Best RV Parks & Resorts near Alum Creek, WV

Amy and I spent the Labor Day Weekend in Fayetteville, WV. The New River Gorge area is amazing. We camped at Rifrafters Campground. It is family owned and operated. The owners were great and made a point to stop by our site and see how we were doing. The campground is clean, well maintained and conveniently located. It is only about 7 minutes from the New River Bridge welcome center.

There were several long term campers, sites were very small and close together. Fire ring and picnic table ended up under our awning. Water, electric and cable service and a few sites had sewer. Campground WiFi was weak at our site (#27).

While this was a positive stay, we prefer State Parks versus RV campgrounds.

Campsite Review for Site 6 – Gateway to Wayne National Forest

Our recent camping trip at this campground was an excellent way to immerse ourselves in the natural beauty of Wayne National Forest. The serene forest setting provided a perfect backdrop for a relaxing outdoor adventure, with the campground offering all the basics needed for a comfortable stay.

We stayed at Site 6 in our travel trailer, enjoying the ease of a pull-through site. Although the water and electric hookups are on the opposite side unless you drive through the loop the wrong way, this setup has an unexpected benefit—it faces directly toward the woods. This orientation allowed us to savor the tranquility of the forest, adding a layer of privacy and a more intimate connection with nature.

While the sites are decently sized, they are closely positioned with minimal separation, which might limit privacy in other areas. However, the majestic surroundings of Wayne National Forest more than make up for this. The proximity to hiking trails, wildlife sightings, and the peaceful ambiance of the trees create an immersive experience that’s hard to beat.

All in all, this campground is a fantastic base for exploring Wayne National Forest. The combination of basic amenities, convenient access, and the enchanting forest environment makes it a great spot for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

We visited in the end of October 2021. The colors and the views were spectacular. The drive into the park was very curvy mountain back roads. The site included a fire pit with grill and a picnic table. There was a fair amount of space between sites. Approximately 50-75 feet apart. The bath house was nice but could use a little refreshening. There are many activities including a shooting range, frisbee golf course, swimming pool, playground just to name a few. With Verizon as our service provider no cell signal was available at the park. Overall, we give 3 stars. Minus one star for no cell service and minus another star due to maintenance. Overall, very nice park.

Lake Stephens Campground is a popular location for residents of Beckley (and surrounding areas) to park their RV’s/campers, for extended periods of time, as an easy getaway. The RV/camper area consists of a large circle of campsites that are very close to each other. The common area in the middle has a playground, restroom/showers, vending machines and some field area to play. The RV area seems to have grown into a very friendly community. They have regularly scheduled events like movie night, and they even host a “trick-or-treat” event each year that attracts hundreds. Amongst other things, the park has picnic areas, a beach with a sectioned off swimming area, a small water park area, and several hiking trails.

The campground was very quiet and peaceful. My 25 year old son was the youngest person there, except for 2 hours when 1 year old came to visit his grandparents. Most of the campers are there long term and were gone for the time we were there. We only saw people in about 10 of the campsites. The grass was beautifully cut and maintained. We had a pull thru site by the lake, it had to be about 100 yards long and nicely graveled. There are three small bathrooms around the grounds, that are single use rooms (sink, toilet and shower) one for women and one for men. If someone was using shower, no one else could use bathroom. They were clean but it seems they don’t get used very often by the long term campers. They were VERY musty. My wife would not go in them. The big multiple use bathroom by the entrance was much better and air was fresher. The office people were very nice and drove a golf cart to show us where our campsite was. We would stay there again, but still confused why there were so many trailers and so few people.

Camping: As far as camping goes there’s a little variety. On top of the hill there is camper sites with full hook ups which is actually quite spacious and spaced out from other sites compared to other campgrounds, but some sites are better than others of course. There is also primitive tent camping on top of the hill, but appeared slightly cramped. In my opinion the best sites are the boat in tent camping sites down the hill by the lake. The sites also run along a gravel rode that can be used to hike in. All sites throughout have fine gravel pad, picnic table, a fire ring and access to numerous bathrooms of which have a compost toilet and running water for the sink. Camp staff will deliver ice or firewood to any site if requested. Extras: The main attraction is the lake of course which is quite clean for swimming, boating or fishing, but can be a little busy at times. There are a few hiking trails near by, but I wouldn’t come here for that. There is a golf course and I did notice, but didn’t get to check out, there is a place called The Cove at Yatesville lake that has a beach for swimming with climbable inflatables in the water, kayak rentals and among other things. Conclusion: A great local place to have fun on a lake, but not somewhere I’d travel an extended distance to see.