Tent camping opportunities near Edmond, West Virginia extend throughout the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, which ranges from 1,000 to 1,400 feet in elevation with temperature variations of 5-10 degrees cooler at higher elevations. The region's camping season typically runs from April through October, with occasional snow possible in early spring and late fall. Summer nighttime temperatures often drop into the 60s even when daytime highs reach the 80s, making sleeping conditions comfortable for tent campers.
What to do
Hiking on nearby trails: The South Side Junction Trail at Brooklyn Campground connects campers to Thurmond, a historic coal mining town. "South side junction trail is right there and leads to thurmond; an almost abandoned coal mining town," notes camper Aspen H.
Climbing access: The New River Gorge area is renowned for climbing routes. New River Gorge Campground offers specialized accommodations for climbers. "This campground is well maintained and located in the heart of the New. It's a quick walk to the Junkyard Wall or a short drive to many other classic crags," reports Eric K. The campground even includes a campus board for training during climbing season.
Water activities: Sites near rivers provide swimming and fishing access. At Stone Cliff Campground, one camper shared, "Great isolated sites. Sites are first come first served, no reservation needed. Plenty of parking with 6+ isolated camp sites, all with view of river. There is a great trail nearby that runs along the river."
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Chestnut Creek Campground offers well-separated wooded tent sites. A camper noted, "Sites are primitive with plenty of trees for and shade and hammocks. The owner is super nice and very helpful." Another mentioned, "There are lots of trees in between many of the sites for great privacy."
Riverside camping: Stone Cliff Campground features sites directly on the New River. "We stayed at site #6. Had plenty of space and were far enough away to not hear our neighbors," reports Kaylee F. Other campers appreciate the "sandy sites" along the riverbank, which provide easy water access.
Clean facilities: Despite their rustic nature, many campgrounds maintain good facilities. At Plum Orchard Lake WMA, visitors find "rustic tent and camper sites" with nearby "fishing and hiking areas within a 20 mile radius." The area showcases "a beautiful array of color - greens, reds and yellows" during fall foliage season.
What you should know
First-come, first-served policies: Several campgrounds don't take reservations. At Meadow Creek Campground, "There are 17 sites, all free FCFS tent only sites. We thought we'd have a hard time finding a spot on a Friday night but it was less than half full the whole 4 nights we were there."
Train noise: Multiple campgrounds sit near active railroad tracks. At Stone Cliff, campers report that "trains would go by every few hours" while at Meadow Creek "the multi-track railroad right next to the campground" means trains "go by pretty frequently at all hours of day and night and are so loud you can feel the vibrations."
Per-person fees: Unlike standard per-site pricing, Chestnut Creek charges per camper. "The campground charges per person which was different from what I'm used to, but it was very reasonable and comparable to other campgrounds in the area," explains one reviewer.
Tips for camping with families
Look for disc golf options: Chestnut Creek includes family-friendly amenities beyond standard camping. "Has a Frisbee/Disc Golf Course. Close to rivers, climbing and hiking activities," notes Debra W., making it suitable for families with varied interests.
Consider site accessibility: Some sites require short walks from parking. At Stone Cliff Beach, "There are 4 nice spots down on the beach (we opted against these since we didn't want to clean sand out of everything when we packed up) and two up a small hill close to the parking lot and trailhead."
Check cell coverage: Unlike many remote camping areas, several campgrounds near Edmond have reliable service. At Chestnut Creek, "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 from RVers
Size restrictions apply: For the best tent camping near Edmond, West Virginia, most sites can't accommodate large RVs. At Chestnut Creek, one camper clarifies it's "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."
Consider tent-only campgrounds: Some locations have changed their policies to tent-only. At Meadow Creek, "The ranger informed us someone who stayed here in a rv had a close call crossing the train tracks and now they have decided to make this campground a tent only place."
Check road conditions: Access roads can be challenging. When visiting Plum Orchard Lake WMA, expect a "Long, bumpy dirt road to reach the campsite—it could be fun in the right vehicle." Another camper warns about Stone Cliff: "We had no idea there was a steep gravel decline to get to the camp site."
