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Best Tent Camping near Dunbar, WV

400 Reviews

Tent campers visiting Dunbar, West Virginia have several established campgrounds within driving distance, particularly in the New River Gorge area. Stone Cliff Campground in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve offers free, first-come, first-served tent sites along the riverside, while Chestnut Creek Campground provides a family-owned primitive tent camping experience with more amenities but still maintains a rustic atmosphere.

Most tent sites in the region feature basic amenities with varying terrain. Stone Cliff offers sandy, walk-in sites with some located directly on the riverbank, but campers should note the absence of picnic tables at most sites and bring their own drinking water. Vault toilets are available but can be heavily used due to rafting companies putting in nearby. Chestnut Creek Campground provides more developed facilities with showers and flush toilets, wooden tent platforms at some sites, and trees suitable for hammocks. A review mentioned, "The site we had was awesome as it had a wooden platform for our tent and plenty of trees for our hammocks."

New River Gorge Campground, operated by the American Alpine Club, caters specifically to tent campers with wooden platforms for setting up tents. The terrain throughout the region tends to be uneven, making these platforms particularly valuable. Sites are often set among boulders and rhododendrons, offering natural privacy between camping areas. A camper noted that "Sites on the lower loop, in the low 20's and up, looked lovely, tucked among boulders and rhodies." Fire regulations vary by location – Stone Cliff allows fires in established stone rings, while the American Alpine Club campground limits fires to a communal pit. Tent campers should be prepared for occasional wildlife encounters and train noise near riverside sites, particularly at Stone Cliff where trains pass 2-3 times nightly on the opposite shore.

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Best Tent Sites Near Dunbar, West Virginia (12)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Dunbar, WV

37 Photos of 12 Dunbar Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Dunbar, WV

400 Reviews of 12 Dunbar Campgrounds

  • H. K.
    Jun. 26, 2022

    Stone Cliff Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

    Free, centrally located & meh

    Stone Cliff campground is a sandy, walk in campground. There is one site that you can park beside which I think is supposed to be ADA accessible. The rest of the sites require a short walk in or down about a flight of steps.

    We camped right below the stairs. There was a pole for a lantern but no picnic table (although there are some near the parking area), no fire ring (previous campers had made one out of stone that we used), and no flat tent pad area. We pitched our tent in the flattest spot and it was acceptable.

    There are vault toilets up the stairs and across the parking lot. They smelled awful and needed to be cleaned. Although it didn't seem like Stone Cliff was a busy campground (we only had a couple neighbors) the rafting companies put in right there and bring bus loads of rafters who use the vault toilets so they are used by lots of people.

    You have to bring your own water. There are garbage cans in the parking area above.

    It is right on the New River on a sand bar which is nice except there was SO MUCH BROKEN GLASS. Honestly it was the most broken glass I've seen on a beach. There was also quite a lot of litter which is obnoxious.

    Overall it was fine. It was free and it was close to the Visitor's Center and most of the trails I wanted to hike. But it wasn't a beautiful or serene nature setting.

  • B
    Oct. 23, 2021

    Forked Run State Park Campground

    Bad for tents

    Went there in October. No attendance around and not many campers. Sites are very bad for tent camping and not the bet for RV’s. Back ins are sort and most sites have no level ground even for the picnic table or fire ring. Showers were clean but cold. Vault toilets only and stuck to high Heaven. Not serviced well at all. Hiked the lake view trail, poorly maintained. The upper loop from the beach end is very hard to find and not marked at all. Even more disappointing than Hope Lake which has its own site problems for tents.

  • Heather P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 9, 2022

    Babcock State Park Campground

    Choose your site wisely

    My suggestion is take a good look at the sites before setting up camp.

    With 51 sites, maybe 20 were populated.  

    While we had no rain, you could tell some sites could easily be washed out or have

    a nice stream that would run through your site with heavy rains.

    Picnic table and fire ring in sites.  Firewood can be purchased from the check in building.

    NO Alcohol allowed in campground!

    Restrooms and the campground was well maintained.

    Checking out the Glade Creek Grist Mill is a MUST!!

  • Alex M.
    Jul. 20, 2022

    Krodel Park Campground

    Nice park, awful bathrooms

    This is a strange campground, but not a bad one. It is minutes away from downtown Point Pleasant. I had spent the afternoon exploring the town and didn't feel like driving further. There aren't many campgrounds nearby, so this place came to the rescue.

    The park's main feature is a lake that looks to be artificial. Maybe an old gravel quarry? The terrain around the lake is nicely landscaped. There is a paved path along the shore, along with picnic tables and shelters. Kayak rentals are available and the lake is stocked with fish.

    Most of the campground is RV focused, but I stayed at a primitive tent site. These are located closer to the entrance. There are no site numbers. Just pull your car up onto the grass and set up wherever. A few picnic tables and electrical outlets are spaced out along the road. There were a few other campers here when I visited, but there was enough room for us to maintain good separation. No shade trees or shrubs for privacy, though.

