Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Camping Near Spruce Knob Wv

Grandview Sandbar Campground Beaver

West Virginia Camping ~ Spruce Knob Lake Campground

Grandview Sandbar Campground is fairly remote, and mostly used by rock climbers headed to the New River Gorge. Even though its near a popular recreation spot, the rough gravel road that leads to this camping area gives you more privacy. With fire rings, picnic tables and the river nearby, it will be tough to leave after the 14-day limit!

Wv Spruce Knob Campground

This is a pretty cool trail. Trailhead is unmarked but small little parking lot is right across from it which is great! First part is bushwhacking up an empty back road. Its not challenging. Just different. After that youre in a tree covered trail the rest of the way which is pretty flat. If it werent for the mileage Id rate this one as easy. There are really no steep parts. Seems the views at the top could be great but we were in a complete rain and fog white out today. Those conditions also made the whole hike quite muddy but considering all that, we still really enjoyed it which says something. On a clear, dry day Im sure this one one would be a 10/10.

Went from top down. The parking for the start is at 274 and the turn for the trail is at the small culvert shortly after the big metal culvert. No switch back at beginning as shown. Muddy in sections but passable on the sides

High Knob is a nice, short trail with some elevation gain and a gorgeous view at the top. The hike up isn’t too bad but there are some loose rocks that are more of a concern coming down for folks with mobility issues.

Was a good trail really! Shade throughout the whole thing. Was muddy in few spots nothing to bad. Good trial for amateur hikers looking for a decent challenge! View on top was worth it but dont rest up there to long or youll get stiff.

Steep for a bit at the end. Big payoff for not that much work. Came here on a Wednesday late morning and passed one person on my way out.

Where Can You Go Camping

24 of the Most Scenic Places to Camp in the United States Acadia National Park, Maine. White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire and Maine. Minnewaska State Park Reserve, New York. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland. Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida.

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Explore Almost Heaven At West Virginias Highest Peak: Spruce Knob

Post summary: Tips for visiting Spruce Knob, including activities, places to stay, and more.

At 4,863 feet, Spruce Knob is the highest peak in West Virginia. Its surprisingly not as well known as other parks in the mountain state. The area lies within Monongahela National Forest and is known for the stunning views from the rugged alpine peak to the surrounding mountains and open fields.

View from the forestry road near the top of Spruce Knob

Spruce Knob is easily one of my new favorite places to explore. The views are absolutely amazing, the trails are a good mixture of difficult and easy, and youre in such a remote area that it instantly calms your soul the second you turn onto the forest road.

In this guide, Im sharing lots of useful information for when you visit this area, including tips for visiting, hiking trails and camping suggestions, safety tips, and more.

Camping Near You Find A Free Campsite

Spruce Knob, West Virginia : camping

Whether you just need to know where to camp nearby or you want to plan a free camping road trip, we’ve got you covered. You can simply use your smart phone’s GPS to find camping near you or even use our trip planner to plan your route from coast to coast.

Our community provides the best free camping information available. Free campgrounds can be hard to find. Freecampsites.net makes it easy. We give you a simple, map based search engine to find free and cheap camping areas. Community reviews and ratings provide you with up to date information and help you select the best camp site for your next camping trip.

This is a platform for sharing campgrounds and camp sites you have discovered. We are community driven, and while we will be adding many free camping spots, we hope that you will add some of your favorite camping places as well. By sharing camping information freely, we can all spend less time researching campgrounds, spend less money, and more time camping. If everyone contributes a few campsites, we’ll all have more places to go camping.

Please come back and let us know what you find!

We are not actively seeking Wal-Marts, truckstops or other parking lots and will not be adding very many of these. There are enough Wal-Mart and truck stop directories out there already. However, if a member of the community finds one of these locations to be useful for overnight RV parking and creates an entry, we may approve the listing.

Please come back and let us know what you find!

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Beautiful Remote Camping Great Views

Spruce Knob itself offers a great view and a nice little hike around the highest point in WV. The lake is also beautiful and has a very well maintained easy hike around it . Spruce Knob Campground was perfect – there may not be any running water to shower with , but the camping experience was fantastic. We had a walk in site and only had one neighbor that was remotely close to us. Things to know before you go…the nearest town is an hour down the mountain. You will get no cell phone service in that town. We didn’t start to get service back until about two hours after we left the campground on our way home. They do have potable water available at the campground. One park ranger makes rounds in a golf cart a view times a day. It’s also chilly there. We were there over the 4th of July weekend. The campground got into the low 50’s at night, high 60’s during the day. It can also get pretty windy in that area, although our campsite was tucked away in the woods so it was fine. Spruce Knob itself was very windy and chilly, however. The temperature was perfect for hiking!Great campground for those that don’t mind the lack of facilities or cell service. We’d definitely return!

Frequently Asked Questions And Answers

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  • Virtual Consultations

  • What are people saying about campgrounds near Forest Rd 389, WV, WV 26296?

