89 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds in the vicinity of Dunbar, West Virginia provide access to both established facilities and more rustic options within driving distance of Charleston. Kanawha State Forest, located a short drive from Dunbar, features campgrounds nestled along mountain streams with both tent and RV sites. The region includes a mix of state forest camping, roadside parks with RV hookups, and private campgrounds like Rippling Waters Church of God Campgrounds and Rifrafters Campground that offer cabin accommodations. Several locations cater to RV travelers with full hookup services, while others maintain primitive sites for those seeking a more traditional camping experience.
Most campgrounds in the area operate seasonally, with many closing during winter months. Kanawha State Forest campground typically operates from April through early December. "Camped here during a trail run visit. Nice rustic campground, clean and the sites are along a stream which adds to the ambiance. Trails are challenging and beautiful," noted one visitor to Kanawha State Forest. Road access varies throughout the region, with some campgrounds situated on narrow mountain roads that may present challenges for larger RVs. Cell service can be limited in more remote areas, particularly in valleys and deeper forest settings. Weather conditions typically feature humid summers and mild winters, though higher elevations experience cooler temperatures year-round.
Several public camping areas in the region provide river access, with Saint Albans Roadside Park offering both riverside camping and boat launch facilities. According to one camper, "The St. Albans roadside park is for pull behind campers only. No tents allowed. About 6-7 sites for campers. On one side is the main road, which is the only negative thing with road noise. On the other side is the Kanawha river." Many campgrounds in the area maintain picnic tables and fire rings, though fire regulations may vary by season and location. For travelers seeking overnight convenience, several parking lot camping options exist near commercial areas, including Cabela's, which provides a safe stopping point with nearby amenities. Noise levels can vary significantly between forest settings and more urban-adjacent camping areas, with roadside locations experiencing more traffic sound but offering greater accessibility to services.
"Tucked away in the middle of the mountains, surrounded by the constant reminder of wildlife around. I stayed for the very start of spring. The world was covered in the brightest green moss."
"Kanawha state forest is nestled in the mountainous Hills of West by God Virginia right on the outskirts of Charleston. There is plenty of hiking in Kanawha state forest."
from $35 - $40 / night
Check Availability"Albans roadside park is for pull behind campers only. No tents allowed. About 6-7 sites for campers."
"The City of Saint Albans has a roadside park with three RV sites where you can camp for 2-days max in a 14-day period. The sites are first-come, first-serve, with donations encouraged. "
"We tent camp, but walking around, the camping trailers did not appear to be crowded together. For us this is a fantastic place to overnight and will return again when traveling through the area!!"
"We had a pull thru site by the lake, it had to be about 100 yards long and nicely graveled."
from $55 - $155 / night
Check Availability"It has very close proximity to I-64 in West Virginia, and you can hear the traffic pretty clearly."
"This is a very cozy park tucked in between US60 and I64. We are in site 14 and its not quite level, but they were generous with gravel so the drainage is good! No parking in puddles!"
"This is across the main highway from the water ways water park. Others camp here to be close to the Hatfield McCoy ATV trail system."
from $20 - $110 / night
Check Availability"Some really great beer places close by as well. Nice a shady too. I’d like to go back and do some exploring around the area. Just be careful with what gps app you use."
"They walked us to our site and helped us back into our spot. Everything worked well with all of the hookups. It was a quiet and clean campground."
from $15 - $50 / night
Check Availability"I told them I did not have these capabilities in my rig and they gave me sole access to the handicapped shower."
"The owner goes around the campground at 430p offering firewood for $5/bundle. The view from our full hookup campsite is hands down amazing!! We're situated directly on the New River in Gauley Bridge."
from $30 - $40 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $50 - $150 / night
Check Availability"This place is so pretty its positively photogenic! Monday - Wednesday we had our loop all to ourselves. We were visited by geese, ducks and deer."
"The spots on the lake are our favorites, but are usually first to fill up. You won't be far from the lake wherever your spot is. The full hookup spots are in my opinion most crowded."
ScoutOn west side of Summersville lake, 18 free first come campsites, drive-in, level. Vault toilets, no water. Picnic tables, grill and fire ring. Access to free swimming across road at winter boat ramp. Sandy beach swimming down the road for $5. Lake is clear and warm.
