Several campgrounds encircle Thomas, West Virginia, a small mountain town situated in the heart of the Allegheny Mountains. Blackwater Falls State Park Campground provides both tent and RV sites with electric hookups, while nearby Canaan Loop Road offers free dispersed camping options in a more primitive setting. The area supports a range of accommodation types, from basic tent camping to full-service RV sites with hookups, as well as cabins at Canaan Valley Resort State Park Campground and glamping opportunities at Five River Campground.
The campground landscape near Thomas experiences significant seasonal variation, with many facilities operating only from April through October. "The park is gorgeous with many great trails and overlooks! If you are going through WV you need to stay here!" noted one visitor about Blackwater Falls. Water and electric hookups are available at several established campgrounds, though placement can sometimes be challenging, with some sites reporting hookups on the "wrong side" for RVs. Elevation changes affect temperatures year-round, with higher elevation sites remaining cool even during summer months. Cell service varies throughout the region, with Blackwater Falls reporting reasonably good coverage for both Verizon and AT&T users.
Public lands surrounding Thomas include multiple dispersed camping areas that receive consistently high ratings from visitors seeking more remote experiences. Dolly Sods Backcountry provides free primitive camping with a perfect 5.0 rating from reviewers who appreciate its natural setting, though it lacks amenities like drinking water and toilets. A recent review emphasized that "the trails lead through incredible flower laden sections to incredible views!" when describing the area around Blackwater Falls. Wildlife sightings, particularly deer, are common at several campgrounds, with some visitors reporting regular encounters during morning and evening hours. Campers seeking both convenience and natural experiences can find sites ranging from fully-developed campgrounds with showers and electric to remote backcountry locations within a 30-minute drive of Thomas.
$50 / night
"Blackwater State Park, Davis, WV https://wvstateparks.com/park/blackwater-falls-state-park/ Camping anywhere in West Virginia is a highlight, but this area offers hiking views aplenty."
"This was our first stay in a state park campground in West Virginia and it was a great stay. Arrived during a steady downpour and rented a cabin for the first night but camped the second night."
$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."
"It sets at the end of a side street (Walnut St) at the edge of town (Parsons). A small, quaint mountain town."
"road is easy to drive on- some bumps but we were in a small kia sedan and it was fine, there are a lot of spots visible from the road but there are also some hidden a few steps away from the road that"
"The one downside, if you are into privacy, is that all of the sites are RIGHT NEXT to that dirt road, so others will be driving past your site."
"I stayed two nights at site 2 which is tucked away from most of the other sites, save for one close by."
"It is away from everything and it is surrounded by a ton of hiking trails. Great camping, great hiking."
$20 - $45 / night
"Campground Review: Canaan Valley State Park and Resort, Davis, West Virginia The Canaan Valley State Park and Resort is situated in a very popular outdoor activity area...for every season."
"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."
"We hiked in in warm weather and once we reached the top of a long entrance road (where one trailhead was) we found snow."
"Having visited Dolly Sods numerous times at the Red Creek Campground, using that as the base camp to launch off to explore the myriad of trails."
$20 - $125 / night
"Great place to connect with family in the wide open spaces of West Virginia. Very nice bathroom facilities,no bath house but plenty of water."
"If you use solar, ironically, the sites around the loop/with electric, are your best bet as there is a large open field in the middle; a second loop contains more primitive sites and some walk-in sites"
"There is a trailhead on forest rd 162 with miles of hiking with a hand full of trails to choose. We arrived around 4PM on a Sunday. Plenty of sites to choose from. Was about half full."
"simply would not like it all, but might be ideal for your purposes, such as two or three areas where there is essentially a big field with a short loop road with maybe half a dozen campsites right next to"
$17 - $65 / night
"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."
"West Virginia is packed with some of the best hiking, climbing, rafting, biking, canyons, mountains, rivers, valleys, and forests in the U.S...and the beauty is few people take advantage of it."
