Best Campgrounds near Glady, WV

Dispersed camping options near Glady, West Virginia include several primitive sites in the Monongahela National Forest, with Gandy Creek offering free tent and RV camping without developed amenities. The mountainous region encompasses established campgrounds like Spruce Knob Lake Campground and Seneca Shadows, providing varying levels of facilities from basic to more developed. Seneca Shadows features tent-only sections with views of Seneca Rocks, while Little River Dispersed Campsites offers free camping with basic amenities. Most camping areas sit at higher elevations between 3,000-4,800 feet, creating distinct forest environments dominated by spruce and hardwoods.

Road conditions vary significantly throughout the region, with many campgrounds accessible only via narrow, winding forest roads that may be unpaved or contain potholes. "The drive to the Spruce Knob Lake Campground is on a combination of narrow, winding, mostly unpaved roads. Go slow because there are plenty of blind curves," noted one camper. Weather patterns at these elevations can change rapidly, with cool temperatures even during summer months and frequent rainfall throughout the year. Cell service remains limited or non-existent at most sites, though some established campgrounds like Five River Campground maintain better connectivity. Campers should prepare for potential wildlife encounters, including bears, requiring proper food storage in this remote region.

The natural landscape dominates the camping experience near Glady, with several visitors highlighting the exceptional night sky viewing opportunities. Many campgrounds provide access to hiking trails, fishing areas, and scenic viewpoints. Spruce Knob, West Virginia's highest peak at 4,863 feet, remains a popular destination accessible from several nearby camping areas. A visitor described the region as "one of the most beautiful and often most remote trail I have had the privilege of bikepacking." Primitive sites generally offer more seclusion but fewer amenities, while established campgrounds like Blackwater Falls State Park Campground provide more facilities including showers, flush toilets, and electric hookups. The region experiences significant seasonal variation, with some campgrounds closing during winter months and others remaining open year-round but with limited accessibility during snow and ice conditions.

Best Camping Sites Near Glady, West Virginia (127)

    1. Gandy Creek Dispersed Camping

    17 Reviews
    Whitmer, WV
    8 miles
    Website

    "The main reason I'm reluctant to give it five stars(I gave it 4) is because nearly all of its many campsites cannot be entered by vehicle; you have to park next to the dirt road that runs north-south through"

    "Some you walk-in a short distance but are rewarded with amazing sites on the creek, secluded and wooded. Other places you can camp in your vehicle or park at the site."

    2. Spruce Knob Lake Campground

    17 Reviews
    Riverton, WV
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 567-3082

    $15 - $32 / night

    "It is about 5 miles from the summit of Spruce Knob (highest peak in West Virginia).  Tow campers smaller in size can certainly make it, although mostly tent camping which I like. "

    "The Spruce Knob Lake Campground offers extra-large camp sites with lots of shade and so much undergrowth I only saw my neighbors when I took a walk to check out the campground."

    3. Seneca Shadows

    32 Reviews
    Seneca Rocks, WV
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 567-3082

    $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."

    4. Spruce Knob and Spruce Knob Observation Tower

    8 Reviews
    Circleville, WV
    9 miles

    "Spruce Knob is the highest point in West Virginia and offers great views."

    "Spruce Knob is West Virginia's highest peak and on a clear day offers breathtaking 360 degree views from the Observation Tower.      https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mnf/recarea/?"

    5. Blackwater Falls State Park Campground

    53 Reviews
    Davis, WV
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 259-5216

    $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."

    6. Revelle’s River Resort

    6 Reviews
    Bowden, WV
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 636-0023

    "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."

    "This seemed to be a well laid out campground with sites for weekenders in maybe the best location right along the river and the seasonal campers spread out around."

    7. Bear Heaven Campground

    7 Reviews
    Bowden, WV
    9 miles
    Website

    "It’s a nice base camp if you don’t mind driving to other trails nearby. Visit in spring with mountain laurel, rhododendrons, etc. are blooming in the nearby lands, it’s like nothing else!"

