Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Summersville Lake

Summersville Lake, WV is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Summersville Lake is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Summersville Lake, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Summersville Lake (74)

    1. Mountain Lake Campground and Cabins

    17 Reviews
    Summersville Lake, WV
    2 miles
    Website

    "We took site 269 for the proximity to one of the little playgrounds and easy walk to bathrooms. We had a great time and it was easy to let our 3 year old play while we setup."

    "I used to love Mtn Lake because of their secluded primitive camping where deer often visit and provided a quiet place away from the busy RV sites, however they gave into demand and now have overrun the"

    2. Chestnut Creek Campground

    20 Reviews
    Lansing, WV
    14 miles
    Website

    $10 - $11 / night

    "It is a nice little campground near New river gorge bridge and Summersville lake. It is a heavily forest area with lots of sing birds. The owner was friendly."

    "Great tent campground very near the New River gorge and close by Summerville Lake and the Gulley River. Multiple campsites in heavily forested area. Drive up to the sites."

    3. Rifrafters Campground

    30 Reviews
    Fayetteville, WV
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 564-1065

    $15 - $50 / night

    "A 3 mile drive to long point trailhead and only 20 minutes from the beautiful Summersville lake. The campground has a bathhouse and store but we didn’t use either so can’t comment on those amenities."

    "Beautiful area, close to New River National Park. Very accommodating staff. Includes wifi, PBS TV, small dog run, small playground, picnic shelter, laundry, bathhouse, firewood, ice,etc."

    4. Babcock State Park Campground

    23 Reviews
    Winona, WV
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 438-3004

    $33 / night

    "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!"

    5. Gauley Tailwaters Campground — Gauley River National Recreation Area

    9 Reviews
    Summersville Lake, WV
    0 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 465-0508

    "there are bathrooms and tap water, but no electrical or showers. you park right next to your tent. you can walk down to the gauley river. you may see many white water rafters here for this reason."

    "You can hike trails to the river, even to a beautiful swimming spot just below the dam and camping sites!"

    6. Summersville Lake Retreat & Lighthouse

    8 Reviews
    Summersville Lake, WV
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 872-5975

    $40 - $56 / night

    "I’m 42 yrs old and I’ve been camping at Summersville Lake since shortly after I was given birth too( no joke)! Therefore I’ve been camping at Summersville for my whole life!"

    "Very central location to everything. Super dog friendly, clean bathrooms, and everyone who works there were great. We loved our site plenty of space and were not on top of our neighbors."

    7. Rays Campground

    7 Reviews
    Hico, WV
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 658-4386

    $9 - $34 / night

    "And about 30 mins south of summersville lake!"

    "Friendly campground dog who likes to roam free and check on tenants. Stayed one night on 9/8/19. Campgrounds was dog friendly."

    8. Adventures on the Gorge - Mill Creek

    9 Reviews
    Lansing, WV
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (855) 379-8738

    $7 - $69 / night

    "They keep the Raccoons away and didn't spray any one or any dogs."

    "This spot was a short drive away from awesome rock climbing in the New River Gorge."

    9. New River Campground

    14 Reviews
    Gauley Bridge, WV
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 632-9821

    $30 - $40 / night

    "I told them I did not have these capabilities in my rig and they gave me sole access to the handicapped shower."

    "The owner goes around the campground at 430p offering firewood for $5/bundle. The view from our full hookup campsite is hands down amazing!! We're situated directly on the New River in Gauley Bridge."

    10. New River Gorge Campground - American Alpine Club

    9 Reviews
    Lansing, WV
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 693-2667

    $8 - $30 / night

    "this campground is well maintained and located in the heart of the New. It's a quick walk to the Junkyard Wall or a short drive to many other classic crags."

    "There aren't group sites available, but whoever in our group was organizing managed to get multiple sites next to each other, which was nice."

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Summersville Lake

561 Reviews of 74 Summersville Lake Campgrounds


  • Carissa V.
    Jul. 30, 2020

    Mountain Lake Campground and Cabins

    Wonderful lake, bad smells

    We love summersville lake after stopping randomly on a trip down south last year. We stayed in an upper lot during the week for a night and liked it better. This year we booked a week with friends and stayed on lot four. The lake is amazing, clear and has so many visual gems that I highly suggest a visit. While I will list some negatives here , I will say we plan to go back for the lake. The campground is around 50 a night depending on some spots and we watched many RVstrailers come and go. For the business the campground is doing I would expect better bath houses. They were ok but state parks in west Virginia have had better. Gross as in they didn't look cleaned regularly, the shower heads were terrible, never looked cleaned, rusty. My stall had a used tampon in it one night. I prefer my camper shower but here is the other issue, no sewer hook up in the rv/trailer sides just water and electric. I felt as though if you stayed for more than a week they should offer a free one time honey wagon service. Let's talk garbage. We stayed up near the bathhouse and playground bc we have little ones. The garage trailer sat for more than 6 days just baking in the sun. By our 5th day we could barely stand to stay outside around our campfire the odor was so bad. As campers we are used to our fair share of smells but garbage dump isn't what we are looking for....be careful where you pick to set up.

