Sandstone, WV is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Sandstone, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
"Camp Creek State Park is well-managed and beautifully-maintained with an active foundation that raises money for cool stuff like the conversation fire pit with swings, located in the Mash Fork Campground"
"This was a convienent campground right off the highway, easy to get to, small but has a few full hookup sites."
"River Expeditions is spread out over a 100-acres, with the tent camping located in open meadows, surrounded by trees."
"The campground has its own hiking/biking trails and zip line canopy tours. It also offers horseback riding and ATV tours. Tent camping is primitive, but the bathhouse is clean and efficient."
"Traveling West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail from it's Northern Terminus at Cass Railroad, Stumptown to it's Southern Terminus in North Caldwell has created a thirst that can only be slaked by multiple"
"(Between Rorer and Renick, WV)**
**Bikepacking West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail is a delightfully peaceful adventure!"
"long path along river, very beautiful area"
"The fishing here is the best around with beautiful waterfalls like big ruff and the ducks are so colorful like no other. Been going for 3 years now and always an awesome getaway."
"Greenbrier River Trail Mile Post 49.3 Primitive Campsite, Watoga, WV
West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail** (GRT) **stretches from its Northern Terminus at the Cass Railroad Station, Stumptown"
LegendGreenbrier River Trail Mile Post 49.3 Primitive Campsite, Watoga, WV
West Virginia's **Greenbrier River Trail (GRT) **stretches from its Northern Terminus at the Cass Railroad Station, Stumptown 78-80 miles (depending on what resource you read) to it's Southern Terminus in North Caldwell. The Greenbrier River Trail is a Rails-to-Trails initiative, so being a former track bed, the surface is predominantly ballast, though there are some black-topped areas. Some locations of the trail that either see more sunlight or less traffic have seen grass overtake the trail to form a "two-track" or at times a mown grass trail. Most parts drain well and easy to navigate, while some heavily wooded areas adjacent to rocky cliffs see more puddling and thus muddier...but all navigable.
Because of it's relative remoteness and light traffic, wildlife flourishes along the GRT. This is bear country so I would recommend utilizing a bear bag or bear canister for your food and toiletries. I used a BearVault BV500 that I strapped to the Salsa EXP Anything Cradle attached to my handlebars...worked great. Eliminated concerns about losing food items and attracting Yogi and Boo-Boo. A Father/Daughter duo trailing us observed a juvenile bear not far off the trail mid-day. But bears aside, raccoons, chipmunks and other rodents can wreak havoc on panniers or backpacks containing food and fragrant toiletries.
At the time of our visit there were 15 Primitive or Rustic Campsites along the Greenbrier River Trail. Each person traveling the Greenbrier River Trail will determine which primitive campsite they prefer for a night's rest.
All the primitive campsites positioned along the Greenbrier River Trail (GRT) are free, first-come, first-served. Note that some offer more amenities than others, so those will likely be the sought after locations.
Traveling West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail is a highlight whatever mode of travel permitted, whether on foot, horseback, bicycling or even paddlecraft...no motorized vehicles are permited. The Greenbrier River Trail was chosen by Backpacker Magazine as one of the top ten best hikes in the U.S. of A. That's quite the billing to live up to.
I will add that we chose to bikepack the GRT, so I felt we did not stop at all the available sites, cascades, waterfalls, bridges, etc purely because we were a little spread out and by the time you past by a special site, the others were too far down the trail. While I absolutely loved our entire GRT trip...had I been on foot...more exploring would have taken place.
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The GRT Mile Post 49.3 Primitive Campsite does not offer a well water, so fill up before you get there. Although, if you utilize a filter, you can draw water from the river or the tributary down the trail several hundred feet. Even though Mile Post 49.3 tent pad is directly alongside the trail, traffic is so light that it is really a non-issue. There is not a large clearing and with dense vegetation...pack your bug juice.
This is West Virginia, so even in populated areas cell service can be spotty...but on the trail, I would not count on it. This is both a blessing and a curse. However, for safety purposes, I do carry a Garmin InReach Explorer + in case of emergencies.
The GRT Mile Post 49.3 Primitive Campsite makes for a great overnighter from either Marlinton or a nice out-and-back from Cass Railroad from the north or from North Caldwell from the South...eliminating the need for a shuttle.
Final Thoughts: Whether you chose to spend the night at Mile Post 49.3 or not, is not the point...all the primitive campsites along the Greenbrier River Trail are great choices...the point is, mark your calendars, plan this trip and travel West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail!
