Best Glamping near Petroleum, WV

As part of the Elk River Hotel and Café, there are four glamping tents located on the Elk River. We have the Dyrt to thank for finding these as I’m quite certain I would not have found them otherwise! We tend to take months-long road trips and every once in a while, we like to find unique accommodations, and this fit the bill. Possible future expansion plans include Vermont and Florida but for now, this is the only location for GlampOut Resorts (not to be confused with Glamp Out Resort– singular). 

Each glamping tent has a sink/small fridge, and coffee maker, a fully plumbed bathroom, and a king or queen-sized bed with linens. Bath towels are provided but no toiletries so make sure you bring them. The tents were spacious and clean, and the heater was appreciated during a cold, damp October stay. There is a sink and dorm-sized fridge but no microwave or way to cook a meal. Breakfast is optional, reasonably priced at $10 per person, and is served in the café at 8:30 am. The café is open for dinner Tuesday– Saturday from 4 pm– 9 pm and the food was good. I only saw one other breakfast/lunch eatery in town and no grocery store so plan accordingly, especially if you plan to be there on a Sunday or Monday! 

About a half mile from the glamping tents is access to the Jeremiah Carpenter Trailhead but use caution. There was a barrier at the entrance, but a local police officer told me I should just walk around it. I hiked about a half mile up the steep hill; when the trail turned to the right, it was overgrown and narrow and since I was by myself, I just turned around and came back down the way I came. I later learned there had been bear sightings on this trail! Nearby is the Flatwoods Monster Chair Trail. I wasn’t sure if there was a put-in area for kayaks or canoes and no one I asked seemed to know. In June, there is a Big Foot festival and a seasonal farmers market. 

When we were there, there was not much to do except relax. There is not much in the sleepy town of Sutton, however, it was a quiet respite for us during the last two weeks of our two-month trip. It is, however, a bit of a splurge at approximately $200 per night.

We prefer state parks but had to stay here at a KOA because of availability (Labor Day Weekend). My biggest complaint with KOAs is the tightness of the sites - this one was not bad. They had concert pads for the picnic tables (loved that). But we were in the first loop and we were far from the shower house - only one for the whole campground. Now we did have full hookup - but there are 6 of us that need showers after a day of hiking.
We went to New River Gorge and hiked all day. The Rim and the Bridge were only 1 hour away. One of the hiked we did was 1.5 hours away - but we enjoyed it. Go see the Flatwoods monster and the Dam. Nice small town in beautiful West Virginia.

While an RV park, you can also tent camp with the amenities, making it really nice. Electrical hookups and water at your site, plus clean bathrooms and a shower house on the property. It's also a quiet area and everyone is very respectful. The highway traffic can be a little loud in the morning if you're on that side of the property, but who wants to sleep when there are trails to hit! The owner was very friendly and available when needed. Fire rings and firewood are available too. We were there for the Rivers, Trails, and Ales Festival and it was perfect. It's right on the river so we made a stop at camp while on a paddling trip. Awesome! Will return next year!