117 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Camping near Gauley Bridge, West Virginia spans riverside sites with full RV hookups to primitive tent sites and cabin rentals, set along the New River and Gauley River corridors. Campgrounds like New River Campground offer direct water access, while the broader region includes state park facilities, private campgrounds, and primitive sites within New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Accommodations range from basic tent sites to cabin rentals at places like Rifrafters Campground and Babcock State Park, with several locations providing glamping options for those seeking enhanced comfort.
Seasonal considerations significantly affect camping conditions in the Gauley Bridge area. The New River is prone to flooding, particularly after heavy rainfall, with water levels that can rise dramatically and encroach on camping areas. Most established campgrounds operate from April through October, though some RV sites remain available year-round. Summer brings warmer temperatures ideal for water recreation, while fall offers spectacular foliage and the renowned Gauley River whitewater season when the Summersville Dam releases create world-class rapids. Winter camping is limited primarily to RV sites with hookups as temperatures can drop considerably. As one camper observed about New River Campground, "The view from our full hookup campsite is hands down amazing! We're situated directly on the New River in Gauley Bridge. The train does run across the river at least twice daily."
The proximity to water features prominently in visitor experiences throughout the region. Waterfront camping provides opportunities for fishing, swimming, kayaking, and whitewater rafting, with the New River and nearby Summersville Lake serving as focal points for recreation. Campgrounds with river access tend to fill quickly during summer weekends and holiday periods. Several campgrounds feature trail access to local attractions like Cathedral Falls, which is within walking distance of some sites. The Gauley Bridge area campgrounds offer unique locations for outdoor adventure, with many campsites providing scenic views of the surrounding Appalachian landscapes. Campers regularly mention the scenic beauty of the area, with mountain vistas and rushing water creating a peaceful backdrop. Public shower facilities and amenities vary widely between campgrounds, with state park facilities generally offering more reliable maintenance. Cell service can be limited or non-existent in some camping areas, particularly those in the deeper sections of the New River Gorge.
"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"Great tent campground very near the New River gorge and close by Summerville Lake and the Gulley River. Multiple campsites in heavily forested area. Drive up to the sites."
"They have showers and clean bathrooms just a short walk from any site. All sites are big and you can pick from any available. The host is just a text or call away and he replies very quickly."
from $10 - $11 / night
Check Availability"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."
"I told them I did not have these capabilities in my rig and they gave me sole access to the handicapped shower."
from $30 - $40 / night
Check Availability"Great campground adjacent to New River Gorge National Park. Within a short walk/bike to multiple biking and hiking trailheads. Close enough to bike into Fayetteville (a cool little town)."
"Good amenities plenty of space, and walking distance from some of the best views in the park!"
from $10 - $85 / night
Check Availability"This spot was a short drive away from awesome rock climbing in the New River Gorge."
"The white water rafting was incredible and the staff all around was FANTASTIC. The only downside would be the campsites (tent camping) being very close to one another."
from $7 - $69 / night
Check Availability"The most photographed place in west Virginia is the grist mill. Awesome trails all around."
"Babcock State Park, located in the thriving megapolis of Clifton, West Virginia is postcard perfect!"
from $33 / night
Check Availability"Nearby are showers and restrooms. They have individual rooms that can be locked that has the restroom in with the shower stall. Lots of biking and equestrian trails available."
"We were able to go whitewater rafting one day and then explored the surrounding area on another day. The resort is awesome. They have cabins and they have hot tubs."
from $15 - $600 / night
Check Availability"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."
"There aren't group sites available, but whoever in our group was organizing managed to get multiple sites next to each other, which was nice."
from $8 - $30 / night
Check Availability"The regular tent sites that you can drive in to are a bit crowded, but there are more secluded walk-in tent sites."
"Not to mention the New River NP borders the campground. Ideal location for any whitewater enthusiasts."
"Whether it's weekend camping with friends/ family or some where to crash after a long day on the lake/ river you won't regret staying in beautiful West Virginia."
"The restroom & shower facilities were easily within walking distance. The facilities could use a deep clean but overall were fine."
from $24 - $40 / night
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TravelerThis is a core engineer built Park sites are fairly level. Bath houses are old but clean. Electric only at sites. There’s water and a dump station at the entrance of the park. Which makes a little difficult if you here more than a few days and need water, you have to store everything in your motorhome pull in the electric cord, drive out and fill up with water and then come back and get leveled again.
ScoutWe thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Camp Creek State Park Campground. We had an electric only site along the creek, but they have sites with electric and water and sites with full hookup. It was level and we liked hearing the small creek flowing. We found several good places to hike with access in the campground and two nice waterfalls. The campground was not accessible the Camp Creek Road turnoff from I-77 because the exit was closed coming from the south for roadwork. Therefore, we had to get off near Princeton and the road was quite curvy and slow going for about 15 miles. Going back south was no problem getting on I-77. Hopefully the road work will be completed soon. We enjoyed enough that we would go back again, especially as a stop over on a longer trip.
