128 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
The mountainous terrain surrounding Shady Spring, West Virginia features diverse camping options within a short drive, particularly along the New River Gorge corridor. Little Beaver State Park Campground, located just 5 miles southwest in Beaver, provides developed sites with electric hookups, showers, and drinking water for tent campers and RVs from April through October. Several free primitive camping areas managed by the National Park Service dot the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, including Grandview Sandbar, Glade Creek, and Army Camp campgrounds. These sites typically offer basic amenities like picnic tables and fire rings but lack running water. Private options range from full-service RV parks to adventure resorts with glamping accommodations near Fayetteville and Oak Hill.
Seasonal considerations significantly impact camping availability in the region. Little Beaver State Park closes for winter camping, as one visitor noted: "Just a quick FYI, there is no camping in the winter." Spring brings heavy rainfall that can cause the New River to overflow its banks, particularly at riverside campgrounds. As one camper at Army Camp observed, "After a night of rainfall, the New River had swollen beyond its boundaries by 50 feet or more on either shoreline." Many access roads to primitive sites feature narrow, winding gravel surfaces that become challenging after rain. Cell service remains limited or nonexistent at most campgrounds, especially those in river valleys. Reservations are recommended for developed campgrounds during summer weekends and fall foliage season.
Water access represents a primary attraction for campers in the area. The New River and nearby lakes provide opportunities for fishing, swimming, paddling, and whitewater rafting. One visitor to Battle Run campground remarked, "If you're into hiking, rock climbing, fishing, swimming, kayaking, white water rafting, paddle boarding or just hanging out outdoors, Battle Run is for you." Campers consistently praise the natural beauty and tranquility of sites along the New River, though some note the primitive facilities require preparation. Noise can be an issue at certain campgrounds, particularly those near highways or railroad tracks. Wildlife sightings are common, with many campers reporting encounters with deer, birds, and small mammals throughout the camping areas.
"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."
"Note that there is a walking path that runs directly behind the site and will take you over to loop 2. There weren't too many people using it while we were there though."
from $35 - $50 / night
Check Availability"There is five drive-in sites and more walk-in sites on the edge of the camp. The drive-in sites filled and vacated several times throughout the weekend."
"the campsite is pretty far back into the gorge at the end of a dead end road, which inherently gives it a little bit of an advantage for those who wish to be not just off grid but away from"the madding"
"New River, just outside of Prince, WV off Route 41 offers upclose and personal riverside camping."
"Through Traffic: Access to the boat ramp is through the campground. Though, traffic is minimal, folks on the way to the ramp and picnic area often drive pretty fast."
"I’ve spent over 150 days camping and hiking in West Virginia n the past four years and keep finding new, wonderful places to enjoy."
"Easy access to river, able to hear it from campsite. Very clean pit toilet bathroom. Road to access is single lane paved/gravel. Best for cars/vans, but did see some small pull behinds."
"This was a convienent campground right off the highway, easy to get to, small but has a few full hookup sites."
"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."
"Pipestem Resort State Park Southern West Virginia. We spent 4 nights here. Used this park as a base camp for New River Gorge NP. There's many other State Parks we visited too.
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"There is plenty to do within walking distance or a short drive. There is hiking all around the Pipestem area. There is a lake to fish and boat on."
"Tucked away by the river past Thurmond. Great secluded sites. Trailhead for hiking from camp."
"We put our tent a few feet away from the water facing the river and our canopy further up in the woods by the firepit."
"This campground rests by Bluestone Lake, which is where the Bluestone River runs runs into the New River."
"We stayed in Meador site 14, which was the furthest away from the bath house (still only maybe 150 yards), but it was on the water & was the most secluded (just meaning it's at the end of the row not"
"The most photographed place in west Virginia is the grist mill. Awesome trails all around."
"Babcock State Park, located in the thriving megapolis of Clifton, West Virginia is postcard perfect!"
from $33 / night
Check Availability"Some really great beer places close by as well. Nice a shady too. I’d like to go back and do some exploring around the area. Just be careful with what gps app you use."
"They walked us to our site and helped us back into our spot. Everything worked well with all of the hookups. It was a quiet and clean campground."
from $15 - $50 / night
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TravelerThis is a core engineer built Park sites are fairly level. Bath houses are old but clean. Electric only at sites. There’s water and a dump station at the entrance of the park. Which makes a little difficult if you here more than a few days and need water, you have to store everything in your motorhome pull in the electric cord, drive out and fill up with water and then come back and get leveled again.
TravelerIt is full service campground with store, restaurant, swimming pool, paintball, and cabin.
ScoutMy family and I had an absolute blast at Battle Run! The campsite offered an incredible view of the lake, and if boating is your passion, you can even secure your boat right at your campsite! Although the weather was a bit rainy, the temperature remained comfortably in the 70s. We’re already planning our return next summer.
RangerThe second time I stayed was in site 36, which was far preferable to 41 as it was a larger site, but still moderately unlevel. Fun hiking trails down the creek and close proximity to New River Gorge.
