Are you an equestrian lover who prefers a more rustic experience when you visit Circleville? Finding a place to stay in West Virginia while traveling with your horse has never been easier. With our help, you'll find the best West Virginia equestrian campsites from scenic to easily accessible.
Spruce Knob Lake Campground is tucked in a beautiful hardwood forest less than a mile from Spruce Knob Lake. The campground provides a peaceful setting with easy access to boating on the lake and hiking through the mountainous region. Spruce Knob is the highest peak in West Virginia. A stone and steel observation tower is perched atop the peak, offering breathtaking 360-degree views of the area.
Sixty miles of picturesque hiking trails crisscross the region, and the campground provides direct access to the pleasant 1-mile Big Bend River Loop. Trout fishing is available nearby at 25-acre Spruce Knob Lake, and in surrounding creeks. Facilities at the lake include a small boat ramp, parking area and vault toilets. A wooden pier along the shoreline provides barrier-free access to the lake.No swimming is allowed.
The campground is situated on a wooded ridge overlooking the lake. To the east is 4,863' Spruce Knob. The vegetation atop Spruce Knob has adapted to a harsh, exposed environment. One-sided red spruce deformed by constant exposure to strong westerly winds cling to the high rocky ridges. Blueberry and huckleberry plants cover the ground. Due to its location, the campground may experience cold fogs and strong winds year-round.
The half-mile Whispering Spruce Trail circles Spruce Knob and provides panoramic views of the beautiful area.
$18 / night
Located along the Laurel Fork River between Laurel Fork North and South Wilderness__areas, this primitive campground offers visitors a nice camping opportunity in the Middle Mountain area on the site of an old Civilian Conservation Corps location.Day hiking and backpacking opportunities are available leaving from this campground as well through the__Laurel Fork North and South Wilderness.
$16 - $60 / night
Trout Pond Recreation Area boasts two bodies of water, Rock Cliff Lake and Trout Pond. Relax on a sandy mountain beach or fish for stocked trout while relaxing along the cool waters of Rock Cliff Lake. Trout Pond, home to native Brook trout, is the only natural lake in West Virginia. A designated swimming area, easy lakeside trails, and a children's playground make this a perfect family destination.
A trail surrounding the entire lake provides bank fishing access at Rock Cliff Lake. All types of boating from motor to sailboats are welcome. Hike the Trout Pond Loop trail, an easy 4-mile excursion, with an optional 2-mile side route, to an overlook of Rockcliff Lake. For a more challenging hike, a connecting trail provides a steep climb up Long and Devil's Hole Mountains.
Rock Cliff Lake is a 17-acre man-made lake with a maximum depth of 36 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. Trout Pond, the naturally formed lake, was created by a sinkhole that filled with mountain stream water and run-off from Long Mountain. Trout Pond can vary in waterflow. Please visit the Forest Service website for our most up to date conditions.
group shelter nonelectric 1-50 people $65, 51-100 people $100, standard non electric is $19.00 per night
$25 / night
Ranger
My family and I liked this campground a lot. We had a camp site that was right against the river with full hookups. This seemed to be a well laid out campground with sites for weekenders in maybe the best location right along the river and the seasonal campers spread out around. The camp store was nice with everything you need, and the staff and owners were friendly as well. We were there for a long weekend and all agreed we would go back.
Guide
Lots of scenery and trails to check out.
Guide
This is a perfect little campground! Quiet, small and clean. Pit toilet was very clean and well stocked. Animal proof trash disposal was very convenient and newly emptied. Our site was right on the creek and the sound was awesome for sleeping. Biggest surprise, given the location on the creek and remoteness of the campground ( settled deep in the woods) , there were No Bugs to speak of! Tons of wildflowers and butterflies! We stayed 3 nights and could have stayed more if we had more time.
Legend
We were just traveling through on our way south and called to see if we could stay for a night. The campground was being shut down for the season but the owners accommodated us anyway! They let us fill water near their home which is on site and had a full hook up available for us.
Great location right on the water. Near a railroad but during our stay it was not running.
