Stone Cliff Campground offers free camping on a first-come, first-served basis near Shady Spring, West Virginia. Sites are situated along the New River with variable terrain. Most sites are sandy with limited shade. Vault toilets are available in the parking area, while water must be brought in as no potable sources exist on site. Active train tracks run nearby with trains passing regularly throughout day and night.
What to do
Fishing access points: Bluestone Lake State Park's East Shore Campground provides excellent fishing opportunities. "If you like hiking and fishing this is the place," notes camper Craig B. The campground offers boat-in tent sites along the lake shoreline.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Plum Orchard Lake Wildlife Management Area provides habitat for diverse wildlife. "We were able to see deer, raccoons and some nice looking birds," reports Elaine L. The campground is situated in a "beautiful area with plenty of fishing and hiking areas within a 20 mile radius."
Disc golf course: New River Gorge Campground (American Alpine Club) features an on-site disc golf course for campers. The campground is "well maintained and located in the heart of the New," according to Eric K. Beyond disc golf, it serves as a basecamp primarily for rock climbers with quick access to popular climbing areas.
What campers like
River access: Brooklyn Campground in New River Gorge National Park offers waterfront camping along the New River. "The view of the river is beautiful and you can watch trains pass on the opposite side of the river," explains Cody T. The campground provides four free sites near the river with a nearby parking area.
Privacy between sites: Chestnut Creek Campground offers good site separation. Debra W. notes "There are lots of trees in between many of the sites for great privacy." This tent-focused campground charges $15 per person rather than per site, which is common practice in the area.
Level terrain for setup: Most sites at Chestnut Creek Campground provide flat surfaces for tents. Linda L. mentions her "site was large with lots of trees" and worked well for a multi-family gathering. The campground lacks electrical hookups, focusing instead on primitive tent camping with basic amenities.
What you should know
Limited or no cellular service: Reception varies significantly throughout the area. At Stone Cliff Campground, James A. reports "No cell phone service" at the riverside sites. However, Meadow Creek Campground offers "1 bar of unboosted cell service with ATT with some drop off if raining, but fine for streaming videos."
Train noise: Railways parallel many campgrounds in the region. At Brooklyn Campground, Brittany S. cautions "there is an active railroad across the river and there were probably 5-10 trains the Wednesday night that we stayed." Similarly, at Meadow Creek, train tracks run nearby with frequent traffic.
Vault toilets only: Most primitive campgrounds provide basic bathroom facilities. At Meadow Creek Campground, only "one vault toilet was open" according to Casey L., who also noted that despite expectations of crowds, the campground remained "less than half full the whole 4 nights we were there."
Tips for camping with families
Easy water access: Stone Cliff Campground provides river access suitable for children. Hallie W. reports "the swimming was A+" and her "dog absolutely loved it." The campground offers several designated swimming areas along the sandy riverbank.
Shower facilities: Old Mill Campground at Bluestone State Park offers bath facilities for families needing showers. Linda F. found "camp ground was clean, bathhouse was clean" though Jeff E. more recently noted "Bathhouse needs repair" and "had no soap or toilet paper and the toilets were all plugged up."
Site selection for privacy: At Brooklyn Campground, site layout affects privacy. Brittany S. explains "Setup is four sites in one line, so to get to the pot-o-potty or parking lot, you walk through other sites." For families wanting more separation, sites at the far end offer better isolation from foot traffic.
Tips from RVers
Access challenges: Many campgrounds have terrain limitations. At Stone Cliff Campground, Zac R. cautions: "we had no idea there was a steep gravel decline to get to the camp site. My wife and I had brought our hatchback instead of our SUV- so our fault, but if this had been mentioned somewhere then we would have known."
Size restrictions: Most tent-focused campgrounds near Shady Spring prohibit larger RVs. At Meadow Creek Campground, David explains "The ranger informed us someone who stayed here in a rv had a close call crossing the train tracks and now they have decided to make this campground a tent only place." The sites were originally "big enough for rv and tent use."
Road conditions: Access roads to some campgrounds present challenges. At Plum Orchard Lake WMA, Patrick W. warns of a "Long, bumpy dirt road to reach the campsite" but adds it "could be fun in the right vehicle." The road follows lake contours with numerous curves, making navigation difficult for larger vehicles.
