Camping near Summersville Lake

Another terrific park in West Virginia. So much to do. The sites accommodate everything from tents to large fifth wheels. 

The Riverside loop, there is another loop on the east end of the park (it was closed).

The Greenbrier River was right at the back of our site. People were floating and fishing and paddling. The Greenbrier River Trail, an 80 mile long rail trail is just across the river, accessible two mile from the park, we rode our bikes to the trail. 

Hiking, and Arboretum trail, so much to do. 

Cranberry Wilderness is less than 30 mins away. Great hiking, the best Visitor's center, with the nicest folks.

I think this was described on some maps I looked at as being "dispersed" camping. But being familiar with many dispersed campsites out in the western US, this ddid not feel very dispersed at all. Sure: it is dispersed in the sense that it is way off thhe beaten track, far down into the national park that  requires traveling a long way on a dirt road to  get there.  But thee sites themselves in the camp spot are not dispersed. You are essentially going to be right next to, annd right within sight of, every other campsite. This was not a problem for me since I was there on a weekday and off-season (mid November), so I haad the place to myself. In that sense, it was quite peaceful and had some nice views being that most of the sites were within ssight of the river, or within a few feet of it.

One  thing to keep in mind, a thing that would be true for pretty much any camping area next to the river here in the national park is that there is a train track on the other side of the river thaat is definitely active, several trains going through per day. So it won't be one of those places you would go if all you want to hear is the sound of birds chirping.

But given that it is a free campsite, it's absolutely adequate, and has clean restrooms (at least the day I was there) with pit toilets inside.

Absolutely loved this park! We camped near the end of October for 5 days, so there weren’t a ton of other people, but the park was clean and quiet. The bath house was pretty nice and had three showers. The water had some issues while we were there (as in the sink was so hot it physically hurt to wash your hands) but seemed to be a fluke and was fixed by the time we left. We camped at site 21, which was the middle of a loop and it was space and flat. It had another site next to it but it was further apart than other sites. Some of the edge site, like 19 had some sloping issues Roads through the park from the campground to the main part of the park are really narrow and seem like you aren’t supposed to be there but are well maintained. Hiking was great and my young children hiked all of it with us. Overall, highly recommended.

As a car camper I was initially hesitant about paying for a partial hookup RV spot knowing that I wouldn’t be fully utilizing what I was paying for, but man am I glad I chose to stay here.

The location is great for getting in and out of town and the park alike, and it was the ideal location for a hike base. In terms of the campground itself, I think it set a new standard for me that’ll be pretty hard to beat. The bathrooms were incredible, and the shower was so good that it was almost annoying (I’m jealous and want it at home now too).

Checking in and out was easy, and the staff was very kind in accommodating me extending my stay another day on two separate occasions. I’d been most in and out in the dark, but finally on the last day got to check out the rest of the place and it really is super nice with a great aesthetic to match.

The big kicker for me was the lodge/Wi-Fi situation. As someone camping in a Prius, it can get pretty tight at times, so having a nice big space with great internet to get some work done was a huge bonus. Even in my car, the WiFi was plenty good enough to use, albeit not quite as snappy fast as the lodge.

All in all, I’d happily come back here again and again if I were to find myself back in the area. Could not more highly recommend.

As part of the Elk River Hotel and Café, there are four glamping tents located on the Elk River. We have the Dyrt to thank for finding these as I’m quite certain I would not have found them otherwise! We tend to take months-long road trips and every once in a while, we like to find unique accommodations, and this fit the bill. Possible future expansion plans include Vermont and Florida but for now, this is the only location for GlampOut Resorts (not to be confused with Glamp Out Resort– singular). 

Each glamping tent has a sink/small fridge, and coffee maker, a fully plumbed bathroom, and a king or queen-sized bed with linens. Bath towels are provided but no toiletries so make sure you bring them. The tents were spacious and clean, and the heater was appreciated during a cold, damp October stay. There is a sink and dorm-sized fridge but no microwave or way to cook a meal. Breakfast is optional, reasonably priced at $10 per person, and is served in the café at 8:30 am. The café is open for dinner Tuesday– Saturday from 4 pm– 9 pm and the food was good. I only saw one other breakfast/lunch eatery in town and no grocery store so plan accordingly, especially if you plan to be there on a Sunday or Monday! 

About a half mile from the glamping tents is access to the Jeremiah Carpenter Trailhead but use caution. There was a barrier at the entrance, but a local police officer told me I should just walk around it. I hiked about a half mile up the steep hill; when the trail turned to the right, it was overgrown and narrow and since I was by myself, I just turned around and came back down the way I came. I later learned there had been bear sightings on this trail! Nearby is the Flatwoods Monster Chair Trail. I wasn’t sure if there was a put-in area for kayaks or canoes and no one I asked seemed to know. In June, there is a Big Foot festival and a seasonal farmers market. 

When we were there, there was not much to do except relax. There is not much in the sleepy town of Sutton, however, it was a quiet respite for us during the last two weeks of our two-month trip. It is, however, a bit of a splurge at approximately $200 per night.