Hico is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Find the best campgrounds near Hico, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
$10 - $11 / night
"Small primitive, family run campground in the heart of the gorgeous new river gorge area. Owner was super nice,helpful, and welcoming."
"No electric or water at site but bathhouse with showers. Mostly tent sites in wooded area Our visit was the first full weekend I. November and many other campgrounds were closed for the winter."
"I used one of the walk in sites about half a mile into the trail. There was plenty of room for 4 tents right along the river. It was a little rocky, but nothing a sleeping pad wouldn't take care of"
"Tucked away by the river past Thurmond. Great secluded sites. Trailhead for hiking from camp."
$8 - $30 / night
"This is a very well thought out campground and is a great option for climbers visiting the area. each site has a wooden tent platform (10'x10') to set up on, which is a huge plus since the ground is so"
"Super clean bathrooms and flat platforms for tent camping. It’s a little pricey in my opinion but it’s easy to get to and close to lots of climbing."
"We came out of regular camping season so we couldn’t find anywhere near by that sold firewood. There is 1 handicap site and 4 sites by the river."
"South side junction trail is right there and leads to thurmond ; an almost abondoned coal mining town"
$10 / night
"Ok vault toilets. Luckily we had an axe, we had to chop a tree that fell overnight blocking the road out of the campsite."
"Plum Orchard Lake is a wildlife management area with rustic tent and camper sites. You do need to obtain a permit from the manager."
"The ranger informed us someone who stayed here in a rv had a close call crossing the train tracks and now they have decided to make this campground a tent only place."
"Recovering RV park, now tents only. Watched a cluster of fireflies that looked like a lightning storm. Just off the river and just off the highway, no water."
"The location was easy to get to and there were lots of open spaces. I practically had the campground to myself. The sites are spacious and each site has a sturdy metal table and BBQ pit."
$12 - $160 / night
"West Virginia at its finest! Blue stone state park is right next door to the lake so there are wonderful water activities here."
"Camp ground was clean, bathhouse was clean and neighbors were all spaced out pretty good. Staff was kind and helpful. We enjoyed ourselves and will for sure go back."
LegendRANGER REIVEW: PRIMUS 4-SEASON STAINLESS STEEL 0.3L MUG AT GRANDVIEW SANDBAR CAMPGROUND, NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL RIVER, WV
CAMPGROUND REVIEW:
Grandview Sandbar Campground situated along the New River, just outside of Prince, WV off Route 41 offers upclose and personal riverside camping. https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm
This and the other riverside campgrounds in the New River Gorge National River offer a minimal number of sites, no water, no electric, no modern facilities…however, they are free and its all about location. Site availability is first come, first served. Length of stay is limited to 14 days.
On the higher, wooded loop to the right as you travel down a very narrow, serpentine gravel road, there are 10 campsites. There are gravel parking pads that could accommodate a small RV/Camper/Pop-up…and a couple Pop-ups were present. How they navigated the winding steep park gravel road, is a mystery to me…the rains were eroding corners causing my truck to scrape.
The sites do have a picnic table, lantern post and firepit. Depending on thr site you choose, the initial sites to the right are all below the campground roadway you wind down. The pit latrine is a short walking distance and directly next to the host site in the River Access parking lot and boat ramp area.
The 8 tent sites are located on the far side of the boat ramp parking area and all but the two Handicap sites require a short walk to reach.
Numbers are on the lantern posts and blend together but are distinguished by the firepit. These are directly on the sand "beach" area of the New River…and as seen in my photos are not only a bit angled, they can be a dangerous choice.
The two handicap accessible sites are bordered by timbers, leveled and much more desirable, but you must possess a handicap placard/permit. It is not permissible to utilize them as overflow without a placard/permit.
The walk-up tent area has its own pit latrine. Nothing special…but private.
There is a river trail that will take you to Glade Creek and additional trails. Within a short drive are several additional nice hiking trails in the New River Gorge and nearby State parks.
Note: This is a busier campground with the public access boat ramp and very busy on weekends. A very popular spot for locals. While alcohol is prohibited, there was substantial physical evidence to the contrary, mere steps from the dumpster. Also keep in mind, during rains, tributaries flow into the New River causing it to overflow its banks with some regularity in thr spring and early summer.
Spring weekdays still saw several campers, even with the torrential rains and flooding. Free is a big draw.
PRODUCT REVIEW:
PRIMUS 4-SEASON STAINLESS STEEL 0.3L MUG
https://primus.us/products/four-seasons-mug-35l-stainless-steel?variant=358039683090
The Primus 4-Season Stainless Steel 0.3L Mug is a great option for the outdoorsperson searching for a do-all cup.
With it's all stainless steel double wall construction, it offers rust resistance, a clean appearance, the ability to keep contents their desired temperature longer, and remains odorless/tasteless. The mug is lightweight at just under 4 ounces.
