Best Glamping near Beckley, WV

Just a quick FYI, there is no camping in the winter. We stopped by for an overnight while enroute to Ohio. I don’t always check ahead while road tripping , I see a recreation sign and decide to stop for the night. This CCC State Park is very picturesque and has several hiking trails and the man-made lake is small but offers plenty of recreation possibilities.

I found the layout a little strange. The visitors center/ office sits right on the entry road but there is no parking in front of it. If you need to stop there use the parking area immediately to your right and then walk up.

The staff was limited , one grumpy older gentleman who never said a word to mej, just gave me sour looks like I was somehow putting him out by walking into the office. The younger gentleman was very informative and helpful. He answered questions about the parks history and suggested the best trails due to the slippery weather that was going on. We enjoyed a hike around the lake and then went on our way. I will be back for their camping season and to check out more of the trails. You could easily spend some time here and enjoy the surrounding area attractions. Check out Chocolate Moose in Beckley if you enjoy unique tasty coffee and excellent, friendly service and Tamarack for some West Virginia local art.

Little Beaver State Park is a lovely little park just off Interstate 64 between Beckley and White Sulfur Springs. It has 16 sites with water and 30 sites with both electric and water. Some of the sites are pull throughs which could accommodate big rigs. There is a dump station available. There is a very nice shower house as well. Check out the website for more information.

Nestled in a moderately remote bit of WV just outside pineville/beckley, twin falls state park is an absolutely killer place to stay. Plenty of easily accessible camping sites for RVs, tent spots, and very well documented and marked hiking trails. Very cool pioneer house with garden and rescue animals and (at least during my time there) LOTS OF DEER!!! I had so many deer along the roadways that loved to pose for pictures. Great golf course, decent restaurant and resort rooms, outdoor and indoor pool, tennis/basketball courts, and so many more things. I stayed in a 2 bedroom cabin and it was super affordable at 120 per night and it comes with your own personal wifi and full kitchen. One of the best spots in WV and a must see!

We love summersville lake after stopping randomly on a trip down south last year. We stayed in an upper lot during the week for a night and liked it better. This year we booked a week with friends and stayed on lot four. The lake is amazing, clear and has so many visual gems that I highly suggest a visit. While I will list some negatives here , I will say we plan to go back for the lake. The campground is around 50 a night depending on some spots and we watched many RVstrailers come and go. For the business the campground is doing I would expect better bath houses. They were ok but state parks in west Virginia have had better. Gross as in they didn't look cleaned regularly, the shower heads were terrible, never looked cleaned, rusty. My stall had a used tampon in it one night. I prefer my camper shower but here is the other issue, no sewer hook up in the rv/trailer sides just water and electric. I felt as though if you stayed for more than a week they should offer a free one time honey wagon service. Let's talk garbage. We stayed up near the bathhouse and playground bc we have little ones. The garage trailer sat for more than 6 days just baking in the sun. By our 5th day we could barely stand to stay outside around our campfire the odor was so bad. As campers we are used to our fair share of smells but garbage dump isn't what we are looking for....be careful where you pick to set up.

Babcock State Park is one of the greatest parks in West Virginia. Most people come to see the grist mill, and it’s nice, but if that’s all you do your missing out.

For starters, most of the sites at the campground are great: fairly flat with soft ground and good tree coverage. The campground is split by Old Clifftop Rd, with the majority of the campground south of the road. We stayed on Site 15 (non-electric site), which I thought was one of the best sites. The campground was quiet, family-friendly, and clean. Some of the campsites were small and right on top of each other.

The campground is served by one bathhouse, centrally located in the middle of it. The bathhouse was fairly clean but well-used and includes flush toilets, showers, and hot water. A fairly new playground sits right next to the bathhouse. All the equipment was well-maintained and freshly mulched. Our site was close enough to the playground that we let our seven-year-old go by herself, since we could still hear her.

We only hiked on two trails, but it was some of the most fun hiking I’ve ever done. Mann’s Creek Gorge Trail is a two-mile walk from the campground to Camp Washington Carver. About a quarter of a mile you come the creek with a great swimming hole. We didn’t make it past the swimming hole but I’m looking forward to finishing the trail in the future. Island-In-the-Sky is a great climb through a tunnel of rhododendron that eventually winds up and around a rock shelf. To get to the top you have to climb up a couple ladders and over rocks. There are also several spurs off the trail that lead to overlooks and one that leads to a good size cave the size of the room.

