B
Bob B.
Guide
GuideRiver Run Campground — North Bend State Park
Peaceful and Beautiful!
We thoroughly enjoyed this camp spot right on the river. LOTS of different birds. And it was so quiet!
Camping near Cairo, WV
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
The Cairo, West Virginia area features several established campgrounds within driving distance, including North Bend State Park with its River Run and Cokeley campgrounds. These parks accommodate tent camping, RV sites with hookups, and cabin rentals. Mountwood Park Family Campground, approximately 15 miles from Cairo, offers a mix of tent sites, RV accommodations, and cabin options. The region spans both West Virginia and nearby Ohio, where additional camping facilities can be found at locations like Wolf Run State Park and Kinderhook Trailhead, providing varied camping experiences from primitive tent sites to fully-developed RV parks with electric and water hookups.
Road conditions to some campgrounds may require careful navigation, especially when approaching from certain directions. A visitor noted, "Come in via Harrisville as the way in via Cairo has very bad roads." Weather considerations affect camping experiences throughout the year, with most developed campgrounds operating seasonally from April through November. North Bend State Park's River Run Campground stays busy during summer months but offers relative quiet during weekdays. Water features play a significant role in camping options, with several sites positioned along rivers or lakes. Cell service can be inconsistent throughout the region, though North Bend State Park is noted as one of the few campgrounds in the area with reliable connectivity.
Campers consistently highlight the natural beauty and tranquility of campgrounds near Cairo. River Run Campground along the North Fork of the Hughes River receives praise for its riverside sites, clean facilities, and access to hiking and biking on the 72-mile North Bend Rail Trail. This trail, which crosses 35 bridges and passes through 11 tunnels, serves as a major attraction for outdoor enthusiasts. Wildlife sightings are common throughout the area, with deer being particularly abundant near River Run Campground. Recreational activities at various campgrounds include paddling, fishing, swimming, and mountain biking, with North Bend State Park offering boat rentals, mini-golf, and a swimming pool during summer months. Tent sites at several locations provide direct access to waterways for kayaking or fishing.
Best Campgrounds near Cairo (89)
1. River Run Campground — North Bend State Park
"North Bend State Park is located at the halfway point of the 72-mile North Bend Rail Trail, so it’s a great camping spot for hikers, bikers and horseback riders who want to explore this scenic trail which"
"Initially, you don't see it...you must drive up and over a roller."
2. Cokeley Campground — North Bend State Park
"Love this place. 1st time ever in West Virginia and this park was up to the task of making a great 1st impression of the state.
Great hiking with well marked trails.""Come in via Harrisville as the way in via Cairo has very bad roads. Campground is very nice and well maintained."
3. Mountwood Park Family Campground(Wood County Park)
"Lovely gem of a campsite close to the highway. Used by atv enthusiasts, the quiet wooded full service campground is clean, quiet, and heavily wooded. Almost empty in July on a weekday."
from $30 - $40 / night
Check Availability4. Backwoods Campground & Winery
from $15 / night
Check Availability5. Kinderhook Horse Trail
"Close to the restroom there’s a picnic table, tentspots and a manual water pump. A lot of insects, humid and dense deciduous forest surrounding the trailhead. The Kinderhook trail was overgrown."
"Very quiet at night, except for a handful of cars that might drive through or spend the night. I spent two weeks here and had zero issues with people being loud or causing a ruckus."
6. Harris RV Park
"There’s also a nearby church whose bells I found lovely. Most of the other campers were long‑term workers who kept to themselves and were consistently respectful."
"He has so much info on where to eat and what to see in the surrounding areas. The guy bends over backwards for his guests."
from $25 / night
Check Availability7. Kinderhook Trailhead
"This is a horse trail camp. There is a vault toilet,a few trash cans,a water spigot and plenty of room for horse trailers. There are some trails you can walk or ride on."
