Best Cabin Camping near St. Marys, WV

Stayed 2 nights at camper cabin in April.  Lake Hill Cabins runs the campground and boat rentals.  The prices advertised on their website are not accurate.  Expect to pay about 25% more.  The cabins are supposed to have solar lighting.  There is a handwritten sign saying the lights don’t work taped to the light switch.

The go to camping location for Athens. Many campsites, trails, and amenities. Anything from boat rentals, a small store, and docks to use near the lake. Strouds also has a beach with a volley-ball net! All walking and biking distance from most of the cabins.

This state park has a beautiful lake and a nice beach. There are boat rentals and a frisbee golf course. Overall, this part of the park is beautiful. 

The campgrounds, however, leave a lot to be desired. The people were really nice, but the facilities were terrible. The pit toilets were filthy- covered in flies, spiderwebs and dirt. They look like they have not been hosed out since the 70's. The showers and sinks are in an old, old building- it could be fine if it were cleaned daily, but it was filthy too. I was there 3 days and the showers and sinks were never cleaned. They were pretty gross from the start, but then by Saturday night one shower housed a pile of feces. No kidding. Poop in the shower. 

We stayed in the camper cabin, which is just a very basic shed with a bed, bunk beds, air conditioning and heat. We stayed there because it was July and I wanted A/C and electricity. The cabin smelled like mold. 

I'd go back to this lake but will not stay in the campgrounds again.

It was wonderful for our RV and family staying in their beautiful cabins

Stonewall Jackson State Park has been one of my favorite places to visit, especially for a weekend getaway, for a very long time. It was once the best RV or “car camp” camping spot around, but it has become a fairly popular tourist resort and the noise and light from the lodge can be disruptive to those seeking nature’s peaceful separation (hence 4 stars instead of five for camping). Aside from this, the park has much to offer for just about anyone. It has everything from an Arnold Palmer golf course, to hike/bike trails, to any type of water activity possible on a lake, as well as various indoor facilities to enjoy during inclement weather.

As I grow older, I find myself spending more time at the lodge than at the campground. Inside the lodge you will find an excellent restaurant and bar, an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, spa, equipment rentals, etc.

Stonewall Resort State Park is now the official name of this mountain retreat located around the edges of Stonewall Jackson Lake.  It's not your typical WV state park because it's managed by a private developer which means that Benchmark Management gets to set the pricing for the lodge, cabins and campgrounds.

It's not outrageous, but I paid $55/night mid-week for a 30-amp site which could run about $35/night at a state-run resort such as Pipestem.

What you get for the extra cash is a well-staffed, beautifully-maintained resort with every imaginable amenity including boating, fishing, swimming, a Palmer golf course, disc golf and tennis.  You can rent boats, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, road bikes and even segways.

I would say the Stonewall Resort Lodge is geared to upscale out-of-state tourists, but l could see locals using it for anniversaries, romantic getaways, and special occasions.

The campground is upscale, as well, with 30 and 50-amp full-service RV sites, many with lake views and some with tie-ups for those who bring their own boats.  I chose a spot under the pine trees where I was close enough to the lake's edge so I could hand-carry my kayak to the water for a peaceful paddle.  

There are a limited number of tent sites, with wooden platforms, tucked into the woods where kayak or canoe access would be right outside your tent flap.  There are a half-dozen hiking trails, mostly easy to moderate difficulty, with a total of 16-miles to explore.

If you get sick of camping, or would just like to sip an adult beverage, there's a boardwalk across the lake to the lodge patio where you can sample one of three restaurants or visit the outdoor bar.

On the border with West Virginia. There aren’t really sites on the water but there’s a nice path to the lake from the camp sites and lots of deer. We spent most of the time on the water (there’s a power limit on the boats) but the campsites were nice in a simple kind of way (showers but no flush).

I did not stay in the cabins. I tent camped. The tent areas are out past the Vue Bar and Grill. They are spread out and each has a fire ring, picnic table and fire wood is free! The people there are great, easy check in. The tent areas are spread out and there isn’t an actual road to each of the sites. I actually thought this was cool but not if its raining and you have a small car. 

The best part is the Vue Bar and Grill, the food is surprisingly good. Cooked well and is large portions. There is many other things to do there as well. They have an adventure park but we didn’t make it there. Planing to go back.