$20 - $55 / night
"includes 14 camping sites(firepits, slabwood benches, parking, and future picnic tables), 5 primitive shelter cabin sites(10x`12 lofted barn cabins with hasp for your padlock), and a 5 short term RV sites near"
ScoutThis place is beautiful! I loved seeing all the wildlife! My daughter and I enjoyed walking the entire campground looking for Bigfoot.😉 we loved waking up the next morning to having squirrels, chipmunks, deer and birds on our campsite. We stayed on site 14
ScoutThis place is so relaxing! As soon as we stepped out of our motorhome it felt like we could relax. You could hear the birds tweeting and see squirrels playing and even butterflies dancing in the sunlight. It felt so nice to just set down in our chairs and take a break from life here. The owners are so friendly! I loved being able to pet the donkey/mule. This place is beautiful. We stayed in site 9 this time and site 8 last time. I honestly have no complaints about this place!!!
ScoutSuper remote camp spot! The drive to the forest road was a little tight and windy for an inexperienced mountain driver as myself. Wouldn't want to do it at night.
Most camp spots are on loops of more group camping with 4-6 sites at each loop and I believe there were 3 or 4 loops. Not my cup of tea, too fish bowl for me and way too exposed. Outside of the loops, there were 8-10 sites that were more my style, with the one we stayed at was just right! The most perfect spot in the whole place (for our preferences) we were literally on a babbling creek. Couldn't get any closer. Had direct access to water for washing and other needs. However I read in a brochure to not drink the water without boiling for 3 minutes because the area has giardia.
Saw a lot of people headed further down creek to fish for trout. No cell service for about 20 minutes. We had to drive back to route 33 and the halfway to Elkins to catch a sliver of cell service.
If you are staying at camp and brought everything you need, you're golden. There are lots of things to occupy yourself with exploring. There is a trailhead on forest rd 162 with miles of hiking with a hand full of trails to choose.
We arrived around 4PM on a Sunday. Plenty of sites to choose from. Was about half full. When we got up the next morning to leave, most spots were open. We stayed until mid day on Friday. Action was definitely picking up. Saw more people, more kids and louder noises. We are definitely Sunday to Thursday campers. I want to camp without knowing the neighbors are there. When leaving on Friday most sites were taken.
Had no problems finding plenty of fallen kindling for our fire. We found a great roadside house on route 33 that was selling firewood in their front yard for only $10 a "row" as they called it. We got 2 rows because we werent sure what to expect when we got there. We built a good hearty fire every morning and every evening and still had firewood we left there since there was so much accessible resources.
We ended up doing a lot of "tourist" experiences that was a bit of a drive to get to due to my inexperience in driving in the mountains. The drives were usually 30 minutes to an hour and a half. But well worth the drive.
Elkins is the closest place to "civilization" (north on 33) we went there for cheap gas, ice, and the grocery store. Didn't explore Elkins as it was too "city" for us. We wanted more remote experiences.
Harman was the next closest place (south on 33) not much for exploring, but they have a dollar general (what remote town doesn't have a dollar general?) and a place for gas
Continue on 33 south and hit Seneca Rocks! Such a beautiful sight to see! Also have the oldest general store built in 1902 and Yokums country store. Its like going back in time. Both tourist traps but worth the experience. We went to the recreation area with river access so beautiful to see the cliffs upclose and personal. If you are a climber this is the place for you. We are hikers. But enjoyed the views.
Continuing on 33 south there is smoke hole caverns. Another tourist trap but fun. For $20 you get a cavern tour tack on a little more if you want to go gem "panning" and get a bag of dirt to find gems. Or putt putt. Giant gift shop. Someone said it was the largest gift shop in West Virginia.
From Seneca Rocks if you head west on 28 it will take you past Seneca Caverns. They were closed for the summer due to blasting nearby.
Continuing on 28 west you then come to one of my favorite spots. Spruce Knob. The highest elevation in all of West Virginia, gorgeous views all around! Terrible observation tower that you cant see anything due to trees. Nice picnic area. Going down the other side of the mountain Spruce Knob lake, lots more trail heads AND a fantastic dispersed camping area! Seneca Creek backcountry. Didn't camp here. Will camp here next time. All dirt roads down the other side of the mountain. But so worth the adventure!
