Nice place in my hometown. Disconnect between the park headquarters and campground check in. Was told no golf carts on campgrounds per the host. However, HQ has written guidelines stating all vehicles must be licensed. Some rules enforced, others are not. Overall we would stay again.
Backpacked and Camped here multiple times for both hiking and fishing. The main trail is graveled and very easily accessed. It runs along the Cranberry River with beautiful views all along the way. The River offers both stocked trout fishing along with wild trout tribs in a few places. You can pretty much camp where ever you’d like and there are also Adirondack style shelters in various spots along the trail. One thing to remember is always hang your food at night. Bears will come in and make themselves at home! Lol
Stayed here 2 nights with all our children and grandchildren. We had a great couple days with rain at times. Site was large with lots of trees. Seth was very friendly and helpful. This is a nonelectric site campground and I found that appealing. There are flush toilets and showers. We hiked Endless Wall Trail and Glade Creek Trail to Kate’s Falls
Tawney Farm is part of a growing trend of agrotourism in West Virginia where farmers allow visitors to camp on their land.
The proximity to the Gauley River makes this primitive campground an ideal place for kayakers to stay during the whitewater season in September and October. That's when the meadows and hills around Tawney Farm will be filled with tent campers ready to ride the rapids.
James and Susan Tawney are the perfect hosts because they're super nice and sincerely interested in talking about their sheep farm, the history of Panther Mountain, and the best places to swim, fish and kayak on the Gauley River.
I enjoyed a couple nights of "glamping" when I stayed at the Tawney Farm "Nut House," appropriately named because James crafted it from recycled wood, including cherry, beechnut and black walnut.
The primitive cabin has electricity, a full-sized roll-away bed and a futon. There's no bathroom or running water, so I used the clean port-a-potties and community propane-heated shower and had access to a fire pit and charcoal grill.
Great hospitality! James prepped my fire pit with free wood and Susan made sure I had plenty of charcoal, then loaned me BBQ tools so I could grill my dinner without scorching my hands.
The Wild and Woolly Primitive Campground includes a group area where guests can cook, wash their dishes, and hangout. There's a small store with raw wool crafts, fresh farm eggs and black walnuts, plus and a stage for live music during the peak season.
I wanted to make sure I got some nice photos of their sheep, so James and Susan brought the flock down for a closer look and encouraged some young guests to pet them.
The access road to Tawney Farm is gravel with a tree growing in the middle, so take caution at night. The nearby roads leading to the Gauley River National Recreation Area are in good shape but a little nerve-wracking because they're so narrow there's not much room to get out of the way when you come face-to-face with tour buses shuttling paddlers to and from the Gauley River.
I checked out Mason Branch and Woods Ferry where I enjoyed some nice hiking, paddling and swimming. Since it was summer, the kayakers I spotted were using "rubber duckies" so they could negotiate the rocky river without getting stuck.
Mason Branch has an unmarked, unmaintained trail near the parking lot where you can see a couple of nice waterfalls. There's a trail to the left of the lower falls that takes you to a higher waterfall the locals call "Janie's Hole." The story I heard is Janie was a young lady who died after she either fell or jumped from the top of this falls.
There's another interesting local story about the nearby Summersville Lake. This crystal clear lake was created when an earthen dam was built that covered the small farming community of Gad with water. My 98-year old mom says no one wanted to call it the "Gad Dam" because it sounded like they were using the Lord's name in vane, so they settled on the next closest town and named it the Summersville Dam. Water released from this lake in the fall is what creates the world-class whitewater on the Gauley River.
Stayed for 8 days. Arrived for first night on site 7. It had alot to be desired. Although it backed into the woods as soon as we stepped off our steps it was on the ledge of the pad. We moved the next morning to site 9. Site was much better and with a little more room for hanging out. Electrical hook up was on the opposite side of where they should be and in the middle of the small area. Water pressure was good and there was sewage hookups. Overall the full hookup sites , though we're not horrible they are very out dated for the newer larger rigs. Tent are was super nice and the area with just water and electrical could use upgradeing. Plenty of hiking trails but many are muddy messes due to being shared with the horses. If you are camping you have to pay to use the pool at the lodge. Also there are inflatables in a lake, also must pay. Outside of the veiws the highlight of our stay was when we treated ourselves to dinner at the Mountain Creek dinning room. You take a tram ride down and if you eat you get to ride back up for free, normally $7 per person. They have put put, horseback riding swimming pool, and at the lake. A nature center and. hiking trails. Overall had a nice week and recommend the park.