LegendGREENBRIER RIVER TRAIL MILE POST 9.5 PRIMITIVE CAMPSITE, KEISTER, WV
Greenbrier River Trail Primitive Campsite at Mile Post 9.5 is close enough to North Caldwell, WV…the GBT Southern Terminus…that you could make a quick journey north from the parking area for an exceptional night of camping.
Traveling West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail from it's Northern Terminus at Cass Railroad, Stumptown to it's Southern Terminus in North Caldwell has created a thirst that can only be slaked by multiple future returns. What a fantastic trail!
The Shelter is so new its not even noted on any but the newest Trail Map. It appears that individuals or families have either constructed or donated for the construction of both shelters and several protected bench areas. The Dale McCutcheon Shelter was so clean and comfortable, it's hard to call this primitive camping. Note: All campsites on the Greenbrier River Trail are first come-first served…no reservations. Backstory on McCutcheon Shelter: https://www.wvnstv.com/news/west-virginia-news/greenbrier-county/new-shelters-built-along-greenbrier-river-trail/
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In late June 2020, weather along The Greenbrier River Trail was cooler, with late afternoon/early evening rain showers. Only the last day did we enjoy warmer weather with blue skies. Which made the allure of a nearby swimming rock a great temptation. Several mall cascades lined the West side of the trail, which is ordinarily the side cut from the mountain for the railway.
With a few short miles until the journey ends at the Southern Terminus…we slowed our paced and stopped more frequently to enjoy all the sights and sounds.
Trail conditions got soft and muddy after the previous night's deluge through the more heavily wooded areas, once the trail was exposed to constant sun, it dried quickly. Blow-down did slow us down a few times. Interesting note: This campsite area is a relocation of one destroyed by the heavy rains and buried by landslide of 2016. The Greenbrier Trail itself travels between the Greenbrier River and was, in many places, hewn from the mountainside. It is these areas where heavy rains soften the soil and old growth trees dislodge and cause trail blockages and/or mudslides. Oftentimes, when bicycling, one keeps his eyes forward to the trail/road in front of them…but if you gaze around you on this trail…there is much to see all around and often above!
Overall, it is a must-do…and I can't wait to ride the Greenbrier River Trail again!
LegendCampground Review: Greenbrier River Trail Mile Post 28.5 Primitive Campsite...(Between Rorer and Renick, WV)
Bikepacking West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail is a delightfully peaceful adventure! If you enjoy bicycling, camping and wilderness...then you this trail is for you. Actually, you can replace "bicycling" with horseback, backpacking, XC skiing. In fact, with a keen eye, you could paddle the Greenbrier River and enjoy these campsites.
These primitive campsites are free, first come-first served and cannot be reached by motor vehicle. The campsites that dot the Greenbrier River Trail are meticulously maintained by State Park employees and are in well thought out locations.
Mile Post 28.5 Primitive Campsite, as all campsites are linear along the Trail and usually positioned between the Trail and the Greenbrier River...with access to the River. This campsite is stretched out a good distance and though not listed on some Trail maps...it does have an Adirondock style shelter near the southernmost tent pad in a partly wooded area. The tent pad to the north of this area is in an open grassy area with tranquil long views of the river. Swimming and fishing are permitted in the Greenbrier River (Fishing: if you have a WV Fishing License). In late June, temperatures were still quite cool, so while the river looked inviting, we did not take the plunge.
Late afternoon showers soaked the three groups of bikepackers that set up camp at Mile Post 28.5 for the night. So being the first to claim the Shelter is a coveted position.
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**HIGHLIGHTS: **
Traveling the Greenbrier River Trail allows the traveler to be sent back in time...passing through old Railroad towns, seeing old Railroad buildings, water towers offers a glimpse backwards.
Heavy rainstorms brought down numerous trees across the GRT during our trip...but the State Park employees worked diligently and feverishly to clear the trail. At one location, employees graciously offered to assist us haul our bikes over the multiple downed trees as they worked to clear them.
It is easy to see how the Greenbrier River Trail made Backpacker Magazine's Top Ten hiking trails in North America...surrounded by wild and often very remote wilderness, abundant wildlife, a century old trail, a picturesque river, great camping...ticks all the boxes!
LegendCamp Creek State Park is well-managed and beautifully-maintained with an active foundation that raises money for cool stuff like the conversation fire pit with swings, located in the Mash Fork Campground, which is only 2-miles off the I-77 at exit 20 in Mercer County, WV.
