Best Tent Camping near Thurmond, WV
Tent camping options near Thurmond, West Virginia include several primitive sites along the New River within New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Stone Cliff Campground offers walk-in tent sites situated directly on the riverbank, while Meadow Creek Campground provides tent-only camping with more spacious, though less shaded sites. Both campgrounds are free, first-come, first-served locations managed by the National Park Service.
Most tent sites in the Thurmond area feature basic amenities with vault toilets but no running water. Stone Cliff Campground has approximately six walk-in sites, some requiring descending stairs from the parking area to reach the riverside camping area. Sites typically include fire rings but many lack picnic tables. Campers should bring their own water and be prepared for primitive conditions. The nearby Chestnut Creek Campground offers more developed tent camping with showers and drinking water available, though it charges per person rather than per site. One camper noted that "sites are flat, large and spaced out" at Meadow Creek, though they cautioned about the lack of shade and proximity to active railroad tracks.
The backcountry tent camping experience near Thurmond provides direct access to the New River and numerous hiking trails. Stone Cliff sites offer immediate river access for swimming and fishing, with the Stone Cliff Trail accessible from the campground. Several campers mentioned the presence of broken glass on the beach areas, so tent campers should inspect their sites carefully before setting up. "Even with the rainy weather the area wasn't too muddy and the campsite we stayed at was level," reported one visitor about Stone Cliff. Tent campers seeking more solitude might prefer the walk-in sites farther from the parking areas, which provide greater separation from other campers and road noise, though trains passing nearby can be heard at most campgrounds in the area.
