Several tent camping options exist near Weston, West Virginia, with remote wilderness sites available in the Monongahela National Forest region. Bear Heaven Campground offers tent-specific sites with basic amenities, while Little River Dispersed Campsites provides free primitive camping along a creek in a more secluded setting. Both locations emphasize tent camping with minimal facilities but scenic natural surroundings.
The road to Little River requires careful navigation, as it includes about 7 miles of pothole-filled dirt road that could be challenging for low-clearance vehicles. Bear Heaven features concrete vault toilets and trash collection but no running water or showers. Most tent sites include fire rings and picnic tables, though campers should pack in their own water. The dispersed sites at Little River allow fires with proper clearance, and several spots offer streamside camping with natural swimming holes nearby.
Tent campers at Little River Dispersed Campsites enjoy secluded creek-side locations with ample trees for shade and tarp setup. A recent review noted, "Love it here! Wildflowers and ferns and grassy spots right by the river. Some spots even have picnic tables and fire pits." Bear Heaven offers wooded sites with relative privacy and proximity to hiking trails and the Bickel Knob fire tower viewpoint. Wildlife encounters are possible in both areas—Little River campers should be particularly bear-aware, storing all food in vehicles rather than hanging from trees. Cell service is limited or nonexistent at these remote tent camping areas, adding to their wilderness appeal but requiring additional preparation for emergency situations.
from $100 / night
"Beautiful lake for canoeing and fishing and the hiking and mountain bike trails are amazing! Cant wait to go back!"
Available next weekend
from $20 - $150 / night
"About ten tent sites with firepit, picnic table, clean concrete vault toilt. No running water or showers. Close to Elkins and half hour from Davis."
"Vault toilet and trash. A few minutes down the road from the Bickel Knob fire tower."
"There’s a couple fire rings up by the parking spot, but we chose to set up a little closer to the creek. It rained a lot while we were there but there were ample trees to set up tarps."
"Some spots even have picnic tables and fire pits. Nice and quiet."
"Near as I can tell, there are pretty much just five traditional sites and also a field or two where one could choose to camp but there's no driveway or parking area. "
"We pulled in and there was one couple setup at a designated site (picnic table and fire pit). As we drove around the trailhead, we found a second designated site."
"This is a horse trail camp. There is a vault toilet,a few trash cans,a water spigot and plenty of room for horse trailers. There are some trails you can walk or ride on."
TravelerSites are basically parking pads with very little useful space around them but the sites are spaced apart. Bathroom and showers are usable but no frills. Scenery is pretty. ATV play area nearby.
TravelerBeautiful camping sites along the river! This is a small State Park, but packs a punch with some beautiful trails, and direct river access from almost half of the sites. Nice camp store and heated, full bath houses with showers. Note that sites are gravel….so if tenting bring a cot and/or some extra cushioning. Wi fi is available within close range of the camp store. I was at Site #8.
TravelerThere are 25 or so established sights at Mower Basin and you're bound to find one with an incredible view of the mountains. Sight 12 took my breath away, but unfortunately as a tent camper the wind pushed us down to the lake sight just passed it. It was close to the road but still felt private. Everyone who passed our sight was very friendly. It's a gorgeous place, and from someone who's never been to Virginia, it was the perfect place to have my first experience. We will probably go back when we are heading back down south.
TravelerThis review is for the primitive boondockers like myself. It's a very established campground, full amenities, restaurant, gift shop, the works. I thought we would find a primitive campground with much more privacy based on the details and reviews of the grounds. The primitive camping spots are all in view of each other down a long stretch of dirt road. They're very clean and come with trash cans at each sight, which was nice. We were the only tent campers so it was enjoyable, but I don't know if I would have had the same experience if there were a lot of campers. I think that's a very important and left out detail about this location for the people who enjoy a more private environment. I'm still very happy with my stay, and the staff is absolutely WONDERFUL. They're all so kind and went out of their way to provide us with information when we had questions they didn't know the answer to, everyone who works there is a delight. 25$ a night felt a little much to sleep in our tent, but the showers, clean bathrooms, and care put into the property made it worth it. Waterfalls nearby as well. I'd stay again.
TravelerThis was a gem of a state park. It's small and older (which for me is a feature, not a bug), all entirely walkable with a central bathroom, camp store and playground at the heart of the campground. We had a site on the back of the campground that was larger than most (lots of small sites) and could fit our big tent set up. It rained like the dickens for a one of the days we were there and there was a drainage river running THROUGH our site that could have turned into a problem. Luckily the rain stopped in time and our site drained quickly. Despite all that, I loved our stay. It was VERY busy when we stayed, but I liked how it felt like a family retreat, where kids were safe to hop over to the playground to play with other kids, we could take walks right to the river for swimming or (after the rain) "viewing". If you can catch a dry weekend, this campground must be utter perfection. Would probably be dicey in sustained rain, especially if you're on the river itself.
ScoutIf youre looking for away from people. Away from most people youll be. Well taken care of.
