3 campgrounds with availability next weekend
Rippling Waters Church of God Campgrounds accommodates campers with pets across its 50 maintained sites, providing tent, RV, and cabin options year-round. The campground features pull-through sites by a lake with numerous long-term campers, clean facilities, and a swimming pool. Cedar Creek State Park Campground also welcomes pets and offers electrical hookup sites surrounded by hiking trails, fishing opportunities, and multiple playground areas for families. Sites at Cedar Creek tend to be quiet and shaded, with well-maintained grounds. Statts Mills Campground provides pet-friendly water and electric sites, though reviews indicate maintenance issues with playground equipment and electrical service at some sites. The campground is situated on O'Brien Lake with boat launch access. The Dyrt includes reviews of campgrounds near Spencer, West Virginia.
North Bend State Park offers two pet-friendly camping areas—River Run Campground and Cokeley Campground—both maintaining consistently high ratings from campers traveling with dogs. Campsites provide water and electric hookups with fire rings and picnic tables. Forked Run State Park Campground across the state line in Ohio allows pets and features a 400-foot sand beach, boat rentals during peak season, and disc golf that attracts visitors for its quality course. While some campers note the park's dated facilities and pit toilets, the peaceful setting provides a quiet retreat with few occupied sites during non-peak times. Flatwoods KOA welcomes pets year-round with big-rig friendly sites, tent camping, RV spaces, cabins and glamping options, providing essential amenities for pets while offering proximity to regional trails.
"We tent camp, but walking around, the camping trailers did not appear to be crowded together. For us this is a fantastic place to overnight and will return again when traveling through the area!!"
"We had a pull thru site by the lake, it had to be about 100 yards long and nicely graveled."
from $55 - $155 / night
"Right beside the area for camping is the parking lot where you can put in boats into O'brien Lake. There seems to be an abundance of deer in the area. sites have water and electric."
from $15 - $200 / night
"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."
"Yes, it's a bit rough around the edges. We liked that it wasn't crowded. The attendant said the park was full over Memorial Day weekend."
Available next weekend
from $21 - $40 / night
"Initially, you don't see it...you must drive up and over a roller."
"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"
"Good access to hiking trails. Will definitely return"
"Hiking trails nearby. Nice fishing ponds, but you have to drive to them."
"Tucked away in the middle of the mountains, surrounded by the constant reminder of wildlife around. I stayed for the very start of spring. The world was covered in the brightest green moss."
"Kanawha state forest is nestled in the mountainous Hills of West by God Virginia right on the outskirts of Charleston. There is plenty of hiking in Kanawha state forest."
from $35 - $40 / night
"It’s behind a hotel. Our site had room for our 26’ hybrid with 3 beds, plus two cars, chairs, and our two dog tie outs."
"Nice small town in beautiful West Virginia."
from $55 / night
"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 ."
"Sites are basically parking pads with very little useful space around them but the sites are spaced apart. Bathroom and showers are usable but no frills. Scenery is pretty. ATV play area nearby."
from $30 - $40 / night
"Love this place. 1st time ever in West Virginia and this park was up to the task of making a great 1st impression of the state.
Great hiking with well marked trails.""My dad and I stayed at the lodge in NBSP in May 2023 after riding bicycles for 26 miles from West Union on the rail trail."
from $15 / night
TravelerSites are basically parking pads with very little useful space around them but the sites are spaced apart. Bathroom and showers are usable but no frills. Scenery is pretty. ATV play area nearby.
GuideCamped here for the Mothman Festival in mid-September. Fine folks running the place - the 90+ y.o. matriarch takes the money and calculates tax by hand. Make note that the pictures posted on the website are VERY outdated; the facilities are derelict in comparison. We were just there to camp so it was fine for our purposes (i.e., no need to use the event space (closed I think), pool, playground, etc.). Tent camping is a free-for-all first-come first-serve. If rain is in the forecast, don't pitch a tent by the river; many sites on the floodplain had washed out after a heavy overnight rain. Also notable, the bathrooms were perhaps the nastiest I've seen at any campground. I don't think they cleaned them once during our two-night stay, and just progressively smelled more and more like urine as the weekend progressed.
ScoutLaid back rv park on the Ohio river plenty of room. 10/10
ScoutWe were told we couldn't stay there because we weren't members
TravelerHuge campground. Well maintained. The lake is gorgeous, great for kayaking or paddle boarding
ScoutThe website is dead and so is the phone number. No reservations possible.
ScoutOn west side of Summersville lake, 18 free first come campsites, drive-in, level. Vault toilets, no water. Picnic tables, grill and fire ring. Access to free swimming across road at winter boat ramp. Sandy beach swimming down the road for $5. Lake is clear and warm.