    "You can either walk through or climb these boulders. The area has several great hiking and mountains biking trails."

    8. Laurel Fork Campground

    5 Reviews
    Glady, WV
    4 miles
    Website

    "Laurel fork campground is a nice place to go if you are looking to get away from the busy life. It’s not a very large camp ground or heavily populated. Finding a spot shouldn’t be a problem."

    "Biggest surprise, given the location on the creek and remoteness of the campground ( settled deep in the woods) , there were No Bugs to speak of! Tons of wildflowers and butterflies!"

    9. Five River Campground

    27 Reviews
    Parsons, WV
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 478-3515

    $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."

    10. Lower Glady Dispersed Campground

    8 Reviews
    Harman, WV
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 636-1800

    "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"

    "No one next to me. There were a couple of small groups, like two rigs together. Nice and quiet. A few friendly fishermen each day, sharing local knowledge."

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Recent Reviews near Glady, WV

583 Reviews of 127 Glady Campgrounds


  • R
    Dec. 29, 2025

    Walmart supercenter parking lot in Elkins

    confirmed with manager: overnight RV parking permitted

    I spoke with the Walmart manager and confirmed that they are okay with RVs parking in the section of the parking lot closest to the road, but overnight only(i.e. not consecutive nights). It is conveniently located on a major north/south highway at the south end of Elkins. Of course this also means that you will have a four lane road near where you are parked, so not ideal for quiet, but can work well for a free overnight stay while you are traveling.

  • Alex G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 28, 2025

    Switzer Lake Dispersed Camping

    Lots of Campsites Available

    Switzer lake has a lot of campsites to choose from, however this is a popular destination so I would recommend securing a site as early as possible. Due to the conditions of the road I would not recommend taking a car with a low clearance. Preferably a car with at least AWD is recommended. As others have pointed out some sites get trashed by ne’er-do-wells, but besides that it's a very beautiful area.

  • R
    Dec. 27, 2025

    Bear Heaven Campground

    Not very dispersed, but lovely

    One of the advantages of this particular campground is that it's not far from the town of Elkins, so you can go back into town if you don't feel like campsite cooking— lots of good restaurants and entertainment opportunities in Elkins. 

    While this is truly primitive camping, you are not so primitive that you need to dig a hole to go to the bathroom— they do have porta-potty's. It's also noteworthy that this is likely not available year-round. The road becomes impassable in winter when there is a lot of snow, and they start maintaining it, often even blocking the road with gates during the winter. Understandable but unfortunate, since it is beautiful added is not always snowing even in winter, right?

    The campground is not free but also not very expensive. I think the senior citizens price is under five dollars, or at least it was when I camped there a couple years ago(2023). The sites themselves are first-come first-served, the kind of camping ground where you simply go back up to the entranceway to fill out a form and state where you are and make the payment in a box. While the campground is at a fairly high altitude, most of the sites don't have expansive views, and I think only a couple of the sites even have an expansive view down below. But that's okay if you are into wooded views, because there's plenty of that all around, and even a small rock climbing area for you and your kids to scramble on the rocks.

  • Camp With Me
    Dec. 22, 2025

    Day Run Campground

    National Forest Campground near the Highland Scenic Hwy

    Stayed one night at Day Run Campground and overall it was a solid experience. Nothing fancy, but for$8 a night it’s a good deal. The campground is quiet, simple, and easy to access, with sites spread out it feels private. It is along the Williams River. The river is nice to walk along and check out, and the sound of the water adds to the relaxed atmosphere. There are also plenty of nearby trails and scenic stops along the Highland Scenic Highway, which makes this a good base for hiking and exploring the area. If you’re looking for a basic, affordable place to camp in a scenic location, Day Run fits the bill.

    Check out all of the sites in our video.

    https://youtu.be/HmvLiWtx7H0

  • Camp With Me
    Dec. 21, 2025

    Williams River Sites

    Amazing Cheap Camping by the River in West Virginia

    The coordinates for this are site #19.

