Best Tent Camping near Meadow Creek, WV

Tent campsites in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve near Meadow Creek, West Virginia offer a mix of accessible and secluded options for outdoor enthusiasts. Meadow Creek Campground provides tent-only sites with spacious, open areas along the river, while Stone Cliff Campground offers more secluded walk-in tent sites with riverside locations. Both campgrounds are part of the national park system and provide basic amenities for primitive tent camping experiences.

Most tent camping areas near Meadow Creek feature minimal amenities, with vault toilets being the most common facility. Stone Cliff Campground has sand and dirt tent pads requiring a short walk from the parking area, while Meadow Creek Campground offers flat, open sites with no shade from newly planted trees. Neither location provides drinking water, so campers must bring their own supply. Fire rings are available at some sites, though not all are properly maintained. Both campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservations accepted, and neither charges fees for overnight stays.

The tent camping experience near Meadow Creek includes unique challenges and natural features. Train tracks run directly adjacent to Meadow Creek Campground, with frequent train traffic creating significant noise at all hours. As one camper noted, "Trains go by pretty frequently at every 20 minutes and they do not stop. The trains are fun to watch but very loud and frequent." Stone Cliff sites offer more seclusion and direct river access, though reviews mention broken glass along the sandy beach areas. During warmer months, both locations provide good access to the New River for swimming and fishing. Tent campers particularly appreciate the spacious sites at Meadow Creek, which was previously an RV park but now accommodates tents only due to safety concerns with the railroad crossing.

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Best Tent Sites Near Meadow Creek, West Virginia (26)

    1. Stone Cliff Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

    17 Reviews
    Thurmond, WV
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 465-0508

    "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."

    2. Meadow Creek Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

    4 Reviews
    Meadow Creek, WV
    1 mile
    +1 (304) 465-0508

    "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."

    3. Chestnut Creek Campground

    20 Reviews
    Lansing, WV
    20 miles
    Website

    $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."

    4. Meadow Creek Campground

    1 Review
    Meadow Creek, WV
    1 mile

    "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."

    5. Old Mill Campground — Bluestone Lake State Park

    5 Reviews
    Nimitz, WV
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 466-2805

    "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."

    6. Brooklyn Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

    3 Reviews
    Thurmond, WV
    13 miles
    Website

    "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"

    7. East Shore Campground — Bluestone Lake State Park

    2 Reviews
    Nimitz, WV
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 466-2805

    "site: some shaded sites. some sites along water. semi-private sites. amenities: a few campground options. pretty clean. attractions: near town. fishing. near pool. hiking. nature activities."

    8. New River Gorge Campground - American Alpine Club

    9 Reviews
    Lansing, WV
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 693-2667

    $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."

    9. Plum Orchard Lake WMA

    4 Reviews
    Scarbro, WV
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 469-9905

    $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."

    10. Bull Falls Campground — Bluestone Lake Wildlife Management Area

    3 Reviews
    Pipestem, WV
    19 miles
    +1 (304) 466-3398

    "You’ve struck gold here at Bull Falls Campground if you’re looking to get away from it all, discover solitude in the heart of West Virginia’s lush, verdant nature garden of Eden."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Meadow Creek, WV

490 Reviews of 26 Meadow Creek Campgrounds


  • Dave V.
    May. 26, 2018

    Grandview Sandbar Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

    Epic River Views and Access steps from your campsite!

    RANGER 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!

  • H. K.
    Jun. 26, 2022

    Stone Cliff Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

    Free, centrally located & meh

    Stone 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.

  • Heather P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 9, 2022

    Babcock State Park Campground

    Choose your site wisely

    My 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!!

  • Abby M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 6, 2020

    Glade Creek Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

    Good spot for the night

    Stopped 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!

  • Roger W.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 8, 2023

    Grandview Sandbar Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

    Only The Noise of Flowing Water

    GLADE 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.

  • D
    Apr. 5, 2022

    Meadow Creek Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

    Beautiful Spot but Now Tent ONLY

    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. 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.