"As we drove around the trailhead, we found a second designated site. The forest website says dispersed camping is allowed and fires are allowed with a 10 foot clearance and a ring of rocks."
8. Wayne National Forest Leith Run Recreation Area
from $15 - $55 / night
Check Availability9. Hune Bridge Campground
"This campground is just off Hwy 26, but far enough away from town that there isn’t much traffic. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern pole. "
"This is a great drive in campsite perfect for family and friends to get into the woods for a bit."
10. Lane Farm Campground
"This roadside campground is near homes and a small town, so not much traffic during the day, but quite a bit during the morning and evening commuting time."
"All four sites are close to the river. I was surprised to find that a week after labor day weekend there was still plenty of laying dead wood in the woods available for camp fire wood. "
from $10 / night
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Drive Time
- 26 min from Parkersburg, WV
- 1 hr 50 min from Wheeling, WV
Recent Camping Photos near Cairo, WV
87 Photos of 89 Cairo Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Backwoods Campground & WineryC
River Run Campground — North Bend State Park
Kinderhook Trailhead
Kinderhook Horse Trail
Lane Farm Campground
Hune Bridge Campground
Ashland RV Park
Bigfoot RidgeB
Cedar Creek State Park Campground
Forked Run State Park Campground
Riffle Run Campground — Burnsville Lake Wildlife Management Area
Camp Creek State Park Campground
Recent Reviews near Cairo, WV
254 Reviews of 89 Cairo Campgrounds
Shorty M.
Scoutmaple Grove campground
Beautiful free spot
Ive camped here a few times in the kast few years and have really enjoyed it. They just put in a spigot to get water from. There is vault toilets. They cut down some brush to make a few trails that you can hike. This campground is surrounded by other free campgrounds in Jesse Owen's state Park but this is the only one that gets cell service. You are allowed to run generator.
- AAJ W.Scout
River Run Campground — North Bend State Park
Muddy, bath house a little dirty during a busy week
It rained a lot (not the park's fault) so it was pretty muddy the whole time I was there. I switched from site 7 (next to the bathhouse) to site 8 midway through, and both were fine and relatively quiet. It was busy and the bathhouse was kind of gross, but I guess that comes with the territory.
- VVictoria S.Scout
Big Muskie Campground — Jesse Owens State Park
Nicest state park, ever!
Very, very nice and quiet. Very well laid out, very friendly for big rigs. Pull-thru campsites are for up to 66 ft.
Cristina L.ScoutCurtisville Lake and Campground
Love this place
Very quiet and private. Beautiful views, fishing, and picnic areas are clean.
Tara R.
RangerWolf Run State Park Campground
Needs some love.
We were there 3 night. With no kids. More of a tent camping campground. Not two many spots could fit bigger campers.
Jonathan G.
TravelerBee Run Campground — Sutton Lake
Quiet quick stop off the highway
We picked this spot because we were trying to make some miles on our way South and it was conveniently close to the highway. Only about 5 minutes off the freeway exit, it was extremely peaceful and quiet. We went to the camping loop a little further up the road rather the more RV oriented area closer to the highway. There were 12 small pull-through spots, suitable for trailers or RVs up to about 30 ft. No facilities other than pit toilets and a single water spigot. First come first served reservations by scanning a QR code on the picnic table at your site. There was a campground host trailer there, but we never saw the host themselves. Only one other camper when we were there. We didn't have time to explore the area much, but it is a national recreation area with a lake and the elk River nearby. There was a sign for a trail leading right out from the campground, we walked it and it quickly disappeared into a network of Little Jeep roads that might have been fun to explore.
Vidalia S.
LegendMountwood Park Family Campground(Wood County Park)
Lovely gem
Lovely gem of a campsite close to the highway. Used by atv enthusiasts, the quiet wooded full service campground is clean, quiet, and heavily wooded. Almost empty in July on a weekday. Showers, flush toilets, electric water and pumpout for $30 a night. Non-Electric sites no longer available.
