Best Tent Camping near Union, WV
Looking for the best options for tent camping near Union? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Union with tent camping. You're sure to find the perfect tent campsite for your West Virginia camping adventure.
Best Tent Sites Near Union, WV (39)
1. Stone Cliff Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Thurmond, West Virginia17 Reviews•66 Photos•333 SavesThis tent only campground located near the historic railroad town of Thurmond offers 7 walk-in sites, 5 on the sandy beach of the New River and 2 in the nearby forest. There are no drive-in sites at this location. RV, camper, or car camping is prohibited. The Stone Cliff Trailhead also starts at the campground.
- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Trash
- Toilets
2. Old Mill Campground — Bluestone Lake State Park
Nimitz, West Virginia5 Reviews•8 Photos•3 SavesOld Mill Campground offers 44 rustic campsites. This campground is not suggested for larger RVs and campers. The campground has a central bathhouse available for all guests.
- Reservable
- Tents
- Toilets
3. Chestnut Creek Campground
Lansing, West Virginia19 Reviews•44 Photos•244 SavesThe closest campground to the New River Gorge Bridge. Chestnut Creek Campground offers quiet primitive camping in the woods. We are a mere half a mile (0.5mi) from the New River Gorge Bridge! That's walking distance folks. Our hygienic facility has hot showers, lavatory stalls, hand washing sinks, and a wash basin located outside for dish washing and filling up water jugs. Firewood and Ice are available on site as well. Each campsite has a picnic table and a fire pit. A general store and burrito bar are located literally around the corner; Both are within walking distance. Hiking and Climbing trail-heads (Fern Buttress, Endless Wall, Beauty Mountain; to name a few) are just down the way and access to the river is a stone's throw away (our drive is just across from Fayette Station Rd). If you're wanting to venture further to more local restaurants/shops; we are only a 5 minute drive from downtown Fayetteville. We are a pet friendly establishment for those with dogs who love to travel as much as you do. We keep quiet hours from 11pm-7am (starts @ midnight on weekends). Mainly we accommodate rustic tent camping, however; some sites are able to accommodate pop-up campers and trailers up to 20ft (we do not have hookups/electric). Call today to reserve a site for your upcoming adventure at the New River Gorge.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Group
$10 - $11 / night
4. CB Ranch
Lewisburg, West Virginia1 Review•9 Photos•10 SavesOur Camp sites are primitive and very private,these pictures show some of the views from the property. There will be a small clearing area for you to pitch your tent and set up a corral. There are several springs in the area to get water from if needed. We have over 100 acres with trails thru out for Riding,hiking and exploring. Call for rates and availability.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- Tents
$30 - $60 / night
5. Meadow Creek Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Meadow Creek, West Virginia4 Reviews•12 Photos•12 SavesThis tent-only primitive campground located along the New River is only one mile from the Sandstone Visitor Center. It offers 17 tent sites in an open field. There are no drive-in sites at this campground. The railroad crossing is dangerous for RVs and trailers. RV, trailer, or car camping is prohibited. Campers should expect to hear some noise such as train horns. There is a group site for groups of 8 or more available by permit - contact the permits office at 304-465-6517.
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Trash
- Toilets
6. East Shore Campground — Bluestone Lake State Park
Nimitz, West Virginia2 Reviews•1 Photo•2 SavesLooking for a remote experience? Then East Shore Campground is for you. The campground offers 39 primitive sites that are accessible by boat only. East Shore campsite availability depends upon the Army Corps of Engineer (ACE) Phase 5 renovation/construction of the Bluestone Dam project. Call the park for further information. Remember, when experiencing this camping venue, please pack-out what you pack-in and keep the area clean and green.
- Reservable
- Tents
8. Camp Success
Narrows, Virginia2 Reviews•5 Saves- Phone Service
- Tents
- Tent Cabin
- Glamping
- Trash
- Picnic Table
10. Dragon's Tooth
Salem, Virginia2 Reviews•5 Photos•120 SavesBe sure to adhere to camping restrictions for these areas: https://www.ratc.org/mcafee-knob-and-the-triple-crown/
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Trash
- Toilets
Recent Tent Reviews in Union
602 Reviews of 39 Union Campgrounds
Kaley A.
Scout
Babcock State Park Campground
Beautiful Park
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.