I highly recommend that anyone looking to camp in the Fayetteville-area consider Babcock, you won’t be disappointed.

This is another of the free national park campgrounds in the New River Gorge, with sites that are more developed than many of the others. These are in a small open loop, largely level gravel parking and tent pads. They have picnic tables, fire rings, and lantern poles. No drinking water, so bring your own. No hookups. The river is nearby, but none of the sites are on the river. There’s an accessible site and also accessible trail to a bench along the river. There are latrines.

If you enjoy fishing, the New River Gorge website offers a lot of specific information about species, bait, and lures. 

If you can't find a site at one of the other campgrounds or you have a slightly larger rig, ths may be a better option for you. No cell service, so download your maps. The New River Gorge also offers rafting, and hiking options. Check out some of the mining history at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine, abuut 30 minutes away, and get up early to catch the sunrise from Grandview Point.

This is a beautiful, small state park with a combination of grassy and wooded sites. Some of the sites offer just water, while others offer both water and electric; none offer sewer, but there is a dump station near the check-in area. Bathhouse is clean with flush toilets, warm showers, and laundry. There’s a dishwashing sink outside. It was quiet when I was there in April, but not fully occupied. 

There’s a pond for fishing and/or swimming and boat rentals are available. There’s also a playground. There are miles of trails for hiking and biking. Large open field nearby gives you a great view of the sky for stargazing. 

The campground is a quick run over to Grandview Point at New River Gorge to catch sunrise over the horseshoe bend or to walk trails there. It’s within 30-50 minutes of many of the interesting spots along the New River Gorge; take a hike, raft the river, or ride a bike. Also in the area is the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine which will give you a good introduction to the history of the area and is a nice complement to some of the mining remnants you’ll see in the New River Gorge National Park.

This park is known for its iconic grist mill images, esp. in autumn.. There is a moderate sized campground with water and electric hookups available. A central bathroom serves all 51 campsites. I was here in late April and never saw anyone in the bathroom when I was there, but probably only¼ of the sites were occupied and many of those were with RVs. Bathrooms are clean, showers are warm. 

I was in site#33; the approach was sloped, but the top was relatively level with gravel and more than suitable for my teardrop camper. It was one of the sites on the inside of the loop near the playground and shaded by a large tree. The loop(50s) across the road from the check-in had generally open sites and were occupied by some large RVs. On the back section, the fronts of the sites were narrow, but opened up in the back. The main loop was relatively level and if you have kids, the inside sites provide ready access to the playground without having to cross any roads. 

The worst campsite in the whole campground is#17; I don’t think there’s a level spot on it. I had already concluded this during my walk-through before speaking to a couple who were pitching their tent. They remarked that they had originally reserved#17 and upon seeing it, requested a move. It should be left as a first-come, first-serve site for someone who is truly desperate. 

In addition to the grist mill, there’s a hilltop play area, picnic ground, tennis, volleyball and basketball courts. And there are trails everywhere! There are overlooks near the summit as well as along the drive(follow the signs to the overlooks rather than to the grist mill). One overlook seems like it would be a good spot for a sunset, but it was too cloudy the night I had free. 

I stayed here as a base for my exploration of the New River Gorge National Park and, in restrospect, I think I would have saved time overall if I had looked for a campground closer to Beckley. I wanted to see sunrise from Grandview and that necessitated a 55 min drive each morning. It’s about a 20-30min drive from the rim visitor center and bridge overlook. 

Google Maps will take you down Old Clifftop Rd which is freshly paved, but beware, it’s as though they paved a single lane down the middle of the road and there are drop-offs on each side. If this makes you uncomfortable, follow the signs for the park instead. Cell phone coverage(Verizon) was fair, but inconsistent, even within my campsite from moment to moment, but I could browse and respond to email. It was better at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. 

If you’ve forgotten anything, there is a dollar store within a few miles of the park and shopping centers with everything you could need in Fayetteville.

CAMPGROUND REVIEW: Army Camp Campground, New River Gorge National River, WV

Army Camp Campground, New River Gorge National River, Prince, WV https://www.nps.gov/neri/learn/historyculture/army-camp.htm

If you have never treated yourself to the beautiful diversity of the New River Gorge National River, you are truly missing out!