- EEd E.Scout
Camp Creek State Park Campground
Nice and quiet campground
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Camp Creek State Park Campground. We had an electric only site along the creek, but they have sites with electric and water and sites with full hookup. It was level and we liked hearing the small creek flowing. We found several good places to hike with access in the campground and two nice waterfalls. The campground was not accessible the Camp Creek Road turnoff from I-77 because the exit was closed coming from the south for roadwork. Therefore, we had to get off near Princeton and the road was quite curvy and slow going for about 15 miles. Going back south was no problem getting on I-77. Hopefully the road work will be completed soon. We enjoyed enough that we would go back again, especially as a stop over on a longer trip.
Guide to Cairo
Camping sites near Cairo, West Virginia center around the Hughes River watershed and Wayne National Forest region. The area sits at elevations between 600-1,200 feet with humid continental climate patterns that bring distinct seasonal changes. Summer temperatures average 75-85°F while spring and fall camping seasons feature cooler nights, often dropping to 45-55°F.
What to do
Rail trail exploration: The 72-mile North Bend Rail Trail provides excellent biking opportunities near River Run Campground. "This humble campground is located on the 'Haunted' North Bend Rail to Trail. It was easy check in with a friendly staff. Great place to stay with plenty of room to enjoy yourself," writes William B.
Fishing: Fish for bass and catfish at North Bend Lake, a 300-acre waterway with both shoreline access and boat launches. A camper at Cokeley Campground noted, "Campground is very nice and well maintained. Sites have electricity and water; dump station is very well done and easily accessible with any RV configuration."
Mountain biking: The region features developed trail systems for various skill levels. "Great hiking with well marked trails. Fantastic biking on the 72 mile North bend trail which is an abandoned rail way with multiple tunnels including one that is a quarter long and haunted," reports David D.
Paddling: Kayak or canoe the North Fork Hughes River directly from riverside sites. "We had a wonderful time. The Park is great and we have stayed at lodge 4 times before but this was first camping trip. We stayed during historic heat wave but kept cool in the river, the pool, and with the ice cream store nearby," shares Jeremiah S.
What campers like
Riverside sites: Campers consistently praise waterfront sites at River Run Campground. "We were at site 13, right on the water. Check-in was easy and the staff was very friendly! Plenty of ice and firewood at the store and a cute little gift shop. The site was mostly flat where we parked the camper and very close to the bathhouse," reports Julie C.
Cell service reliability: Unlike many rural camping areas, Hune Bridge Campground and several other sites maintain usable connectivity. "Great drive in campsite perfect for family and friends to get into the woods for a bit," writes Seth V., while other campers appreciate maintaining connectivity while enjoying nature.
Equestrian facilities: Horse enthusiasts appreciate dedicated trail systems. "Area is dedicated to horse trail riding. Nice clean area just off main road. Can camp here in certain spots. Not much area to camp. No fire rings, one picnic table. Definitely only for very small camper, car camp, or tent, small group," notes Joe B. about Kinderhook Horse Trail.
Historical attractions: The region features preserved structures and exhibits from early settlement and industrial periods. "Within the national forest, you will find some historic covered bridges, churches, homes, general stores and quite a few hiking and horse trails and some nicely graded gravel back roads for cycling," reports Shari G.
What you should know
Access routes: Road quality varies significantly depending on approach direction to campgrounds. "Do not follow GPS to get to North Bend SP(Cokeley or River Run) Call the park office directly. 304-643-2931. GPS took us up some nasty horse-shoe hills! Call the office! Park personnel said some GPS will bring campers up a bad gravel road!" warns Kim M.
Off-season conditions: Most developed campgrounds operate from mid-April through mid-November with limited winter access. Spring camping can involve muddy conditions while fall brings colorful foliage and cooler nights.
Primitive vs. developed options: The region offers varying levels of amenities. At Mountwood Park Family Campground, "Only stayed for a night but it was very quiet and only a handful of other campers. All the sites seemed relatively level. Some of the electric hookups had damage but being able to choose your spot upon arrival helped," shares Seána B.
