Awesome campground in the middle of the mountains. We were looking for a get away and found this gem. The owners are great, showers clean and had plenty of space.
This is a really great park. I been here multiple times through the years. There is a lot of fun trails to go on. Which you can view the water falls and river. The welcome center is very hands on. But there was a lot of construction when I was there. I recommend going in the summertime. When it’s warmer you can go down the natural waterslide and swim in the river.
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.
Most will travel by Canaan Valley State Park entrance and the back road to Dolly Sods Wilderness Area to arrive at Blackwater Falls State Park…but very worthwhile.
This campground is very popular and fills up quickly. I’ve only visited during midweek and prime sites are still difficult to find. Reservations can be made online and are recommended during peak season. Cabins are also available for rental.
The campground office is small but sites are paid for there ($23 non electric/$26 electric)… firewood and ice are available there also.
I’ve only camped in the non-electric loops (to the left). and usually along the far wood line. There are 65 sites in all, less than half offer electric.
Obviously, the biggest draw is the cascading 57ft Blackwater Falls, but there are other smaller falls (Elakala Falls) in the State Park. Trails abound with some pretty incredible long valley views. Lindy Point and Pendleton Point Overlook are two big draws. All worthwhile. Note: The walk down to the bottom of the Blackwater Falls include many steps…not handicap accessible to the lower levels.
The Trading Post by the falls is enjoyable and will satisfy your search for trinkets.
During my stays the campground has been quiet and relaxing. The centrally located restrooms/showerhouse is spartan but clean and well-stocked.
Deer meandered through the unattended Campsites two of my three stays, so it can be very quiet. Trees exist on outside perimeter sites that can be utilized for hammocking…and some inner loop sites. The sites have level grassy areas for tents…parking pads are all fairly sufficient for pop-ups or moderate-sized campers. On my visits, RV/campers were primarily in the loop to the right of the office.
The nearby town has a small grocery store and several fantastic eateries.
We went in late October and we arrived fairly late in the day and to our surprise someone was in the store when we got there. Campground was in great shape, the RV lots were well maintained and all the asphalt seems to have been redone recently. The bathrooms were clean and heated to a comfortable level. Showers had great pressure as well. The spots were well spaced out and pretty spacious, the site we were in had electric hookup for 50a/30a/20a but no water at the site but there was water near the bathroom area. Nice big fire pit in the center area for groups.
Very large park with a variety of campsites ranging from tent, 20/30 amp, 50 amp, and yurts. Price is the same for all electric sites, regardless of amperage. There is a 40-foot maximum vehicle length allowed in the campground– not a problem for our 17-foot van but the staffer who checked us in remarked that many people come in with larger rigs trying to squeeze in and are unable to. We had no problem securing a site with no reservation on a Monday evening after Labor Day. Very close to two Frank Lloyd Wright properties– Kentuck Knob and the more widely known Falling Waters. Other things to do in or near the park include whitewater rafting, rail trail biking, hiking, zip-lining and touring Laurel Caverns. The nearby town of Ohiopyle has many outfitters and several restaurants. The sites are all located on roads leading off the main road; we stayed in a 20/30amp site on Cherry Road (Site 49). It was right next to the bathroom which was good and bad. Good for proximity but bad because we could hear the hum quite clearly. Also, the door to the women’s room would hit you in the rear quite forcefully unless you held onto it (it took me three times to remember to do this)! There was a dishwashing sink in the women’s room (and I’m assuming in the men’s room?); it was very clean, but the only downside was having to do the dishes by myself! Alcohol is prohibited. Only certain areas allow pets. Only one garbage/recycling station outside of the campground. Wood and ice are available 24/7 on the honor system– very nice not to have to wait until a host is on duty to get what you need. Quiet hours 9 pm-8 am, a bit longer than most campgrounds but except for some sites with campfires still burning with people talking, it was very quiet in this campground. Surprisingly strong cell signal for being deep in the woods.
This tiny campground in the Monongahela National Forest was such a fun find! There are less than 30 sites and most have a good bit of privacy. There is one building with showers and flush toilets near the entrance, and several outhouse style toilets scattered around. My kids didn't love those so we took a lot of trips down to the bathroom building. The 1.5 mile loop trail was great and just challenging enough to be fun. The campground and trail are filled with beautiful mountain laurel. The hosts were friendly and available and the whole place seemed to be well maintained. Elkins is only a few minutes away if you need groceries or supplies. We had a great time and would definitely come back!
Great time once again!!! The views ❤️
Spent the day in Thomas looking at local art & antiques. The evening in Davis eating at hellbender burritos. Hiked some cool trails in the park and to see the falls. I love this part of our beautiful state! Blackwater falls SP campground is a central location to some of the best of our state. Seneca rocks, caverns, smokehole caverns and NRock adventures only 45 mins away. Took a canopy tour with Nrocks before camping. Awesome!!!!!
