Best Tent Camping near Oak Hill, WV

Tent camping near Oak Hill, West Virginia centers around the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, with several dedicated tent-only campgrounds within a short drive. Stone Cliff Campground offers riverside tent sites with walk-in access, while Meadow Creek Campground provides 17 free first-come, first-served tent-only sites. Chestnut Creek Campground in Lansing features wooded tent sites with wooden platforms in some areas, making it popular among climbers and hikers exploring the gorge. The American Alpine Club's New River Gorge Campground caters specifically to tent campers with 10'x10' wooden platforms at each site.

Most primitive tent camping options in the area require basic preparation. Stone Cliff Campground has no potable water, so campers must bring their own supplies. Vault toilets are available at most locations, though maintenance varies seasonally. Fire regulations differ between campgrounds - Stone Cliff and Brooklyn allow fires in established rings, while Meadow Creek has designated grills. Weather conditions can change rapidly in the gorge area, with strong winds reported at Meadow Creek Campground where tent stakes need secure anchoring. Winter camping is limited, with many facilities closing after November until spring.

The backcountry tent camping experience around Oak Hill offers unique riverside settings. According to reviews, Stone Cliff provides secluded sites where campers can pitch tents near the water, though visitors should be prepared for frequent train noise across the river. One camper noted, "Sites 2-5 are all right on top of each other with minimal trees in between, so they're good for groups but not if you don't want to be right next to people." Meadow Creek Campground, converted from an RV park to tent-only camping, features spacious but exposed sites with limited shade from newly planted trees. The American Alpine Club campground provides a more developed option with clean facilities and wooden platforms that keep tents level on the uneven terrain, particularly valuable during rainy conditions.

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Best Tent Sites Near Oak Hill, West Virginia (23)

    1. Chestnut Creek Campground

    20 Reviews
    Lansing, WV
    8 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."

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

    17 Reviews
    Thurmond, WV
    6 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."

    3. New River Gorge Campground - American Alpine Club

    9 Reviews
    Lansing, WV
    8 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."

    4. Plum Orchard Lake WMA

    4 Reviews
    Scarbro, WV
    3 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."

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

    3 Reviews
    Thurmond, WV
    7 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"

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

    4 Reviews
    Meadow Creek, WV
    18 miles
    +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."

    7. Meadow Creek Campground

    1 Review
    Meadow Creek, WV
    18 miles

    "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."

    8. New & Gauley River Adventures Camping

    Be the first to review!
    Thurmond, WV
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 759-7238

    $12 - $160 / night

    9. Old Mill Campground — Bluestone Lake State Park

    5 Reviews
    Nimitz, WV
    29 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."

    10. East Shore Campground — Bluestone Lake State Park

    2 Reviews
    Nimitz, WV
    28 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."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Oak Hill, WV

482 Reviews of 23 Oak Hill 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.

  • 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.

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

    Grandview Sandbar Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

    Quiet, Small, and Peaceful

    Sandbar: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer) Overall Rating: 4.5 Price: Free Usage during visit: 80% full Site Privacy: 4 Pretty good if you’re backing in a trailer or van Site Spacing: 4.0. Pretty good Reservations: First come - first serve Campground Noise: 5. Very Quiet while there Road Noise: 5. None. May be some boat noise Through Traffic: None. Campground is a circle drive. Electricity: No Water: No Sewer: No Dump: No Generators: Allowed Bathroom: Yes Showers: No Pull Throughs: Most, if not all we’re back-ins. Short pads .
    Cell Service (Verizon): 3 Fair .
    Setting: 4.5 Very nice setting surrounded by deciduous forest. The trailer sites are all on the outer perimeter of a circle drive. Large diameter , so not close to the folks across the way.
    Fixed Roof Solar: A couple sites might be okay Host: None Rig size: Some sites look like they will only accommodate a 20’ - 25’ trailer., Carefully check website There is enough room on the pad to park vehicle next to the trailer.

  • Dave V.
    Sep. 1, 2017

    Babcock State Park Campground

    Drop Dead Gorgeous!

    Babcock 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.


Guide to Oak Hill

Nestled in the scenic landscapes of West Virginia, Oak Hill offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for adventure and tranquility.

Tips for tent camping near Oak Hill

  • For a peaceful experience, consider staying at Chestnut Creek Campground, where spacious and isolated sites provide a serene atmosphere, especially during weekdays.
  • If you're looking for a rustic vibe, Plum Orchard Lake WMA offers heavily wooded sites perfect for those wanting to escape into nature.
  • Be prepared for a unique camping experience at Meadow Creek Campground, where you can enjoy the sounds of passing trains while camping in a calm environment.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

  • Adventure seekers will appreciate the proximity of New River Gorge Campground - American Alpine Club, which is close to excellent climbing spots and hiking trails.
  • Fishing enthusiasts can enjoy the tranquil waters at Plum Orchard Lake WMA, where the lake is ideal for kayaking and fishing.
  • For a blend of history and nature, Brooklyn Campground is situated near the South Side Junction Trail, leading to the remnants of an abandoned coal mining town.

Campground amenities to enhance your stay

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Oak Hill, WV?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Oak Hill, WV is Chestnut Creek Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 20 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Oak Hill, WV?

TheDyrt.com has all 23 tent camping locations near Oak Hill, WV, with real photos and reviews from campers.