The 0.3L/10 oz. mug is convenient and held single servings of beverage and food. However, I might migrate to Primus' other offering in the 0.2L/8 oz. mug for the volume I prefer.
The only potential achilles heel, would be the same with any other mug and that is the handle. Though I experienced no issues and don't foresee any…if there were to be one, it's likely with a mug's handle.
All in all, a great mug choice!
TravelerStone Cliff campground is a sandy, walk in campground. There is one site that you can park beside which I think is supposed to be ADA accessible. The rest of the sites require a short walk in or down about a flight of steps.
We camped right below the stairs. There was a pole for a lantern but no picnic table (although there are some near the parking area), no fire ring (previous campers had made one out of stone that we used), and no flat tent pad area. We pitched our tent in the flattest spot and it was acceptable.
There are vault toilets up the stairs and across the parking lot. They smelled awful and needed to be cleaned. Although it didn't seem like Stone Cliff was a busy campground (we only had a couple neighbors) the rafting companies put in right there and bring bus loads of rafters who use the vault toilets so they are used by lots of people.
You have to bring your own water. There are garbage cans in the parking area above.
It is right on the New River on a sand bar which is nice except there was SO MUCH BROKEN GLASS. Honestly it was the most broken glass I've seen on a beach. There was also quite a lot of litter which is obnoxious.
Overall it was fine. It was free and it was close to the Visitor's Center and most of the trails I wanted to hike. But it wasn't a beautiful or serene nature setting.
RangerMy suggestion is take a good look at the sites before setting up camp.
With 51 sites, maybe 20 were populated.
While we had no rain, you could tell some sites could easily be washed out or have
a nice stream that would run through your site with heavy rains.
Picnic table and fire ring in sites. Firewood can be purchased from the check in building.
NO Alcohol allowed in campground!
Restrooms and the campground was well maintained.
Checking out the Glade Creek Grist Mill is a MUST!!
ScoutNice size sites for tents and/or RV. All come with Lantern pole, fire ring with grate for cooking on, and picnic table. There are 2 restrooms located in this camping area with vault toilets only. Take your own toilet paper if campground isn’t busy because it doesn’t get maintained daily and we ran out. Trash cans are in fencing for bear proofing. Self pay.
LegendStopped by on my way up north. Beautiful view of the river, which was high. There’s 5 pull in sites and 5 walk in tent sites. Multiple bathrooms, including ADA friendly, all clean. There were 2 other campers on a Saturday night, which was nice and quiet. It’s about 5 miles down a nice dirt road, easy to drive on. There’s no AT&T service upon arrival. A few spots you could locate a bar to send a message, but that’s it. Lots of trees to hang a hammock. Each site had a fire ring, picnic table and a pole to hang food from. No electricity or water so be sure to bring your own. Overall, enjoyed my stay!
LegendGLADE CREEK - New River Gorge
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
70 yr olds in 17’ trailer:
Overall Rating: 4.5
Price. Free
Usage during visit: Trailer sites usually filled up by the end of the day.
Site Privacy: 2. Little understory plants Site 1 is very private.
Site Spacing: 5. Very large sotes
Site surface: Gravel/ mud
Reservations: First come, first serve
Campground Noise : 5. Very little
Road Noise: 4.5 Glade Rd is behind site 1., but not close. Site 1 is still the best trailer site. Traffic can hardly be seen through the trees. Minimal traffic and minimal noise .
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.
Electricity: No
Water: River only - bring drinking water.
Sewer: No
Dump: No
Generators: Allowed
Bathroom: Nice pit toilet near site 2(a nice handicap site.
Showers: No
Pull Throughs: Most sites
Cell Service (Verizon): No
Setting: 5. We can hear the river from all sites, which is just a short walk away.
Weather: Rain, clouds, sunshine
Bugs: None
Solar: Minimal and surely less when the trees leaf out more. Site 2 looks to have the best solar for a roof mount. Still minimal .
Host: None
Rig size: Limited by a narrow one lane . bridge on Glade Rd . A 30’ trailer arrived. There is plenty of room in the 5 trailer sites.
Access: 20 minute drive from 41 on maintained and pretty smooth gravel road. UPON ARRIVAL, IF PULLING A TRAILER , I SUGGEST THAT YOU OCCUPY THE FIRST SITS YOU SEE. That is because reentry into the campground, while pulling a trailer, requires extra driving away from the campground entry for turn around.
Sites: Site 1 is best for a trailer - isolated from the rest . Site 2 is a handicap site, which is not enforced by park service . Sites 3-5 are nice and large but not very private . Site 6, as looping back around, is the absolute best site, right on the river. It is suitable for truck campers, vans, and tents. A small trailer which can be hand maneuvered will also work there. There are some walk-in tent sites I did not evaluate.