ScoutOnly one campground on the east side of Summersville lake, run by private family. “Primitive “ sites have no paved area to park. Just picnic tables on the grass, close together, hilly, and no shade. $25-45/ night. Across the lake on the west side we stayed at Gauley Tailwaters cg, 18 drive-in sites, Army Corps of Engineers, Free. Access to swimming across the road at the winter boat ramp.
RangerWe thoroughly enjoyed this camp spot right on the river. LOTS of different birds. And it was so quiet!
Camping options near Spencer, West Virginia range from primitive tent sites to full-hookup RV spots with convenient access to area attractions. Sites at North Bend State Park sit 700-900 feet above sea level along the Hughes River and Cokeley Reservoir with typical summer temperatures in the mid-80s. Many campgrounds remain open year-round but offer varied amenities depending on the season.
Mountain biking on rail trails: North Bend State Park maintains access to a 72-mile converted rail trail with 35 bridges and 11 tunnels. "Bring your Bike! This humble campground is located on the 'Haunted' North Bend Rail to Trail. It was easy check in with a friendly staff," reports a River Run Campground visitor.
Fishing opportunities: Several lakes provide diverse fishing conditions within 30 minutes of Spencer. "Right beside the area for camping is the parking lot where you can put in boats into O'brien Lake. There seems to be an abundance of deer in the area," notes a reviewer at Statts Mills Campground.
Waterfall hikes: Camp Creek State Park features two accessible waterfalls within walking distance of camping areas. "Two very nice waterfalls. The first waterfall is on a road right by the modern campground so of course we had to visit," explains a recent visitor to the park.
Peace and quiet: Many campsites provide tranquil settings away from highway noise. A visitor to Rippling Waters Church of God Campgrounds shared: "The campground was very quiet and peaceful. My 25 year old son was the youngest person there, except for 2 hours when 1 year old came to visit his grandparents."
Wildlife viewing: Deer and various bird species are commonly spotted throughout the region. "We watched the resident swan swim around the fountain and I got to play with my camera perfecting my skills with day and night shots of the Chapel. There was local traffic during the daylight hours but didn't hear a peep when we went to bed," notes another Rippling Waters visitor.
Campsite spacing: Many campgrounds offer well-spaced sites rather than crowded arrangements. A Cedar Creek State Park reviewer mentioned: "This is a pleasant campground. Lots of shade. Hiking trails nearby. Nice fishing ponds, but you have to drive to them."
Water quality varies: Some campgrounds have highly chlorinated or poor quality water. At Rippling Waters, one camper noted: "The water is pretty strong so you may want to use a regulator. Water also had a strong odor of chlorine. After showers I felt like I was just getting out of a pool."
GPS challenges: Several campgrounds report issues with GPS directions leading to difficult access roads. A Kanawha State Forest visitor warned: "The GPS led us up a gravel road with no signs for miles. Internet and cell service cut out within a mile up that road and we were not sure we were going the right way."
Limited cell service: Many campgrounds have minimal or no cell coverage. At Cedar Creek, a camper reported: "Campground is nice and quiet no cell service so dont be shocked, but that makes it that much better."
Multiple playgrounds: Cedar Creek State Park offers several play areas spread throughout the campground. "Awesome campground, so well kept. Stayed here on the way home from shenandoah natl park and had a very peaceful night. Plenty of playgrounds for the kids," shared a visitor.
Beach swimming: Some parks feature sandy beaches ideal for family water activities. "Forked Run 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," reports a Forked Run State Park visitor.
Site selection for tent campers: Families with tents should research specific sites before booking. A Camp Creek State Park reviewer suggested: "I liked the sites that were by a creek- 8/9/10/13/14/15/16/18. 12 is a pull thru. These sites have a paved pad & the whole campground looked nicely kept."
Access routes: Many campgrounds have challenging approach roads. For North Bend State Park, a visitor to Cokeley Campground advised: "Come in via Harrisville as the way in via Cairo has very bad roads. Campground is very nice and well maintained."
Site levelness: RVers report varying experiences with site grading. "Our site was flat but pretty unlevel, wasn't a huge concern. They had a nice play ground for kids and a large amphitheater," noted a Flatwoods KOA visitor.
Hookup quality: Water pressure and electrical service can vary significantly between sites. "Sites have water and electric; dump station is very well done and easily accessible with any RV configuration," reported a Cokeley Campground visitor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Spencer, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Spencer, WV is Rippling Waters Church of God Campgrounds with a 4.7-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Spencer, WV?
TheDyrt.com has all 58 dog-friendly camping locations near Spencer, WV, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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