Looking for the best campgrounds near Hernshaw, WV? Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Hernshaw, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Hernshaw and user-submitted reviews.
$35 - $40 / night
"Tucked away in the middle of the mountains, surrounded by the constant reminder of wildlife around. I stayed for the very start of spring. The world was covered in the brightest green moss."
"Kanawha state forest is nestled in the mountainous Hills of West by God Virginia right on the outskirts of Charleston. There is plenty of hiking in Kanawha state forest."
"Directly across from a grocery store, pet store, and auto supply store so great resupply stop! And free electric! Clean playground also."
"Albans roadside park is for pull behind campers only. No tents allowed. About 6-7 sites for campers."
$30 - $40 / night
"I told them I did not have these capabilities in my rig and they gave me sole access to the handicapped shower."
"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."
$15 - $50 / night
"Beautiful area, close to New River National Park. Very accommodating staff. Includes wifi, PBS TV, small dog run, small playground, picnic shelter, laundry, bathhouse, firewood, ice,etc."
"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."
$20 - $110 / night
"This is across the main highway from the water ways water park. Others camp here to be close to the Hatfield McCoy ATV trail system."
$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."
"campground is bigger than it appears as there are multiple places to camp on one site, it is a primitive campground so don't come looking to hook up to electricity, very family friendly and good for dogs"
$55 - $155 / night
"We tent camp, but walking around, the camping trailers did not appear to be crowded together. For us this is a fantastic place to overnight and will return again when traveling through the area!!"
"We had a pull thru site by the lake, it had to be about 100 yards long and nicely graveled."
"It has very close proximity to I-64 in West Virginia, and you can hear the traffic pretty clearly."
"This is a very cozy park tucked in between US60 and I64. We are in site 14 and its not quite level, but they were generous with gravel so the drainage is good! No parking in puddles!"
$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."
"The campground is spread around a really big area but it’s very hill-y. Beautiful area. Close to store & restaurants. Staff very friendly. A little pricey but worth it."
$7 - $69 / night
"They keep the Raccoons away and didn't spray any one or any dogs."
"This spot was a short drive away from awesome rock climbing in the New River Gorge."
RangerThis lake is lovely but there is no where to camp. Lots of big pavilions to rent. See nearby Battle Run Campground. https://thedyrt.com/west-virginia-camping/west-virginia-battle-run
LegendWe enjoyed our stay at Huntington/Fox Fire KOA! This is a holiday KOA that offers more amenities for vacationers. It has very close proximity to I-64 in West Virginia, and you can hear the traffic pretty clearly.
The staff is wonderful, they obviously care very much about their jobs and we enjoyed talking to them. They keep the property very clean which is saying a lot because it’s a very busy park. Each day we watched the park nearly empty and by sundown it was mostly full again. On the weekends it was full to capacity, and it’s occupants were out enjoying their time!
There is: great cellular for TMobile and AT&T, laundry, dog walk area, storage, cabins, a store, a swimming pond, small beach area, and some sites have fire pits. The picnic tables were pretty dated.
The hookups are a little strange. You share pedestals in many of the sites. And the arrangement is a little strange but it works.
GuideThe campground is small. Has a nice dog park. Pickle ball courts Cafe Sky diving right here. The Ohio river is visible. The only real problem comes with the train tracks right here. The trains are close and do blow their whistle for crossing by the office.
TravelerNice campground. The park is spectacular. The most photographed place in west Virginia is the grist mill. Awesome trails all around.
LegendBabcock State Park, located in the thriving megapolis of Clifton, West Virginia is postcard perfect! https://wvstateparks.com/park/babcock-state-park/
The road in off the highway isn't too long, but it seemed long, winding, and up and down...especially as night fell. Driving backcountry roads in West Virginia, at night, is not my idea of fun, as I had several near misses with Bambi and her roving gang of miscreants...having no regard for traffic laws...and one knock down, drag out with minimal vehicle damage.
One of the beauties of West Virginia...it is a sparsely populated state with open, unchoked roads that lead to some of the most amazing sights. You must be willing to explore, but you will be richly rewarded.
In the dark, I did pass the campground signs without seeing them and turned into the State Park entrance...wound around past rental cabins to the park office, so I had to backtrack to the campground, which is located in a different area altogether. Driven during daylight hours, the signs are very apparent...so I'm blaming it on the deer.
We arrived midweek, the first of May, so we did not reserve a site. The campground has 52 sites, so I thought we would have a good shot as a walk-in. No worries...we shared the campground with two other campers. Our campsite (site 32) was on the inner loop of the main campground loop at sits around 2450 ft elevation. The temperature got down to 30 degrees and frost covered everything. Twenty eight sites have electric hook-ups ($28) and twenty four do not ($25). The inner loop has some mature trees but is wide open and close cut grass...every camper has a view of the other. Even the outside sites on the main loop are visible. The smaller loop to the right as you enter and a few sites to the left sit in slightly more wooded sites...but there is no foliage separating sites. There is also sites on the opposite side of the roadway when you enter the campground, but seem more like overflow sites...and a fair distance to trek for the showerhouse/restroom/laundry which is situated on the bottom of the main loop.
There is plenty of gravel parking pad for large RV/Campers at all the sites and are angled for trailer back-in. Tent pads are not define and grassy (or a muddy mix depending on weather and usage). Each site has a picnic table and fire ring.