Notes: There are reports from others of safety concerns. I checked with park ranger officers and they said there are no safety concerns, “especially way back here.” We didn’t experience any issues. That said, this issues reported in other reviews took place at the boat ramp, which is in ear shot of the walk-in sites, for sure.
TravelerThe ranger informed us someone who stayed here in a rv had a close call crossing the train tracks and now they have decided to make this campground a tent only place. Which is very unfortunate since this place is beautiful and the sites were big enough for rv and tent use. You have to cross train tracks to get here and it’s 4 sets of tracks all are very active with trains coming as often as every 20 minutes and they do not stop. The have a vault style toilet one for men and one for women. No water and no electric. There is a river nearby but it has a very strong current. The trains are fun to watch but very loud and frequent. The wind here is also very strong and without strong anchors could easily pull up your tent. We were having to restake the corners throughout our stay and thought we might loose our rain fly a few times. The wind just seemed to come out of nowhere being in a small valley the storms were very strong. We have Verizon and had 1-2 bars of service while here. It’s a shame they felt they had to close it to all rv and trailer use because of one careless act but that is what happens.
LegendGreenbrier River Trail Mile Post 49.3 Primitive Campsite, Watoga, WV
West Virginia's **Greenbrier River Trail (GRT) **stretches from its Northern Terminus at the Cass Railroad Station, Stumptown 78-80 miles (depending on what resource you read) to it's Southern Terminus in North Caldwell. The Greenbrier River Trail is a Rails-to-Trails initiative, so being a former track bed, the surface is predominantly ballast, though there are some black-topped areas. Some locations of the trail that either see more sunlight or less traffic have seen grass overtake the trail to form a "two-track" or at times a mown grass trail. Most parts drain well and easy to navigate, while some heavily wooded areas adjacent to rocky cliffs see more puddling and thus muddier...but all navigable.
Because of it's relative remoteness and light traffic, wildlife flourishes along the GRT. This is bear country so I would recommend utilizing a bear bag or bear canister for your food and toiletries. I used a BearVault BV500 that I strapped to the Salsa EXP Anything Cradle attached to my handlebars...worked great. Eliminated concerns about losing food items and attracting Yogi and Boo-Boo. A Father/Daughter duo trailing us observed a juvenile bear not far off the trail mid-day. But bears aside, raccoons, chipmunks and other rodents can wreak havoc on panniers or backpacks containing food and fragrant toiletries.
At the time of our visit there were 15 Primitive or Rustic Campsites along the Greenbrier River Trail. Each person traveling the Greenbrier River Trail will determine which primitive campsite they prefer for a night's rest.
All the primitive campsites positioned along the Greenbrier River Trail (GRT) are free, first-come, first-served. Note that some offer more amenities than others, so those will likely be the sought after locations.
Traveling West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail is a highlight whatever mode of travel permitted, whether on foot, horseback, bicycling or even paddlecraft...no motorized vehicles are permited. The Greenbrier River Trail was chosen by Backpacker Magazine as one of the top ten best hikes in the U.S. of A. That's quite the billing to live up to.
I will add that we chose to bikepack the GRT, so I felt we did not stop at all the available sites, cascades, waterfalls, bridges, etc purely because we were a little spread out and by the time you past by a special site, the others were too far down the trail. While I absolutely loved our entire GRT trip...had I been on foot...more exploring would have taken place.
PROS:
CONS:
NEARBY HIGHLIGHTS:
The GRT Mile Post 49.3 Primitive Campsite does not offer a well water, so fill up before you get there. Although, if you utilize a filter, you can draw water from the river or the tributary down the trail several hundred feet. Even though Mile Post 49.3 tent pad is directly alongside the trail, traffic is so light that it is really a non-issue. There is not a large clearing and with dense vegetation...pack your bug juice.
This is West Virginia, so even in populated areas cell service can be spotty...but on the trail, I would not count on it. This is both a blessing and a curse. However, for safety purposes, I do carry a Garmin InReach Explorer + in case of emergencies.
The GRT Mile Post 49.3 Primitive Campsite makes for a great overnighter from either Marlinton or a nice out-and-back from Cass Railroad from the north or from North Caldwell from the South...eliminating the need for a shuttle.
Final Thoughts: Whether you chose to spend the night at Mile Post 49.3 or not, is not the point...all the primitive campsites along the Greenbrier River Trail are great choices...the point is, mark your calendars, plan this trip and travel West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail!
GuideNice spot to stop for a night on our way north - level private spot for our rooftop tent. Sites 38-45 have the most privacy. Check website as we were there during a fire ban.
Nestled in the scenic beauty of West Virginia, tent camping near Hico offers a perfect escape into nature, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Hico, WV is Chestnut Creek Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 19 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 24 tent camping locations near Hico, WV, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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