North Bend State Park is located at the halfway point of the 72-mile North Bend Rail Trail, so it’s a great camping spot for hikers, bikers and horseback riders who want to explore this scenic trail which crosses 35-bridges and cuts through 11-tunnels where the B&O Railroad used to travel. 

I highly recommend this trail to hikers because the scenery is spectacular, the wildlife plentiful, and the tunnels are really cool. The trail passes through some quaint towns such as the former oil boom-town of Cairo where many of the buildings from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s are still standing. 

North Bend State Park has a year-round lodge, year-round cabins and two campgrounds open from mid-April to mid-November. 

The Cokeley Campground has 28-sites with both water and electricity, picnic tables and fire pits. The bathhouse includes a small coin-op laundry. It’s close to the boat dock at North Bend Lake. I didn’t select this campground because it doesn’t have much shade.

I stayed at the River Run Campground which has 49-sites along the shores of the North Fork of the Hughes River with electric and non-electric sites to choose from. Four sites are ADA accessible. Each site has paved parking, a picnic table and fire pit. The bathhouse was clean and nicely tiled with hand soap and paper towels provided. The on-site staff was extremely friendly and you get a generous wheelbarrow full of firewood, cut from local downed trees, for$5. 

The lodge looked a little dated, but had a good home-style restaurant which was popular with travelers. The year-round cabins have been updated with ADA wheelchair ramps and wraparound decks. I may return and rent one after the campground closes so I can do some cross- country skiing on the North Bend Rail Trail this winter.

I paddled on the North Bend Lake which was extremely peaceful and beautiful, with the colors of fall surrounding me on all sides. I brought my own kayak, but they had boats for rent. There were several fishermen on the water and on the lakeside dock. They told me they catch bass and catfish at this 300-acre lake. The trail around the lake would be good for birders because I spotted ducks, hawks and wood-peckers.

North Bend State Park would be good for kids because they have playgrounds, mini-golf and an outdoor swimming pool(closed when I visited in October, but looked really nice).

This campsite costed about 2o dollars per night . There is electricity and restrooms. There are showers like usual and there is also boat rentals which was really expensive. There i short hiking trails nearby

This out of the way, hard to find and get to park was once great. It is still a good place to camp, but there is little in the way of maintenance or upkeep going on other than what the volunteer groups are doing. The trails are generally good, some are great, hiking and mountain biking groups are keeping them in good shape. The geese are out of control, the beach is often filthy with goose crap. Fishing is hit and miss. I doubt you will see a Ranger or State Park employee, that can be a good thing or a bad thing, you decide. LOTS of Geocaching opportunities. Athens has a great deal of places to eat, nightlife, shows and any supplies you may need. The trails link into the city trails so it is possible to hike from town to the camp, but it is complex and quite a haul. Pets are allowed, but not on the swimming beach. The Group campsite it larger and has it's own pit latrine, parking and picnic tables. We have used it for Scout groups. A swingset is across the road in the main campground. There is one electrical outlet, near the entrance of the campground at the bulletin board. There is also a large wooden screen near the entrance where you can use your own projector to watch movies at night. Be advised, the cabins are tiny wood shacks.

We live close to this park and frequent there, sometimes just day trips. Tent camping is great and just like most places there are a few sites that are the best. Park offers hiking trails from the camp sites to the beach area or packing up the swim gear and using the parking lot. The beach area is back water from the ohio river. It is a sandy rocky mixture. There are boat rentals during peak months. There is a frisbee golf course that is top notch. The only down side to this ohio state park, are the bathrooms; they are port a pot facilities that can be pretty raunchy.

As with any trip, do your research, read your reviews, peruse Google Satellite maps and talk to locals when you can.

Mountwood County Park http://www.mountwoodpark.org/about.html is located about 15 minutes east of Parkersburg on Rt 50. Heading east on Rt 50 from Parkersburg, WV you will arrive at Mountwood County Park on the right...but the campground portion is a mile further east on the left side of the road. Both are marked by road signage...but most would assume they are all in one location.

If you bring your quads, dirt bikes or mountain bikes with you when you camp, then Mountwood County Park is for you. Right off the back of Mountwood are plenty of ATV trails to keep you busy during your stay. If bombing mountain bike trails is your thing, then across the highway from the campground is your dream. If relaxing in a serene mountain or river valley campground atmosphere is what you desire...keep driving east on Rt 50 another 20 minutes to North Bend State Park.

