This is by far the best winter trip we have ever taken. Due to the extreme cold we couldn’t take the camper so we rented a cabin. The park itself was magical! We hiked many of the snow and ice covered trails. Some were not passable as the ice made it too treacherous but most were either clear or ok as long as we were careful. There are markers throughout or you can refer to the many available books to get an idea of the history. We can’t wait to go back again in any season.
Kanawha State Forest is a great place close enough to town if you need something but situated in a nice quiet country setting surrounded by a beautiful forest. Camping offers electric and water at most sites with a couple nice bathhouses. Each site has a picnic table and fire pit. There is a public pool with reasonable rates and great food, small areas to fish, a free shooting range and tons of hiking trails. There is a horse stable but we did not visit it. The kids loved wading and rafting in the creek and the playground areas.
Plum Orchard Lake is a wildlife management area with rustic tent and camper sites. You do need to obtain a permit from the manager. This is a beautiful area with plenty of fishing and hiking areas within a 20 mile radius or so. The trees are a beautiful array of color - greens, reds and yellows. The lake is good for swimming but you’re welcome to bring your boat, kayak or canoe too. We took a couple day trips around too. We were able to see deer, raccoons and some nice looking birds.
I love that we can choose a site and reserve online. Much easier than driving around to find an open spot. We stayed at the waters edge this time. It was nice and quiet, close to the bath house, water fountain and playground. Our site was nice sized and not on top of another. We had a picnic table, some shade, electric and a fire pit. There’s a boat ramp with fishing and swimming areas within the campground as well as a beach area and fishing about half mile away. The campground is clean and cared for. There’s a historical area that’s really neat and a country store with things you may have forgotten - the ice cream and pizza are great too!
We saw deer and a skunk came up to our site twice.
We spent a few days here. Plenty of camp sites that have electric hookups. Stay near the water or further away. Playground for the kids and nice hiking trails. Bath houses were clean. Very friendly staff. Every morning and every night it rained which made it difficult to swim and fish. The park workers said this is common year round. This is a nice quiet area.
Beautiful area to relax and unwind. Spots for all - shaded areas as well as sunny sites near the water. Very clean and quiet. Historical area that’s an easy walk displaying living in the the civil war era. No cell service; WiFi available but pricey. Nice, clean bathhouse. Great beach and swimming area just a short drive.
Small camp area but definitely great if you can get a spot. We were fortunate to find one along the river which was great to sit by a fire while the kids swam. Across the road is a day use area for swimming and tubing - bring your own or rent one. The camp has a decent bath house and playground. We plan on going up early in the morning hoping to snag a spot. Oh don’t forget to hike - beautiful trails with gorgeous views. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table.