Varying site quality: Not all campsites offer equal appeal or conditions. "The primitive tent sites ($20 nightly) are less than desirable and more of an afterthought...and I'm being gracious. There is patchy tall grass, dirt and rocks with no leveled areas. And you have to wander a distance to the restroom/showerhouse when needed," writes Dave V.
Tips for camping with families
Pool access: The outdoor pool at North Bend State Park provides family entertainment during summer months. "North Bend State Park would be good for kids because they have playgrounds, mini-golf and an outdoor swimming pool(closed when I visited in October, but looked really nice)," shares Jennifer B.
Site selection: Family campers should target specific sites for optimal experiences. "We had a wonderful experience. I would also recommend sites 10, 11, 17, 19, 13, and 14," advises Jeremiah S. about family-friendly spots at River Run Campground.
Wildlife viewing: Children enjoy abundant deer sightings, especially near dusk. "Winding down to River Run, deer in abundance were lining the the roadway, so use care," cautions Dave V., highlighting both the viewing opportunity and safety consideration.
Cabin alternatives: Backwoods Campground & Winery offers both camping and cabin accommodations when weather becomes challenging. "So peaceful, beautiful views!!! Always have a good time, and always love enjoying time with family and friends and time together!" writes Brittany R.
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: Electric and water connections vary by campground, with limited full-hookup options. "Small privately owned campground about 15 min off I-77. We stopped for an overnight on our way north. Right on the Ohio River. Tight spots, but pretty level. The owner, Max, is amazing," reports Clean Slate D. about Harris RV Park.
Site dimensions: Many RV sites have size constraints that limit larger vehicles. "Beautiful campground but all giant RVs with lights like a Walmart lot at night. Nice Nature Center with attentive rangers. We camp in a tear drop and will not camp here again," explains Sabrina B.
Dump station locations: Plan waste management around available facilities. "Sites have electricity and water; dump station is very well done and easily accessible with any RV configuration," notes James P. about facilities at Cokeley Campground.
Navigation challenges: Large RVs face access difficulties on certain approaches. "There are two campgrounds in North Bend State Park…one is Cokely and the other is River Run. Neither are easy to get to when you have a big rig!" warns Bran P.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best camping spots in Cairo, Egypt?
Where are the best camping spots in Cairo, Egypt?
Near Cairo, West Virginia, you'll find exceptional camping at North Bend State Park which offers two excellent campgrounds. Cokeley Campground is well-maintained with electricity and water hookups, plus an easily accessible dump station for RVs. For those seeking water recreation, Wolf Run State Park Campground offers sites that wrap around a clear-water lake, making it perfect for families who enjoy swimming and fishing. The lake's smaller size means no high-speed water activities, creating a peaceful environment for campers.
When is the best season for camping in Cairo?
When is the best season for camping in Cairo?
The best camping season near Cairo is late spring through early fall (May-October). Camp Creek State Park Campground offers excellent hiking and horse trails that are most enjoyable during these months. Summer provides warm weather for water activities, while fall brings spectacular colors to parks like River Run Campground at North Bend State Park, which is perfectly positioned along the scenic 72-mile North Bend Rail Trail. Many campgrounds in the region remain open year-round, but services may be limited during winter months, and some water facilities might be winterized.
What are the camping regulations and permits required in Cairo?
What are the camping regulations and permits required in Cairo?
In the Cairo area, camping regulations vary by location. At Mountwood Park Family Campground, you'll need to register at the park office upon arrival. For Forked Run State Park Campground, reservations are recommended, especially during peak seasons. Most public campgrounds in the region require payment of camping fees, adherence to quiet hours, and proper waste disposal. Private campgrounds like KOAs may have additional rules. Check with specific campground offices or websites before your trip, as regulations can change seasonally and may include fire restrictions depending on conditions.
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