  • Dave V.
    Sep. 12, 2020

    Greenbrier River Trail Mile Post 49.3 Primitive Campsite

    A Welcomed Reststop along the Trail

    Greenbrier 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:

    • Raised fine gravel tent pad
    • Nice, clean, maintained and stocked pit latrine
    • Picnic table
    • Metal fire ring
    • Metal Bear-proof trash receptacle
    • No cell service

    CONS:

    • No water pump
    • No cell service
    • Tent pad located very close to elevated trail

    NEARBY HIGHLIGHTS:

    • Town of Marlinton
    • Watoga State Park
    • Greenbrier Resort
    • Snowshoe Mountain Resort
    • Cass Railroad
    • Seneca State Forest
    • Seneca Rocks
    • Spruce Knob (WV highest elevation)
    • The Wild Bean Cafe and Thunderbird Taco (Lewisburg)  (Suggestion: Order the Guacadilla!...thank me later)

    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!

  • HThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 6, 2024

    Little Beaver State Park Campground

    Nice stop

    Nice 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.

  • Joe H.
    Sep. 7, 2019

    White Rocks Campground

    Beautiful, quiet, and relaxing.

    This is a great spot to get away from almost everything. No cell, no wifi, no hook ups, no showers. 

    Lots of hiking with a short 1.3 loop mile trail right out of the campground, and several trails nearby, including a few different connectors to sections of the AT. 

    Usually few if any campers here, but lots of wildlife to be seen and heard in and around the campground. 

    Theres a camp host who takes care of both bath houses, which have sinks and  flush toilets. No hot water, and no showers. There are a few water hydrants throughout the campground for water.


Guide to Meadow Creek

Tent campsites near Meadow Creek, West Virginia sit at elevations between 1,500-2,000 feet within the Appalachian Mountains, creating a moderate climate with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during the day and dropping to 60-65°F at night. Several primitive camping areas offer direct river access, with the New River maintaining a relatively constant flow rate of 5,000-9,000 cubic feet per second during normal conditions, making it suitable for various water activities from April through October.

What to do

Fishing access points: Stone Cliff Campground offers direct river access for anglers. "I loved the experience I had at stone cliff. The camp sites are well marked and maintained. There are some right on the river and a couple more set back closer to the trail," notes Hallie W., who found the swimming opportunities "A+".

Historical exploration: Visit the nearby abandoned coal mining town of Thurmond, located just 3 miles from Brooklyn Campground. "South side junction trail is right there and leads to thurmond; an almost abandoned coal mining town," shares Aspen H., who found the riverside location compelling.

Rock climbing opportunities: New River Gorge Campground caters specifically to climbers with specialized amenities. "This campground is well maintained and located in the heart of the New. It's a quick walk to the Junkyard Wall or a short drive to many other classic crags," explains Eric K., who recommends booking in advance during peak seasons.

What campers like

Sandy riverside sites: "Nice NPS campground. There are 17 sites, all free FCFS tent only sites," writes Casey L. about Meadow Creek Campground, noting "Sites are flat, large and spaced out. However the trees are very newly planted so they provide no shade or privacy."

Wildlife viewing opportunities: The campgrounds provide habitat for diverse wildlife. At Chestnut Creek Campground, Debra W. observed, "We do a lot of remote camping and expect our phones not to have reception. This made it easy to research new activities and things to see while we were there." The heavily wooded area creates ample wildlife spotting opportunities.

Communal facilities: "We ended up doing all of our cooking and eating in the big covered communal porch on the shower house with lights and big kitchen sinks for cleaning up as it was a very rainy weekend," shares Mollie R. about the New River Gorge Campground, appreciating the designed spaces for camper interaction.

What you should know

Train activity: Railroad tracks near most riverside campgrounds create significant noise. "The railroad tracks near most riverside campgrounds create significant noise. "Setup is four sites in one line, so to get to the pot-o-potty or parking lot, you walk through other sites. Otherwise, the riverfront spot is perfect and it's a quite secluded campground! Note for light sleepers: there is an active railroad across the river and there were probably 5-10 trains the Wednesday night that we stayed," warns Brittany S. from Brooklyn Campground.

Weather conditions: Strong wind patterns affect tent campers. As David from Meadow Creek Campground cautions, "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."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Meadow Creek, WV?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Meadow Creek, WV is Stone Cliff Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve with a 4.2-star rating from 17 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Meadow Creek, WV?

TheDyrt.com has all 26 tent camping locations near Meadow Creek, WV, with real photos and reviews from campers.