunk those nights and not hanging in a tree just to be safe."

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the best camping spots in Huttonsville, West Virginia?

The Huttonsville area offers excellent camping options within the Monongahela National Forest. Spruce Knob Lake Campground provides a quiet experience with fewer sites than most campgrounds, located near West Virginia's highest peak. For primitive camping, Stonecoal Dispersed Camping Area offers free sites with basic toilet facilities. The region also features numerous opportunities along the Greenbrier River Trail for bikepacking enthusiasts and those seeking a more remote experience. Many campers enjoy the natural beauty of nearby state parks and recreation areas, all offering different levels of amenities and scenic mountain views characteristic of wild, wonderful West Virginia.

How much does camping cost at Huttonsville recreation areas?

Camping costs around Huttonsville vary by location and amenities. Horseshoe Recreation Area is known for being quiet, remote, and reasonably priced. Budget-friendly options include primitive sites like Greenbrier River Trail Milepost 63.8 Primitive Campsite, which offers free or low-cost camping for bikepacking and hiking enthusiasts. For those seeking more amenities, expect to pay $10-30 per night depending on the level of services provided. Dispersed camping in Monongahela National Forest is generally free but lacks facilities. Some private campgrounds charge additional fees for showers, electricity, or premium waterfront sites. Most public campgrounds offer discounts for seniors and America the Beautiful pass holders.

What are the amenities available at Valley Bend Campground near Huttonsville?

While specific Valley Bend details are limited in reviews, similar nearby campgrounds offer a range of amenities. Canaan Valley Resort State Park Campground features sites suitable for various camping styles with access to outdoor activities year-round. For a more rustic option, Eagle Rock Campground provides riverside camping with minimal amenities at an affordable price. Valley Bend area campgrounds typically offer basic facilities including parking areas, tent pads, picnic tables, and fire rings. Most sites in this region provide access to rivers or lakes, with many campgrounds situated in scenic mountain settings. Always check with the specific campground before arrival as amenities can change seasonally.

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