From camp and going to Harman take 32 east and that will take you to Canaan Valley state park, didn't explore too much but access to a lot more hiking
Then you come to Davis WV one of the cutest little towns ever! Very developed for back country but very very quaint. The davis depot has some camping/hiking clothes and lots of tourist items with t-shirts stickers and such. But great designs. Spent a hunk of change here. Has a grocery store and a dollar general. And a hiking, camping, backpacking store. Has gear, clothes, shoes, you name it. Had an issue with my hiking boots. Got good quality boots here! There are several small boutique stores a couple of restaurants a brewery and a bicycle shop.
Last point of interest I'll address, on the other side of Davis, Blackwater State Park. Easy in intermediate hiking here did most of our hiking here. Gorgeous falls. 3 to be exact. Nice overlooks. Nice recreation center for the kids. Near Canaan loop rd.[Canaan loop rd has dispersed camping too. This is where I had planned on camping when we came to WV and ended up over in Glady. However, I was told by the guy at the camp store in Davis that it was closed. I cannot confirm this. But just definitely check into it before solidifying plans]
My preferences for camping are not usually the whole tourist thing. But WV has so much to offer I just couldn't get enough! So we kept trekking out to see more. The drive is a lot and was a whole day's journey round trip with spending time at those locations but so worth it. Not that far of a drive in the scheme of things
Will come back to this area over and over for all the dispersed camping options and for all the sights and experiences packed in such a small area.
TravelerVery nice spot, good tent setup pads and fire rings at all the sites, my one complaint is that it is right next to the road that while not frequently used, the occasional car can often take away from the remote experience. There are some sites a little further in but the diff is minimal. Overall very great, well maintained spot
TravelerThis is one of six campsites that can be reserved through PA's DCNR website. The six campsites are spread throughout the Laurel Highlands. This is the only one at Mt. Davis. We camp with three dogs, so we really appreciated the privacy. There were occasionally the sounds of distant ATVs or farm equipment, but, overall, this is a peaceful site. The campsite does not connect to the trails at Mt. Davis and there is no vault toilet here, but both vault toilets and a trailhead are just a few minutes away at the Mt. Davis picnic area. There is only one obvious tent site, so, if you need more than one tent site, you will have to get creative. The site is along a gravel road that leads to a field which you can use to walk your dogs. There are no water features here which our dogs enjoy, so that is the only reason for the 4 out of 5 stars. We will be reserving this site again!
TravelerThere were at least 12 numbered sites. Free dispersed camping. 14 day limit. Most sites had sun so you could have solar. Some sites were very private tucked far off the gravel road. All sites were very spaced out. Very quiet.
TravelerI used the coordinates and it took me to a campground that charges $15 a day. They weren’t private being right on the gravel road. There were tables,pits and the shepherds hook in each one. There were some that were on the river. There were toilets. I didn’t use them so I can’t say anything more about them. Not much sun thru the dense trees for solar. I kept driving around the forest on FR227 and came upon a whole nother set of labeled dispersed campsites that were very private and have open areas for solar. They were numbered. There were at least 12 that I saw.
ScoutThis was a great place to camp. Lovely. The price was affordable. We stayed in the cabin. Electricity. Air conditioning. Running water. The property owner manager is very accommodating and pleasant to talk with.Â
Highly recommended.
~Robert
art505.com
ScoutThe biggest problem with the WV state parks is the cancellation policy. Make sure you check it out. Bath houses are decent. Shower had hot water and good pressure. Most of the sites are not level 1-9 are the best sites by far. Poor drainage when raining.
The Monongahela National Forest surrounds Thomas, West Virginia, creating a lush wilderness camping environment at elevations between 2,800 and 4,300 feet. This high-altitude location stays 10-15 degrees cooler than lower regions during summer months, making it a popular destination for those seeking relief from heat. The area's remote camping locations often experience significant fog and mist, especially in morning hours.
