Primitive camping near Walkersville, West Virginia offers backcountry sites at elevations ranging from 2,000-4,000 feet within Monongahela National Forest. Winter temperatures can drop below 20°F while summer highs rarely exceed 85°F. Many dispersed sites remain accessible from April through October, with forest roads typically closed during winter months due to snow accumulation.
What to do
Hiking trails access: Gaudineer Knob features a moss-covered half-mile loop with multiple primitive campsites. "You park in the little lot that has a cassette toilet and a trash dump bin. Then there is a 1/2 mile loop with little campsites all along it. It looked like most of them had a table and fire ring," notes one Gaudineer Knob visitor.
Fishing opportunities: Gandy Creek Dispersed Camping provides excellent trout fishing access. "It's amazing and peaceful. Plus the fishing is wonderful," explains one Gandy Creek reviewer. Sites are located directly along the creek, with many spots featuring fire circles within feet of the water.
Mountain biking: Several single-track trail networks exist throughout the forest. "I also love this place as it has a small network of single track trails for anyone with a bike, or in my case, Electric unicycle. The trails were well maintained and offered a wonderful variety of wooded and open space riding," reports a Mower Basin camper.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Little River Dispersed Campsites offers well-spaced camping areas. "My husband and I stayed here for one night with our dog! We arrived around 6pm on a Friday evening. A couple of the spots were taken but we found a lovely spot in the group campsite - there was no one else there! The group campsite had 5 spots spread around a smallish gravel loop," writes a Little River visitor.
Swimming holes: Some campsites provide direct water access for cooling off during summer months. "When you park and walk down to the river, if you turn right, there's a beach area about 50 yards down that offers a great spot to take a dip!" explains another Little River camper.
Stargazing opportunities: Clear mountain skies offer excellent night viewing. "The moon was bright but you could still see hundreds of stars. There was a fire ring and enough space to fit a car and tent, but other sites were large enough to fit many cars and a dozen people," shares a Mower Basin visitor.
What you should know
Bear activity: Take proper food storage precautions at all sites. "Not even 2 minutes from our dispersed camp site we were charged by an extremely aggressive black bear, fortunately with plenty of noise and shouting and slowly backing away we avoided further conflict! But, it was very very close to the site we had our tent!" warns a Little River camper.
Road conditions vary: Forest roads can be challenging during or after rain. "This is a dirt road so not for everyone to travel down. But we did travel on bikes so it is not horrible," notes an Elk River camper.
Site availability: Popular areas fill quickly on weekends. "We tried to get a spot this weekend and arrived around 430pm on Friday. Every single spot was taken with many people who look like they have been set up there all summer," reports a Lower Glady visitor.
Tips for camping with families
Creek access sites: Locations along water provide natural entertainment. "We were closer to the road than we wanted to be but because the past few days had been beautiful spring weather, the area was packed. The only others we saw from our campsite were people fishing downstream from our camp and they were respectful of our space," shares a Gandy Creek visitor.
Seasonal considerations: Check conditions before traveling with children. "There used to be a lot of spruce tree farming here so I think that is why it is so cleared out. It doesn't seem to be an active logging zone now though, so it's just peaceful and quiet," notes a camper at Forest Road 227.
Larger group sites: Some areas accommodate multiple families. "I found that other campers were on the other spots. I went to the last one and found it to be open. In setting up camp I found two piles of bear scat," warns a Mower Basin camper about site selection.
Tips from RVers
Site sizing information: Many dispersed areas can accommodate smaller campers. "Very nice area several nice spot right along the creek. Areas are spread out and private. Nice spot to relax and escape along creek. Drive back is well maintained dirt road," explains a Gandy Creek camper.
Turnaround availability: Check road conditions before attempting longer vehicles. "We drove in from the south, through Durbin, which is almost 7 miles on a pothole ridden dirt road. Dangerous for RVs, great for those looking for an escape," cautions a camper describing Little River access.
Leveling considerations: Most sites require some preparation. "Sites are level and have good back-in driveways. Fire rings are large. We removed lots of trash from our fire ring, mostly aluminum cans," notes a Lower Glady camper about site conditions.