Traveler
I have been camping there since 1972. Both upper and lower sites The lower is quiter. It can be crowded on weekends in the summer but with no designated sites there always seems to be space. The upper site has a really nice new heated shower house. I go there to climb and both sites are close to the rocks. I have camped there just about every month of the year. Be forwarded this entire area has no cell service due to the Green radio telescopes.
TravelerVery nice campground. We stayed in campground 4. Tenting. The weekend was a little wet but it was very peaceful. Absolutely zero cell service for att and Verizon. It was nice but I couldn’t check weather lol. Rangers drove thru often and camp sites are nicely spaced. Plenty of options if you like a more tree covered site or open site. I would visit again.
TravelerWe really enjoyed the campground. Nice bathhouse, nice playground, and beautiful setting. We used it as a base for Cass Scenic Railroad, which is not far from Durbin.
TravelerWe really enjoyed our stay and highly recommend it. Revelle is family operated, and it’s obvious they take pride in their work. The grounds are nicely kept, and the bathrooms are very clean indeed. They have weekend activities for guests, and a small convenient store that’s well stocked with the basics. We were feet from the river and it was super peaceful. Beware though, their WiFi only works near the main office. Five stars for sure.
Traveler
We had a nice time camping at Spruce Knob. Rich the camp manager was really chill. You can purchase firewood from him at that entrance for ~$20 a bundle. The walk up sites are pretty private, you can see/hear other campers but after quiet hours start it’s totally silent. Each site comes with a fire ring and picnic table. Bathrooms but no showers. Great place for star gazing and disconnecting from reality for a bit (seriously there’s not a drop of cell service there except up at Spruce Knob so plan accordingly if you rely on phone for maps and what not.) Within close distance of many trails. Looking forward to visiting again!
LegendDownload your maps before you come, because there's no cell service and you'll truly get away. In mid April the capmground had plenty of space, but nearby Spruce Knob Lake was encircled by fishers seeking trout from the latest release. You're in the middle of nowhere, so you do have a truly dark sky. if you're legs aren't up for the 8mile hike to Spruce Knob, take a drive and enjoy the view from the lookout tower on the summit of WV's high point. Make sure you have what you need because it's a long way to a spot to resupply!
Site have picnic tables and fire rings, firewood for sale. Water is available, though they state it is in limited supply. Gravel parking and tent pads are generally level.
TravelerCannot recommend camping here enough!! Sites are well situated, and very private. Especially the walk up sites, they're the real gem. Every site has a picnic table and fire ring. Pit toilets are maintained, but towards the end of our trip there was no TP for the last two days. Prepare accordingly.
Easy access to awesome day hikes, and a quick walk to the lake, where the stargazing is top notch.
Be prepared to navigate without service, and take it slow on the back roads, they're fairly rough.
LegendI stopped at Yokum’s Store to get my camping permit (make sure you arrive during business hours) and drove to the Lower Campgrounds by the river. I couldn’t figure out why I was the only one picking a choice spot by the river. The first night was great. I had a little trail down to the waters edge and sat on giant boulders to eat my meals. I should have checked the weather. The skies opened up, a large limb fell on my tent and the water level began rising. I was so scared I went and slept in my car somewhere else. Later I learned this area is prone to flooding. It’s a great campground Uber close to Seneca Rocks if the weather is good. I would camp here again.
RangerWe thoroughly enjoyed this campground. Very peaceful, surrounded by mountains. The campground had stables and catered to people with horses, but we felt very welcomed by the owners. The campground was very quiet and is actually very near to what is referred to as"The Quiet Zone." Pocahontas County is home to the Green Bank National Radio Astronomy Observatory, a federal complex whose giant single-dish telescope detects"invisible energy waves" from space. Within 10 miles of the Observatory, the use of cell phones, Wi-Fi, microwaves, and other devices is banned.
Most of the sites were full hook-ups and the facilities were very clean and well maintained.