    This is not a particularly quiet or restful campground. The day use area around the lake was hopping, with people coming and going well into the night. No closing time, or just not enforced? Not sure. Having so much traffic was a little uncomfortable from a safety standpoint, but nothing untoward happened while I was there. There was also quite a bit of noise from the nearby road and railroad.

    The biggest problem with this campground was the bathroom. It was one of the worst I've seen. It may very well have been cleaned recently, but it was so dark and dingy that I couldn't tell. No windows and just a single bare incandescent bulb for illumination. Reminded me of a gas station toilet. The sink barely drained, the toilet barely flushed, and the urinal looked like it was about to fall off the wall. I have used vault toilets that were much, much nicer than this. I found myself wishing for one of those. Gross.

    There is only one other bathroom located closer to the RV area, and this looked to be just as bad. To be clear, there are only two single occupancy men's rooms for the ENTIRE campground. Yes, there are a few porta potties scattered around as well, but this is ridiculous. This place needs to invest in better facilities.

  • Dave V.
    Sep. 1, 2017

    Babcock State Park Campground

    Drop Dead Gorgeous!

    Babcock State Park, located in the thriving megapolis of Clifton, West Virginia is postcard perfect! https://wvstateparks.com/park/babcock-state-park/

    The road in off the highway isn't too long, but it seemed long, winding, and up and down...especially as night fell. Driving backcountry roads in West Virginia, at night, is not my idea of fun, as I had several near misses with Bambi and her roving gang of miscreants...having no regard for traffic laws...and one knock down, drag out with minimal vehicle damage.

    One of the beauties of West Virginia...it is a sparsely populated state with open, unchoked roads that lead to some of the most amazing sights. You must be willing to explore, but you will be richly rewarded.

    In the dark, I did pass the campground signs without seeing them and turned into the State Park entrance...wound around past rental cabins to the park office, so I had to backtrack to the campground, which is located in a different area altogether. Driven during daylight hours, the signs are very apparent...so I'm blaming it on the deer.

    We arrived midweek, the first of May, so we did not reserve a site. The campground has 52 sites, so I thought we would have a good shot as a walk-in. No worries...we shared the campground with two other campers. Our campsite (site 32) was on the inner loop of the main campground loop at sits around 2450 ft elevation. The temperature got down to 30 degrees and frost covered everything. Twenty eight sites have electric hook-ups ($28) and twenty four do not ($25). The inner loop has some mature trees but is wide open and close cut grass...every camper has a view of the other. Even the outside sites on the main loop are visible. The smaller loop to the right as you enter and a few sites to the left sit in slightly more wooded sites...but there is no foliage separating sites. There is also sites on the opposite side of the roadway when you enter the campground, but seem more like overflow sites...and a fair distance to trek for the showerhouse/restroom/laundry which is situated on the bottom of the main loop.

    There is plenty of gravel parking pad for large RV/Campers at all the sites and are angled for trailer back-in. Tent pads are not define and grassy (or a muddy mix depending on weather and usage). Each site has a picnic table and fire ring.

    The showerhouse/restroom is located at the front of the loop and was spotless and maintained at the time of our stay...but not climate controlled...as in, not heated. The ladies that keep the park facilities clean worked tirelessly. A very nice activity area for kids sat along the inner portion o the main loop.

    The main entrance to the park offers several cabin rental, from economy to 4 bedroom, the park office/visitor's center/gift shop sit along the river. The park office staff were very helpful, friendly and wear many hats...like most state parks.

    This building and surrounding stone structures, retaining walls, and staircases were built by the CCC and are magnificent and in great shape. The beautiful gift shop was once a former park restaurant of a bygone era.

    Ranger Cochrane was a wealth of information about the park, it's history and neighboring parks. He graciously spent time answering my barrage of questions. Ranger Cochrane was yet another tribute to the fine personnel that WV parks have in place.

    The park office is also the best location for postcard perfect pictures of the raging whitewater and gristmill. While not the original gristmill from this location, three remaining gristmills from around the state were dismantled and rebuilt into one at the present location over 30 years ago. The gristmill was very photogenic in the early Spring, but I can only imagine the splendor when the fall leaves change color.

    Whitewater kayakers were readying to put in on the rain swollen and boulder strewn river that feeds into the New River below.

    Boley Lake, a short drive up the mountain is picturesque and well-stoked with fish. You can paddle the 19 acre lake with personal paddle craft or rent paddleboats, canoes or rowboats from the Boley Lake Marina. Fishing is permitted, but you must have proper licensing...which can be purchased online.

    Trails are everywhere and of every terrain and level of difficulty...over 20 miles of trails total. Babcock State Park is 4,127 acres, so there is plenty to see and do. Bicycling can be done on all park paved and gravel roads (no off-road trails), as well as along the Narrow Gauge Trail. And of course, being not too far from The New River and Gauley River...whitewater rafting is close.