Mash Fork is one of four campgrounds at Camp Creek State Park which all offer picnic tables, grills and fire rings. Mash Fork has RV and tent sites: 9 sites with electricity, 8 sites with electricity and water, or 9 sites with electricity, water and sewer. The bathhouses are super nice, there's free WiFi, and they sell exceptionally generous bundles of firewood which the camp host will personally deliver to your site.
There's a small store in the Mash Fork Campground with camping supplies and some souvenirs. Make sure you check the cooler for local free-range chicken eggs… Yum!
If you're looking for more rustic tent camping, head to the Blue Jay Campground. If you're a horse owner, the Double C Horse and Rider Camp has 2, 4, or 6 horse occupancy sites all within the 6,000 acre Camp Creek State Park and Forest.
Camp Creek State Park has two beautiful waterfalls. You can drive to both, but Mash Creek Falls is a short walk from the Mash Fork campground, so make sure you check it out. Campbell Creek Falls has a deep pool at the bottom where you can swim. Camp Creek is stocked with trout in the spring, so expect to see lots of fishermen along the banks.
If you have time, you can check out 33-miles of trails which are loaded with wildflowers in the spring.
*A little local trivia: Mash Fork gives you a hint about the area's moonshining past… wink, wink!
LegendCampground 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.
GuideThis was a convienent campground right off the highway, easy to get to, small but has a few full hookup sites. The site we stayed at had a small babbling brook right behind it and also a trail head that climbed up and back down right into the campground. Very nice trail for the dogs and I to get some exercise on. There are also more trails on the other side of the road and a waterfall fairly close by!
LegendCamp Creek State Park was easy to find as our RV GPS and Waze brought us right to the Campground(CG). Check-in was quick at the little office right inside this small CG. We then proceed to back-in site 21 with FHUs, which was an easy back in. The site was nice and wide with plenty of space on each side. On the park map it was designated ADA(as was site 22) but we had booked online not seeing any restrictions. We did note after hooking into water that their water pressure was not very good at about 25 psi. The CG has WiFi but admittedly at the office its spotty at best. We got about 3 or 4 OTA channels, with one being a prime channel. We didn’t try satellite but could probably have gotten a signal. We also got 2 bars each on Verizon and AT&T. There are actually two campgrounds in this little state park, Mash Fork where we were and Blue Jay on the other side of the park that is tent camping. Both check in at the Mash Fork office. Site 21 was a nice site that had shade in the afternoon, which would be nice in warmer weather but when we were there first week of April, we had snow and freezing temps. The campsites that ran along the creek were water& 30 AMP and could only take an RV up to 35’. FHU sites were on the opposite side and middle of CG. Probably the best big rig campsite with FHUs with plenty of yard space and some creek view is 26. Both CGs have a large creek running adjacent to the CG. Trout fishing was very popular though I didn’t catch any. They do restock this time of year. There are quite a few trails to hike to include the Mash Fork Falls trail that goes to the Mash Fork Falls then around the mountain to the other side of the park. Its a difficult level hike up the side of the mountain, but once you get up its not too bad if you’re in somewhat decent shape. You don't have to take the difficult trail to see the Mash Fork Falls, there is a flat road next to the Mash Fork Campground that goes right down to the falls. They sell firewood and ice at the Mash Fork office and there’s laundry on the backside of the bath house with 2 washers($1.00) and 3 dryers($1.50). Nearest major amenities(Walmart etc.) are at exit 9 off I-77 South in Princeton, WV. As a point of reference, Camp Creek is exit 20. We enjoyed our stay and would go back again.
ScoutWe had a nice site near a stream and close to the bathrooms however, even though the campground is open year round, the bathrooms are not. We were told there was one open bathroom however it was not made clear this was 1-2 miles away which was not exactly convenient. Rustic camping is fine when we have planned for it. Early in the morning (around 7) workers arrived to work on the closed bathrooms for the opening in a few weeks. The website information is not accurate so definitely call (we were told when we called that the website is several years out of date). It seems like it would be great during regular season.
GuideCampground is well maintained. Many trees along edge of the campground but not very many in the center, so the sites on the outer loop have more shade if that’s what you’re looking for. Showers were the best of any campground I’ve seen- water gets as hot as you’d like, with great water pressure and plenty of hooks and towel racks. Laundry room available in bathhouse. Little camp store is located within the campground loop. No service for Verizon users… Sites have wifi but I could only get it to work 20% of the time.
West Virginia offers a fantastic experience for horse camping enthusiasts, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to both riders and their equine companions.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Sandstone, WV is Mash Fork Campground — Camp Creek State Park with a 4.6-star rating from 16 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 10 equestrian camping locations near Sandstone, WV, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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