Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Pipestem, WV

Nice, clean campground with friendly staff. Outdoor pool, mini golf, bowling alley and more to keep everyone busy. We stayed on Labor Day weekend so it was crowded and of course it was a bit noisy but would definitely recommend anyone to stay here and we would definitely go back. They also have two dog parks in the campground which is nice for your furry family! 😊

Beautiful lake surrounded by gorgeous mountains, hiking, fishing and boating, amazing staff, very clean shower houses and laundry facility! Very family oriented and pet friendly!

You’ve struck gold here at Bull Falls Campground if you’re looking to get away from it all, discover solitude in the heart of West Virginia’s lush, verdant nature garden of Eden. Bull Falls Campground in the Bluestone Wildlife Management Area is along the western banks of the New River, far flung from all of the other nearby campgrounds you’ll find sprinkled up and down and around this river basin. 

This is a fantastic spot for you to bring all your water toys from snorkeling and innertubes to fishing, kayaking and anything else that you want to submerge in this slow moving, tranquil snake-like river. At this campground, there’s about 20 sites or so – very small and not crowded and is open to tent campers as well as campers, trailers and even RV’s.  Campfires and pets are both allowed and there’s plenty of picnic tables.

Nearby there’s about 4-5 really great hiking trails. Insider’s tip? Right off campsite#14, there’s a great opening that will take you down one of the longer hiking trails, which after about 1 mile or so you’ll come to a small little inlet, perfect for inflating an innertube and floating in isolation with your Bluetooth speaker playing some nice jazz with plenty of coozie-hugging beers from your floating cooler. Also, there’s some really great bird watching in these parts, so bring your binoculars.

Happy Camping!

We stayed a weekend in one of the many cabins at the Campground; pet friendly! The RV/Tent camping sites were closed. Cabin was stocked with minimal kitchen ware, we brought in our groceries, in the town of Hinton there are a couple of grocery stores; so easy access. There was a picnic table and satellite TV; to our surprise. Cabin had a fireplace, two bedrooms and one bath. Very quiet!

Thumbs up and we will likely stay there again, will look into bringing our TT to check out the RV/Tent areas.

    Tawney Farm is part of a growing trend of agrotourism in West Virginia where farmers allow visitors to camp on their land.

    The proximity to the Gauley River makes this primitive campground an ideal place for kayakers to stay during the whitewater season in September and October.  That's when the meadows and hills around Tawney Farm will be filled with tent campers ready to ride the rapids.

     James and Susan Tawney are the perfect hosts because they're super nice and sincerely interested in talking about their sheep farm, the history of Panther Mountain, and the best places to swim, fish and kayak on the Gauley River.

    I enjoyed a couple nights of "glamping" when I stayed at the Tawney Farm "Nut House," appropriately named because James crafted it from recycled wood, including cherry, beechnut and black walnut. 

    The primitive cabin has electricity, a full-sized roll-away bed and a futon.  There's no bathroom or running water, so I used the clean port-a-potties and community propane-heated shower and had access to a fire pit and charcoal grill.

     Great hospitality!  James prepped my fire pit with free wood and Susan made sure I had plenty of charcoal, then loaned me BBQ tools so I could grill my dinner without scorching my hands.  

     The Wild and Woolly Primitive Campground includes a group area where guests can cook, wash their dishes, and hangout.  There's a small store with raw wool crafts, fresh farm eggs and black walnuts, plus and a stage for live music during the peak season.

     I wanted to make sure I got some nice photos of their sheep, so James and Susan brought the flock down for a closer look and encouraged some young guests to pet them.

     The access road to Tawney Farm is gravel with a tree growing in the middle, so take caution at night.  The nearby roads leading to the Gauley River National Recreation Area are in good shape but a little nerve-wracking because they're so narrow there's not much room to get out of the way when you come face-to-face with tour buses shuttling paddlers to and from the Gauley River.

     I checked out Mason Branch and Woods Ferry where I enjoyed some nice hiking, paddling and swimming.  Since it was summer, the kayakers I spotted were using "rubber duckies" so they could negotiate the rocky river without getting stuck.

     Mason Branch has an unmarked, unmaintained trail near the parking lot where you can see a couple of nice waterfalls.  There's a trail to the left of the lower falls that takes you to a higher waterfall the locals call "Janie's Hole."  The story I heard is Janie was a young lady who died after she either fell or jumped from the top of this falls.

     There's another interesting local story about the nearby Summersville Lake.  This crystal clear lake was created when an earthen dam was built that covered the small farming community of Gad with water.  My 98-year old mom says no one wanted to call it the "Gad Dam" because it sounded like they were using the Lord's name in vane, so they settled on the next closest town and named it the Summersville Dam.  Water released from this lake in the fall is what creates the world-class whitewater on the Gauley River.

Really cool campground located right on the New River, located at Foster Falls. The river sounds amazing at night. You have to walk everything into the campground from the parking area, but it's not a long walk so you can still bring all of your "car camping" luxuries. There are no RV sites and there are no bathhouses, only pit toilets which can be a little funky, but it is what it is. Just a short walk from the campground, you can explore the area which includes stables, a wildlife center, visitor center with local artisan goods (we got some local teas, stevia, and handmade jewelry/ornaments as gifts), an abandoned hotel/grounds (you can check them out from the outside), an old train car, and much more. Pet-friendly. 

Sites 2, 6, and 9 would be my personal picks for next time. If you have a large group, G17 is HUGE. You can also use this campground for day-use, picnicking, etc.

Shot Tower State Park isn't far from here either, so definitely check that out while you're in the area. Millrace Campground is located within the New River State Park. We went in October and the colors were really starting to change.