  • Jennifer B.
    Jul. 3, 2019

    Tawney Farm

    Kayakers' Dream-- Whitewater Wonder

        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.

  • L
    Sep. 1, 2018

    Battle Run

    Gorgeous views

    This campground is situated on gorgeous Summersville Lake! It has all you could ask for in a campground including RV and tent sites, bathhouses with showers, dump facilities for RVs, and the most beautiful clear lake water!!! No loud noises after 10pm makes it ideal! We had a tent site with a fire pit and picnic table on a point of land surrounded by water! We didn't fish much but the swimming was incredible!

  • Dave V.
    Sep. 4, 2020

    Greenbrier River Trail Milepost 63.8 Primitive Campsite

    All you need for a great time, nothing more and nothing less!

    Greenbrier River Trail Milepost 63.8 Primitive Campsite, Located between Clover Lick and Clawson, WV (south of Sharp's Tunnel)

    The Greenbrier River Trail is one of the most beautiful and often most remote trail I have had the privilege of bikepacking. If you aren't familiar with camping in West Virginia, you are in for a treat. The WV State Park system is fantastic and the State Park employees take incredible pride in keeping all their parks beautifully maintained despite poor budgets to work with. 

    GRT MP 63.8 Primitive Campsite is close to 17 miles south of the Cass Railroad Station. Trail conditions were wonderful, typical Railroad ballast, crushed gravel...at times it was wide like they recently removed the track, and other sections grass has grown down the middle to make it two track. All flat with a gentle one percent downhill grade from Stumptown to North Caldwell. Frankly, it wasn't discernible...but I'll take it.

    Wildlife and songbirds were abundant and as shocked to see you as you were them. Oftentimes, the deer would run the trail ahead of you for 200 yards before cutting off onto their sidetrail.

    The trail itself is recorded at differing lengths depending on what you read, but we started at MP 80…at Cass Railroad Station...traveling south to North Caldwell.

    PROS:

    • Free camping(First come, first served) 
    • Newer Adirondock Style Shelter 
    • Newer Large/Clean/Stocked Pit Latrine 
    • Raised Tent pad(pea gravel) 
    • Cold well water- Hand pump 
    • Metal Fire Ring 
    • No Cell Service 

    CONS: 

    • No Cell Service 

    NEARBY HIGHLIGHTS: 

    • Cass Railroad Station 
    • Snowshoe Mountain Ski Resort 
    • Seneca Forest (**Thorny Mountain Fire Tower)
    • Seneca Rocks
    •  Spruce Knob(WV Highest Elevation) 
    • Green Bank Observatory 
    • The Greenbrier Resort

    *Note in the video, I initially thought the steel containers were bear proof storage, but I was incorrect and they are bear proof trash receptacles. 

    This is bear country, so we kept all our food items and toiletries in a bear cannister during our trip. We did not experience any encounters or sightings, but fellow cyclists traveling in the same direction, observed a juvenile bear during the day along the trail.

    In fact, WV has an abundant wildlife population and it is evident along the Greenbrier River Trail, which set this trail apart from other bikepacking trails I've traveled.

    You will see in a couple photos that a certain slithering resident was unwilling to give up his claim on this Adirondack Shelter, we attempted to dissuade him, we even gently relocated him, but he was neither afraid of our presence nor was he about to pass up a roof over his head. So we acquiesced and moved to the raised tent pad 100' down the trail. He was a very curious character.

    In June, you can anticipate random, short afternoon or evening cloudbursts...but they can be gully-washers. Nights were cool and most mornings I wore a long-sleeve Merino shirt.

    Riding and camping along the picture-perfect Greenbrier River offers fantastic views and opportunities to cool off...bring your swimwear.

  • Dave V.
    Sep. 1, 2017

    Battle Run

    Water, Water Everywhere...

    Battle Run Campground at Summersville Lake, WV (https://www.recreation.gov/camping/battle-run/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=73075 ) offers a unique camping experience. Of the 114 campsites available, a large percentage are waterfront, which is what most that camp here desire. In fact, most campers will have their powerboats moored at their site. Claims of the acreage of Summersville Lake vary between 2700-3000 acres, but most agree on around 60 miles of shoreline, making this the largest lake in WV. Summerville Lake is man-made, built in the early 1960's…but it is clean, clear and deep!

