Tent campsites near Beaver, West Virginia span across multiple National Park Service locations and wildlife management areas. The region sits at elevations from 1,300 to 2,500 feet above sea level, creating varied camping microclimates throughout the seasons. Winter temperatures can drop below 20°F while summer averages 85°F with high humidity and frequent afternoon thunderstorms from June through August.
What to do
Hiking along the New River: Access several trails directly from Stone Cliff Campground where campers find connections to longer routes. "There is a great trail nearby that runs along the river," notes James A., who appreciated the isolated settings.
Climbing opportunities: The region offers some of the best climbing on the east coast. "There are so many things to come for and so many things to stay for! I've come here to climb and ended up fishing. I've come to fish and ended up hiking and climbing," shares a Stone Cliff visitor.
Disc golf: Chestnut Creek Campground features an on-site course. "Has a Frisbee/Disc Golf Course. Close to rivers, climbing and hiking activities," explains Debra W., who found the campground accommodating for various outdoor pursuits.
Wildlife viewing: Plum Orchard Lake WMA supports diverse bird and animal populations. "We were able to see deer, raccoons and some nice looking birds," reports Elaine L., who enjoyed the natural setting.
What campers like
Railway viewing: At Meadow Creek Campground, the nearby active rail lines provide unique entertainment. "The trains are fun to watch but very loud and frequent," explains a camper who visited this tent-only location.
Private beach access: Brooklyn Campground offers riverside sites with natural sand beaches. "The view of the river is beautiful and you can watch trains pass on the opposite side of the river," according to Cody T., highlighting the scenic waterfront setting.
Communal spaces: The covered pavilion at New River Gorge Campground provides a gathering spot with practical amenities. "We ended up doing all of our cooking and eating in the big covered communal porch on the shower house with lights and big kitchen sinks for cleaning up as it was a very rainy weekend," mentions Mollie R.
Cell service quality: Unlike many remote camping areas, connectivity remains surprisingly good. "Cell reception was great all throughout this area. That's not a camping necessity for us, but we all noticed that everyone's phone had great reception with a variety of network providers," reports a Chestnut Creek camper.
What you should know
Access challenges: Some campgrounds have difficult approach roads. "So we had no idea there was a steep gravel decline to get to the camp site. My wife and I had brought our hatchback instead of our SUV- so our fault, but if this had been mentioned somewhere then we would have known," cautions Zac R. about Stone Cliff.
Train noise levels: Meadow Creek Campground sits near active railroad tracks. "The multi-track railroad right next to the campground. They go by pretty frequently at all hours of day and night and are so loud you can feel the vibrations," notes Casey L.
Site selection importance: Some campgrounds have significant variability between sites. "I chose poorly... Low review based only on my poor site selection. I was right by the communal shelter. Quiet hours were courteously observed by fellow campers and the lights turned off automatically shortly after 10, but outside of those times there was no quiet or privacy," explains Cody M. at New River Gorge Campground.
Wind exposure: Some locations experience unexpected strong winds. "The wind here is also very strong and without strong anchors could easily pull up your tent. We were having to restake the corners throughout our stay and thought we might loose our rain fly a few times," warns a Meadow Creek camper.
Tips for camping with families
Wildlife encounters: Prepare children for potential wildlife sightings. "We stayed at site #6. Had plenty of space and were far enough away to not hear our neighbors. We were hanging some hammock stapes up on our last evening and saw the largest spider I've ever seen in the hollow of one of the trees at the campsite. If spiders aren't your thing consider another site," advises Kaylee F. about Stone Cliff Campground.
Dog-friendly options: Several campgrounds welcome pets with minimal restrictions. "My dog absolutely loved it-the swimming was A+ and the stick selection was up to her standards," shares Hallie W. about her Stone Cliff experience.
Off-season advantages: Camping during shoulder seasons provides quieter experiences. "We went in the middle of the week, on a Tuesday. It had been raining a lot the days before but did not rain at all the three days we stayed. It was incredibly private, we were the only ones staying overnight," reports Gracey L., who camped at Stone Cliff in spring.
Flat tent sites: Look for leveled areas when setting up family tents. "Even with the rainy weather the area wasn't too muddy and the campsite we stayed at was level so there wasn't any issue," notes a camper about their experience at Stone Cliff.
Tips from RVers
Site restrictions: Several campgrounds have recently changed their RV policies. "The ranger informed us someone who stayed here in a rv had a close call crossing the train tracks and now they have decided to make this campground a tent only place. Which is very unfortunate since this place is beautiful and the sites were big enough for rv and tent use," explains David from Meadow Creek Campground.
Limited hookup options: Most campgrounds in the area lack RV amenities. "This is a very nice little campground set up for tents, hammock campers and some car campers. No hook-ups. Definitely not for RVs or Camper trailers," clarifies Lisa K. about Chestnut Creek Campground.
Access road challenges: Larger vehicles face difficulties on approach roads. "Long, bumpy dirt road to reach the campsite—it could be fun in the right vehicle," mentions Patrick W. about Plum Orchard Lake WMA, suggesting caution for RVers with larger rigs.
