D
Deborah A.
Traveler
TravelerRifrafters Campground
Beautiful campground
We are here off season so there aren’t a lot of other campers but it is beautiful, quiet and very well kept.
Best Campgrounds near Prince, WV
The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve surrounds Prince, West Virginia with multiple free and established camping areas. Army Camp and Grandview Sandbar campgrounds provide first-come, first-served primitive sites with minimal amenities like fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets. The region includes both drive-in options for vehicles and walk-in tent sites along the New River. Several designated camping areas are operated by the National Park Service, while nearby private campgrounds such as Rifrafters and ACE Adventure Resort offer additional options with hookups and cabins for those seeking more developed facilities.
Road access to many primitive sites involves narrow, single-lane routes that may challenge larger vehicles. Grandview Sandbar features a "short, steep road that switches back," while Army Camp access requires navigating what one camper described as "a little sketch but worth the trip in." Sites frequently fill by early afternoon, particularly during summer weekends. The camping season generally runs from spring through fall, with some private campgrounds like Little Beaver State Park operating from April to October. No cell service exists at most riverside campgrounds, requiring advanced planning for navigation and supplies.
Along the New River, tent sites offer direct water access that draws consistent praise from visitors. "The view of the river is absolutely beautiful," noted one camper at Army Camp. Free camping represents a significant draw, with most primitive sites offering pit toilets and trash service but no drinking water or hookups. Campers should be prepared for occasional trains passing near Grandview Sandbar, which can be heard throughout the night. Wildlife sightings, including bears, have been reported at Army Camp. For those seeking more amenities, developed campgrounds in the area provide electricity, water hookups, and shower facilities at reasonable rates, though these fill quickly during peak season.
Best Camping Sites Near Prince, West Virginia (119)
1. Grandview Sandbar Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
23 ReviewsPrince, WV1 mileWebsite+1 (304) 465-0508"New River, just outside of Prince, WV off Route 41 offers upclose and personal riverside camping."
"Through Traffic: Access to the boat ramp is through the campground. Though, traffic is minimal, folks on the way to the ramp and picnic area often drive pretty fast."
2. Glade Creek Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
20 ReviewsPrince, WV4 milesWebsite+1 (304) 465-0508"There is five drive-in sites and more walk-in sites on the edge of the camp. The drive-in sites filled and vacated several times throughout the weekend."
"RANGER REVIEW: Primus Trailspork Tritan at Glade Creek Campground, Prince, WV CAMPGROUND REVIEW:
Glade Creek Campground is located off Glade Creek Rd. further down and beyond Grandview Sandbar"
3. Rifrafters Campground
31 ReviewsFayetteville, WV13 milesWebsite+1 (304) 564-1065$15 - $50 / night
"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."
4. Little Beaver State Park Campground
19 ReviewsDaniels, WV7 milesWebsite+1 (304) 763-2494$35 - $40 / night
"This CCC State Park is very picturesque and has several hiking trails and the man-made lake is small but offers plenty of recreation possibilities. I found the layout a little strange."
"This campground is situated in the woods, near Lake. Has a good WFI everywhere, very clean and quiet."
5. Stone Cliff Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
17 ReviewsThurmond, WV5 milesWebsite+1 (304) 465-0508"Tucked away by the river past Thurmond. Great secluded sites. Trailhead for hiking from camp."
"We put our tent a few feet away from the water facing the river and our canopy further up in the woods by the firepit."
6. Babcock State Park Campground
25 ReviewsWinona, WV12 milesWebsite+1 (304) 438-3004$33 / night
"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!"
7. Ace Adventure Resort
15 ReviewsThurmond, WV8 milesWebsite+1 (800) 787-3982$15 - $600 / night
"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."
8. Army Camp — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
12 ReviewsPrince, WV1 mileWebsite+1 (304) 465-0508"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."
"Easy access to river, able to hear it from campsite. Very clean pit toilet bathroom. Road to access is single lane paved/gravel. Best for cars/vans, but did see some small pull behinds."
9. Chestnut Creek Campground
21 ReviewsLansing, WV15 milesWebsite$10 - $11 / night
"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."
10. Arrowhead Bike Farm
12 ReviewsFayetteville, WV12 milesWebsite+1 (304) 900-5501$10 - $85 / night
"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!"
Recent Camping Photos near Prince, WV
212 Photos of 119 Prince Campgrounds
Dave V.
Army Camp — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Brittany S.
Grandview Sandbar Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
The Dyrt
Glade Creek Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Tim M.
War Ridge / Backus Mountain Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Tia B.
Stone Cliff Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Adam and Suzanne B.
Little Beaver State Park Campground
Emma T.
Ace Adventure Resort
The Dyrt
Brooklyn Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Grant M.
Meadow Creek Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Micah B.
Plum Orchard Lake Wildlife Management Area — Plum Orchard Wildlife Management Area
Patrick W.