This campground has views of the West Virginia mountains and overlooks a cow pasture. So much fun to stay at. Glad I found this little gem on here and would stop again if headed that way again. 30 am available.

the Pipestem campground has both rustic and electric/water sites for tent camping. There is plenty to do within walking distance or a short drive. There is hiking all around the Pipestem area. There is a lake to fish and boat on. The Bolar lookout tower that is accessible to the general public on a big hill. a short drive away is the Pipsetem drive-in outdoor theater. This campground and surrounding state park is family friendly. there is an olympic size pool, for swimming, as well there is a tram that takes you down to the canyon rim to explore a local river.

We camped at Pipestem in a 37' travel trailer. We love this campground. Quiet, well spaced, nice roads for biking. We enjoyed lots of the amenities, including the horseback riding, nature center and giant water inflatables.

We spent this weekend camping at Pipestem Resort State Park. The park is super clean and very well maintained. We hiked up to the tower for a great view of the area. We rode the tram at sunset. We sat by the river in at the base of the tram and enjoyed the quiet serene views of folks fishing, deer grazing, and watched the sun go down. The campground was nearly full. It was well maintained, but the sites were small and very close together. We spent time in the park and saw many of the local waterfalls (Pipestem Falls, Sandstone Falls, Brush Creek Falls, Mash Fork Falls, Campbell Falls). The night sky was amazingly clear and stars were bright. It was a great weekend and a great park.

If you’re looking for a great game park with lots of activities for kids/families, you can‘t go wrong with Pipestem. AmenItIes Include horseback riding, two pools, an r/c car track, aerial tram rIdes, and dIsc golf.

West Virginia at its finest! Blue stone state park is right next door to the lake so there are wonderful water activities here. There is a marina where we got to rent a boat and the catfish were plentiful. Where we camped in the state park it was really pretty rugged. Mountains and lots of trees, shrubbery to navigate through. They had a swimming pool and it was clean. I loved the lake. Big and beautiful. Great time on the water!

This campground rests by Bluestone Lake, which is where the Bluestone River runs runs into the New River. Meador CG is up the Bluestone portion of the lake and the backwaters do have a swampy appearance. The area is gorgeous with tons to do at both Bluestone State Park, Pipestem State Park (short 20 min drive, and the broader New River area.

The campground is very quiet and well spaced. Our site was one of only a handful with water and electric but there is a dump station on the way out of the campground area.

The bathrooms and other facilities are a little dated but the campground is very clean. There is an outdoor pool within walking distance of campground but the playgrounds need upgraded. Lots of space to run around for the kids. It rained one day we were there and we took a quick drive to Pipestem and swam in the heated, indoor pool that is included in camping fee.

GREENBRIER RIVER TRAIL MILE POST 9.5 PRIMITIVE CAMPSITE, KEISTER, WV

Greenbrier River Trail Primitive Campsite at Mile Post 9.5 is close enough to North Caldwell, WV…the GBT Southern Terminus…that you could make a quick journey north from the parking area for an exceptional night of camping.

Traveling West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail from it's Northern Terminus at Cass Railroad, Stumptown to it's Southern Terminus in North Caldwell has created a thirst that can only be slaked by multiple future returns. What a fantastic trail!

The Shelter is so new its not even noted on any but the newest Trail Map. It appears that individuals or families have either constructed or donated for the construction of both shelters and several protected bench areas. The Dale McCutcheon Shelter was so clean and comfortable, it's hard to call this primitive camping. Note: All campsites on the Greenbrier River Trail are first come-first served…no reservations. Backstory on McCutcheon Shelter: https://www.wvnstv.com/news/west-virginia-news/greenbrier-county/new-shelters-built-along-greenbrier-river-trail/

PROS:

• Adirondock Style Shelter (New)
• Raised Tent pads
• Picnic Tables
• Metal Fire Rings
• Large, clean Pit Latrine
• Hand pump well water
• Metal Bear Proof Trash Receptacle
• Free
• No Cell Service
• Great Swimming Rock Trail South

CONS:

• No Cell Service
• Hand pump well water was inoperable during our late June 2020 visit

NEARBY HIGHLIGHTS:

• The Greenbrier Resort
• The Wild Bean - Lewisburg (restaurant)
• Seneca Forest/State Park
• Snowshoe Mountain Resort
• Cass Railroad
• Spruce Knob
• Seneca Rocks

In late June 2020, weather along The Greenbrier River Trail was cooler, with late afternoon/early evening rain showers. Only the last day did we enjoy warmer weather with blue skies. Which made the allure of a nearby swimming rock a great temptation. Several mall cascades lined the West side of the trail, which is ordinarily the side cut from the mountain for the railway. 

With a few short miles until the journey ends at the Southern Terminus…we slowed our paced and stopped more frequently to enjoy all the sights and sounds.  

Trail conditions got soft and muddy after the previous night's deluge through the more heavily wooded areas, once the trail was exposed to constant sun, it dried quickly. Blow-down did slow us down a few times. Interesting note: This campsite area is a relocation of one destroyed by the heavy rains and buried by landslide of 2016. The Greenbrier Trail itself travels between the Greenbrier River and was, in many places, hewn from the mountainside. It is these areas where heavy rains soften the soil and old growth trees dislodge and cause trail blockages and/or mudslides. Oftentimes, when bicycling, one keeps his eyes forward to the trail/road in front of them…but if you gaze around you on this trail…there is much to see all around and often above!

Overall, it is a must-do…and I can't wait to ride the Greenbrier River Trail again!