Babcock State Park is one of the greatest parks in West Virginia. Most people come to see the grist mill, and it’s nice, but if that’s all you do your missing out.
For starters, most of the sites at the campground are great: fairly flat with soft ground and good tree coverage. The campground is split by Old Clifftop Rd, with the majority of the campground south of the road. We stayed on Site 15 (non-electric site), which I thought was one of the best sites. The campground was quiet, family-friendly, and clean. Some of the campsites were small and right on top of each other.
The campground is served by one bathhouse, centrally located in the middle of it. The bathhouse was fairly clean but well-used and includes flush toilets, showers, and hot water. A fairly new playground sits right next to the bathhouse. All the equipment was well-maintained and freshly mulched. Our site was close enough to the playground that we let our seven-year-old go by herself, since we could still hear her.
We only hiked on two trails, but it was some of the most fun hiking I’ve ever done. Mann’s Creek Gorge Trail is a two-mile walk from the campground to Camp Washington Carver. About a quarter of a mile you come the creek with a great swimming hole. We didn’t make it past the swimming hole but I’m looking forward to finishing the trail in the future. Island-In-the-Sky is a great climb through a tunnel of rhododendron that eventually winds up and around a rock shelf. To get to the top you have to climb up a couple ladders and over rocks. There are also several spurs off the trail that lead to overlooks and one that leads to a good size cave the size of the room.
I highly recommend that anyone looking to camp in the Fayetteville-area consider Babcock, you won’t be disappointed.
Beautiful swimming hole! Great hiking trails! Fishing!
If your looking for a weekend getaway or a week long rest. Look no farther. 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. You won’t be disappointed
There are full hookups tent sites and Electric sites. There is 2 shower houses. There is a playground and a boat dock. This campground does not take reservations first come first serve. Bakers run is a family friendly campground pets were allowed last time I was there, just remember you have to clean up after your pet. I gave 4 stars because of the road to get to the campground otherwise it would be 5 stars.
Very quiet, sand bottom site areas right on the water. Bathrooms need extreme cleaning smelled badly. Plenty of Deadwood for the fire pits.
Close to any store you may need, flat & comfortable sites, no bath house but potties are very convenient. Whether you're fishing, rafting, swimming or kayaking there's plenty of options here!
Nice campground. The park is spectacular. The most photographed place in west Virginia is the grist mill. Awesome trails all around.
One of my favorite places on this planet. The second oldest river in the world new river meet glade creek at the campgrounds. This place has trails that are to die for. An old railroad runs by glade creek and it is incredible.
Great and peaceful environment. Multiple places to mountain bike, picnic, and camp. Shooting range, and there's hunting allowed in certain areas during the state's deer season. Roads could use some touching up, but overall a great place to be!
I loved the experience I had at stone cliff. The camp sites are well marked and maintained. There are some right on the river and a couple more set back closer to the trail. Great spot to set up a hammock, go swimming, or walk on the nearby trails if you aren’t climbing.
Even with the rainy weather the area wasn’t too muddy and the campsite we stayed at was level so there wasn’t any issue.
There were 2-3 other groups there and it still felt secluded with the sites distance from each other and the wooded area. There’s several easy to access trash cans, a picnic area, and plenty of parking as well.
My dog absolutely loved it-the swimming was A+ and the stick selection was up to her standards 😂
I am currently at War Ridge and it is splendid. I am alone up here (no other campers) and the night sky is amazing. Perk: you have cell signal. It is quiet and peaceful and the view is amazing. 10/10 highly recommend. I would add a picture, but it's dark right now and you can't see much but the stars.