Plum Orchard Lake WMA
deChantel
Lake Stephens Campground
Recent Reviews near Prince, WV
553 Reviews of 119 Prince Campgrounds
Travis L.
ScoutWalnut Flats
Closed nov to April.
Drove here to find it closed.
- DDeborah A.Traveler
Four Fillies Lodge
Cabins with 3 RV sites
This is a lovely little cabin resort with 3 RV sites. We are here just 1 night enroute. It is beautiful and well maintained. I would definitely come back.
- KKerri B.Scout
Blue Jay Campground — Camp Creek State Park
Cozy
Nice even sites with firepits and picnic table. You're not super secluded and you will hear your neighbors. Overall a great place if you wanna just have a cozy night or two camping. Beautiful creek access too.
Camp With Me
LegendCranberry River Sites NF Campground
Another amazing place to camp in West Virginia
Cranberry River dispersed camping along Forest Road 76 offers quiet, scenic, riverside primitive campsites with excellent fishing and easy access to the surrounding wilderness. We stayed a couple of nights at Site 8 and had great river access with only a small amount of road traffic. There were campers at about five other sites during our stay, but it still felt peaceful and spread out. With inexpensive sites spaced along roughly five miles of road, this is a great area to camp. Roads like this in West Virginia are home to some of my favorite campsites, and we will definitely be back.
Check out all the sites with GPS locations in our video.
https://youtu.be/q6G3fhvmfoY
- Camp With MeLegend
Summit Lake Campground
Mountain Campground with a lake
Summit Lake Campground is a quiet, clean campground in the Monongahela National Forest. I stayed one night and really enjoyed the fishing on the lake. The campground wasn’t busy, the sites were well maintained, and it was a relaxing place to spend the night surrounded by nature.
Check out the 360° Drive through showing all the sites.
https://youtu.be/GxE0sj5xZ98
- Camp With MeLegend
Cranberry Campground
Typical National Forest Campground
We stayed at Cranberry Campground for one night and really enjoyed how quiet and peaceful it was. There were only a couple of other campers in the campground, and we were able to get a site in the back away from them, which made it feel like we had the place to ourselves. The campground is spacious, well kept, and surrounded by forest, making it a great spot to relax and unwind. If you’re looking for a quiet National Forest campground with plenty of room and a secluded feel, this is a great place to stay.
Check out our 360° video that shows all campground and sites.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlTOJ_YkSKg
- Camp With MeLegend
Bishop Knob Campground
Rustic National Forest Campground
We stayed at Bishop Knob Campground for two nights in July and absolutely loved it. During our entire stay there was only one other camper, which made the campground feel quiet, peaceful, and almost private. Even better, the sites were only$8 a night, making this an incredible value for a national forest campground.
We stayed in the last site on the loop Site 33, which looks to be the old camp host site. It’s a great spot with flowers and plants planted around the site entrance, and the wooded area behind the site has been cleared out, giving it a more open and usable feel than many of the other sites.
One really interesting feature of this campground is that the second loop appears to have been closed for years. You can still walk through the old loop, and it was neat to see the overgrown sites and roads slowly being reclaimed by the forest. It adds to the sense that this campground doesn’t get a lot of use.
We walked around and checked the site tags left behind in the open loop, and many of them were dated several months earlier, which really shows how lightly used this campground is. If you’re looking for a quiet, uncrowded, back-to-nature camping experience in the Monongahela National Forest, Bishop Knob is a great place to stay. We would absolutely camp here again.
Check out our 360° drive through the campground, see all the sites and get a real feel for the campground.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI3qYdYxGzo
Janet R.LegendThe Outpost at New River Gourge
Outpost with the mostest
This is a popular multi-level campround, from basic tent sites to cabins to really upscale glamping. The tent platforms or basic camper cabins are probably midling. The regular tent sites that you can drive in to are a bit crowded, but there are more secluded walk-in tent sites. The tent platforms are also walk-in but provide more space and shelter, which is nice as it did seem to rain a lot when we were there. The prices are all more than you would pay at a state or national park campground, but there is a lot going on here like concerts and other events, and a little of well kept amenities like bathrooms, and also equipment to rent to get out into the gorge. The Outpost is near the iconic gorge bridge as well as the Canyon Rim NPS visitor center which has a lot of good educational displays about the geology, geography and history of that part of the gorge, so the proximity is nice.
Overall the campground is a luxury set up for camping. I just reduced it by one stat because the price, the crowdedness, and the distance from the south end of the gorge where the Sandstone Falls and Sandstone Visitor. I do appreciate that they are dog friendly though!
Guide to Prince
Camping spots near Prince, West Virginia sit within the heart of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, where elevations range from 1,400 to 2,200 feet. The region experiences distinct seasonal changes with summer temperatures averaging 85°F and frequent afternoon thunderstorms from June through August. Fall camping presents cooler temperatures and colorful foliage displays, while spring brings wildflowers and higher water levels on the New River.