- MMark W.Scout
Sportsman Campground
Washed out by Hurricane Helene
This campground was pretty much washed out by Hurricane Helene. It apparently was owned by the family that owns the gas station on site. The gas station was flooded out and will need to be completely rebuilt.
The dirt under the campground remains and there are a few campers here still despite there being no more services available. Two tents were set up. One had a generator. One trailer was here. The water level is down now but there's still debris that needs cleaning up. The roads were not washed out so this is still a fairly easy to access site being it is right off I-81.
Benjy B.
Traveler
The Outpost at New River Gourge
Loved it here!
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.
licia S.
Guide
Meadow Creek Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Calm Tent-Only Campground- with Trains
I’ve stayed here several times. It’s always been a great visit. There are around 12 sites with tables, grills, and fire rings. Pit toilet and dumpster. The place is monitored via videocamera as signed. No RVs- that is enforced. 1 bar of unboosted cell service with ATT with some drop off if raining, but fine for streaming videos. The coal trains run through at all hours of the night- and blow their horns (earplugs). Open year round- a no hunting campsite.
Kim L.
Ranger
Rifrafters Campground
Nearest CG to New River Gorge bridge and visitor center
Very comfortable and quiet campground. Camp hosts (owners?) and staff are very friendly and helpful. Close to local towns for services. The full hook up RV sites seem crowded, but the electric only sites were spacious and shady. I had a little deck with a picnic table. Even though the land is hilly, almost every site was level. The area where I camped had a single porta potty, but the main service area had clean showers and reasonably priced laundry. Short hiking trails are nearby. A children’s area is available but looked little used.
Molly R.ScoutRifrafters Campground
Well managed everything you need.
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. Clean, friendly without all the fancy extras. Reasonably priced.
Anna S.Ranger
Blue Jay Campground — Camp Creek State Park
Simple but sufficient - great location with miles of trails!
All 12 non-electric sites appeared to have fire ring, picnic table, trash can, flat parking area. They did vary a bit in size. I was there on Friday and Saturday and there were no more than 4 other sites occupied. I was surprised that the bathrooms had running water! Overall, everything was quiet and relaxing. Some traffic from people driving by, but not bad at this time of year. It was delightful falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the creek! There are miles and miles of trails, I hiked 16 and only encountered 1 couple. The other campgrounds in the park have more amenities, too.
- RRhys R.Guide
Army Camp — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Very relaxing spot
Very nice spot, right by the river with plenty of spaces to hammock down by there. We were lucky and got one of the last spots, there’s only 11. Fire rings with grill, and bench at each site. The ground is great for tents, no rocks. If you’re planning on coming here, make sure and come early. Pit toilets also available.
- Dane J.Guide
Glade Creek Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Large isolated sites
Great place along the river. Low traffic, spots are large and spread out, there is s nice trail (5.6miles). Down side, no tmobile cell service, and a train runs on the other side if the river every few hours
Lee D.
LegendBlue Jay Campground — Camp Creek State Park
Peaceful now but....
One of three campgrounds in Camp Creek State Park; this is the primitive one (the other two are a horse camp and a developed one with hookups). Most sites are on the creek, but the road runs right past them. On a weekday in the fall, the road was very quiet, but I imagine that in the summer when carloads of people head to Campbell Falls, it would be a different story and would take away from the peacefulness of the campground.
This campground would not be suitable for large RVs, but our campervan fit just fine in the mostly level (but rooty) sites, Obviously, good for tents.
There are two vault toilets – one for women and one for men. They were in reasonably clean condition.
Campbell Falls is just down the road from the campground and there is access to many hiking trails.
No one other than us was there on a weekday in mid-October so it was very peaceful and quiet.
Patrick C.Scout
Mash Fork Campground — Camp Creek State Park
Great Stay
Stopped here for a quick overnight and this beautiful campground had us wishing we could stay longer.
- SShelly W.Scout
Interstate Overnight Park
*******B E W A R E*****
Do not stay here!
Sex offenders & homeless people come knocking on your doors at night!
Corrupt & not safe!