RangerI ended up enjoying the park more than expected—disc golf was a nice surprise! However I found that loop 2 wasn’t nearly as nice or spacious as the other camping areas. The sites were small and unlevel, but the bathrooms were nice enough for a state park. I enjoyed walks around the lake (lots of fun fungi and fish to spy) but the main draw for me was the proximity to New River Gorge—only a 20-25 min drive.
ScoutMy fiance booked our stay at Tawney Farms back in May for the two of us plus her parents. When her parents arrived to the camp they were already checked in when we first arrived. My my inlaws proceeded to our camp site. Once they got to the site theywere greeted by the male owner speeding up the trail in his truck almost hitting his own wife and began yelling at my inlaws stating theybhad no business being on their property and to get off. My inlaws tried explaining to them that they were with us and they we had paid for them. The male owner continued yelling at them aggressively and swearing at them to the point both of my inlaws were concerned that owner was going to do something physical. My inlaws ultimately left and called us and told us what happened. We dropped what we were doing and drove back to the property in hopes to resolve the confusion. My fiance and I showed them the reservation recipt showing that they were paid for. They maintained that they are being kicked out stating that they did not stop at the shack that no one was at. They were already checked in so there was no reason to need that. in fact it wasnt necessary last year then stated that they were drunk which they were not. They had just finished a 4 hour drive from PA after working their shift. They would not listed to reason. They then went into a shack to look at their paperwork and realized once again that theybare wrong and rather than a simple appology they maintained kicking them out and stated they were going to "let us go". At this point its about 10pm and we had to pack up our campsite and find an alternative short notice on july 3rd... $500 later for a hotel room we got lucky. They almost cost us our vacation because of their inability to reason or even listen.
ScoutWe scheduled our stay two months in advance for our Fourth of July weekend. My fiance and myself were scheduled one night earlier than my parents were supposed to arrive. We paid for everyone in our party and checked everyone in. We had been coming up to place to camp for five summers now, but this most recent experience was more than enough for us to NEVER come back. My fiancé and I were out off the campground to get ice when my mother called me to tell my the owners of the farm CHASED them out the campground, the husband almost running over his wife, insisting they were not welcome and had no business being at the farm when I prepaid everyone’s stay. My parents were terrified this man was going to pull a gun on them. The owners belittled my parents after they drove four hours from PA to spend time with us, screaming over them that they were drunk, speeding, and that my parents didn’t “stop” at the vacant building that they are supposed to be at to greet people. The owners would not even bother to check to verify my parents stay. When we got back to the site to try to reconcile the situation they still would not allow my parents to stay even after seeing that we did pay for my family to be there and were even hesitant to let us stay when we did NOTHING wrong. We had to pay an extra $500 to book a last minute stay at a hotel in Summersville when I already paid near $300 to stay at Tawny Farm. My fiance and I had to pack up our entire campsite in the dark because they would not let us stay over my parents being confused about where they were at. I still have not received any emails regarding a refund for the unwarranted behavior towards my parents. I would not bring your loved ones onto this property. The owners are unstable, unsafe, and unwilling to care about their customers.
TravelerWe stayed at Little Beaver in late June and were overall very pleased with the campground! Site 38 is probably the most private within loop 1 (tent camp area) its two buddy sites are a little ways away (shouting distance) with plenty of trees in between. The site is relatively level and pretty rocky. Note that there is a walking path that runs directly behind the site and will take you over to loop 2. There weren't too many people using it while we were there though. Camp staff were friendly and helpful, if you get a confirmation email there is no need to check in you can drive straight to your campsite.
The one drawback of this campground is how far away the bathrooms are. You have to drive to the bathrooms/showers from loop 1. It's about a 10 minute walk. Tough in the middle of the night...
This is always a toss up, but while we were there the campground was very quiet even with most of sites booked.
Beautiful little walking path around a small lake that you can take paddle boats out on. Also a few little picnic areas and more than one playground, including one right by the lake and one right by the camp office.
We went white water rafting with ACE (had a great time!) which was about 45 min away and my parents who were camping with us went on a bridge walk (also about 45 min away) and enjoyed that, too.
Overall, great campground to explore New River Gorge area.
TravelerHuge driving area, no problem maneuvering. Very simple set up. Nice bath house. RV spots are nice concrete pads and pretty level. Hookups work.
Wide open skies- great for solar. Quiet campground other than the nearby road that has trucks driving by using their Jake brakes
Campsites near Shady Spring, West Virginia range from 1,200 to 2,800 feet in elevation throughout the New River Gorge region, creating distinct microclimates and camping experiences. The coal mining history of this area is evident in several nearby campgrounds, with abandoned mine sites and historical exhibits within a short drive. Most campgrounds in this region don't accept reservations between November and March due to unpredictable winter weather conditions.
Explore historical mining towns: The area around Beckley provides unique opportunities to learn about West Virginia's coal mining past. At Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine Campground, visitors can tour underground mines and historical buildings. "The guides are knowledgeable and friendly. The other attraction in the area is the New River Gorge National Park," notes one camper.
