Looking for the best campgrounds near Bowden, WV? Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Bowden, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Bowden, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
$45 / night
"If you have a class A or are looking for something with full hookups, look no further."
"Location is prime!! Loved the RV sites right on the water. Perfect if you are a trout fisherman or hiker."
$20 - $55 / night
"Rustic, clean porta johns, private, primitive spots on river. Community fire rings on beach area. Firewood available. Relaxing"
"It has the primitive feel, campsites are in the natural woods as opposed to a pristine tent pad. I love how open and natural it feels."
$49 / night
$35 - $65 / night
"Safe place to pull over for the night right of interstate"
$40 / night
"This campground was very close to hiking trails in the area and was close enough to Elkins to quickly run into town. There was also a really good BBQ place right next to it."
$17 - $65 / night
"It’s located in the Monongahela National Forest near the North Fork South Branch of the Potomac River with nearby peaks ranging from 1,000 feet to nearly 5,000 feet above sea level."
"I stayed here for a single night while I was exploring West Virginia, but I wish I had stayed longer. This is one of the most beautiful campgrounds I've ever seen."
"Decent size RV park with mostly seasonal and full time residents. They are still happy to have short term campers. Nice full hook up sites and cable TV. Staff was very friendly."
$15 / night
"This is a hidden gem right outside of town. We utilized one of the rv sites with 50 amp service and full hookups."
"Bathrooms and laundry are clean and well maintained. Our site was very level and there was plenty of room between sites. Water, sewer and electric all worked well. "
"Very nice folks in the camp store. Very centrally located to many fun attractions including the railroad tours, Mongahelia National Forest, Davis and Elkins College, etc."
"We had a camp site that was right against the river with full hookups."
LegendDecent size RV park with mostly seasonal and full time residents. They are still happy to have short term campers. Nice full hook up sites and cable TV. Staff was very friendly. Firewood is abundant, good quality, and cheap. Not a whole lot on the way of amenities, but it’s a nice facility. Location is great, very close to the lake and the ski resort. If you want to camp while at the lake this is a great choice.
LegendBulltown Camp, Burnsville Lake, WV
https://www.recreation.gov/camping/bulltown-camp/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=73106
Bulltown campground, is adjacent to the Bulltown Historic Site of Civil War significance. Civil War buffs and historians alike will thrive at this location! Research dates/times for Civil War battle re-enactments. Also check days/times when the historic buildings will be open and tourable…rather than peering wistfully through the windows as we did on a weekday.
Bulltown Camp is at the headwaters of Burnsville Lake and the Little Kanawha River. Another incredible Army Corp of Engineers Campground.
This is an unbelievably beautiful, thus an immensely popular RV/Camper campground. Reservations are highly suggested if you want a site.
Part 1 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv9ZURGhTf4
Part 2 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aXOvWzCp-80
All the grounds are meticulously maintained by Army Corp of Engineer personnel, hosts and volunteers. In fact, one entire camping loop (Volunteer Village) on the hill is for volunteers. I really cannot overstate how impeccably clean all the facilities are here. Whether it’s the Bulltown Historic Area, the showerhouses, bathrooms, grassy areas, pavilions or playgrounds…great pride has been taken to keep this campground a showcase.
Each loop has its own showerhouse, remarkable children’s playground, and pavilion. Out of nearly 200 sites most sites have water/electric and numerous full sewer hookup. The way in which they laid out the loops, most outside loop sites sit on the water…most having their own boat mooring post. Along with lantern post, fire pit and picnic table. Sites are moderately sized with a smattering of singular trees here and there. You will both see and hear your neighbors if you are outside your RV. Depending on the loop chosen, Site costs are either $24, $26 or $30 …which also dictates simply electric or full hook-up.
Be aware when reserving that two loops are not pet friendly (E and F).
This is a large meandering lake that permits power-boaters, but during our visit they were quiet and conscientious. You can also paddle the Lake.
The campground host is to your immediate right once you enter past the entrance office…but there are also loop hosts and numerous volunteers…all nice and helpful.
Bulltown Camp is close to a major highway so access is quick. Plan ahead and enjoy a great stay!
ScoutStokesville campground is a little rough around the edges but offers access to lots of miles of trails in George Washington National Forest. There is an awesome swimming hole on the North River, Four miles of flow mountain bike trails inside the campground with endless miles of trails just outside. Stokesville is a mountain bike destination that cyclists travel from all around, the the campground is alot of those cyclists gateway to gwnf. The campground has primitive tent sites up in the woods and full hookup pull through sites. A playground for kids and fishing pond.
LegendRed Creek Campground is positioned a decent drive down gravel National Forest roads, so it does not see the amount of traffic that easier, closer campgrounds get. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mnf/recreation/natureviewing/recarea/?recid=7003&actid=63
With a season of Mid-April through the beginning of December, be assured that weather is always a factor. Family has been thwarted at Thanksgiving by unpassable snow without a 4x4. Rain is almost certain, as the varied elevation nearly creates its own weather patterns. So my first recommendation is to always add rain gear and cold weather garments for insurance.
We ordinarily visit during the month of August and being a "fly by the seat of my pants" type of roaming tent camper...I have arrived to see Red Creek Campground full...as these sites are non-reservable.
Keep in mind, Red Creek Campground is "primitive"...no modern facilities, no showers, no electric...and the only running water accessible, is a small spring pipe (that I highly recommend filtering before use even though it does not post that).
Sites on the outer portion of the loop are fairly concealed from one another by trees and undergrowth...the inner loop sites are a little more exposed. Gravel parking at sites and each site offers a picnic table a fire ring and lantern post. All sites are a short distance to the two individual unisex pit lantrines in the center of the campground.