Cracker Barrel across the street & lovely campgrounds off 81exit 84
- MMcSearsScout
Explore Park
Pretty small spot
Not sitting in a field!!! Pretty and quiet. Lovely
Casey L.RangerMeadow Creek Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Spacious Sites with No Shade
Nice NPS campground. There are 17 sites, all free FCFS tent only sites. We thought we’d have a hard time finding a spot on a Friday night but it was less than half full the whole 4 nights we were there. Only one vault toilet was open. Sites are flat, large and spaced out. However the trees are very newly planted so they provide no shade or privacy. Quick access to 64 and Sandstone Visitor Center. The biggest con to this is the multi-track railroad right next to the campground. They go by pretty frequently at all hours of day and night and are so loud you can feel the vibrations. But otherwise was a good base camp for exploring New River Gorge.
- Ioan P.Legend
Little Beaver State Park Campground
Super nice
This campground is situated in the woods, near Lake. Has a good WFI everywhere, very clean and quiet.
- HHeather E.Guide
Little Beaver State Park Campground
Nice stop
Nice spot to stop for a night on our way north - level private spot for our rooftop tent. Sites 38-45 have the most privacy. Check website as we were there during a fire ban.
Tiel M.Traveler
Morris Hill Campground
Decent, nice hosts
Nothing to write home about but it’s pretty. There’s a road that runs right in front that has some noise. Not all that different from most national forests, which isn’t bad.
Tanner W.Scout
Arrowhead Bike Farm
Great spot
Great spot and very close to the national park, but site 5 was very un-level.
Kristie S.Traveler
Vic Thomas Park
Roanoke River
Camped over night twice. Bathrooms stay open 24/7. Made fire no problems. River does rise alittle overnight if camping with tent. Very quiet & peaceful at night.
- CChalang R.Traveler
Bolar Mountain Recreation Area
Amazing
Pretty much what a campground should be. Absolutely 0 service. No place to get ice if you’re out. Make sure you have a full tank of gas.
- JJulie M.Traveler
Rifrafters Campground
Great overnight stop very shaded and peaceful
We stayed overnight on our way up the coast and had a great visit. I wish we could’ve stayed longer. The campground was very peaceful and shaded people were very friendly and the facilities were exceptionally clean.
- EErica W.Traveler
Gatewood Park & Reservoir Campground
Slice of heaven
This is the most peaceful and quiet campground. The mountain and water views are stunning. Camp hosts are phenomenal! So glad we found them gem. Can’t wait to come back.
Hazel S.ScoutGlen Lyn Town Park & Campground
Campground
Cute place off the freeway with water access and a playground, 6 mile hiking trail to waterfall and not far from town. There is a train station nearby and the trains are loud. They come by every now and then night and day, they do live music some nights and church gatherings where a man basically yells all night long. Lots of freeway noise so the nightly fee is kinda stupid considering you won't get any sleep if you stay here. The river is super planted so I wouldn't swim here either sadly.. and the showers have NO water presser yet you gotta pay for a bathroom key otherwise there's porta-potties by the dumpster.
- ZZachary P.Traveler
Glade Creek Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Great spot!
Great quiet spot. All primitive, does have a bathhouse with toilets only. Pretty good drive to any stores, so pack in what you need. It is about a 7 mile ride down a gravel road. I did the trip on a motorcycle so the road isn’t bad. I got there at 6pm on a tuesday and got the last spot! Get there early to make sure you get a spot. Very well maintained.
- Susan B.Traveler
Army Camp - New River National Scenic River
2-3 dispersed sites before this campground
The Campground is small...Maybe 15 sites. It was full when we arrived. Luckily, there are 2 or 3 dispersed sites along the road into the Campground. They are on the river, too. Perfect for an overnighter.
Ryan B.Scout
New River Junction Campground
Ear Blaring Trains, Gross Bath house, Rocky River.