This campground in Durbin was great for exploring the north end of the Greenbrier River Trail, The West Fork Rail Trail, and other sites in the Monongahela National Forest. There isn't much in the town of Durbin except the Durbin Rocket, a century-old train, on which riders can experience a 10 mile, two-hour ride.
RangerCalled and got a reservation Aug 1-12th had a slight problem. We called to say we couldn’t make it until the 2nd no problem and no charge, that was nice if him to do so. Nice well kept campground adjacent to the Durbin Rocket steam locomotive. They are doing a train robbery this week, robbers are riding horseback to steal a guarded shipment!
Scout
We hiked around Rock Cliff Lake and observed petrified wood. Swimming is excellent with sand beach. Big catfish in clear water. Water was so clean that it was throbbing with anfreshwater jellyfish. Very clean campground. Nice spot. The trout pond was dry.
ScoutGreat stay at Holly River State Park
TravelerAdmittedly, we had awful weather - it rained more than 50% of the time. The weather ruled out our main purpose for being their which was astrophotography at Spruce Knob Lake and doing some hiking. That said, we had a lovely walk-in site with a nicely situated tent pad, fire ring and large picnic table nestled in a private space with lots of tree shade. If you are wanting to take in the sites of the area and need a base for day hiking, this is a good spot. There are a few things to know: this campsite is very basic with the only facilities being vault toilets and bins for your trash. You are able to buy firewood there (if you can get it lit and enjoy before it rains!). There is no cell service whatsoever, so once you get there, you’ll have no clue what the weather is going to do unless you have access to a satellite source (we didn’t.) There was a water spigot near our site, but we were told to boil the water before drinking any (which made us glad it wasn’t that hot out and we had brought a sizable stash from home.)
ScoutVery nice campground with water and electric right on the river for $32, clean bathrooms and showers, and very nice owners. We stayed for one night but most of the others staying there had horses and were staying a while. The only slight negative is the town is closed down, so make sure you bring everything you need to eat and drink.
TravelerA great, quiet campground with fewer sites than most. It is about 5 miles from the summit of Spruce Knob (highest peak in West Virginia). Tow campers smaller in size can certainly make it, although mostly tent camping which I like. Some drive up, some drive, park, and walk up. There is a single water source and I'd highly recommend boiling first. H20 does NOT taste good at all. There are a couple of outhouses, and no shower facilities.
TravelerWe camped here over Memorial Day weekend for a little getaway. We mainly came to fish—since this spot is an easy drive to Spruce Knob Lake. (Had a great time trout fishing!) Campgrounds were clean and well-maintained. Ample space, picnic table, fire pit, firewood available on site, solar-powered water pumping station... and the campsite manager has an adorable pooch. I was definitely impressed by the bathrooms as well. They almost smelled... good? If you know you know!
You won’t have service for about an hour (or more) driving up to the site, but it’s a pretty direct route and we didn’t have any trouble navigating without GPS. If you need to make an emergency store visit, the closest Walmart is about an hour and a half away (but it’s a NICE one and is well-stocked, especially for all your camping needs).
It rained pretty much all weekend when we were there, unfortunately, and when it wasn’t raining we were still in the clouds so misted non-stop. Nonetheless, a great spot!
ScoutNice quiet campground the site we stayed in was in a great location had a little stream running across the back side only downside was its not level by no means but i was still able to get the camper leveled up and enjoyed the site. It would Be nice if they would at least build a level pad for the picnic table.
GuideThe breathtaking beauty that this park offers will leave you speechless. Hiking trials that’ll keep you busy all day, well spaced campsites, clean bathhouses, and playgrounds for the kids. Not to mention the sight of a horse or two every now and then as the campground has a section for equestrians and their trailers. September was a great time of year to visit, not too hot/not too cold. There weren’t many empty campsites.
GuideWe stayed here December 10, 2020. The campground was closed for the winter, but we called ahead and they were fine with us staying in the parking area. No amenities, but we were in a Revel,so didn’t need anything anyway. We were completely alone there, which was pretty cool. The area closes completely (entrance gate is locked) from Dec 21 - May 1. The site was super clean and well maintained. Lots of hiking trails and a very easy one that loops around the Rockcliff Lake. Also be sure to take the short walk to the Trout Pond. More crystal clear water, and the pond is an active sinkhole, so that’s pretty cool. And the Lake is socked with trout (license required) during the regular season for those who want to fish.