    We explored the Williams River Campsites nestled in the heart of Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia! There are 30 peaceful,**first-come, first-serve rustic campsites  scattered along across 19 miles on Williams River Road(Forest Roads 86& 216), many right beside the scenic Williams River— a favorite spot for fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing. These campsites offer basic amenities like picnic tables, campfire rings, and lantern posts, but no hookups or potable water, so come prepared for a true back-to-nature experience. There are pit toilets between some sites. The area sits near the Cranberry Wilderness off the Highland Scenic Highway, providing outdoor adventure opportunities like river swimming, mountain biking, and trail exploration. Perfect for anglers, hikers, and anyone looking to unplug in wild West Virginia!

    Check out all 30 sites in our video, GPS locations for all sites are in the video description. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz0xR0B2UYQ

  • R
    Dec. 19, 2025

    Blackwater Falls State Park Campground

    Woodsy, near trails

    Like many state park campgrounds, each of the campsites are not that dispersed, so you will be right next to everyone else. Some of the sites had trees, many of them had few or none, particularly those that were out in the middle of the circle. So if you want trees and you are reserving your spot online, I recommend reserving  one of the ones on the outsides of the circle if you want trees/shade. 

    Online I did not find a lot of clarity regarding which ones would be good for tents, versus trailers, which was a problem— the one I had reserved was simply not possible to serve as a tent site, as the only level surface was the gravel parking area— not possible to get stakes into the ground, and too slanted anywhere else on the small spot to put a tent. Fortunately, they were able to find me another open spot that had a level enough area for my tent and allowed me to switch the location. 

    They seem to do a pretty good job of keeping the bathhouse/restroom clean. I was there after the primary season(early November) and found it disappointing that half of the campground was closed— the half that, in my opinion, held some of the best looking camping spots. At any rate, the spot I did end up with (sorry, I don't remember what the number was) was nice— partially shaded insufficient privacy out the backside of the camp spot that I could aim my tent view in that direction for a little privacy and a view. 

    There are TONS of trails at this state park, one of which is right next to the campground. While it is fairly short, less than a mile, it connects to an entire network of other trails if you wish to go further, including the trails beyond the state park borders(the national forest abuts the state park), including easy access to Allegheny Trail, which literally goes more than 100 miles!

  • Tyler M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 18, 2025

    Braley Pond Dispersed Camping & Day Use Area

    September Stay

    Quiet and easily accessible. There was only one other vehicle there during my one night stay. Sone trash which was a shame but still a nice area to set up camp

  • R
    Dec. 12, 2025

    Gandy Creek Dispersed Camping

    pretty well dispersed along the beautiful Gandy Creek

    The main reason I'm reluctant to give it five stars(I gave it 4) is because nearly all of its many campsites cannot be entered by vehicle; you have to park next to the dirt road that runs north-south through the campable section, making the bulk of them far from ideal for those with campers or rooftop tents, especially given that it's a dirt road, that will be kicking up dirt onto that rooftop tent. 

    I am aware of at least three along the road that you can drive into, but I have never seen those few drive-in-able sites unoccupied on a weekend, and typically not on a weekday either. 

    The campsites themselves are wonderful in just about every other regard. Some of them are dispersed enough that you can see no other campsite from yours, and nearly all of them are much more dispersed then you would get at any typical state park's campground. 

    Almost all of the campsites also have their own views of and direct access to Gandy creek, which I have never seen not flowing generously year-round. Some of the campsites are in places where the water is pooled enough that you could go wading or swimming in. And all of it is good fishing. 

    The campsites vary significantly in size and shade, so you can get ones with more sun if you prefer, more shade if you prefer that. 

    All of the campsites are free and I'm pretty sure that the time limit is two weeks maximum, as it is for all the camping areas throughout the Monongahela National forest. 