THE TRAINS: HOLY HELL. The trains alone are reason enough not to camp here. Especially with a tent. Five trains between midnight and 5am. Every one of them blew the horn well past the crossing. This is not an exaggeration; it sounded like the trains were going to come through the tent. We might as well have been on the tracks themselves. We had to cover our 3yo daughters ears to keep her from getting scared awake during every train passing. The tent camping is closest to the tracks which makes zero sense to me as the RV's would be less subject to the noise and would block a lot of it from reaching the tents. The train schedule probably varies, but I assure you, it's not worth the roll of the dice. I would find somewhere else to camp, especially if you like the peace and quiet(which is a huge part of camping). I know this isn't really in their control, but it kind of is. They do mention that the trains do come through and that the guests don't usually mention it after the second night(probably because they leave after the first night LOL JK). They definitely sugar coat it. However, they need to have that in BOLD RED LETTERS"THE TRAINS ARE LOUD AS F**K". I would've just canceled the trip immediately and camped elsewhere. They need one of those huge sound blocking walls you see along the interstate. The Bathrooms: Bathrooms need work. The toilet seats are gross, the walls have mold on them, the shower curtains are piss yellow. All of which would cost around$80 to fix. Those are the"Campers Only" bathrooms. The"Tubing Showers" are basically a wooden shack with a pull string valve. Looks like something out of a horror film. Not sure why they even have them because the river will get you cleaner than those ever will. The River: The river is beautiful. Great views of the mountain sides. The views and fishing were the only saving grace. I was able to catch a small-mouth bass pretty quickly and missed a few others. The water ranges in depth, but nothing deeper than waste deep really. It's rocky and slippery so it's dangerous and not very family friendly. Especially for young children and older people. Honestly, my wife hated the river because it was so hard to move around. So while it looked nice and fished well, that was about it. Tubing: I didn't do the tubing, but I had family with me that did and they said it was NOT worth the money. The water level was said to be good for it, but they said they dragged their butts the majority of the way. I also think that their base level tubes they rent out are not enough to keep you high enough out of the water. They look like inner tubes from some sort of truck and they are not beefy enough for this application, you'll just droop through the middle. If you do tube, bring your own river tube or rent the premium versions with the bottom sewn in. The People: The people were very nice to us during our short stay. This was a non-issue. However, I think they should worry less about the grass and more about the amenities getting updated(build a new bathhouse building). For Young Kids: Nothing really available for younger kids to play on. No playgrounds or anything other than a few ride around toys and a basketball hoop. They have plenty of room for an awesome playground for much younger kids, but I don't think that's their focus. Conclusion: Would I ever stay at New River Junction again? Absolutely not. For me, camping is about getting away from the noise and my house is quieter than this place and I live on a busy street. The trains are awful for tent camping and I'm sure the thin-walled travel trailers too. Had it not been for the trains, the place would have been okay, but even the good parts weren't that great. I didn't set this trip up, a family member did. I'll never let her live this one down lol. Don't let the positive reviews mislead you. The majority of the reviews are from people there just for tubing. In all my years of tent camping, this was the worst trip I've ever had.
Kel J.TravelerArmy Camp — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Free Camping & Beautiful Scenary
Pit toilets, but was nice to have something ++ FREE. Super cool river near by, great scenery.
Guide to Union
Nestled in the scenic landscapes of West Virginia, Union offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for adventure and tranquility.
Tent campers appreciate these amenities
- The Old Mill Campground — Bluestone Lake State Park features reservable sites and clean toilets, making it a convenient choice for families.
- At Camp Success, campers can enjoy a community atmosphere with access to fishing and hiking, although it lacks some modern amenities.
- The East Shore Campground — Bluestone Lake State Park offers semi-private sites and is perfect for those who enjoy fishing and hiking.
Tent campers should check out local activities
- The Bull Falls Campground — Bluestone Lake Wildlife Management Area is ideal for water activities like kayaking and fishing, with nearby hiking trails to explore.
- For a more rugged experience, Indian Mills Camping Area — Bluestone Lake Wildlife Management Area offers solitude and access to the New River for fishing and canoeing.
- The Greenbrier River Trail Mile Post 9.5 Primitive Campsite provides a unique hiking experience along the scenic Greenbrier River, perfect for those looking to immerse themselves in nature.
Unique features of nearby campgrounds
- CB Ranch offers a charming cabin experience alongside tent camping, with farm animals and beautiful trails to explore.
- The Tent Area Campground — Bluestone Lake State Park provides a straightforward camping experience with reservable sites, perfect for those who want to keep it simple.
- Glen Lyn Town Park & Campground features electric hookups and easy access to water activities, though it may be noisy due to nearby train traffic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Union, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Union, WV is Stone Cliff Campground — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve with a 4.2-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Union, WV?
TheDyrt.com has all 39 tent camping locations near Union, WV, with real photos and reviews from campers.