Best Dispersed Camping near Petroleum, WV
Dispersed camping options near Petroleum, West Virginia include several primitive sites in the surrounding Ohio portion of Wayne National Forest. Wildcat Hollow Hiking Trail Dispersed, located near Corning, offers free backcountry camping with sites scattered along hiking trails. The area features both a 5-mile loop and a longer 15-mile loop with established primitive campsites marked by stone fire rings. No drinking water or facilities are available beyond a vault toilet at the trailhead, and the Forest Service advises against filtering water from local streams.
Trail conditions at Wildcat Hollow can be challenging, particularly after rainfall. According to one visitor, "the trail can be a cesspool of mud in too many places" while another noted "trails can be a bit muddy after it rains and probably take a long time to dry out down in the valleys." Kinderhook Horse Trail provides additional primitive camping options with a small trailhead area just off the main road. This location includes a vault toilet, picnic table, and hand pump water spigot, though it offers limited space suitable only for small groups with tents or compact vehicles. The 14-day camping limit applies throughout Wayne National Forest dispersed areas.