I’ve not stayed at them all but this has to be one of the best campgrounds at a WV State Park. Great campsites on the river with great fishing and kayaking opportunities. So many great hiking trails and things to do in the park.
We love Bulltown. This is the 2nd year in a row we have stayed multiple times. Great sites on and near the lake. Bath houses are clean and well maintained and the people are friendly.
A wonderful, peaceful and beautiful park. The campground is very nice and well kept! We enjoyed hiking the trails, swimming in the lake and sitting by our campfire. The ladies working at the check-in office were absolutely the sweetest and extremely helpful. We had a great time and will definitely return!
We stayed in their tent camping site, and there were plenty fire pits and picnic tables, but it was a little unclear where the sites started and ended. Spectacular views, lots of wildlife, but the shower facilities had temperature problems. They offer a lot of activities if you want to have guided tours and are really close to numerous hiking trails you can do on your own.
Good campground. I would say great, but due to a non-native rare plant that has invaded the campground, they are unable to mow. And the mosquitos are swarming because of the high grass. Definitely bring whatever you need to keep the bugs off. Campground was good, clean sites, gravel pads, close primitive facilities, close river access.
No sources of freshwater available @ the campground. The nearest convenient store is some miles away. The campground is in the middle section of the New River Park system. The busy areas of the park are to the north in the Canyon rim district. The available 5 drive in sites go quick. I was in the campground 3 days and never saw an empty spot. The campground is clean and well maintained. A new vaulted toilet was being installed while I was there.
We went in the middle of the week, on a Tuesday. It had been raining a lot the days before but did not rain at all the three days we stayed. It was incredibly private, we were the only ones staying overnight. There were some visitors throughout the days, hiking, fishing, and a lot of white water rafters. We stayed at site 7 which was definitely the most private, the only downside being people walking on the trail walk right by your camp, but it wasn’t a very big deal. The second most private campsite was 6
The only downsides were the bathrooms and maybe the train. The bathrooms were a pit latrine, which is private but not necessarily clean or comfortable lol. Also trains would go by every few hours, it didn’t bother us much but it could be annoying to some people. It was also veryyy cold in the mornings but that was due to going in spring. I can’t see it being a problem during the summer
Overall I really enjoyed this campsite, and the seclusion of it. I could see it having a lot more people later in the summer and on less rainy days so I’d recommend getting there early if you want a private site
We stayed a weekend in one of the many cabins at the Campground; pet friendly! The RV/Tent camping sites were closed. Cabin was stocked with minimal kitchen ware, we brought in our groceries, in the town of Hinton there are a couple of grocery stores; so easy access. There was a picnic table and satellite TV; to our surprise. Cabin had a fireplace, two bedrooms and one bath. Very quiet!
Thumbs up and we will likely stay there again, will look into bringing our TT to check out the RV/Tent areas.
It rained the entire time I was there, yet I still enjoyed my stay. Campsite was clean and the other campers were quiet. I spoke to one group who stayed Saturday night only and that was just in passing at the bathroom. Cell reception is scarce, but that's not a problem, just an observation.
It rained the entire time I was there, yet I still enjoyed my stay. Campsite was clean and the other campers were quiet. I spoke to one group who stayed Saturday night only and that was just in passing at the bathroom. Cell reception is scarce, but that's not a problem, just an observation.
This is a big campground, but they still get you in there pretty close. You have to go into the hotel to check in. We only stayed over night, but they seemed to have several activities for the family.
Free campground. Fire circles. Nice gravel RV spots. 2 accessible sites. Pit toilets. Very close to the New River, nice beach access. No one else was there on our visit in April.
Lake Stephens Campground is a popular location for residents of Beckley (and surrounding areas) to park their RV’s/campers, for extended periods of time, as an easy getaway. The RV/camper area consists of a large circle of campsites that are very close to each other. The common area in the middle has a playground, restroom/showers, vending machines and some field area to play. The RV area seems to have grown into a very friendly community. They have regularly scheduled events like movie night, and they even host a “trick-or-treat” event each year that attracts hundreds. Amongst other things, the park has picnic areas, a beach with a sectioned off swimming area, a small water park area, and several hiking trails.