  • Cody M.
    Jun. 7, 2022

    New River Gorge Campground - American Alpine Club

    I chose poorly…

    Low review based only on my poor site selection. I was right by the communal shelter. Quiet hours were courteously observed by fellow campers and the lights turned off automatically shortly after 10, but outside of those times there was no quiet or privacy. The sites on the lower loop, say low 20’s and up, looked lovely, tucked among boulders and rhodies. Each site had a picnic table and tent pad(s). Fires are limited to a large communal fire pit that was well stocked with wood. Clean restrooms. Coin-operated showers. Definitely can tell it’s a climber’s campground. Had a very Miguel’s-like vibe to it.

    Definitely check out the Burrito Bar tucked into the woods on the other side of 19. Great beer, good food, and chill atmosphere.

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2021

    Army Camp — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

    Free camping near, but not on the river

    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.

  • Dave V.
    May. 21, 2018

    Army Camp — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

    RANGER REVIEW: Primus Trailbottle S/S 1.0 liter at Army Camp Campground, WVk

    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.

Guide to Dunbar

Tent camping near Dunbar, West Virginia offers access to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, where elevations range from 1,400 feet along the river to 2,000 feet at the canyon rim. The climate features warm summers with temperatures averaging 85°F and cool spring and fall nights that can drop below 50°F. During peak season from May through September, many sites fill by Friday morning, especially at riverside locations.

What to do

Hiking access from camp: At Stone Cliff Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, campers can access hiking directly from their sites. "There's a great trail nearby that runs along the river," notes James A. The Stone Cliff area connects to the wider park trail system with minimal driving required.

Fishing opportunities: Plum Orchard Lake WMA provides excellent fishing access with boat launch facilities. "Great place for kayaking on a beautiful lake nestled in the mountains of Fayette county," shares Zondra V. Many fishermen visit throughout the day and evening, making it a popular spot for anglers.

Visit abandoned mining towns: The Brooklyn Campground offers proximity to historic sites. "South side junction trail is right there and leads to Thurmond, an almost abandoned coal mining town," writes Aspen H. This trail provides a glimpse into the area's industrial past without needing to drive.

What campers like

Natural site separation: At Chestnut Creek Campground, the wooded setting creates privacy between sites. "Most sites are simple with just a picnic table and fire pit. There are lots of trees in between many of the sites for great privacy," explains Debra W. The natural terrain helps create individual camping spaces.

Primitive camping with facilities: Campers appreciate access to basic amenities while maintaining a wilderness feel. "This is a very nice little campground set up for tents, hammock campers and some car campers. No hook-ups. Definitely not for RVs or Camper trailers," says Lisa K. about Chestnut Creek Campground.

Riverside camping options: Several campgrounds offer direct river access. "I used one of the walk in sites about half a mile into the trail. There was plenty of room for 4 tents right along the river," reports Dillon about his stay at Stone Cliff Campground.

What you should know

Train noise considerations: Railroad tracks run near several riverside campgrounds. "Note for light sleepers: there is an active railroad across the river and there were probably 5-10 trains the Wednesday night that we stayed," warns Brittany S. about Brooklyn Campground.

Seasonal bathroom availability: Facilities vary significantly by season at many campgrounds. "Even though the showers are closed and the host isn't on sight in the winter, you can still stay here on the honor system," notes Eric K. about New River Gorge Campground.

Limited cell service: Many camping areas have spotty reception. The exception is Chestnut Creek, where a camper noted, "Cell reception was great all throughout this area. That's not a camping necessity for us, but we all noticed that everyone's phone had great reception with a variety of network providers."

Tips for camping with families

Check site accessibility: Some campgrounds have difficult terrain for children. "So we had no idea there was a steep gravel decline to get to the camp site," Zac R. mentions about Stone Cliff. "We merely stared from afar as we drove to a different campsite."

Kid-friendly activities: Plum Orchard Lake WMA offers swimming and wildlife viewing opportunities. "The lake is good for swimming but you're welcome to bring your boat, kayak or canoe too. We were able to see deer, raccoons and some nice looking birds," reports Elaine L.

Consider private campgrounds: Family-operated sites often provide more amenities for children. "This place is run by the family that lives there and has been my go to spot for stays at the New. Great launching pad for river activities and climbing," says Katie M. about Chestnut Creek Campground.

Tips from RVers

Road conditions: Access roads to some campgrounds can be challenging. "Long, bumpy dirt road to reach the campsite—it could be fun in the right vehicle," Patrick W. warns about Plum Orchard Lake WMA. "Luckily we had an axe, we had to chop a tree that fell overnight blocking the road out of the campsite."

Limited RV facilities: Most campgrounds near Dunbar cater primarily to tent campers. New River Gorge Campground - American Alpine Club has "wooden tent platforms (10'x10') to set up on, which is a huge plus since the ground is so uneven throughout," explains Mollie R., making it unsuitable for RVs.

Alternative parking options: Some sites require walking from parking areas. "The 4 sites by the river have a parking lot and you walk (not very far at all, 10 - 50 yards) to them," explains Cody T. about Brooklyn Campground, which can be inconvenient for those with large vehicles or lots of gear.

Frequently Asked Questions

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