Rock climbing, mountain biking, whitewater paddling, rafting, hiking, camping, birding?…it’s all here and more. I’ve spent over 150 days camping and hiking in West Virginia n the past four years and keep finding new, wonderful places to enjoy.

There are three very nice, somewhat primitive, free, campgrounds located within six miles of each other right outside Prince, WV. Grandview Sandbar and Glades Creek along one side of the New River and Army Camp across the Rt 41 bridge and downriver.

Note: vitally important to realize there is no running water at any of these campgrounds. You must bring water or filter it from the New River…which I wouldn’t recommend.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3QnnaIl-xgE

Each site has a picnic table, grill, fire pit, dual lantern post and pit latrines. Of the three New River Gorge National River campgrounds in this immediate area, Army Camps pit latrines are maintained but in dire need of paint. Parking and tent pads are gravel…(making tent peg placement laborious). Plenty of hammocking opportunities.

Army Camp is open for day use fishing and picnicking. The campground consists of one small loop with five sites on the outside perimeter and five on the inner perimeter. Scattered mature trees dot the inner circle with open line of sight. Outside perimeter sites are wooded and offer more privacy. Though all sites are separated by 50 ft or more.

Army Camp lies in a narrow river valley between steep, wooded 2500-3200 ft mountains offering spectacular views.

Military history buffs will appreciate the remains of an Army training encampment along the gravel road driving in. Known for equipping soldiers to build floating bridges across rivers to move troops and heavy artillery.

Though all campground trails are short and directly to the edge of the New River…innumerable trails are a short drive away.

Caution: Use extreme prudence if choosing to enter the New River itself. This is an incredibly popular whitewater rafting and paddling river…currents are fast, powerful and dangerous.

At this visit, after a night of rainfall, the New River has swollen beyond its boundaries by 50 feet or more on either shoreline.

Song birds, robins and crows competed vocally during daylight hours. Interesting insects crawled the river’s sandy shore and a brightly colored Eastern box turtle searched for higher-dryer ground. The powerful drone of the New River never subsides.

**When breaking camp, it was noted the New River had encroached another 100ft through the woodland, flowing alongside the campground loop gravel drive…30 ft from our tent pad. Even though it had not rained in 18 hours, the New River continued to swell beyond what I thought probable. Exercise greater wisdom than I did.

Product Review: New Primus Trailbottle S/S 1.0 liter

The new Primus Trailbottle stainless steel line offers a 0.6L, a 1.0L, a vacuum 0.5L, and a vacuum 0.8L. For purposes of this review, I’m putting the 1.0L S/S Trailbottle through its paces. https://primus.us/products/trailbottle-s-s-1-0l?variant=38421366546

The Primus Trailbottle 1.0L comes in four (4) color options: black, red, light green and powder blue. Being on the trail or kayak in direct sunlight, I opted to not pursue the black so I could keep fluids cooler. The added bonus of brighter colors decreases the chances of me losing the bottle.

As a Review Ranger for TheDyrt, these products were provided by Primus https://primus.us/ .

I have been using various Primus stoves for many years with great success while backpacking and paddling, so I look forward to their new innovative and trustworthy products.

The new Primus Trailbottle S/S 1.0L appears larger than it is. I was initially surprised by that illusion and feared it wouldn’t fit in my Gregory Baltoro Sidewinder Bottle holster…but fitment was actually easier than most water bottles. The bottom is a full inch smaller in diameter than the shoulder.

Dimensions:

•Height: 9” Base to Top of cap

•O.D. Base: 10.25”/ O.D. Top: 11.25”

•Weight: 10 grams

Materials:

•18/8 Food Grade stainless steel

•Tritan lid (BPA free)

One clear benefit of the S/S…it doesn’t possess or retain flavors…you get only what put in it.

While the Primus Trailbottle S/S version has lightweight, thin walls that can likely dent with misuse…longevity of use sets this apart from the basic plastic or Lexan bottle. The mouth of the bottle is fairly large, making it easier to fill or add ice. Not being double walled, exterior sides sweat with ice cold beverages, but the painted surface has just enough grip texture not to slip when wet. The temperature of the Trailbottle contents will be felt by your hand.