This Yogi Bear campground offers a large waterpark area, large pool, monster truck rides and many activities. You don't have to leave to find something to do, but there are also many local attractions as well. Kids love it here. Highly recommend.
Ranger Review: Stream2Sea Shampoo & Bodywash and Leave-In Conditioner
Campground Review:
Don’t let the name fool you, the campground is across the street from the lake and there are no lake view sites. We arrived after 6 pm on a Tuesday after Labor Day and found there were only six out of 112 sites occupied. We had the entire Delphia Loop to ourselves. Some loops allow pets and others do not. One loop (the Meshach Browning Loop) has electric hookups; the other loops do not. With so few campers, we were surprised to find the office staffed until 10 pm but this made checking in easier than self-registration. The campground is gated and you need a code to get in; this gave me pause wondering about how safe it was but there were regular ranger patrols and all was quiet. Restrooms in the Delphia loop were modern and very clean. The showers were very nice and rivaled any hotel shower I’ve had. We were told there were regular bear sightings and there were bear boxes at each site; we saw many deer but not a single bear, keeping our zero bear sightings record intact. Each site also had a fire ring, lantern hook (but you would need to be much taller than me to reach it!), and very generous sized picnic table. Alcohol, weapons, and fireworks are prohibited. No/very limited cell service. Sites in the Delphia and George Beckman loops are very quiet but some sites in the other two loops are closer to the road so you will hear road noise. The lake is open Memorial Day through Labor Day so I imagine this campground would yield a very different experience in the height of summer!
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Product Review:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I have the awesome opportunity to review products. I'm reviewing two products from Stream2Sea because they are meant to be used together. I am hesitant to use multi-use products as generally, one or the other function is compromised. However, the Shampoo and Body Wash from Stream2Sea was a nice surprise. Fresh scent and rinsed easily out of my hair, leaving it soft with no residue. Stream2Sea does not have a rinse-out conditioner but it is recommended that you use the leave-in conditioner. When I first used this, my hair felt a little stiff but if I used it very sparingly, this was no longer an issue. By using these two products, I was able to use one product instead of three (soap, shampoo, and rinse out conditioner). But the best thing I liked about these products was how much fuller my hair looked after blow-drying it. I don’t have much hair so anything that makes it look like I have more is a bonus in my book!
Absolutely love this campground. The lake is beautiful and they offer access to the lake with their boat ramp. Very peaceful and not far from rafting and other activities
This is a great campground with nice large sites. I can imagine if you go when the rhododendron are blooming it would be ever more beautiful . There’s great swimming hole in the park you can pay 5 to enter and swim or fish. Nice flat tent pad . Very clean with a great clean bathroom and shower house .
Last minute getaway with my two young kids over the holiday weekend and wanted somewhere close to Ohioplye. The nice people gave us a great spot in the woods, very private and room for the kids to explore. For $7 you can get a huge pile of nice dry wood delivered right to your site, no complaints!!
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL place. I highly recommend taking advantage of the river spots. Wood is sold at the ranger station relatively cheap. Plenty of beautiful swimming spots with low current. Only complaint would be the seemingly uncaring and pretentious teenage staff. The adult staff was rather abrasive. But regardless, a BEAUTIFUL park and quality sites
The rate for a tent spot is 17 and there are spot for 50,30 amps RVs The owner is a nice guy There is a near gas station
We are a big fan of WV parks! This one did not disappoint. You can do all the park has to offer in a weekend, however consider spending more time if you are headed to other attractions. The only downside the electric sites really need updated. You have to go down the wrong way (they tell you it's ok) to park or dump your tank. The loop spots are smaller than they seem so just double check w the park. Amazing trails, views and stargazing. The bath house was very clean just dated.
My girlfriend and I stayed at tent site 21 July 26th and 27th and was a good experience overall. We both agreed that we will only camp there if this particular site is open though. It is the tent site with the most privacy and it is the only one on that side of the road which made it nice. Along with the privacy it is also was right beside a trail that went directly to the lake but it is about 200 yards downhill. We took our kayaks along but opted to drive to the boat launch instead of carrying our kayaks down the trail. It is an option though. The park staff was very friendly and the bath house was pretty clean. Our only complaint is that some of the other campers where throwing food in the woods which attracted raccoons but that isn't the campgrounds fault.
The kids had so much fun playing in the water we didn’t have time to hike and see all of it. We spent time in Swallow Falls as well as neighboring Herrington Manor state park where they have a “beach” for swimming and boat and SUP rentals. The prices for rentals were very reasonable and the concession stand was cheap!!! 2.50 for large fries, $1 snow cones, it was nice to splurge on snacks and not drop a small fortune.