Enjoy riverside recreation: At Five River Campground, campers can fish, tube, and paddle 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," shares one visitor who stayed for a week.
Explore diverse ecosystems: The unique landscape around Dolly Sods offers distinctive vegetation zones unlike anywhere else in the region. "With the incredibly varied landscapes and diverse vegetation, Dolly Sods truly feels like you are somewhere far north from WV. The ferns and evergreens reminded me of being in Maine, the vast meadows felt like I was in Wyoming or Montana," notes one backpacker.
Go stargazing: Clear mountain nights provide excellent stargazing opportunities. At Seneca Shadows, "With no ambient light, the night skies are amazing." Another camper at Blackwater Falls State Park mentioned, "The sky was absolutely perfect to view from the campground - you could bring a telescope!"
Easy access to small towns: Nearby communities offer cultural experiences within minutes of wilderness camping. One Blackwater Falls State Park visitor appreciated "spending the day in Thomas looking at local art & antiques. The evening in Davis eating at hellbender burritos." The campground serves as "a central location to some of the best of our state."
Wildlife encounters: Deer sightings are common at most campgrounds in the region. A Canaan Valley visitor noted, "Deer meander through the primitive tent sites with their fawns each morning and evening." At Seneca Shadows, one camper described how "we were so quiet, several deer passed between us within arms reach" while stargazing.
Temperature comfort: The higher elevations provide natural cooling during summer months. "We visited in August and the weather was lovely," reported one camper at Canaan Valley. Another mentioned, "even though the weather was in our favor, at night there is extreme winds and it's enough to completely destroy your tent" - highlighting the importance of proper gear.
Seasonal road conditions: Winter access requires preparation and appropriate vehicles. A visitor to Canaan Loop Road warned, "We camped here on a winter road trip fully prepared for the worst weather and this mountain top dispersed site delivered. It was muddy and snowy but our Subaru made it fine about half way into Canaan loop road."
Cell service variability: Communication access varies dramatically by location. Five River Campground boasts "great cell signal for most carriers and even offers wifi and cable," making it unique among wilderness camping options.
Water challenges: Many trails and camping areas experience persistent mud and water issues. A Dolly Sods visitor shared, "Be advised that during the summer lots of rain fall so trails will be muddy and some trails almost completely underwater, Dobbins Grade is one of the trails that typically is wet and muddy most of the summer and fall."
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find camping options near Thomas, WV?
Thomas, WV is surrounded by excellent camping destinations. Blackwater Falls State Park Campground in nearby Davis offers scenic camping with access to the iconic waterfall and extensive hiking trails. The area also features Canaan Valley Resort State Park Campground with three loops of hookup sites, primitive tent sites, and a central bathhouse with hot showers. For those seeking more rustic options, check out Dolly Sods Wilderness Area for backcountry camping, or the budget-friendly Eagle Rock Campground along the river. Most campgrounds in the region are open seasonally from spring through fall, with winter closures common due to harsh weather conditions.
What amenities does Momma Tried Campground offer near Thomas?
While specific information about Momma Tried Campground isn't available in the reviews, the Thomas area offers several alternatives with known amenities. Seneca Shadows provides both standard sites with gravel pads, water, and electricity in the front section, plus more scenic tent camping areas with breathtaking views. For a more rustic experience, Eagle Rock Campground offers basic riverside camping for just $10 per night with a self-pay system. Most campgrounds in the region provide access to outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and wildlife viewing. For verification of Momma Tried Campground's specific amenities, contact the local tourism office in Thomas.
What camping is available near Thomas, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, Thomas, WV offers a wide range of camping options, with 147 campgrounds and RV parks near Thomas, WV and 26 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Thomas, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Thomas, WV is Blackwater Falls State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 55 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Thomas, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 26 free dispersed camping spots near Thomas, WV.
What parks are near Thomas, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 24 parks near Thomas, WV that allow camping, notably Jennings Randolph Lake and Youghiogheny River Lake.
Keep Exploring