What to do
Hiking trails access: The Stone Cliff Campground provides direct access to riverside trails. "There is a great trail nearby that runs along the river," notes James A., and several campers mention the convenience of walking straight from camp to explore.
Water activities: At ACE Adventure Resort, visitors can enjoy both river and lake recreation. "The main one is the Lake with multiple giant anchored inflatables to play on for all ages. Others include white water rafting (day trips and overnighters), ziplines, mud course, biking and more," explains Terah J.
Mountain biking: Arrowhead Bike Farm offers direct access to bike trails. "They have an assortment of accessible bike trails, bike shop, AMAZING FOOD, spectacular local beers and PBR, GOAT PENS, camping, a pump track, and lots of cool things to do in the local area," states Aspen H.
Fishing opportunities: The region offers freshwater fishing, with some campers specifically coming to fish. At Army Camp, visitors can "swim in the river or fish" according to Billy C., while Glade Creek offers "a big beach area to play in the water" that's "perfect for my dog and kid," according to Aly E.
What campers like
Natural water features: Campers consistently rate sites with river access highly. At Glade Creek Campground, "The creek joins the New River here, you can hear the water from the sites," notes Juliana. The flowing water creates a peaceful soundscape at many campgrounds.
Affordability: Several free camping options exist in the area. At Glade Creek, Aly E. reports "all sites have fire pits and picnic tables and there's tons of wood around to burn," while noting "two pit toilet restrooms on both sides of the campground."
Privacy between sites: At Chestnut Creek Campground, "There are lots of trees in between many of the sites for great privacy," writes Debra W., and "the site was large with lots of trees," according to Linda L.
Clean facilities: Despite being primitive, many campgrounds maintain clean restrooms. Little Beaver State Park offers "Cleanest bathrooms and showers I've seen," according to Todd S., who also appreciated the "daily trash pickup."
What you should know
Reservation systems vary: Most National Park Service campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Glade Creek sites "filled and vacated several times throughout the weekend," according to Gage W., suggesting regular turnover.
Limited services: Many primitive sites lack drinking water. At Stone Cliff Campground, there are "trash bins and restroom located nearby" but "No cell phone service," states James A.
Weather considerations: Flash flooding can affect riverside camping. At Grandview Sandbar, Chaz M. notes "this was a peaceful, nice area but when there is a lot of rain there is definitely the chance it'll flood."
Noise factors: Some campgrounds experience regular train noise. At Grandview Sandbar, Mystic S. reports "there is a train station directly across the river. And trains will and do pull through every couple of hours 24/7."
Campground popularity: The free sites fill quickly, especially on weekends. "Spots fill quickly" at Army Camp according to Corda B., who recommends being prepared with "plenty of food and wood."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly activities: Little Beaver State Park Campground offers "a nice playground for children" according to Michelle W., who also noted "lots of deer about" which can excite young wildlife watchers.
Swimming areas: Glade Creek features "a big beach area to play in the water so perfect for my dog and kid," according to Aly E., offering safe water access for supervised play.
Group camping considerations: Some sites accommodate multiple tents. At Stone Cliff, Dillon found "plenty of room for 4 tents right along the river," making it suitable for family outings.
Seasonal timing: Visit in early fall for moderate temperatures and fewer insects. Todd S. found Little Beaver had "spacious, private" sites in September with walking trails connected to the campsites.
RV tips
Access challenges: Many campgrounds have narrow, steep access roads. At Army Camp, Kristi D. notes "It is a one lane road to get to the campground and can get tight when other vehicles pass, but we got down there with our F250 truck and camper."
Limited hookup options: For those needing electric and water, Little Beaver State Park has "16 sites with water and 30 sites with both electric and water. Some of the sites are pull throughs which could accommodate big rigs," according to Mary S.
Leveling requirements: Prepare for uneven terrain at some campgrounds. At Arrowhead Bike Farm, Tanner W. reports that "site 5 was very un-level," highlighting the importance of bringing leveling blocks.
Dump station availability: Little Beaver offers a dump station that Marshall P. described as having "water and electric. Sites have water and electric," making it suitable for shorter RV stays without full hookups.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Prince, WV?
What camping is available near Prince, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, Prince, WV offers a wide range of camping options, with 119 campgrounds and RV parks near Prince, WV and 2 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Prince, WV?
Which is the most popular campground near Prince, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Prince, WV is Grandview Sandbar Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve with a 4-star rating from 23 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Prince, WV?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Prince, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 2 free dispersed camping spots near Prince, WV.
What parks are near Prince, WV?
What parks are near Prince, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 25 parks near Prince, WV that allow camping, notably New River Gorge National River and Summersville Lake.
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