Primitive camping options and pet friendly accommodations near Windsor Heights, West Virginia are concentrated within a 40-mile radius. The region features wooded terrain at elevations between 1,000-1,500 feet with moderate humidity in summer months. Fall temperatures typically range from 40-65°F while summer highs reach 80-90°F with occasional thunderstorms.
What to do
Fishing at multiple locations: Jefferson Lake State Park offers a fishing pond and walking trails around a spillway area where camping is available. According to Theresa, "Small lake for wading with the kiddos, fishing near the dam or skip rocks in the creek. But be sure to pack a picnic and relax and enjoy!"
Hiking the Palomino Loop: Raccoon Creek State Park provides winter hiking opportunities on maintained trails. One visitor notes, "Got out for a couple hours hiking in the snow. It was great. Just what we needed to stretch the legs and enjoy some family time. We did the Palomino Loop. It also was quite interesting getting to the trail. Some nice snow covered back roads."
Swimming and water recreation: Austin Lake RV Park & Cabins features lake activities beyond basic swimming. A camper reports: "TONS of stuff to do here. Very big campground, all kinds of sites. Inflatable slides and such in the lake, hiking trials, playgrounds, all sorts of stuff."
Zip lining and adventure activities: Grand Vue Park offers extensive recreation beyond standard camping amenities. A visitor explains, "GrandVue has many things to do including games, climbing, and of course those huge zip lines (the longest over 2000 feet)."
What campers like
Free camping options: Harrison State Forest's Ronsheim Campground provides no-cost camping with basic amenities. A camper notes, "Well maintained campground with a handful of sites. Pit toilets. Nice fishing pond. Gun range nearby."
Privacy in select sites: Tomlinson Run State Park offers secluded camping spots in certain areas. One visitor shares, "Most of the sites were pretty private and ours was probably the most private and had a lot of space since we were on the very end of the road / cul-de-sac. I would definitely recommend this site if you like privacy but it is a longer walk to the bath house."
Clean facilities: Barkcamp State Park maintains their vault toilets regularly. A reviewer mentions, "The bathhouses were clean" while another appreciated that "The camp store is an old log cabin so instantly I liked this park."
Wildlife viewing: Hidden Hollow Campground at Fernwood State Forest provides opportunities to encounter local wildlife. According to one camper, "Harvest Spiders all over the place so be cautious" while another mentions the natural setting is "Very quiet everytime I've camped there, many times btw. Great, quiet, close to nature experience."
What you should know
Access challenges: Several campgrounds have difficult approach roads. Washington-Pittsburgh SW KOA presents particular challenges as "Very steep narrow roads to access campground and sites..sites not level and noisy, next to highway."
Limited amenities at free sites: Most no-cost camping lacks standard facilities. Ronsheim Campground offers "no Verizon cell service" according to one visitor, while another notes it's "nothing much, there isn't much in the way of activity save a few trails."
Seasonal limitations: Jefferson Lake State Park has water restrictions certain times of year. A camper reports, "They also advertise a water filling station but neglected to mention that it is non-potable water so if thats something you're looking for then keep that in mind."
Noise considerations: Several campgrounds have noise issues from various sources. At Hidden Hollow, a visitor warns: "Gun range 5 mins away or so... you can hear gunshots all day until 11pm."
Tips for camping with families
Look for kid-friendly water features: Austin Lake provides family water activities beyond swimming. A camper shares, "Great camp ground! Lake and scenery was beautiful! Very clean and friendly help! Very kid oriented!"
Consider site terrain for tents: Jefferson Lake presents challenges for tent setup. One visitor cautions, "The majority of the campsites are also so hilly that you can't put a tent up on a flat spot. We ended up sliding downhill all night because the space we rented was on a hill."
Check bathroom facilities: Barkcamp State Park has mixed reviews on restrooms. A visitor notes, "The bathrooms were icky and needed to be hosed down," while another mentions "Clean and quiet" conditions overall.
Utilize park shuttle services: Grand Vue Park offers transportation assistance around the property. A camper reports, "The park shuttle bus would come around the park and was offering to take you to any where in or outside of the park! Craig introduced himself to us and was super friendly and nice and talked to us about the park."
Tips from RVers
Bring extension cords: Jefferson Lake State Park has electrical hookup positioning issues. One RVer notes, "Electric is a little far behind pad. We almost needed extension cord."
Plan for leveling: Several campgrounds have sloped sites. At Grand Vue Park, a visitor mentions "The lots are gravel and somewhat level," recommending equipment to adjust for the terrain.
Be prepared for limited connectivity: Cell service varies significantly between campgrounds. At Hidden Hollow, one RVer reports full connectivity while at Ronsheim Campground another warns of "no Verizon cell service."
Check for seasonal water shutoffs: Jefferson Lake requires planning for water needs during certain periods. An RVer advises, "Have to go up to entrance as the water spouts are still shut off."
