Wheeling, West Virginia sits at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains along the Ohio River at approximately 700 feet elevation. The region experiences all four seasons with moderate rainfall throughout the year, creating lush forests and occasionally muddy camping conditions during spring. Most campgrounds maintain typical pet policies requiring current vaccinations, proper waste disposal, and keeping pets leashed when outside designated areas.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Barkcamp State Park Campground offers a dam area for fishing enthusiasts. "There are bathrooms and showers which were recently replaced with brand new facilities. There is even a little store where you can buy snacks, camping gear and even rent corn hole boards," notes Joshua B.
Water recreation: Austin Lake RV Park provides multiple water-based activities with rental options. "Tons of stuff to do here. Inflatable slides and such in the lake, hiking trials, playgrounds, all sorts of stuff," explains Mathew H., who adds that the campground has "Kayaking, inflatables, beach" though "almost anything you want to do will cost you an additional charge."
Hiking options: Tomlinson Run State Park Campground maintains well-maintained trails throughout the property. "Tomlinson Run is a great state park with trails for hiking and biking. The campground is nice with clean bathrooms and showers," shares Tracy S. The park also features "a quiet little campground. Very pretty area. The hiking trails are very well kept," according to Theodore C.
Stargazing sessions: At certain times of the year, astronomy programs are available at Barkcamp State Park. "Oglebay comes out and has star gazing when it's in season. Clean and quiet," shares Fred R. This adds an educational component to overnight stays.
What campers like
Quiet camping atmosphere: Raccoon Creek State Park Campground offers a peaceful setting about an hour from Wheeling. "I've always had the campground (and most of the park) entirely to myself," notes Brian S. who camps there in fall. Many campers appreciate the less crowded weekday options throughout the region.
Free camping options: Hidden Hollow Campground at Fernwood State Forest provides no-cost camping within 30 minutes of Wheeling. "Self-register with cards located at pit latrine building. 14 days every 30. No problem getting 40' skoolie in and parked in mostly level spots. Camp fire rings and picnic tables at most sites," explains Donald F., who also notes there are "grey water pits and trash cans available."
Convenient shuttle service: Grand Vue Park provides transportation around the property and even into nearby towns. "The park shuttle bus would come around the park and was offering to take you to any where in or outside of the park! The Shuttle driver ended up telling us about this super cute breakfast place called Bob's Lunch," shares Owen I., who adds the shuttle "even took us on a tour of moundsvile!"
Wildlife viewing: Zion Retreat & RV Park offers opportunities to observe local fauna. "Be sure to keep an eye out for deer as you come into the park! We had to stop a few times for them to move out of the driveway," reports Kathryn P., who also appreciated that "the views are amazing" with "several ponds around the campground for fishing and bird watching."
What you should know
Site conditions vary significantly: Many campgrounds in the region have uneven terrain. At Barkcamp State Park Campground, Connor M. reports "about 90% of the sites were not level (and....I mean by A LOT)." Bobby C. confirms "most of the site are on a hill...there are a handful flatter spaces."
Limited cell service: Connectivity is unrestricted at some locations but completely absent at others. At Austin Lake RV Park, Mathew H. notes "No phone service at all, no matter the carrier," while Nancy C. reports at Ryerson Station State Park, "There is no cell service for Verizon. I don't take these trips to remain connected, but this spot is quite isolated and if there was ever an emergency, help would be difficult to obtain."
Seasonal considerations: Winter camping options are limited. Raccoon Creek State Park Campground stays open year-round, while most others close for winter. Connor M. cautions about Barkcamp: "We stayed here November 21, 2020... The campground had no water hookups."
Noise levels: Some campgrounds have unexpected sound issues. At Hidden Hollow, Justin T. mentions "the gun rage is also near (the gunshots don't bother me)," while at Grand Vue Park, sites are quiet but the facilities are adjacent to activities.
Tips for camping with families
Playgrounds availability: Austin Lake RV Park offers extensive family-friendly amenities. "A playground in every section, well equipped cabins, a swimming area with inflatables, kayak, pontoon, and paddle boarding rentals, a bumper boat area, small lake where you can fish and boat," describes Linda R. Tom S. adds that "the kids loved the lake and everything there was to do on it. Kayaks, paddle boards, jumps, slides."
Swimming options: Barkcamp State Park provides water recreation for children. "Great place to take kids for cookout and swimming/boating. Many area's with grills set up, but Holliday, it fills up fast. Wear your swimsuit under your clothes," advises Lindsay W.
Family gathering spaces: Tomlinson Run State Park includes areas for group activities. Shannon G. notes there's a "playground available for kids and a huge shelter house too," making it suitable for family reunions or multi-family camping trips.
Budget considerations: Family activities often include additional costs. At Austin Lake, Terra B. warns "almost anything you want to do will cost you an additional charge. Need to use the bathhouse? Better take quarters....bc the showers are coin operated."
Tips from RVers
Gate access codes: Grand Vue Park simplifies RV arrivals with user-friendly entry systems. "The gate just uses a code! so not fiddling around with a Fob or keycard!" reports Owen I., who appreciated this convenient feature.
Road conditions: Access to some campgrounds requires careful driving. For Austin Lake, Mathew H. advises "Be advised it will seem a little sketchy getting in. The road dead-ends into the campground and it is all downhill getting there. Take your time and all will be just fine. Our rig is 39' & 16K. 4wd low helps, not cause you need 4wd just for the lower gears."
Site selection: Washington-Pittsburgh SW KOA provides convenient highway access but has site limitations. "A dozen or so of the sites are not level, not only that but they are narrow and where you sit is a slope making it very uncomfortable," warns Kevin D., who suggests it's "ok for an overnight stay but I wouldn't plan a long stay."
Dump station availability: Not all pet-friendly campgrounds near Wheeling offer full sewer connections. Tomlinson Run State Park has a dump station but no sewer hookups at individual sites, while Grand Vue Park provides full hookups at all 40 RV sites.