With no ambient light, the night skies are amazing...though cloud cover always seem to plague my visits at night. Though one evening we drove down toward Bear Rocks and laid in an open field to stargaze one evening to enjoy a wonderful light show from shooting stars. We were so quiet, several deer passed between us within arms reach...a little disconcerting but we survived.
Trails are abundant and some leave directly from the campground deeper into the Wilderness Area. Choose footwear wisely, as the trails are strewn with sharp rocks (on certain trails), various stream and river crossings, shoe-swallowing mud bogs along with the regular ol' dirt trail. Bring a trail map, water...and/or a water filter...and raingear.
Nearby Bear Rocks is a fun scamper for "kids" of all ages and the views eastward share WV and Virginia mountain ranges.
We were thrilled to visit when "Bird Banding" is taking place and enjoyed searching for migrating birds caught in the netting on the east side of the road opposite the campground.
For a peaceful, relaxing camping experience that offers great hiking, and some of the most amazing flora and fauna...its a family favorite!
Guide8/14/2025
USACE-managed campground with hosts who are on-site all season. Nice sites (easy staking) with picnic tables and fire pits, plus a camp store for firewood and other supplies (got there too late to check it out though). A little crowded with what seemed like folks who stay there for a hefty chunk of the season, and the sites are pretty close together, but there weren't any issues with rowdy folks - it seems like the hosts keep things in order/enforce quiet hours if necessary.
Drinking water right next to the site (37) as well as a trail to a restroom - I think there's a shower on the other loop/section.
$22 for a basic (non-electric) tent site.
LegendCanaan Valley has 3 loops of sites with hookups as well as a few primitive tent sites. There’s a centrally located bath house with flush toilets and hot showers. Many of the sites are pull-through with parking parallel to the loop road. I was on the last loop in a pull-through site and the main campsite area with picnic table and fire ring were several steps below the parking pad. I was here in April. When I made my reservations, I could only find a site for Friday night, so I went ahead and reserved it, but kept checking back. A few days prior to my arrival, a different site opened for the entire weekend. I couldn’t switch, but I went ahead and reserved the Saturday night at the newly open and then reached out via email to the resort. They were able to change my Friday night reservation to the same site so that I would not have to relocate in the middle of my stay.
The Canaan Valley area is beautiful and is one of West Virginia’s State Resorts, offering far more than just a campground. Many of the facilities were not yet open fully, but the chairlift to the summit at the ski area was open on weekends. There are a number of nearby parks and forests worth exploring: Blackwater Falls, Dolly Sods Wilderness, Smoke Hole Canyon, Spruce Knob and Seneca Rocks are all within~1 hour drive. You can also stay put at the resort and hike, bike, golf(including mini-golf), swim, geocache, or stargaze. There’s a large open field with a play area near the campground. On of the one clear night I was there, the sky was brilliant.
The only downside was that there was an event of some sort taking place the morning I left and the racket from the loudspeaker carried over to the campground. I picked up some ice cream at the Purple Fiddle in Thomas, WV on my way to the campground. This place also offers live music. There is an assortment of restaurants in Thomas and Davis.
ScoutThis is a hidden gem right outside of town. We utilized one of the rv sites with 50 amp service and full hookups. The rv sites are very close together but in the week that we stayed we never heard any noise other than our own children. And it was a holiday week so there were lots of people. The location is amazingly located right on the Shavers Fork river on a section that was shallow and calm enough for our small children to enjoy it. We figured the river would be a crowded place since the campground was nearly full and it was hot but we were pleasantly surprised that most of the week we were the only family on the river! We walked up river to the end of the property and were able to tube down to the lower end of the property. The view and sunsets over the river made for gorgeous pictures. We also spent a little time fishing.
The amenities were no doubt a luxury. Clean bathhouses with endless hot water, laundry, cable and wifi, a fire ring and if you would like they will bring firewood to your campsite for $5. The owners are literally the nicest people that you will ever meet. They come around daily to check on each person to make sure all of your needs are met. These are definitely people that take pride in their campground! And we had cell service since we were right outside of town which is hard to find in WV.
There are many things to do in the vicinity. There's a wonderful park nearby that has a walking/biking trail, splash pad, and a large playground. The Monongahalia National Forest is really close for hiking, views or additional swimming and fishing.
Overall this was a great experience and we truly enjoyed our weeklong stay. We will definitely being staying here again.
ScoutWe really enjoyed our stay at 5 Rivers Campground. It is a spacious campground that the owners have maintained well. Bathrooms and laundry are clean and well maintained. Our site was very level and there was plenty of room between sites. Water, sewer and electric all worked well. We even had cable TV and excellent WIFI. Campground is in a beautiful setting and close to a number of state parks with hiking trails and beautiful scenery. The park was very quiet and peaceful which made our stay very relaxing. The owners are very nice and went out of their way to make sure that you had everything you need
LegendThere are a number of campgrounds in the Smoke Hole Canyon/Seneca Rocks area, but most of them are better suited to smaller rigs and tent campers. If you have a class A or are looking for something with full hookups, look no further. Located in the Smoke Hole Canyon resort area, not far from the caverns, this small campground offers 10 RV sites along the river. Picnic tables and fire rings available. Site are large and level, but close to one another and open. Dark sky and an open field for stargazing. There are cabins nearby, but no tents. No cell phone coverage.
Plenty to do in the immediate area, with the caverns, fishing, hiking, and climbing. Dolly Sods and Canaan Valley are also nearby.
Season is March to December.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular RV campsite near Bowden, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular RV campground near Bowden, WV is Smoke Hole Caverns and Log Cabin/RV Resort with a 4.5-star rating from 4 reviews.
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