ScoutOnly one campground on the east side of Summersville lake, run by private family. “Primitive “ sites have no paved area to park. Just picnic tables on the grass, close together, hilly, and no shade. $25-45/ night. Across the lake on the west side we stayed at Gauley Tailwaters cg, 18 drive-in sites, Army Corps of Engineers, Free. Access to swimming across the road at the winter boat ramp.
TravelerAs others have reported, the 11 sites here are well maintained and spaced apart nicely. The road in is narrow and has a lot of low hanging limbs, so no big rigs here. It’s quiet apart from the sounds of the river and the bugs. Generators are allowed except for between 10p-6a. Verizon has no service here. Half the sites get decent exposure to charge the solar, the other half are mostly shade. The protected river bottom meant no breeze for the 5 nights we were here, so it remained hot and buggy. But overall it’s a great spot away from the madness. Most of the spots got filled every night during the week at the end of August with a lot of daily turnover, so arrive early.
ScoutThis is a great campground with hostel vibes. There’s ample space and lots of amenities. The staff are very knowledgeable for daily activities if you’re not sure of what to do.
TravelerThis was a quaint place to reset. Relaxing!
We came late and all of the sites were occupied, but when you are in a camper van the large day use parking area was perfect!
Pit toilets are clean! Not that we used them. No hookups of any kind.
Short walk to the river and some well maintained picnic benches.
ScoutPerfect camp spot has a fire ring and table lots of trees around
ScoutWe had a wonderful stay at Rifrafters! The campground is remarkably clean, well-organized, and has a truly welcoming, homey feel. The dog park is large, open, and was a great spot for our dogs to run around and burn off some energy.What really sets this place apart is the incredible owners. They are as friendly, accessible, and easygoing as they come. They guided us into our spot perfectly on the first attempt, constantly checked in to ensure we were comfortable, and even recommended a great local mechanic when our truck needed service. You can really tell they care about their guests. We will definitely be staying here again next time we're in the area!
ScoutVery low key place. Self check-in. Bath house is old but clean, plenty of hot water. Washing machine and dryer available. Free coffee every morning.
GuideThe owners of this campground are among the rudest people we have ever come across in the camping world.
On our first attempt at reserving a site, we reserved the site three months in advance. When we arrived, they moved us to a different spot to accommodate 'other campers' with zero explanation. When we tried to explain we reserved that site in advance and specifically, the older bald guy, became unprofessionally furious and threatened to kick us off the grounds without a refund. The second year we tried to stay there,we again, reserved a specific site AND paid the lock-in fee, thinking, surely, this will not happen again. Unfortunately, the campground is rather beautiful, so we simply tried to fully abide by THEIR OWN rules the second time to avoid unnecessary conflict.
Nope. When we arrived, they moved us AGAIN to a terrible site. Bottomline, these people are power-trippers. They're argumentative, they're rude, they're short, and if you even try to ask about the reservation process, they will just kick you off the property with no refund and no campsite.
And again, they do not calmy explain what they're doing or why. They just do it...and if you question them, they will escalate the situation to an incredulous level of arguing.
This place could be incredible, but the owners have completely ruined it. We will never be trying to stay here again, and will pass it along to anyone trying to stay in that area.
Camping options around Dunbar, West Virginia range from secluded forest settings to riverside locations with mountain views. The region sits within the Appalachian foothills between 600-1,200 feet elevation, creating microclimates that affect camping conditions. Most campgrounds in this area feature gravel sites with varying degrees of shade, and access roads often follow winding creek beds.
Hiking and biking trails: Kanawha State Forest offers extensive trail systems for various skill levels. "Tons of hiking and biking (mountain and road) opportunities available. Don't forget to do your laundry in the facilities during the sweltering WV summers," notes a visitor at Kanawha State Forest.
Target shooting: Kanawha State Forest maintains a designated shooting range for visitors. As one camper mentioned, "They have a nice target range and trails," making it a good option for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy both hiking and shooting sports.
Water activities: The region offers several rivers suitable for kayaking and fishing. A camper at New River Campground shared, "Beautiful night along the New River! I love bringing my kayak here to paddle around!" The campground provides direct river access for boating and fishing.
