Best Cabin Camping near R.D. Bailey Lake

Campground Review: 

River Expeditions in Oak Hill, WV, is an all-in-one camping-to-glamping resort for outdoor adventures in the New River Gorge where I shared a 3-day adventure with a young lady who was a first-time camper. We both enjoyed the friendly, knowledgeable staff and all the amenities, including an outdoor swimming pool, game room, restaurant and saloon.

River Expeditions offers tent camping, safari tents, RV sites, bungalows, mini-cabins, deluxe cabins, and even luxury cabins with private hot tubs. Prices range from$15/night for tent camping to nearly $400 for the luxury cabins with a 15% discount for booking online, and a 50% discount from November 1st to March 3rd. All accommodations include a complimentary continental breakfast. 

River Expeditions is spread out over a 100-acres, with the tent camping located in open meadows, surrounded by trees. The RV camp sites are too close together for my taste and the gravel parking spots are all on a slant, so it would be a challenge for larger trailers to get level there. My camping buddy and I upgraded from my tent to my RV van due to thunderstorms and heavy rain. We selected spot#6 which allowed us to park parallel to the electricity and mostly avoid the downhill slant. 

The New River Gorge National River has some of the best whitewater rafting in the country, so we booked a trip on the lower New River and it was great! River Expeditions has good gear and great guides like Porter who had us cracking up when he shared some local folklore. He gave us lots of opportunities for a relaxing swim outside the raft. We also got to test the power of a whirlpool and jump off a huge rock, while we paddled downstream through the rapids. 

The New River Gorge is a climber’s dream, so we booked an evening of rock climbing with David Wolff, Director of the New River Climbing School and he was amazing! I would describe David as an expert instructor, combined with psychological counselor, who helped my camping buddy cope with her fear of heights during the rappelling portion of the outing. 

There are lots of great hiking trails in the New River Gorge. The 2-mile Endless Wall Trail has been rated the #1 National Park trail by USA Today. The view from Diamond Point is amazing, with the rocky outcroppings overlooking the New River. You’ll often see climbers scaling nearby rock walls and you can watch rafts negotiating the rapids in the river below. Tip: There are two small parking lots which can fill up fast, you may want to arrive early on the weekends. If you have a big party, you can carpool from the Canyon Rim Visitor’s Center which is worth a visit to use their flush toilets and get free trail maps. 

We also hiked the 3-mile Long Point Trail which gives you an amazing view of the New River Bridge, a steel arch bridge, more than 3,000 feet long, which spans the gorge. If you visit on the third Saturday of October, you can join tens of thousands of visitors who watch dare devils base jump from the structure during the annual Bridge Day celebration. 

On the final day of our visit, we tried River Expeditions’ 3-part zipline in the pouring rain, something I wouldn’t repeat because I was too soaked and cold to enjoy the experience. I’d describe it as a beginner’s zipline, so if you’re looking for something more dramatic, with better views, you may want to check out the competition at Ace Adventure Resort. 

The only negative caveat of our stay was a run-in with the resort owner caused by unpredictable hours for the pool and other amenities, which closed early with no advanced warning.  We were threatened with eviction when I used the half-covered hot tub at 9:30 PM after we were told at check in it stayed open until 10 PM.

Product Review: 

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time, so my camping buddy and I wore Banner and Oak hats during our 3-day adventure in the New River Gorge.

I want to be honest, without trashing Banner and Oak, because I love their American-made hats and would definitely recommend them. 

With that said, I’m disappointed that Banner and Oak has apparently abandoned their founding pledge to sell American-designed and fabricated hats, with 95% of the materials sourced in the United States. 

I noticed the recent change when I opened my sample box and two of three hats inside were made in China and Bangladesh. 

My favorite hat of the trio is the American-made Banner and Oak Scout with a patch that pleases my soul, featuring the phrase“Freedom To Explore” embroidered across the top with a stars and stripes tent centered underneath. This hat is well-made, with quality materials, and generates positive comments whenever I wear it. 

The quality of the China-made Banner and Oak Trailhead hat is fine, but the brand is unknown in West Virginia, so when I showed it to other campers, they wanted to know something about the company. I told them Banner and Oak is a relatively new American apparel brand headquartered in Arkansas, so they seemed confused by the“Made in China” tag inside. 

The hat made in Bangladesh is the Banner and Oak Pathfinder from the women’s line. The quality is noticeably inferior, with puckered seams and the front logo slightly off-center.

All three Banner and Oaks hats I tested have a list price of nearly $30/each, so my buying preference would be for any style of their top-quality, American-made hats, designed, fabricated and sourced in the USA.

From whitewater rafting to the waterpark to their 15+ different adventures, Ace Adventure Resort has it all. The tent campsite I stayed at was out in the open and had no privacy, but the bath house was clean. The small cabins are very nice, with more room than it appears from the outside. The hot tub was a great addition for those cold nights after rafting.