RangerWe thoroughly enjoyed this camp spot right on the river. LOTS of different birds. And it was so quiet!
GuideThis is a very accessible trail. We brought our 22ft Ember Overland Trailer down it with ease. While our trailer has high clearance and independent suspension.. you do not need that to get to some great sites!
We tried 3 different sites here and found campground 12 to be our favorite. It is secluded off the road, had amazing views, and tons of room for multiple cars or campers.
Hiking trails are also great and dog friendly!
ScoutWe were there for a short time Arriving on Aug. 17th. Our trip plan was to see the steam engine trains.
Camp grounds was very clean and well kept. The sites were grass with gravel pads where the camper was placed. We plan to come back again and stay longer. There are a lot of places to visit and enjoy the area site seeing.
The manager was very accommodating. We had a problem with a water line. The manager came over and helped us find parts and repair the water line.
Primitive camping options near Weston, West Virginia range from developed campgrounds to remote dispersed sites within the Monongahela National Forest region. The terrain features densely forested hillsides with elevations between 1,500-4,000 feet, creating cooler summer temperatures than surrounding lowlands. During peak season (May-October), weekend campsite availability becomes limited, especially at established locations.
Hiking at Bickel Knob: Take the moderately challenging trail from Bear Heaven Campground to Bickel Knob fire tower for panoramic views. "Nice campground that is seldom full. About ten tent sites with firepit, picnic table, clean concrete vault toilt. No running water or showers. Close to Elkins and half hour from Davis. Very nice area and primitive campsites to base your outdoor adventures from!" notes Ed M.
Bouldering and rock exploration: The unique boulder formations adjacent to Bear Heaven Campground provide natural climbing opportunities without equipment. Adam W. mentions, "Right beside the camp ground is a really cool area to explore unique boulders and rock structures. You can either walk through or climb these boulders."
Swimming in natural pools: During summer months, the creek at Little River Dispersed Campsites offers swimming holes with clear mountain water. "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!" shares Tommy S.
Natural privacy: Tent sites at Camp Ara offer wooded seclusion with access to facilities. Kaitlin B. mentions, "The hosts of this camp provide drinking water and warm hospitality. On our second night after taking a HOT shower in one of the lodges we were offered a warm meal and even warmer company from one of the families running the site."
Stream-side camping: Many campers prefer spots directly along Little River for natural white noise and cooling effects. Ashley W. states, "Love it here! Wildflowers and ferns and grassy spots right by the river. Some spots even have picnic tables and fire pits. Nice and quiet."
Budget-friendly options: Free dispersed camping at Little River provides cost-effective opportunities for multiple-night stays. "About 7+ miles in from the town of Durbin on a dirt road (not sure how that would go in an RV but easy in a small vehicle). Beautiful dispersed camping near a creek in dense, lush forest," notes Erik C.
Road conditions: Access to the best tent camping near Weston, West Virginia often requires navigating rough forest roads. Tommy S. warns about Little River: "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."
Wildlife awareness: Black bears actively inhabit camping areas, particularly at Kinderhook Trailhead. Luke M. cautions, "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!"
Limited cell service: Most primitive camping locations lack reliable phone coverage. Prepare by downloading offline maps and informing someone of your itinerary. Dispersed camping reviewer Tommy S. observed, "I only saw one other traveler drive by, two construction vehicles, and the park ranger truck a couple times."
Water supply planning: No drinking water exists at most primitive sites, requiring families to bring 1-2 gallons per person daily. Amber A. from Bear Heaven advises, "Sites are wooded and relatively private with basic facilities but no drinking water (bring treatment methods for the stream)."
Weather preparedness: Summer thunderstorms frequently occur with minimal warning. Pack extra tarps and rain gear for unpredictable mountain weather. One camper notes, "It rained a lot while we were there but there were ample trees to set up tarps. The creek rose a few inches one night, so keep an eye on it if there's heavy rainfall."
Group site advantages: Conaway Run State Lake offers larger sites suitable for family gatherings with access to fishing. "Pretty rustic. Porta potties are all that is available. No running water so you have to bring your own. Lake fishing. Hiking trails. Shooting range," reports Liz Y.
Trailer limitations: Most roads to dispersed camping require high-clearance vehicles and aren't suitable for trailers over 20 feet. Karli P. cautions about Little River: "Just a heads up, the road to access these campsites is tucked in the back of a residential area. We missed it the first time by and had to turn around!"
Alternative equestrian facilities: Kinderhook Trailhead offers larger parking areas accommodating smaller RVs with horse trailers. "This campground is the equestrian Kinderhook Trailhead within Wayne National Forest... With it being an equestrian trail, there were a lot of horses and trailers throughout the day. Before sunset, everyone cleared out and only campers remained," reports Dare To Everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Weston, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Weston, WV is Misty Mountain Primitive Camping with a 0-star rating from 0 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Weston, WV?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 tent camping locations near Weston, WV, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