Legend
This was my first visit to Kumbrabow State Forest, but not my last!
Kumbrabow State Forest offers lots of great trails, rustic cabins, and a primitive campground. This historic recreation area, carved into this 9,500-acre forest by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930’s, is a wonderful place to unplug and unwind. It’s located at 3,000 feet above sea level on the western edge of the Allegheny Highlands, so it’s the highest state forest in West Virginia.
I stayed in space #7, located next to Mill Creek, where I enjoyed the relaxing sound of this gurgling stream all night long. Each camping spot has a picnic table, fire ring and lantern holder. There are pit toilets and a pump for fresh spring water in the campground. Two-miles down the road, there’s a bathhouse next to the Kumbrabow forest headquarters.
If you hike the 2-mile Potato Hole Trail, you'll arrive at the top of Rich Mountain and an overlook with a fantastic view. You can also park at the Kumbrabow gun range and hike the longer, but less strenuous, Rich Mountain Fire Trail which intersects with the Potato Hole Trail.
Make sure you check out Mills Creek Falls and admire the really cool CCC-built rustic cabins. The cabins don’t have water or electricity, but offer gas lights, gas refrigerator, fully-equipped kitchen, wood fireplace, and outside grill and firepit. My 99-year old mom and her siblings stayed here for their "sister parties" years ago and loved the cabins at Kumbrabow.
I suggest a side trip to the Highland Scenic Highway where you can admire the Falls of Hills Creek, Cranberry Glades, and colorful foliage during the fall season.
GuideThis is a really beautiful park! When we arrived the park was almost empty and it was so quiet. We enjoyed the beautiful drive in with the fall colors and the little stream next to the road that goes through the campground. The sites are a little tight if you have a bigger camper. We have a R-Pod so the site was perfect for us. We stayed in a site that backed up to the mountain which added some privacy when other campers came in towards the end of our stay. The rangers were so helpful and just wonderful. There was a lot of wildlife to enjoy as you go through the park: deer, Turkey. The shower houses were cleaned three times a day. The sites have electric and at the shower house there is a spigot for fresh water. There was no phone signal at all for Verizon service, so a nice place to disconnect. The hiking trails were really beautiful. At the Upper Falls and Shupe’s Chute there is a parking area and a wooden set of stairs and board walk to the Upper Falls. The trail to the Overlook was a very difficult trail, but the view from the top was breathtaking. Worth the difficult hike. Absolutely loved the park. The only reason I didn’t give a five star rating is because... the last two nights we stayed some of the campers that came in were blasting music and yelling across the campground. They were so loud we could hear them from inside our camper and it went on until we’ll after midnight. The park has quiet hours from 10pm-7am. Despite the rangers making rounds it continued. Aside from that we truly enjoyed our visit to this park and will be back.
Legend
Greenbrier River Trail Milepost 63.8 Primitive Campsite, Located between Clover Lick and Clawson, WV (south of Sharp's Tunnel)
The Greenbrier River Trail is one of the most beautiful and often most remote trail I have had the privilege of bikepacking. If you aren't familiar with camping in West Virginia, you are in for a treat. The WV State Park system is fantastic and the State Park employees take incredible pride in keeping all their parks beautifully maintained despite poor budgets to work with.
GRT MP 63.8 Primitive Campsite is close to 17 miles south of the Cass Railroad Station. Trail conditions were wonderful, typical Railroad ballast, crushed gravel...at times it was wide like they recently removed the track, and other sections grass has grown down the middle to make it two track. All flat with a gentle one percent downhill grade from Stumptown to North Caldwell. Frankly, it wasn't discernible...but I'll take it.
Wildlife and songbirds were abundant and as shocked to see you as you were them. Oftentimes, the deer would run the trail ahead of you for 200 yards before cutting off onto their sidetrail.