Chief Logan has a lot of interesting things to see, including an outdoor animal exhibit, a lodge, a pool, a theatre, and a museum all close together.

Our site was full hook up and very level. There was creek nearby and walking paths all over. We went over to the lodge and was able to swim in the pool and hot tub as part of the price of our campsite. There was solar event with super rare aurora light show for this part of the world while we were there.

Clean, well maintained campground. Rv sites are large and easy access to back into your site. Fire pits and picnic tables. Restaurant right next door. Cabin and camper rentals very well kept. Trails are literally out your front door. Popular place to stay yet not crowded. Don't be fooled by other places claiming to be right on the trails. This is it!

We stayed a weekend in one of the many cabins at the Campground; pet friendly! The RV/Tent camping sites were closed. Cabin was stocked with minimal kitchen ware, we brought in our groceries, in the town of Hinton there are a couple of grocery stores; so easy access. There was a picnic table and satellite TV; to our surprise. Cabin had a fireplace, two bedrooms and one bath. Very quiet!

Thumbs up and we will likely stay there again, will look into bringing our TT to check out the RV/Tent areas.

The Breaks are considered the “Grand Canyon of the south”. Great mountaintop views, hiking, geocaching, kayaking, paddle boats, a zip line, and seasonal white water rafting all available. A few miles from the campground you’ll even find river access with a sandy beach for summer fun. A wonderful getaway when you want to be away from it all. Several campground sections to choose from with primitive sites to full hookup with electric, water, and sewer. Dump stations are available also. There are laundry facilities and bathhouses (didn’t use either so not sure on condition), playgrounds, picnic shelters, cabins, and inns. Each campsite had a fire ring and picnic table. Spots are definitely not level, so bring a variety of blocks—you’ll need them. No outside lights at the sites so when it’s dark it’s d-a-r-k. Beautiful campground.

Several cabins, RV spots and grassy tent areas. The staff are very easy to work with - they will sell and chop the wood you need, let you put your tent in any of the open grass areas around the lot and they are flexible on arrival.

• decent showers and bathrooms
• reasonable prices
• quiet nights (other than woodland animals)
• safe place - no issues with safety or security while we were there
• close to Hatfield McCoy off-road/ATV trails but there are other things to do in the area.

Site was accessible, and we could get into the bathhouse. The cabins and picnic facilities look to be first class. Water and power worked.

But there isn’t a soul on site, and we didn’t get a confirmation email as was promised by the reservation system. No wifi at all. No maps to let us know the property boundaries. There is a lot of junk laying outside the locked buildings.

The site is near the freeway, and you can hear the road noise.

I’d skip this site out of tourist season.

Everything you could ever want at a campground. The main reason to visit is for WHITEWATER RAFTING ON THE NEW RIVER AND GAULEY!!! Woohoo. It recently became a national park and it is a renowned area to raft. Class 1-5 rapids. This giant facility has zip lines, a bar(love it, great local selection, pool tables, and live music), a lake with giant wipe out inflatables, cute cabins, disc golf, ATV, mtn bike program, bike trails, hiking trails, a trail that leads to Thurmond, WV. Request Dalton, Jeremy aka Squatch, Ash Manning, Preston, or Annie Byrne! Great bathroom facilities at the campgrounds.

We stayed a night on a long trip up the coast and had a great experience. The shop was well appointed with necessities and wine from local. It was easy to get around the campground, and there were many nice spots and cabins to choose from. We had plenty of room to park our RV and there was a very nice new swingset Nearby. Noticed multiple people utilizing the fishing pond and there was a cornhole tournament going on at the other side of the park. That looks like a lot of fun. The only downside was that the shower house had one shower stall per gender and was not very clean. It also would’ve been nice to have some more places to set belongings or hooks.

We stayed one night at site 34 in the back of the campground and loved it. It was quiet, with both shade and sun; it also had a wooden deck and nice picnic table. The back seems to be for small RVs and tents (we have a teardrop). We opted for a water and electric site; there is a dump station in the front of the park. The middle and front of the park was for larger RVs, tents and several cabins that were too close together for our preference. A 3 mile drive to long point trailhead and only 20 minutes from the beautiful Summersville lake. The campground has a bathhouse and store but we didn’t use either so can’t comment on those amenities.

Nestled in a moderately remote bit of WV just outside pineville/beckley, twin falls state park is an absolutely killer place to stay. Plenty of easily accessible camping sites for RVs, tent spots, and very well documented and marked hiking trails. Very cool pioneer house with garden and rescue animals and (at least during my time there) LOTS OF DEER!!! I had so many deer along the roadways that loved to pose for pictures. Great golf course, decent restaurant and resort rooms, outdoor and indoor pool, tennis/basketball courts, and so many more things. I stayed in a 2 bedroom cabin and it was super affordable at 120 per night and it comes with your own personal wifi and full kitchen. One of the best spots in WV and a must see!