The primitive tent sites ($20 nightly) are less than desirable and more of an afterthought...and I'm being gracious. There is patchy tall grass, dirt and rocks with no leveled areas. And you have to wander a distance to the restroom/showerhouse when needed. You can rent the tiny cabins ($40 nightly) up on the top of the hill if you desire. They were rented and filled during my visit, surrounded with trailers filled with quads (not a bad thing, just not what I was expecting). One of the main ATV offroad trail entrances is a hundred yards or so past the primitive tent sites so anticipate traffic and some noise. There were a few electric/water sites available for RV/Campers but the majority of them were filled.

It does appear that that there are several "long term campers" at numerous sites, as wooden steps and decks are built and attached to the campers. I would not describe the campground as neat and tidy, but fills a need.

The other portion of the county park lies across Rt 50 about 1/2 mile east. This is where you will find a nice 50 acre lake...shaped like a "T" on its side... for short paddles or fishing (no swimming permitted), a solid collection of varied ability MTB trails and a cool, little local WV Oil history museum. Being a bit of a history buff, I was fascinated by the museum...how the local town was created during the oil boon and then destroyed by fire...of an enormous wilderness mansion that sat where the campground now sits. Interesting stuff.

There is a nice dog park if you brought your pooch. Several picnic areas with picnic shelters, playgrounds, and decent shared hiking trails.

As stated, if your main purpose is to MTB or ATV, then you might be contented with Mountwood County Park Campground. As county parks go, Mountwood County Park, itself, is nice and has a lot to offer. If quiet camping is your objective, I would recommend NorthBend State Park just down the road a piece.

This is an extremely primitive place that is not run by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. It is run by the same woman who runs the boat rentals at several other state parks in SE Ohio- this is her business. There are very few amenities here. There are pit toilets, potable water towards the front, and that's it. There is a road that runs alongside the entire length of the campground, right at the edge, so you can hear cars and coming and going, especially at night. I was here in late October, so I can't attest to whether this place has a loud party atmosphere like many other state parks, but it seemed pretty chill, probably due to the fact that you can't reserve a site in advance- you pay when you arrive, and pick your spot then. The boat house's hours said they were still open for the season, but I arrived long after they were supposed to open according to their hours listed on the door, and I never saw a person all day. So I went to go rent a boat at a different place. All in all, the campground is fine, just the traffic along the road was a bit annoying, and the sites are not very wide- you are close to your neighbors and there is nothing separating the sites.

A place of wonder

Only stayed for a night but it was very quiet and only a handful of other campers. All the sites seemed relatively level. Some of the electric hookups had damage but being able to choose your spot upon arrival helped. We arrived in pouring rain and had no issues with our campsite when we could see it in the morning lol.

Bathrooms and showers were relatively clean and accommodating.

Seemed a lot like a hidden gem and I definitely recommend. Especially if you have a dog. Across the street, the park portion of this campground has a dog park, playground, historical site and pond for fishing

FYI . Most of the sites seemed small so it might be best for smaller setups. Also I did not see any pull through sites.

We stayed one night at this campground in the primitive camping area. All of the campsites were on a slope. There were coke bottles and styrofoam plates in the burn pit. We had roaches up on our table checking out our food and had about 5 racoons constantly coming around to look for food.

On a positive note.....everyone smiled and waved as we drove by and people with RVs seemed content. I just wish I had not paid.

The campground was pretty much empty. There are a few permanents there but we had it all to ourselves. Covid still has every other site coned off. It was clean though. Went for a hike on the park side around the lake. Several trails. Alot of ATV and dirtbikes came in on the weekend.

We had a wonderful time. The Park is great and we have stayed at lodge 4 times before but this was first camping trip.

We stayed during historic heat wave but kept cool in the river, the pool, and with the ice cream store nearby. There wasn’t easy river access from the campground but we climbed down the hill with no problem and waded the stream for hours.

The property was very clean and family oriented. Nice spacing at our site in particular. I would also recommend sites 10, 11, 17, 19, 13, and 14.

Great atmosphere,very clean and lots of things to do no matter what