The showerhouse/restroom is located at the front of the loop and was spotless and maintained at the time of our stay...but not climate controlled...as in, not heated. The ladies that keep the park facilities clean worked tirelessly. A very nice activity area for kids sat along the inner portion o the main loop.
The main entrance to the park offers several cabin rental, from economy to 4 bedroom, the park office/visitor's center/gift shop sit along the river. The park office staff were very helpful, friendly and wear many hats...like most state parks.
This building and surrounding stone structures, retaining walls, and staircases were built by the CCC and are magnificent and in great shape. The beautiful gift shop was once a former park restaurant of a bygone era.
Ranger Cochrane was a wealth of information about the park, it's history and neighboring parks. He graciously spent time answering my barrage of questions. Ranger Cochrane was yet another tribute to the fine personnel that WV parks have in place.
The park office is also the best location for postcard perfect pictures of the raging whitewater and gristmill. While not the original gristmill from this location, three remaining gristmills from around the state were dismantled and rebuilt into one at the present location over 30 years ago. The gristmill was very photogenic in the early Spring, but I can only imagine the splendor when the fall leaves change color.
Whitewater kayakers were readying to put in on the rain swollen and boulder strewn river that feeds into the New River below.
Boley Lake, a short drive up the mountain is picturesque and well-stoked with fish. You can paddle the 19 acre lake with personal paddle craft or rent paddleboats, canoes or rowboats from the Boley Lake Marina. Fishing is permitted, but you must have proper licensing...which can be purchased online.
Trails are everywhere and of every terrain and level of difficulty...over 20 miles of trails total. Babcock State Park is 4,127 acres, so there is plenty to see and do. Bicycling can be done on all park paved and gravel roads (no off-road trails), as well as along the Narrow Gauge Trail. And of course, being not too far from The New River and Gauley River...whitewater rafting is close.
ScoutGo to Beech Fork! I’ve been camping here with my family for close to ten years now and we always have a blast. I’ve stayed in primitive sites and RV sites and you can’t really go wrong with either (my review will be 4 stars until I check out the cabins)! Whether you’re looking to spend some time on the lake, fish, hike, bike, or even learn a thing or two about West Virginia history, Beech Fork will typically have you covered. The park stays clean and the staff are pretty good people as well!
ScoutIf your into hiking, rock climbing, fishing, swimming, kayaking, white water rafting, paddle boarding or just hanging out outdoors battle run is for you. 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.
GuideGreat Place if you like to hike. Wonderful trails. The peole are nice and Its beautiful. Only thing I didn't like was I couldn't being my dog because pets are not welcome. As of right now July 2016 the are closed due to flooding hopefully they will be back up and running soon cause I'm ready to go back.
LegendTawney Farm is part of a growing trend of agrotourism in West Virginia where farmers allow visitors to camp on their land.
The proximity to the Gauley River makes this primitive campground an ideal place for kayakers to stay during the whitewater season in September and October. That's when the meadows and hills around Tawney Farm will be filled with tent campers ready to ride the rapids.
James and Susan Tawney are the perfect hosts because they're super nice and sincerely interested in talking about their sheep farm, the history of Panther Mountain, and the best places to swim, fish and kayak on the Gauley River.
I enjoyed a couple nights of "glamping" when I stayed at the Tawney Farm "Nut House," appropriately named because James crafted it from recycled wood, including cherry, beechnut and black walnut.
The primitive cabin has electricity, a full-sized roll-away bed and a futon. There's no bathroom or running water, so I used the clean port-a-potties and community propane-heated shower and had access to a fire pit and charcoal grill.
Great hospitality! James prepped my fire pit with free wood and Susan made sure I had plenty of charcoal, then loaned me BBQ tools so I could grill my dinner without scorching my hands.
The Wild and Woolly Primitive Campground includes a group area where guests can cook, wash their dishes, and hangout. There's a small store with raw wool crafts, fresh farm eggs and black walnuts, plus and a stage for live music during the peak season.
I wanted to make sure I got some nice photos of their sheep, so James and Susan brought the flock down for a closer look and encouraged some young guests to pet them.
The access road to Tawney Farm is gravel with a tree growing in the middle, so take caution at night. The nearby roads leading to the Gauley River National Recreation Area are in good shape but a little nerve-wracking because they're so narrow there's not much room to get out of the way when you come face-to-face with tour buses shuttling paddlers to and from the Gauley River.
I checked out Mason Branch and Woods Ferry where I enjoyed some nice hiking, paddling and swimming. Since it was summer, the kayakers I spotted were using "rubber duckies" so they could negotiate the rocky river without getting stuck.
Mason Branch has an unmarked, unmaintained trail near the parking lot where you can see a couple of nice waterfalls. There's a trail to the left of the lower falls that takes you to a higher waterfall the locals call "Janie's Hole." The story I heard is Janie was a young lady who died after she either fell or jumped from the top of this falls.
There's another interesting local story about the nearby Summersville Lake. This crystal clear lake was created when an earthen dam was built that covered the small farming community of Gad with water. My 98-year old mom says no one wanted to call it the "Gad Dam" because it sounded like they were using the Lord's name in vane, so they settled on the next closest town and named it the Summersville Dam. Water released from this lake in the fall is what creates the world-class whitewater on the Gauley River.
Explore the beauty of camping with your furry friends near Hernshaw, West Virginia, where several campgrounds welcome pets and offer a variety of amenities and activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Hernshaw, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Hernshaw, WV is Kanawha State Forest with a 4.2-star rating from 27 reviews.
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