    Cliffs line much of the lake, which lends itself to daredevils plunging off into the water..but know what lies below. Because this is a man-made lake, they flooded it over the existing wooded areas…so when water levels are low, you could be impaling yourself. Locals know the best spots.

    For obvious reasons, this is boater heaven…and Battle Run Campground is always packed. Want to go…reserve your site 6 months in advance or better. There are also 7 walk-in tent sites along the shoreline. Just know, there is little privacy. Also take note: No Pets! Scuba divers love this lake, as it goes as deep as 327 feet…and there are the remnants of the town Gad at the Lake's bottom that once called this area home.

    Battle Run Campground basically looks like the outline of an oak leaf, with a series of half loops lined with camp sites. While sites are electric, water is centrally located as is the two showerhouse/restroom facilities. Basketball and volleyball courts are in the center of the campground, as is a horseshoe pit…and kids activity area. The campground beach and boat ramp are located down the road.

    Several marina's in the area offer various boat rentals and boat ramp fees. Battle Run Boat Ramp Day Use fees are minimal at a few bucks. Local dive shops also have scuba rentals.

    Summerville Lake Dam feeds the Gauley River, so if whitewater rafting is your thing, you've come to the right spot. Spring and Fall releases brings the wildest rides, but the Gauley has Class V rapids all year. Having done the Gauley at both Spring and Fall, both are fast and fun!

    If you are looking for quiet, wooded solitude…its right around the corner. So if you camp at Battle Run, don't despair…Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park (https://wvstateparks.com/park/carnifex-ferry-battlefield-state-park/)) is about 5 minutes away, where the trails offer that solitude and great views…surrounded by history. Carnifex Ferry Battlefield was a pivotal Civil War victory for the Union, turning the Confederate Army from the Virginias. Cool stuff! Numerous other trails dot this area too.

    Definitely visit the Custard Stand on your way too and from Rt.19…you'll thank me later.

  • Matt C.
    Jun. 19, 2021

    Chestnut Creek Campground

    Quiet camping near New river gourge

    It is a nice little campground near New river gorge bridge and Summersville lake. It is a heavily forest area with lots of sing birds. The owner was friendly. They have one clean shower house with toilets and hot water. We enjoyed our stay. Fire wood can be purchased at the main office

  • Ruby W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 27, 2019

    Gauley Tailwaters Campground — Gauley River National Recreation Area

    Free Camping with Amenities

    Whenever we go and rock climb at New River Gorge on a budget, we stay at this free site. They have CLEAN bathrooms, water hookups, showers, tables, fire rings, and grills. Each time we’ve stayed at the site, we’ve met really cool climbers and families. Great place for the adventurous group on a budget, or a family that would like to fall asleep listening to a river. Very close to Summersville Lake, where there is a lot of boating, deep water soloing, and hiking.

  • t
    Jun. 13, 2021

    Rays Campground

    Secluded, woodsy

    This is my fiance and I's favorite spot. The tent area I stay in Is very spacious and often you cant see any neighbors unless traveling to the shower house, with regular toilets electric and more. If you need amenities like a shower but like a private, primitive, woodsy feel this is the place. And about 30 mins south of summersville lake!

  • Jessica M.
    May. 11, 2021

    Summersville Lake Retreat & Lighthouse

    The Best Place to Camp in WV!

    I’m 42 yrs old and I’ve been camping at Summersville Lake since shortly after I was given birth too( no joke)! Therefore I’ve been camping at Summersville for my whole life! The camping is perfect, the lake is gorgeous, and the memories we’ve made over all these years can never be forgotten! It’s without a doubt a place to enjoy yourself and the amenities are top notch! Just thinking about it, makes me want to pack up and go!


Guide to Summersville Lake

If you're looking for a great spot to camp with your furry friends near Summersville Lake in West Virginia, there are several pet-friendly campgrounds that offer a variety of amenities and activities for both you and your pets.

Dog owners appreciate spacious and well-maintained sites

Dog-friendly activities while camping near Summersville Lake

  • At Ace Adventure Resort, you can take your dog along for outdoor adventures like zip-lining and hiking, ensuring a fun-filled day for everyone.
  • New River Campground provides easy access to the New River, where you can enjoy water activities while your pet enjoys the great outdoors.
  • Gauley Tailwaters Campground is located near the river, making it a great spot for fishing and relaxing with your dog by your side.

Tips for camping with dogs near Summersville Lake

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Summersville Lake?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Summersville Lake is Mountain Lake Campground and Cabins with a 4.4-star rating from 17 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Summersville Lake?

TheDyrt.com has all 74 dog-friendly camping locations near Summersville Lake, with real photos and reviews from campers.