This park has some nice campsites, which can make your camping experience an awesome time, but that’s not why you should go there. Like a lot of state parks, it’s got the usual wooded picnic table, fire ring, the electrical hook-up thing if you need it (or BYOS - bring your own solar), even nice bathrooms with showers and everything. What it offers in terms of a get away from it all makes it the go to destination for everyone who’s just about had enough of everything average.  

First of all, where the heck is it?  About 200 miles from anywhere you’ve ever heard of, unless you’re lucky enough to have been born and raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains, or you’ve just nursed along a love of two-lane winding roads, it rewards the traveler who says“let’s take a road trip.” The closest town is Haysi, Virginia, which offers a selection of small regional grocery stores, gas stations and a few restaurants...but not much more. 

The park sits atop an ancient canyon cut through time by the Russell Fork River some 1000 feet below. The trails wonder through sandstone formations laid down some 250 million years ago when the area was covered by a shallow inland sea. The views as well as the geological significance instills awe in the best sense. 

The park offers a short scenic drive loop with a dozen or so stops all offering some look into the amazing scope of natural science. But in case that doesn’t inspire your 10-year-old, the mountain bike trails near to the campground will sure take some energy out of them. And in case they want to just go to the outdoor pool, or sit in the well-appointed cabin or guestroom, these are also available at this park offering a widely diverse accommodations for nearly anyone willing to make the drive to get there.  The Russell Fork is also a world class river offering everything from class 2-3 fun to serious Appalachian creekin’ paddling. But don’t tell anyone about this place, because I don’t want anyone else to find out about it.

We camped here for 3 nights with our dogs. Our site was in the B loop and had no water or electricity. It was surrounded by a lot of trees, so it had shade. It was a short walk to the bathhouse which was very clean with nice showers. 

The campground has 4 different loops. I personally liked the B loop the best because everything was very close to it like hiking trails, laundry facility, basketball court, and a little camp store which has ice and firewood available.  

The state park also has a lodge, cabins, and a beautiful lake. There is a restaurant in the park. We tried it for lunch and it was good. The landscape in the park was just beautiful. The overlooks, especially the tower overlook, are gorgeous. There are several hiking trails. Be aware that the loop is extremely strenuous and takes 4 to 5 ours. I really liked that the trails are not heavily trafficked. 

We would definitely camp here again. All the park staff, hosts and volunteers were super nice and very helpful.

Beautiful piece of heaven to get away with enough water to let everyone have some room.

Just a quick FYI, there is no camping in the winter. We stopped by for an overnight while enroute to Ohio. I don’t always check ahead while road tripping , I see a recreation sign and decide to stop for the night. This CCC State Park is very picturesque and has several hiking trails and the man-made lake is small but offers plenty of recreation possibilities.

I found the layout a little strange. The visitors center/ office sits right on the entry road but there is no parking in front of it. If you need to stop there use the parking area immediately to your right and then walk up.

The staff was limited , one grumpy older gentleman who never said a word to mej, just gave me sour looks like I was somehow putting him out by walking into the office. The younger gentleman was very informative and helpful. He answered questions about the parks history and suggested the best trails due to the slippery weather that was going on. We enjoyed a hike around the lake and then went on our way. I will be back for their camping season and to check out more of the trails. You could easily spend some time here and enjoy the surrounding area attractions. Check out Chocolate Moose in Beckley if you enjoy unique tasty coffee and excellent, friendly service and Tamarack for some West Virginia local art.

We stay here all season! Love all of the rentals and the campsite is top notch! Always clean and in great shape. Right next to outlaws and Hatfield McCoys plus a terrific restaurant right there at camp. We LOVE Hilltop Escape and highly recommend for all ages!

Cabwaylingo is off the beaten path, but definitely worth a visit! It's one of the oldest WV state parks, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's. Described as a"hidden gem" on the state website, I was the only camper in the entire 8,200-acre property on a warm Sunday afternoon. Sad this beautiful state forest is so underutilized. 

Cabwaylingo sits on a portion of four different counties, namely: Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln and Mingo, which helps explain the origin of the exotic-sounding name. The forest has two campgrounds, lots of picnic shelters, 100-capacity bunkhouses with a huge kitchen, plus some gorgeous historic cabins which now have A/C. The outdoor pool is closed due to a lack of funding, but there's swimming hole in the nearby creek which is also used for baptisms by local churches. 

The stonework in this park is amazing, especially the superintendent's residence which was built by Italian stone masons. It's located across the street from the park headquarters, so be sure and check it out. 

