Best Tent Camping near French Creek, WV
Dispersed tent camping options extend throughout the Monongahela National Forest near French Creek, West Virginia, with several primitive sites located along rivers and forested areas. Little River Dispersed Campsites offers secluded tent sites along a creek in dense forest about seven miles from the town of Durbin on a gravel road. Bear Heaven Campground provides another tent-only option with sites nestled among unique rock formations in a wooded setting.
Most primitive tent sites in this region feature basic amenities, with fire rings and occasional picnic tables but generally no drinking water. Campers should pack in all water or bring treatment methods for creek water. Access roads to backcountry tent camping areas like Little River often consist of narrow, potholed gravel roads that may challenge low-clearance vehicles. Vault toilets are present at established sites like Bear Heaven and along the Greenbrier River Trail, though many dispersed areas require campers to practice proper backcountry waste disposal. Wildlife activity, particularly black bears, requires proper food storage with all items secured in vehicles or bear canisters.
Tent campers find exceptional seclusion along the Greenbrier River Trail, which offers multiple primitive tent camping areas at designated mileposts. A visitor commented, "The amount of wildlife we saw throughout the day was incredible while biking the trail. Mostly deer, rabbit, chipmunks and Eastern Box Turtles sharing the trail." These sites typically include Adirondack-style shelters, raised tent pads with pea gravel surfaces, fire rings, and hand-pump wells for water. During summer months, afternoon thunderstorms are common, making proper tent positioning and rain gear essential. Many sites provide direct stream or river access, allowing for fishing, swimming, and evening wildlife viewing when animals come to drink. The region's extensive trail networks make these tent camping areas ideal basecamps for hiking and backpacking excursions.