The trail itself is recorded at differing lengths depending on what you read, but we started at MP 80…at Cass Railroad Station...traveling south to North Caldwell.
PROS:
CONS:
NEARBY HIGHLIGHTS:
*Note in the video, I initially thought the steel containers were bear proof storage, but I was incorrect and they are bear proof trash receptacles.
This is bear country, so we kept all our food items and toiletries in a bear cannister during our trip. We did not experience any encounters or sightings, but fellow cyclists traveling in the same direction, observed a juvenile bear during the day along the trail.
In fact, WV has an abundant wildlife population and it is evident along the Greenbrier River Trail, which set this trail apart from other bikepacking trails I've traveled.
You will see in a couple photos that a certain slithering resident was unwilling to give up his claim on this Adirondack Shelter, we attempted to dissuade him, we even gently relocated him, but he was neither afraid of our presence nor was he about to pass up a roof over his head. So we acquiesced and moved to the raised tent pad 100' down the trail. He was a very curious character.
In June, you can anticipate random, short afternoon or evening cloudbursts...but they can be gully-washers. Nights were cool and most mornings I wore a long-sleeve Merino shirt.
Riding and camping along the picture-perfect Greenbrier River offers fantastic views and opportunities to cool off...bring your swimwear.
Legend
GREENBRIER RIVER TRAIL MILEPOST 69.6 PRIMITIVE CAMPING AREA, Clover Lick, WV
The Greenbrier River Trail is a converted C&O Railway that travels 80 miles from Cass Railroad Station, Stumptown, WV to North Caldwell, WV. This Rails-to-Trails is wonderfully maintained by WV State Parks and was featured in Backpacker Magazine as one of the top 10 hiking trails in the country. This former railbed would be considered flat by most, but there is a 1% downhill grade from the Northern Terminus in Stumptown to its Southern Terminus in North Caldwell.
There are plenty of these Primitive Camping Areas along the trail to make this a "must-do" trail. The trail is made primarily of the old Railway ballast and a finer pea gravel most of the trail...but there are some overgrown grassy two-track and some muddy sections as well. This is called "Wet Virginia" for good reason...pack a rain jacket.
The trail itself is recorded at differing lengths depending on what you read, but we started at MP 80...at Cass Railroad Station.
PROS:
CONS:
NEARBY HIGHLIGHTS:
The Greenbrier River Trail is a delightful bikepacking excursion. Very doable for all ages. I'd recommend road bicycles with tires no narrower than 700x32 or mountain bikes. Because of the wetter climate, there were soggy sections that would cause difficulty for thin tires, especially when laden with panniers.
The MP 69.6 Camping Area is along the Greenbrier River, so camping along it affords great wildlife viewing at dawn and dusk when the animals head to the water to drink. The amount of wildlife we saw throughout the day was incredible while biking the trail. Mostly deer, rabbit, chipmunks and Eastern Box Turtles sharing the trail...but we did see a few turkey, fox and bobcat. An elderly fellow cyclist, sharing the camping area, saw a juvenile black bear. The Greenbrier River Trail travels through Watoga State Park, Seneca State Forest and the Monongahela National Forest
The Greenbrier River Trail is a mutli-use trail, so there is potential to see bicyclists, walkers, hikers, horseback and in the winter, XC skiers. Near towns we encountered very polite and pleasant walkers and cyclists enjoying the trail...but away from the towns it was very quiet, peaceful and remote.
NOTE: If you choose to ride the Greenbrier River Trail from Stumptown to North Caldwell or the opposite direction...unless you are going to ride back the way you came, you will need to have someone shuttle your vehicle. I used Chuck Workman, owner of Appalachian Sports in Marlinsburg to shuttle my vehicle to the Southern Terminus...Oscar from Cass Railroad Station shared that useful information!
West Virginia offers a fantastic experience for horse camping enthusiasts, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to both riders and their equine companions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Circleville, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Circleville, WV is Spruce Knob Lake Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Circleville, WV?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 equestrian camping locations near Circleville, WV, with real photos and reviews from campers.
