Best Campgrounds in West Virginia: 2026 Guide

West Virginia is mountains. Not the gentle rolling variety — steep, forested, river-cut Appalachian mountains that create some of the most dramatic camping scenery east of the Rockies. The state's newest national park, New River Gorge, anchors a region where whitewater rivers carve through billion-year-old rock. The Monongahela National Forest holds Spruce Knob — the state's highest point — along with CCC-built campgrounds, wild rivers, and more wilderness per square mile than almost anywhere in the East. This is Appalachian camping at its most untamed.

Why West Virginia Stands Out

New River Gorge became America's newest national park in 2020, but the camping infrastructure was already world-class. Summersville Lake — the state's largest — offers cliff-jumping, scuba-clear water, and lakeside camping that rivals anything in the Southeast. The Monongahela National Forest covers nearly a million acres with campgrounds ranging from primitive riverside sites to CCC-era facilities with stone structures. The state's river system — New, Gauley, Potomac, Greenbrier — creates a whitewater corridor that draws paddlers from around the world, and the campgrounds along these rivers put you right at the put-in.

Top Campgrounds to Explore

Battle Run

On the shores of Summersville Lake — the state's largest — just south of Summersville. Superb water quality and sheer sandstone cliffs make this one of West Virginia's most scenic camping destinations.

Horseshoe Recreation Area

Tucked in a valley along the Horseshoe Run River near Parsons in north-central West Virginia, providing a peaceful wooded retreat in the Monongahela National Forest.

Big Bend

A family-oriented campground along a bend on the South Branch Potomac River in Smoke Hole Canyon — one of the most dramatic river canyons in the eastern United States.

Blue Bend Recreation Area

A quaint wooded area built by the CCC in the 1930s, filled with hiking, picnicking, and camping opportunities in the heart of the Monongahela National Forest.

Bulltown Camp

On the edge of Burnsville Lake in central West Virginia, combining scenery with historic significance — Civil War history meets lakeside recreation near Burnsville.

Gerald Freeman Campground

Nestled in the headwaters of Sutton Lake in central West Virginia, 70 miles north of Charleston, with a wide variety of recreational activities on and around the lake.

Gatewood Group

Just two miles from Spruce Knob Lake in the Monongahela Forest near Petersburg, creating an ideal base camp for hikes to the state's highest point and surrounding wilderness.

East Fork

On the shores of East Lynn Lake near Kiahsville, offering camping, boating, and water skiing on this scenic eastern Kentucky-border lake surrounded by Appalachian forest.

Planning Tips

Peak season runs May through October, with fall foliage in mid-October being spectacular. Summersville Lake and New River Gorge campgrounds book early for summer weekends. Spring brings the best whitewater — Gauley season in September is legendary. Mountain elevations mean cool nights even in summer; bring layers. Rain is frequent; waterproof everything. Many mountain roads are narrow and winding — allow extra travel time. The state's campgrounds are remarkably affordable compared to neighboring Virginia and the Carolinas.

Find More

Browse all West Virginia campgrounds on our West Virginia camping page, or explore the full campground directory to plan your next trip.