GuideFull hookup. $55 per night. Possibly to enter after office working hours. Bathrooms. Very friendly staff
TravelerIt is full service campground with store, restaurant, swimming pool, paintball, and cabin.
ScoutMy family and I had an absolute blast at Battle Run! The campsite offered an incredible view of the lake, and if boating is your passion, you can even secure your boat right at your campsite! Although the weather was a bit rainy, the temperature remained comfortably in the 70s. We’re already planning our return next summer.
RangerThe second time I stayed was in site 36, which was far preferable to 41 as it was a larger site, but still moderately unlevel. Fun hiking trails down the creek and close proximity to New River Gorge.
RangerI ended up enjoying the park more than expected—disc golf was a nice surprise! However I found that loop 2 wasn’t nearly as nice or spacious as the other camping areas. The sites were small and unlevel, but the bathrooms were nice enough for a state park. I enjoyed walks around the lake (lots of fun fungi and fish to spy) but the main draw for me was the proximity to New River Gorge—only a 20-25 min drive.
ScoutMy fiance booked our stay at Tawney Farms back in May for the two of us plus her parents. When her parents arrived to the camp they were already checked in when we first arrived. My my inlaws proceeded to our camp site. Once they got to the site theywere greeted by the male owner speeding up the trail in his truck almost hitting his own wife and began yelling at my inlaws stating theybhad no business being on their property and to get off. My inlaws tried explaining to them that they were with us and they we had paid for them. The male owner continued yelling at them aggressively and swearing at them to the point both of my inlaws were concerned that owner was going to do something physical. My inlaws ultimately left and called us and told us what happened. We dropped what we were doing and drove back to the property in hopes to resolve the confusion. My fiance and I showed them the reservation recipt showing that they were paid for. They maintained that they are being kicked out stating that they did not stop at the shack that no one was at. They were already checked in so there was no reason to need that. in fact it wasnt necessary last year then stated that they were drunk which they were not. They had just finished a 4 hour drive from PA after working their shift. They would not listed to reason. They then went into a shack to look at their paperwork and realized once again that theybare wrong and rather than a simple appology they maintained kicking them out and stated they were going to "let us go". At this point its about 10pm and we had to pack up our campsite and find an alternative short notice on july 3rd... $500 later for a hotel room we got lucky. They almost cost us our vacation because of their inability to reason or even listen.
ScoutWe scheduled our stay two months in advance for our Fourth of July weekend. My fiance and myself were scheduled one night earlier than my parents were supposed to arrive. We paid for everyone in our party and checked everyone in. We had been coming up to place to camp for five summers now, but this most recent experience was more than enough for us to NEVER come back. My fiancé and I were out off the campground to get ice when my mother called me to tell my the owners of the farm CHASED them out the campground, the husband almost running over his wife, insisting they were not welcome and had no business being at the farm when I prepaid everyone’s stay. My parents were terrified this man was going to pull a gun on them. The owners belittled my parents after they drove four hours from PA to spend time with us, screaming over them that they were drunk, speeding, and that my parents didn’t “stop” at the vacant building that they are supposed to be at to greet people. The owners would not even bother to check to verify my parents stay. When we got back to the site to try to reconcile the situation they still would not allow my parents to stay even after seeing that we did pay for my family to be there and were even hesitant to let us stay when we did NOTHING wrong. We had to pay an extra $500 to book a last minute stay at a hotel in Summersville when I already paid near $300 to stay at Tawny Farm. My fiance and I had to pack up our entire campsite in the dark because they would not let us stay over my parents being confused about where they were at. I still have not received any emails regarding a refund for the unwarranted behavior towards my parents. I would not bring your loved ones onto this property. The owners are unstable, unsafe, and unwilling to care about their customers.
Gauley Bridge, West Virginia sits at the confluence of the Gauley and New River systems at approximately 700 feet elevation. The area experiences four distinct seasons with mid-summer temperatures averaging around 85°F while winter lows can drop into the 20s. Campsites near Gauley Bridge typically feature a mix of gravel and grass tent pads with varied terrain that can be challenging to level on during rainy periods.
Kayaking from waterfront sites: New River Campground provides direct water access where you can launch small watercraft directly from your campsite. "I love bringing my kayak here to paddle around! Camp store is on premises, but other items can be picked up at the small stores within a half mile," notes Kenneth K. about the riverside experience.
Mountain biking accessible trails: At Arrowhead Bike Farm, biking trails connect directly to the campground. A camper explains, "Highly recommend this place. They have an assortment of accessible bike trails, bike shop, AMAZING FOOD (tacos, pretzels, spinach artichoke dip, etc.) spectacular local beers and PBR, GOAT PENS, camping, a pump track, and lots of cool things to do in the local area."
Swimming in clear lake waters: The beach area at Battle Run provides access to Summersville Lake's notably clear water. "It is one of the clearest lakes in the east, so scuba diving is also very popular here. Rock climbing is also a great use of these cliffs that surround the lake as well as cliff jumping," explains Hannah V., though she cautions this is "at your own risk as there are large rocks/boulders in the water below."
