Seven Mile Campground

Seven Mile Campground, Seneca State Forest, Rt 28 Dunmore, WV

$18 for seniors over 60. $20 for those under 60

This rustic campground is one mile north of the park office and initially feels odd from a security standpoint as there is no formal gate or entrance and no cell service...phones are useless (unless at the park office area a mile south). The campground is located directly off Rt.28. The campground sign itself is partially tucked to the east side of the roadway, dark green and blends nicely into the surrounding lush forest undergrowth. A thousand feet before the equally nondescript campground entrance are small green signs with a tent symbol with 1,000 ft printed below it. Though directly off the main route, road noise is distant.

Being the only one in the campground, it is very serene, songbirds singing nonstop even past dusk. Ten sites in all. Spaced out nicely, with 9 and 10 dog legged to the right from the covered well handpump (your source of water, other than filtering stream water). We stayed at site 9, which had a nice gravel pull through. A large raised tent pad is between the site driveway and the campground road...I imagine a small teardrop camper or popup could be patiently maneuvered onto this site (that’s a tent camper speaking...larger campers may fit just fine, but you better feel comfortable backing long distances)

The campground is fairly linear and quite narrow along a stream gradually ascending...likely termed a “holler” to West Virginians. Sites 7 and 8 are beyond the turn for sites 9 and 10. Main campground roadway is new blacktop and smooth as silk. Campsite pull-ins are gravel, the tent pads are large, raised timbers with a fine pea gravel, leveled and raked. Tent stakes pushed in without much effort but held fast.

There is a tiny wooden vault toilet at the base of site 9, across the campground road from the well pump. Halfway up the campground roadway from the entrance is a newer, larger vault toilet. Both are very clean and stocked.

Modern showers/restrooms are behind the ranger/registration office...along with the laundry room. Open until 9:30 when they are then locked for the night. Note: the websites state coin operated showers, but if you simply push the coin slide in...you’ve got your shower.

Each site has a picnic table (nicely shellacked to prevent soggy wood and easily wiped dry), a lantern pole, a fire pit (or in our case a fireplace, a raised tent pad and a wooden sump stand (where you can wash your dishes) and a twist-lid garbage can (foils the raccoons and less determined bears).

Speaking of bears and raccoons, this is Seneca State Forest within Monogahela National Forest ...they are present, so leave no food or trash out. Interestingly, Seneca State Forest is WV’s oldest State Forest.

Site 9 and 10 don’t have the stream, but there is a bubbling brook that leads to the stream, passing along the inside of the two sites...and the water’s melody lulls you to sleep.

East Fork trail passes right through the back end of site 10. There are miles of trails nearby.

An ADA specific site #6 offers a small pull thru; site 5 has a paved 52’x14’ drive, 13’x14’ tent pad opposite the newer latrine.

I love camping in WV as much as I do in the Rockies or Sierras...it’s a special place. Seneca State Forest also offers pioneer cabins and a 65ft tall Fire Tower for nightly rentals. We stayed in the Fire Tower several years back for a truly epic experience.

You can fish Seneca Lake, toss your own paddlecraft in, or rent their boats. You can also swim at your own risk in the Greenbrier River.

There is so much rich history and much to visit nearby. Seneca Rocks, Spruce Knob, Cass Railway and Snowshoe among others.

Had we not needed to continue our bikepacking adventures, we would have spent several days.