Hike to waterfalls: Several campgrounds offer direct access to waterfall trails. Camp Creek State Park features multiple trails including routes to two waterfalls. As one visitor noted, "The waterfalls were very sparse when we were there so not sure about other times of the year."
Climb observation towers: The region's elevated vistas provide spectacular views. At Pipestem Resort State Park Campground, one camper shared their experience: "We hiked up to the tower for a great view of the area. We rode the tram at sunset. We sat by the river in at the base of the tram and enjoyed the quiet serene views of folks fishing, deer grazing, and watched the sun go down."
Paddle the New River: The river provides excellent water-based recreation for all skill levels. "If you're into hiking, rock climbing, fishing, swimming, kayaking, white water rafting, paddle boarding or just hanging out outdoors, this is for you," states a review about riverside camping options.
Level, well-maintained sites: Many campgrounds in the region feature properly graded sites. At Glade Creek Campground, one visitor commented, "The tent sites were closer than I thought, but were still nicely equipped with a fire pit, charcoal grill, and picnic table. The drive-in sites filled and vacated several times throughout the weekend."
Privacy between sites: Some campgrounds offer more seclusion than others. A visitor to Stone Cliff Campground noted, "We went in the middle of the week, on a Tuesday. It was incredibly private, we were the only ones staying overnight. We stayed at site 7 which was definitely the most private."
Clean facilities: Campers consistently mention the well-maintained bathrooms at certain parks. Regarding Mash Fork Campground at Camp Creek State Park, one camper shared, "Bath/Shower House was very clean. Instant hot water was appreciated at the tap (it was in the 30s when we were there in mid-October). Hooks and shelves for toiletries were appreciated."
Wildlife viewing: The region offers abundant opportunities to spot native animals. A visitor at Meador Campground observed, "There were also TONS of deer all around (just hanging out eating vegetation) during our short one night stay."
Seasonal access limitations: Many campgrounds have restricted winter operations. "Just a quick FYI, there is no camping in the winter. We stopped by for an overnight while enroute to Ohio," reported one camper about a nearby state park.
Limited cell service: Communication can be difficult at many sites. At Army Camp Campground, a visitor mentioned, "No AT&T service so I only stayed two nights (gotta work during the week!). Still, it wasn't crowded and I enjoyed evening river dips before bed."
Flash flooding risk: River levels can change rapidly, especially after rainfall. One camper at Grandview Sandbar Campground observed, "This was a peaceful, nice area but when there is a lot of rain there is definitely the chance it'll flood."
Railroad noise: Several campgrounds are situated near active train lines. A visitor to Grandview Sandbar Campground noted, "The really bad thing is that there is a train station directly across the river. And trains will and do pull through every couple of hours 24/7."
Look for playground access: Several campgrounds feature child-friendly recreational areas. A visitor to Little Beaver State Park Campground noted, "This place is fabulous. Sites with water and electric hookup 1-20. Spacious, private... walking trail system connected to camp sites. Cute little store for firewood...they bring to you."
Choose campgrounds with bike-friendly roads: Paved surfaces make family activities easier. At Rifrafters Campground, one camper mentioned, "The playground was great for our daughters to burn off some energy. We would stay here again, especially for a weekend to see the area."
Consider sites with water views: Waterfront locations provide natural entertainment. A visitor to Meador Campground at Bluestone State Park shared, "We stayed in Meador site 14, which was the furthest away from the bath house (still only maybe 150 yards), but it was on the water & was the most secluded. It was freshly mowed, had a fire ring, picnic table, & was right on the water with nice views of the lake & mountains."
Be prepared for wildlife encounters: While exciting, animals require proper preparation. One camper noted, "Stayed here with friends and everything was good except the fact that there were about a half dozen skunks. Kinda kept me on edge."
Check site hookup locations: Some campgrounds have unusual utility placement. At Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine Campground, a camper noted, "All camping sites are backed in and paved. Our electric post was on the opposite side of our electrical outlet."
Verify road conditions to campgrounds: Access routes can be challenging for larger rigs. One visitor observed, "It's a one lane road to get to the campground and can get tight when other vehicles pass, but we got down there with our F250 truck and camper when a big grater and the park ranger came by. It's very doable."
Consider smaller rigs for primitive campgrounds: Many of the free camping areas have limited space. A camper at Grandview Sandbar Campground advised, "Tight spots to maneuver with bigger camper. But considering the toilets and dumpsters, not so bad."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Shady Spring, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, Shady Spring, WV offers a wide range of camping options, with 128 campgrounds and RV parks near Shady Spring, WV and 3 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Shady Spring, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Shady Spring, WV is Little Beaver State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 23 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Shady Spring, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Shady Spring, WV.
What parks are near Shady Spring, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 25 parks near Shady Spring, WV that allow camping, notably New River Gorge National River and Bluestone Lake.
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