    Are you into hiking? There are seemingly countless trails within walkable distance from campsites and certainly within 10 minutes' driving distance, many of them connecting up at the top so you can make a loop by crossing over from one to another and then back down to the dirt road. From what I have seen those trails are not the most well-maintained however. Which means that it can be nettlesome— literally— as in overrun with nettles— during certain seasons, particularly July and August, so you might want to take a machete with you so you can chop them out of the way as you hike upward.

  • Camp With Me
    Dec. 9, 2025

    Pocahontas Campground

    Neat old National Forest Campground

    Stayed here for a night so we didn't have to keep driving. Had the place to ourselves. Neat for a night. I took a video as well. https://youtu.be/XaYCE0Evkno


Guide to Glady

Dispersed camping sites near Glady, West Virginia provide access to remote forest areas at elevations between 3,000-4,800 feet throughout the Monongahela National Forest. Many sites feature creek-side locations on rough gravel roads that require high-clearance vehicles to access. Winter camping remains possible at lower elevations, though temperatures frequently drop below freezing from November through March.

What to do

Fishing in mountain streams: At Gandy Creek Dispersed Camping, visitors can find excellent fishing opportunities along the creek. "Great dispersed camping area. Camped here in winter and just pulled into the first designated spot. There was snow but the fire pit was easy to dig out. Very quiet in late December and the sound of the creek was really peaceful," notes Justin L.

Swimming in forest creeks: During summer months, several spots along the creeks are deep enough for swimming. At Little River Dispersed Campsites, "When you park and walk down to the river, if you turn right, there's a beach area about 50 yards down that offers a great spot to take a dip!" according to Tommy S.

Hiking on interconnected trail systems: The area contains numerous hiking trails across varied terrain. Jennifer R. describes Gandy Creek: "There are lots of trails, LOTS, all around that area. There's a really cool rock formation where the creek goes under the Whitmer Road Bridge."

Exploring unique rock formations: The region contains distinctive boulder fields and rock structures. Adam W. notes that at Bear Heaven Campground, "Right beside the camp ground is a really cool area to explore unique boulders and rock structures. You can either walk through or climb these boulders."

What campers like

Dark sky viewing: The area offers exceptional stargazing opportunities due to minimal light pollution. Bryan G. from Spruce Knob and Spruce Knob Observation Tower states: "Spruce Knob Lake was a great spot for Milky Way star gazing."

Creek-side camping: Many campers appreciate sites directly along water features. At Little River Dispersed Campsites, Ashley W. describes "Beautiful spots by the river. Wildflowers and ferns and grassy spots right by the river. Some spots even have picnic tables and fire pits."

Privacy between sites: The natural spacing between sites provides seclusion. At Spruce Knob Lake Campground, Jennifer B. observed, "The Spruce Knob Lake Campground offers extra-large camp sites with lots of shade and so much undergrowth I only saw my neighbors when I took a walk to check out the campground."

Cool mountain temperatures: The higher elevation provides relief during summer heat. Jean C. notes that Spruce Knob Lake is "a great spot to take a day trip to for fishing or site seeing. They have an awesome wooded hiking trail that goes around the entire lake approximately 1 mile long."

What you should know

Wildlife encounters: Bear activity requires proper precautions. Luke M. from Little River Dispersed Campsites warns: "Not even 2 minutes from our dispersed camp site we were charged by an extremely aggressive black bear... We decided to keep ALL FOOD in the car's trunk those nights and not hanging in a tree just to be safe."

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Glady, WV?

According to TheDyrt.com, Glady, WV offers a wide range of camping options, with 127 campgrounds and RV parks near Glady, WV and 23 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Glady, WV?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Glady, WV is Gandy Creek Dispersed Camping with a 4.9-star rating from 17 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Glady, WV?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 23 free dispersed camping spots near Glady, WV.

What parks are near Glady, WV?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 28 parks near Glady, WV that allow camping, notably Monongahela National Forest and Burnsville Lake.