River Run Campground, near North Bend State Park, is a fantastic destination for families and outdoor lovers alike. With a variety of sites for tents, RVs, and even cabins, it’s designed to accommodate different camping styles while providing a welcoming atmosphere.

The campground is known for its clean facilities, including well-maintained restrooms and showers, which visitors appreciate after a day of activities. Many campers have enjoyed the convenience of electric hookups and the availability of picnic tables and fire rings at each site, making it easy to settle in for a cozy evening. One visitor noted, “Check-in was easy and the staff was very friendly!”

Nature lovers will find plenty to explore, as the campground is surrounded by beautiful scenery and wildlife. The nearby North Bend Rail Trail offers excellent biking and hiking opportunities, with stunning views and unique features like tunnels and bridges. Campers have also enjoyed fishing and wading in the river, with some mentioning the fun of climbing down to the stream for hours of play.

While the campground can get busy, especially during peak times, the family-friendly vibe and variety of activities, including a playground and basketball court, keep everyone entertained. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a longer stay, River Run Campground has something for everyone to enjoy.

River Run Campground has 49 sites with Wi-Fi. 26 of the 49 sites have 50 amp electric service and water hookups. The River Run Campground is located near the North Bend Rail Trail, Nature Center, swimming pool and large playground area.

River Run Campground — North Bend State Park

Cairo is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Cairo is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your West Virginia camping adventure.

Cairo

The Best Camping Near Cairo, West Virginia

Lots to do in the park, Great camping sites, easily accessible trails.

Lots to do, Great camping sites

North Bend State Park is about 10 miles south on Rt 16 off of Rt 50...east of Parkersburg, WV.

When you slowly wind your way along twisty backcountry roads, through a small town, you'll ultimately find yourself entering North Bend State Park.

Immediately to the right is Cokely Campground. Initially, you don't see it...you must drive up and over a roller. At the top of the hill, you observe a handful of picnic tables and fire rings, a porta-potty and a small woodshed with a water spigot alongside. Very little delineation from site to site and more of a mown field. Only the top two locations are the only quasi-level sites along a narrow tree line. No electric. These sites are $16 nightly.

Traveling over the hill and turning to the right you see the main Cokely Campground with newer showerhouse/restroom building and playground. Campsites are blacktop with water and electric, apparently for large RV/Campers. These sites are $28 nightly.

If you were to bypass the RV/Camper location, you would continue down the side road to the boat ramp and lake.

The grounds and restrooms were clean, maincured and well maintained. Midweek the RV sites were already filled.

We decided against Cokely Campground and returned to the main park road deeper into the State Park to River Run Campground.

You pass the Lodge/Restaurant and the huge "L" shaped outdoor pool on your right as you descend (Note: the pool is seasonal and with college aga lifeguards that exit for school early, it was closed mid-August).

Winding down to River Run, deer in abundance were lining the the roadway, so use care. River Run Campground runs along a river...imagine that!

Tent sites are situated between the roadway and the river on the left...then additional tent sites are around a small half acre pond on the right. Most the roadside tent sites are level, but sit at a lower level, so when it rains (and it does in WV)...it gets soggy. No visible distinction or foliage between tent sites. One porta-potty sits at the crossroads across from the office.

Saturday it was quiet with only one other tent camper, but rain was forecasted...although a pumphouse, located at the entrance to River Run, kicks on periodically with a low, annoying droning. Being at site 45, it was quite noticeable, as I imagine with all sites in the 40's. The tent specific sites are non-electric with central water spigots ($22 nightly). As you pass the tent sites and the office, you enter a loop of paved RV/Camper sites with blacktop drives, water and electric ($28 nightly). The Showerhouse/restrooms are located in the center of this area...and are very clean and maintained. The coveted RV/Camper sites are along the bank of the river and offer more distance between neighbors. On the inner ring, a split rail fence separates neighbors.

While the sun didn't shine during our visit, it appears the thick forest canopy keeps all river sites shaded. The grounds and facilities are neat at clean.

All the trails bisect this campground, some foot only, others multipurpose. River Run also has a nice playground for the kids. Trails have difficulty drying out, so rocks and roots were muddy and slick, but still enjoyable.

Note: Mountainbike races are often held here, so campgrounds can get crazy and packed. Additionally, because of the pool, this is a very busy campground. Be forewarned that the pool is 58 steps up from the parking lot to the pool area.