The screw-on lid has an additional small screw-on tethered cap. Instead of knurling around the sides of both caps, Primus uses a triangle pattern that mimics the cutout pattern on their stove/pot cooking systems Primus states the bottle opening and thread pattern fits some water filtration systems, but not my Katadyn Vario…nor does my Sawyer Mini thread onto the cap, as the threads are located on the inside of the spout..

The rubber lanyard attaches to the small threaded cap by a recessed ring, then snakes through a bar on the larger bottle screw lid and attaches to that lid via a rubber style pop-rivet. Personally, I would not attach the Primus bottle to my pack by this rubber lanyard, but will run some para cord through the integrated bar on the lid…to carabiner to my pack (if I didn’t have a water bottle pocket).

When partaking of its contents through the smaller lid opening, it is like any other solid-sided bottle. However, I found it was much easier pouring Trailbottle contents into a cup than a wide-mouth bottle.

Final Thoughts

I like it’s distinctiveness, versatility and light weight. I’m looking forward to many years of service from the Primus Trailbottle S/S 1.0 liter.

we just used this park for a night stop over on our return trip from SC. Beautiful park.Had water and electric. fairly level gravel sites. Dump site was a little different. Had to make a uturn to get in to dump. I’d like to go back and spend some more time there.

stopped for overnight. easy in out. staff very helpful. pull thru site.

I enjoyed this campground. A nice playground for children. Lots of deer about. The tent sites have water, fire ring, table and nice shade.  Lots of lovely trails to explore. It was quiet and super clean. The only drawback is that you need to drive to the restroom because the walk is a little too far.  But the restroom was super clean.

Office was staffed with a friendly lady; told us to go they the campsites to pick which one we liked. She gave us a map with available site marked. We chose a shaded pull thru spot #16 that had a gravel pad with 30 amp electric and water.

Checked into this wonderful State Park in Beaver, W VA. Close to New River Gorge National Park.

Big sites with water and electricity, dump station on premise.

Bathrooms spotless

Just overnight and heading north

Just stayed for one night passing through and we were sad we couldn't stay longer. Sites are big and spread out. It's quiet. Walking trails all over. We had site 19 which is one of the few pull thrus. We have a triple axl, had plenty of room and the site is wooded. Only downside for longer term stays is no sewer hookup, but they do have a very convenient dump spot at entry. We will be back!

This is a nice little campground.  Clean and well kept.  

Most of the sites are wooded and would be a bit difficult for a rig our size but they are very nice.  The bathhouse is very clean with great water pressure and hot water.  There is also a small laundry room.  

Sites have water and electric. 

Several nice walking trails directly from the campground.

This place is fabulous. Sites with water and electric hookup 1-20. Spacious , private . We had #9 . Level..walking trail system connected to camp sites. Cleanest bathrooms and showers I’ve seen. Cute little store for firewood ...they bring to you. Daily trash pickup . Beautiful trails. Scenic lake . Must see this little secret gem!

We spent the weekend of the 4th of July here. My 9 year old was playing with the water spicket and scratched a bug bite. He ended up with a flesh eating bacteria from camping here. I constantly go fishing here. However do not recommend using the water spickets at the site if you have small kids.

Nice spot to stop for a night on our way north - level private spot for our rooftop tent. Sites 38-45 have the most privacy. Check website as we were there during a fire ban.

This campground is situated in the woods, near Lake. Has a good WFI everywhere, very clean and quiet.

A place that while we were leaving that we promised to make the five-hour drive to camp there again. the west Virgina people are great.

Nice place in my hometown. Disconnect between the park headquarters and campground check in. Was told no golf carts on campgrounds per the host. However, HQ has written guidelines stating all vehicles must be licensed. Some rules enforced, others are not. Overall we would stay again.

Beautiful piece of heaven to get away with enough water to let everyone have some room.

Lush foliage and fun to identify all the different types of mushrooms. Shower house has hot water and very clean. Excellent hiking & bike trails. Deer galore!

FCFS. Spots are large enough to fit 2 vehicles. Sites are gravel with fire pit, charcoal grill, and picnic table. Spots are shaded. Easy access to river, able to hear it from campsite. Very clean pit toilet bathroom. Road to access is single lane paved/gravel. Best for cars/vans, but did see some small pull behinds.