Coal River float trips: Located near Ole Henry's Camping Retreat, the Coal River provides options for float trips during warmer months. This waterway offers a less crowded alternative to the more popular Kanawha River.
Waterfront access: Riverside camping is highly rated by visitors. "From bumper of my TT to the river was about 30ft. Shade trees and a light morning mist on the river made a beautiful sunrise," explained one camper about their experience at New River Campground.
Convenient locations: Many campgrounds provide proximity to towns while maintaining a natural setting. At Saint Albans Roadside Park, campers appreciate the location: "It is across street from restaurants and stores," and "There's a grocery store directly across the street with a grocery store and other amenities."
Swimming options: Several campgrounds offer water recreation for families. At Ole Henry's Camping Retreat, "The creek nearby offers up a good, safe swimming hole for all the kids and adults," according to a recent visitor.
Camp stores: On-site supplies save campers trips to town. "Not to mention they have a store where you can buy almost anything you might need in case you forget something," mentioned a camper at Ole Henry's Camping Retreat.
Road conditions: Access roads to some campgrounds can be challenging. A visitor to New River Campground stated, "The drive from Rt 19 to the campground is 8% grades both uphill and down, with twists, turns, and practical u-turns with my 35ft. Fun for me, not for my wife."
Train noise: Campgrounds along rivers may experience train noise. "The railroad is right across the river, so pretty nice to watch but at night it can be a little loud if you need silence to sleep," noted a camper at New River Campground.
Cellular reception: Signal strength varies significantly by carrier and location. One visitor to Huntington / Fox Fire KOA reported, "Great cellular for TMobile and AT&T," while Kanawha State Forest campers often find limited service: "Don't expect to have signal. I'm on tmobile and I had an occasional bar."
Reservations: Best places to camp near Dunbar, West Virginia often require advance booking, especially for weekend stays from April through October. During weekdays, more availability exists at most campgrounds.
Playground access: Several campgrounds offer dedicated play areas. At Fox Fire KOA, one visitor mentioned, "Seemed like it had lots of nice amenities for kids," while another noted Ole Henry's "has a nice swing set and a couple big wooden play structures."
Swimming areas: Water features keep children entertained during summer months. At Rippling Waters Church of God Campgrounds, "There is a pool on site," and the campground also features "a big lake with a small dock."
Kid-friendly activities: Campgrounds offer varying amenities for children. According to a visitor at Fox Fire KOA, "They had so much for kids to do: a swimming pond with inflatables, gem mining, banana bikes, and more. They showed a movie at 9pm on a big inflatable movie screen outside."
Site selection: Request sites away from roads when possible. One camper at Huntington/Fox Fire KOA advised, "We had one of the back in sites which was nice because there was nothing but woods behind us."
Site leveling: Prepare for varied terrain at camping spots near Dunbar. At Rifrafters Campground, one RVer reported, "Our site was plenty large and the concrete pad was perfectly level," but others found less consistent surfaces elsewhere.
Electric hookup variety: Check amperage requirements before booking. A visitor to Saint Albans Roadside Park noted, "Free electricity (30 amp). 3 spots available, first come first serve, no reservation. 2 nights max."
Road clearance: Some campgrounds require navigating steep grades or tight turns. A camper at Rippling Waters Church of God Campgrounds cautioned, "It is very much built into a big hill- I was a little worried our Avion (similar to airstream) that had low clearance would bottom out as we came in and out of entrance hill to road but we had no issue."
Site dimensions: RV length limitations vary by campground. At Kanawha State Forest, a visitor warned, "The GPS led us up a gravel road with no signs for miles... The sites are on top of windy uphill mountain roads... I do not recommend for campers of any size."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Dunbar, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, Dunbar, WV offers a wide range of camping options, with 89 campgrounds and RV parks near Dunbar, WV and 2 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Dunbar, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Dunbar, WV is Kanawha State Forest with a 4.2-star rating from 27 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Dunbar, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 2 free dispersed camping spots near Dunbar, WV.
What parks are near Dunbar, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 27 parks near Dunbar, WV that allow camping, notably Beech Fork Lake and East Lynn Lake.
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