We stayed at the camp ground in swallow falls in a pop up camper. The camp ground was quiet and well maintained though it is more suitable for tents and not trailers or RV’s. The bathrooms were decent for public bathhouses, they were cleaned daily but the were outdated. I would definitely come back but maybe with a tent next time and not the trailer. The camp store had the necessities at fair prices. Firewood is sold for $4 a bundle.
We did have a pet friendly site reserved but found out after we arrived that dogs are not allowed out of the campground. In order to hike with our dog we had to access the trail just outside the state park. This would have been nice information to have before arriving with our pet. Pets are allowed within the park Labor Day through Memorial Day.
Nice campground, fairly quiet, smaller campsites, roads going to campsites are rocky so be careful if you have a low car.
Very nice folks in the camp store. Very centrally located to many fun attractions including the railroad tours, Mongahelia National Forest, Davis and Elkins College, etc. There is a saloon on site (Shavers) that has live music in the weekends. You have to go to Smoke on the Water for dinner.
Very well run clean campgrounds. We had a river lot which was beautiful. Restaurant, Shavers Saloon, was walking distance and had full bar with good food. Service there was great. Bathrooms were older but very clean. Plenty of hot water.
Went to Kentuck Campground with a group of 10 of my closest friends… definitely had an absolute great time. We stayed at sites 6 & 7 which was in a cul de sac and was perfect! However our second night(out of 3) a park ranger walked into our site at about 11:30pm complaining about the noise… however none of us were loud by any means, we were actually very quiet and heard our neighbors a ton within the nights we were there. Definitely do not bring alcohol (not allowed at all), we learned the hard way and got an alcohol citation and were then evicted the next morning at 11am and we ended up going to Green Ridge in Maryland. Absolutely loved the campground though, so beautiful with a ton of shade and space!
Nice campground with full hookups and large pool. Prefect if you don’t want cell service. Lots of trails for riding. Great views. Could use some updating in some areas.
We've been camping here for years. They are family oriented and not looking for large/loud groups. They accommodate tents and RVs, and offer cabins. The staff is helpful and friendly, and so are most of the campers.
They even have entertainment and Saturday night was a fun DJ. The facilities are very clean.
We'd go back in a heartbeat.
Check in was easy and they had no problem with us arriving at almost 11pm.
They offer a game room, pool, mini golf, a full camp store, firewood, etc.
Our tent/RV site had water and electric.
Bathrooms and showers were convenient and clean.
They're convenient to area activities like hiking, biking and rafting, and not far from town.
The campsites are great and the people who come here are always really friendly, you’re bound to make some friends. Hiking here is gorgeous, and a good workout too.
This campground is located in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains, so the scenery is spectacular. The campground has 36 sites, 10 with electric and 26 standard sites for RV or tent camping. You also have the option to rent one of eleven cabins, or a room at the lodge which as great views of the lake. The campground closes in the late fall, but some cabins, and the lodge, are open year-round.
The main attraction is Tygart Lake which is ten-miles long, so it's good for boating, swimming, fishing, kayaking, etc. The launch ramps and parking lot at Tygart Lake have been expanded recently, so there's easy access for boaters.
One sad thing about Tygart Lake: There was lots of trash on the banks when I visited. When I spoke to the park superintendent, he says it washes in during the rainy winter months and becomes visible when the water recedes during the summer months. The U-S Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for the clean-up since the lake and Tygart Lake Dam are part of the local flood control efforts. They need to do a better job of trash removal!
There is dispersed camping throughout the state forest. As always, when practicing dispersed camping, ensure that you leave no trace. Stop by the visitor center to get your permit for camping.
Privately owned. Golf carts for rent. Fabulous mtb trail network - worth paying for a pass to ride. Beautiful tent camping…mossy but not too buggy. Bring your own toilet paper.
The grounds are beautiful, staff amazing. Store had everything we needed, Bath houses were spotless. Exercise area for pets is huge. Within five minutes a local grocery store. I love this campground and hope to return for the blue grass festival next year.
We often do dispersed, leave no trace, primitive camping throughout the state forest. There are wonderful, well maintained trails throughout. If you want to dive into nature within a 30 minute drive from Morgantown, this is your place to go. Take the scenic hike to raven’s rock for views that will not disappoint.
This was my first time actually “camping” and using a tent in the wilderness. This camp was laid out very well and had plenty of maps and trails, as well as daily activities. They have a small amphitheater with easy access, a dump and recycling area. RVs had access to water and sewage drainage. The main trail we took (was also pet friendly!!) took us down to the main stretch between DC and Pittsburgh. The views are great and there is plenty of things to do within hiking distance. The only thing I would like to see is a picture of each spot. Some spots seem to be laid out better than others or slightly bigger. The spot next to us had room for a second car while ours was rather awkward. We ended up camping in the gravel but made it work. Ops.