There were a lot of trails I did not get to travel, and I'll bring my bike next time for the Rails-to-Trail. Nice but popular campground,

Deer Heaven

It was wonderful for our RV and family staying in their beautiful cabins

Awesome

North Bend State Park is located at the halfway point of the 72-mile North Bend Rail Trail, so it’s a great camping spot for hikers, bikers and horseback riders who want to explore this scenic trail which crosses 35-bridges and cuts through 11-tunnels where the B&amp;O Railroad used to travel. 

  

I highly recommend this trail to hikers because the scenery is spectacular, the wildlife plentiful, and the tunnels are really cool. The trail passes through some quaint towns such as the former oil boom-town of Cairo where many of the buildings from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s are still standing. 

  

North Bend State Park has a year-round lodge, year-round cabins and two campgrounds open from mid-April to mid-November. 

  

The Cokeley Campground has 28-sites with both water and electricity, picnic tables and fire pits. The bathhouse includes a small coin-op laundry. It’s close to the boat dock at North Bend Lake. I didn’t select this campground because it doesn’t have much shade.

  

I stayed at the River Run Campground which has 49-sites along the shores of the North Fork of the Hughes River with electric and non-electric sites to choose from. Four sites are ADA accessible. Each site has paved parking, a picnic table and fire pit. The bathhouse was clean and nicely tiled with hand soap and paper towels provided. The on-site staff was extremely friendly and you get a generous wheelbarrow full of firewood, cut from local downed trees, for$5. 

  

The lodge looked a little dated, but had a good home-style restaurant which was popular with travelers. The year-round cabins have been updated with ADA wheelchair ramps and wraparound decks. I may return and rent one after the campground closes so I can do some cross- country skiing on the North Bend Rail Trail this winter.

  

I paddled on the North Bend Lake which was extremely peaceful and beautiful, with the colors of fall surrounding me on all sides. I brought my own kayak, but they had boats for rent. There were several fishermen on the water and on the lakeside dock. They told me they catch bass and catfish at this 300-acre lake. The trail around the lake would be good for birders because I spotted ducks, hawks and wood-peckers.

  

North Bend State Park would be good for kids because they have playgrounds, mini-golf and an outdoor swimming pool(closed when I visited in October, but looked really nice).

Hikers' Heaven

Great atmosphere,very clean and lots of things to do no matter what

Quick weekend trip

This humble campground is located on the “Haunted” North Bend Rail to Trail. It was easy check in with a friendly staff. Great place to stay with plenty of room to enjoy yourself. 

Bring your Bike!

Review from the perspective of a motorcycle traveler tent camping. Tent sites are along a stream on one side and campsite access road on the other. Clean and well maintained with super nice staff. Had a $6 bundle of firewood delivered to my campsite. Tent area was vacant except for me.

Moto Camping

Great place to stay! We were at site 13, right on the water. Check-in was easy and the staff was very friendly! Plenty of ice and firewood at the store and a cute little gift shop. The site was mostly flat where we parked the camper and very close to the bathhouse. Plenty to do around the park - biking the rail trails, hiking, fishing, basketball, and a nice playground, to name a few! We definitely plan to make another trip there this year!!

Weekend Getaway

We had a wonderful time. The Park is great and we have stayed at lodge 4 times before but this was first camping trip.

We stayed during historic heat wave but kept cool in the river, the pool, and with the ice cream store nearby. There wasn’t easy river access from the campground but we climbed down the hill with no problem and waded the stream for hours. 

The property was very clean and family oriented. Nice spacing at our site in particular. I would also recommend sites 10, 11, 17, 19, 13, and 14.

Great Family Campground

Beautiful campground but all giant RVs with lights like a Walmart lot T night. Nice Nature Center with attentive rangers. We camp in a tear drop and will not camp here again.

Too many behemoths 

The campground was pretty packed for much of the weekend, but it never got too loud. Bathrooms are clean and the sites seem pretty spacious. I was at site 2, which is on a slight incline, but it didn't matter too much because I camp in a teardrop so keeping it level isn't an issue. Wifi and Verizon cell were both strong. Easy access to the rail trail and close to the river. I'll definitely go back.

Photos of River Run Campground — North Bend State Park

Real photos from real campers