Tent platforms on unique terrain: The New River Gorge Campground - American Alpine Club features elevated camping spots. "We were lucky to get campsite 23, which had a tent platform high up on a boulder. The campsite was fairly quiet and cozy!" reports Bansi D., highlighting the unusual camping terrain.
Secluded wooded sites: At Rifrafters Campground, campers appreciate the separation from main camping areas. Larry M. notes, "Up front is a regular campground but we are in the back, secluded and peaceful. Site 34. There are about 8 nice sites out back with water and electricity. Ken and staff are good. We were here in a travel trailer."
Clean modern facilities: The Outpost at New River Gorge impresses campers with its amenities. One guest remarked, "Bathrooms are nicer than our bathrooms at home. Friendly and helpful staff. There was low key live music Friday and a band/party Saturday night that was super fun." Jennifer N. adds, "The bathhouse was clean, big and heated."
Train noise considerations: Several riverfront campgrounds are located near active train tracks. At New River Campground, Tiffany D. notes: "Pro/con: 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."
Limited cell service: Connectivity varies significantly between providers. Sammii D. reports at New River Campground: "Main downside for us is Verizon service is terrible. Perfect for the weekend getaway but not during work hours. AT&T is flawless though."
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds fill quickly during peak season. A visitor to Chestnut Creek Campground explained, "We didn't have reservations but the manager told us to text him when we arrived after hours. Charge was per person not per site, but reasonable at $15. This seems to be common practice in the area."
Water recreation options: Adventures on the Gorge - Mill Creek offers multiple water activities. "The kids absolutely loved it all. The pool, views, food were all amazing. Again another old growth canopy for camping shade and friendly skunks visit every night. They keep the Raccoons away and didn't spray any one or any dogs," shares Fred R.
Playground facilities: Rifrafters Campground provides play areas for children. Melissa O. commented, "The playground was great for our daughters to burn off some energy. We would stay here again, especially for a weekend to see the area."
Family-friendly hiking: Multiple accessible trails are available for younger hikers. A camper at Babcock State Park shared, "Hiking was great and my young children hiked all of it with us. Overall, highly recommended. Roads through the park from the campground to the main part of the park are really narrow and seem like you aren't supposed to be there but are well maintained."
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds in the region require leveling equipment. A camper at Chestnut Creek Campground reported, "This is a quiet campground, with lots of space and site options, run independently by a family. 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."
Access road considerations: The mountainous terrain creates challenging approaches to some campgrounds. Chris S. observed about New River Campground: "Note, the drive from Rt 19 to the campground is 8% grades both uphill and down, with twists, turns, and practical uturns with my 35ft. Fun for me, not for my wife lol."
Limited utility hookups: Many campgrounds offer only partial hookups. Holly S. mentioned: "RV sites are limited, but they're very nice. I wish they had water, and sewer would be an added bonus." Thomas H. noted: "My camper isn't very big so I put my passenger side wheels just on the edge of the gravel patio so my entry steps wouldn't be in the mud and I was nearly level."
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find camping near Gauley Bridge, WV?
Several excellent camping options are available near Gauley Bridge. Summer Wind RV Park offers scenic mountain views overlooking cow pastures with full hookup sites and reliable utilities. It's a small, peaceful park with reasonable rates and excellent hospitality. For a more rustic experience, Babcock State Park Campground is within driving distance and features the iconic grist mill (the most photographed location in West Virginia) along with numerous hiking trails. Other nearby options include Rifrafters Campground near Fayetteville and Adventures on the Gorge, both offering various amenities for campers. Most campgrounds in the area are accessible via drive-in access and many accommodate both tent and RV camping.
Are there campgrounds along the New River near Gauley Bridge?
New River Campground is located near Gauley Bridge with full hookup sites available. Look for the entrance near the CVS, as it can be easy to miss. The campground offers firewood delivery around 4:30 PM daily for $5 per bundle, and the sites provide excellent views of the surrounding landscape. Another option is Camp Holly, a beautiful off-grid campground with WiFi that offers versatile camping styles including hammock, tent, cabin, or RV sites. The riverside tent sites are particularly appealing. For more adventure-focused stays, The Outpost at New River Gorge and New River Gorge Campground (American Alpine Club) provide strategic locations for river activities and outdoor recreation.
What camping options are available in the Gauley River National Recreation Area?
The Gauley River National Recreation Area offers several camping options in the surrounding region. Battle Run is an excellent choice for outdoor enthusiasts, providing convenient access to hiking, rock climbing, fishing, swimming, kayaking, whitewater rafting, and paddleboarding. It's perfect for weekend trips or as a base after a day of water activities. For those seeking a quieter experience, Cranberry Campground offers rustic sites with ample space between the 40-50 campsites. Located near the town of Richwood on the Cranberry River, it provides a peaceful setting away from major highways. Additionally, Ace Adventure Resort and Arrowhead Bike Farm provide alternative accommodations with various amenities for visitors to the recreation area.
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