I pulled into the Spruce Creek Campground which appeared nicely maintained, but there was no campground host, no other campers, and the bathhouses were locked, so I wasn't sure if it was open for use. I found out from the superintendent the next morning that it's difficult to keep a campground host because it's an unpaid position. He said I could have pulled in and picked one of 11 spots, then the night watchman would have shown up to check me in and unlock the bathrooms. Good to know, if you're just passing through with no reservation like I was. Here's another tip from the superintendent: If you pull up next to the satellite dish by the bathhouse, there's Internet service with no pass code.

I ended up driving to the Tick Ridge primitive campground which lived up to its name. Again, no host and no campers, so this isolated campground tends to attract partying locals and ATV riders who use the nearby county road. The bathhouse here is permanently closed due to a dried up well, so the only facilities are the ancient pit toilets. I was surprised that I had phone service high on the hill, thanks to an AT&T tower on a nearby ridge. I wouldn't camp here again, but I might make the 2-mile drive to checkout the old Tick Ridge Fire Tower built by the CCC in 1935. I'm bummed I didn't know about it and missed it during my stay. 

The drive to Cabwaylingo State Forest is half the adventure. You'll be motoring through the heart of southern West Virginia's coal country where you'll cross several single-lane bridges and pass through at least one historic tunnel chiseled out of the surrounding rock. 

You'll see the economic impact of the decline of the coal industry with many businesses shuttered, so best to stock up on groceries and gas before you get too far off the beaten path where there's often no phone or Internet service. 

I stopped for gas at the Dingess Service Center where locals can pull-up and pump fuel, but you'll have to go inside and leave your credit card before the manager will turn the vintage pump on. I bought a cold caffeinated beverage and visited with some local residents about their favorite pastimes, the coal industry, and the poor job market that's causing their young people to flee. Everyone was super-friendly after I explained I was reviewing Cabwaylingo in an attempt to encourage more tourism.

The Dingess Service Center is located near the infamous Dingess Tunnel which is a former train tunnel, nearly a mile-long, stained with the bloody history of train wrecks and purported deaths of foreign laborers killed by locals. Whatever the truth is, the 60's-era conversion to a single-lane road for cars still makes for a nail-biting drive. They were paving the roadway when I came through, so the tunnel was closed, but I did drive through a similar, but much shorter, tunnel which runs between Dingess and Breeden. 

There are lots of churches along the access road to Cabwaylingo, including a couple of Old Regular Baptist Churches, found almost exclusively in remote areas of Appalachia. This denomination does not use musical instruments so they have a song leader who chants a line of the hymn, with the congregation repeating a more elaborate version. It's a mournful-sounding form of worship called"line-out hymnody" which dates back to the 1700's. There are a few samples on YouTube which sound like remnants of some ancient Celtic church service.

Beautiful, quiet spot. The staff was very easy to work with and very friendly. The wildlife exhibit is a fun detour ($2/person). We saw a water slide, putt-putt, and enjoyed the restaurant at the lodge. They have tours for the local elk there too. The town itself is cute and we enjoyed a date night at the local steakhouse. Great spot, perfect getaway!

Ole' Henry's has a very nice setup with a Giovannis pizza restaurant and camp store on site.  It is privately owned and the owners are very nice.  Vicky and her family run it with some workers that make it very nice.  The showers stalls can accommodate about 7-8 people at a time in the men's and women's bathrooms.   

The playground are has a nice swing set and a couple big wooden play structures.  There is blain drain pipe slides coming off one of the hillsides that is a kid favorite.  they also have a little 55 gallon barrel train ride for little kids.  The creek nearby offers up a good, safe swimming hole for all the kids and adults.

Giovanni's pizza restaurant on site has wifi.  This campground is located out in God's country.  Its very beautiful and is near several attractions with 5 minutes to the Mud river and about half an hour to Waterways water park.  Of course you're in the heart of the Hatfield and MCcoy trail ride system.  The coal river is nearby for float trips.  There really is a lot to do in the area and after a fun filled day you can come back and relax at Ole' Henry's after having a nice meal.  The website shows the restaurant menu and all of the prices for tents & RV's.  They also have cabins to rent on a back section of the property out of view of the tent and RV sites.

Not to mention they have a store where you can buy almost anything you might need in case you forget something.

There is a pony that lives on the site and is very friendly.  It scavenges for free food and the children love it.  There is also a few cats or so that live on site and is very friendly to children.

Lake Stephens Campground is a popular location for residents of Beckley (and surrounding areas) to park their RV’s/campers, for extended periods of time, as an easy getaway. The RV/camper area consists of a large circle of campsites that are very close to each other. The common area in the middle has a playground, restroom/showers, vending machines and some field area to play. The RV area seems to have grown into a very friendly community. They have regularly scheduled events like movie night, and they even host a “trick-or-treat” event each year that attracts hundreds. Amongst other things, the park has picnic areas, a beach with a sectioned off swimming area, a small water park area, and several hiking trails.