Best Tent Camping near Peterstown, WV
Wildlife management areas and state parks near Peterstown, West Virginia offer diverse tent camping options along the New River watershed. Indian Mills Camping Area in Bluestone Lake Wildlife Management Area provides basic tent campsites open from mid-April through mid-October, with sites situated in wooded areas that offer privacy. Walnut Flats Campground, about 30 miles southeast of Peterstown, features five tent-only sites with vault toilets and hand-pump water, though access requires a 4x4 vehicle on rough mountain roads. Bull Falls Campground in the Bluestone WMA offers riverside tent camping with approximately 20 sites that provide access to hiking trails and water activities.
Most tent campgrounds in the region feature primitive amenities with varying terrain conditions. Campers should prepare for rocky or uneven ground at many sites, with one visitor noting they "had to pitch the tent in the flattest spot" available. Vault toilets are standard at most locations, though maintenance quality varies considerably between campgrounds. Water access is limited, with many sites requiring campers to bring their own drinking water. Fire rings are common but not universal, and some campsites charge per tent rather than per site, with fees ranging from $10-20 per night. The camping season typically runs April through October, with limited winter availability.
Walk-in tent sites provide the most secluded camping experiences in the region. At Stone Cliff Campground in New River Gorge National Park, a camper reported that "even with 2-3 other groups there, it still felt secluded with the sites' distance from each other and the wooded area." Meadow Creek Campground, now designated as tent-only, offers 17 free first-come, first-served sites that are "flat, large and spaced out," though frequent train noise and limited shade from newly planted trees are notable drawbacks. Primitive tent camping areas often require carrying gear short distances from parking areas, with some sites accessible only by hiking, boating, or crossing railroad tracks. Backcountry tent camping options can be found along the Appalachian Trail at locations like Chestnut Knob Shelter.