    This is a review for campgrounds near Forest Rd 389, WV, WV 26296:

    “This is one of the BEST spots to camp at. It would be absolutely perfect if there was wifi or cell reception. I just got done camping here to take photos of the milky way and was surprised at how well managed and kept this whole camp ground is. There are bathrooms placed at all camping areas so it’s not a long hike to get to and my God are they clean, well kept and non-smelly. The lake is beautiful and close by. There are bear proof trash bins and each camping area has a place to hang your trash bags so bears cant get to it. I’m coming back here for sure and I HIGHLY recommend this location!!”

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    Bear Heaven Campground Elkins

    Escape the summer heat at Bear Heaven Campground a well-shaded, primitive campsite. There are 8 sites, but theyre rarely all full, even during peak hiking and fishing seasons.

    Tucked away in the Monongahela National Forest, one of the best things about this place is that theres a lot of land to explore right around the campground, or you can go for a longer hike to the summit of one of the Allegheny Mountains. The forest is one of the most diverse in the country, with at least 75 species of trees and more than 220 species of birds, so this secluded spot makes a great homebase if you like exploring trails and looking for wildlife.

    Car Camping And Singletrack Adventures In Gandy Creek Wv

    Spruce Knob, WV Primitive Camping

    The deep forest of Monongahela is within a days drive of 50% of the population of the United States. What is really amazing is given that fact, when you get to this amazing forest, you realize less than 1% of population knows about it. Welcome to the 1% club! Not the evil minority faction that controls all the wealth and laws in America, but the much more elite 1% club – the few who know how to escape the crowds and political confusion happening in America and get back to what is really great about this country – the wonderful, wild wilderness and back country that is our public lands.

    Make it a weekend or weeklong trip on the cheap by car camping along Gandy Creek. A few miles west of Spruce Knob and a few more miles south of Harman, the Gandy Creek Dispersed Camping Area awaits your visit. Managed by the National Forest Service, this area provides free undeveloped roadside camping spots along Gandy Creek. And they are really pretty sites to spend a few days or more.

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    Camping At Spruce Knob

    This past weekend we headed out to camp at the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area in the Monongahela National Forest. I had read about this area here and here, so it was at the top of my summer camping list! There is SO much to do there hiking, backpacking, camping, climbingits also much less crowded than the places we usually go to .

    Penny was not going to miss this trip she packed herself into the truck!

    We camped at Seneca Shadows campground, which is right next to Seneca Rocks. We really enjoyed the campground and location! We camped with Jons brother, Justin, and his girlfriend Britney. We had such a great weekend together! There was no cell service at the campsite, so we really enjoyed relaxing and each others company .

    It was raining when we arrived Friday night, so we set up camp and ate dinner but I didnt take any pictures . Saturday morning the weather cleared up and the BioLite Brothers made us some delicious breakfast burritos and coffee.

    After breakfast, we headed to the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center to plan our day. We decided to go to North Fork Mountain for an out and back hike along the ridge . We decided to park and hike 1.8 miles up to the ridge from the 507 trail head. This hike was mostly uphill/downhill and was moderate. Much of trail 507 was overgrown, so we hiked through grass or thick brush most of the way.

    I made my first movie of our camping weekend using the App check it out below!

    Monongahela National Forest / Potomac Ranger District

    Not only is Spruce Knob the highest peak in West Virginia but it is the highest peak of the Allegheny Mountains and Appalachian Plateaus. A stone and steel observation tower is perched atop the peak, offering breathtaking 360-degree views of the area. West of the 4,863′ peak is Spruce Knob Lake Campground perched on a wooded ridge above the lake.

    Hiking is a popular activity in this scenic area but you can also drive to the summit to access the public observation tower. Sixty miles of picturesque hiking trails crisscross the region, and the campground provides direct access to the pleasant 1-mile Big Bend River Loop. Read more about hiking Spruce Knob at SummitPost.org

    42 campsites include 12 walk-to sites. All but the walk-to sites have a picnic table and fire ring. No electric hookups are available but all sites are ADA accessible and can accommodate tents and some RV’s. Make reservations and read more about the campground at Recreation.gov

    Nearby Seneca Rocks is considered one of the best rock climbing areas in the region. Read about more Forest Service campgrounds in the Potomac Ranger District.

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    Spruce Knob Lake Campground

    Area Status:

    Spruce Knob Lake Campground is located west of Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia. Also close by is Spruce Knob – Seneca Creek Backcountry, which holds 60 miles of trails ready to be explored. For individuals looking for group camping located close by is Gatewood Campground.

    If you enjoy stream or river fishing as well you can head over to Gandy Creek. Fishing is available at Spruce Knob Lake. Built in 1952 for fishing, the 25-acre lake is regularly stocked with trout by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Numerous small but hungry bluegills along the shoreline make fishing fun for beginning anglers. Electric trolling motors and non-motorized boats are permitted on the lake. There is a small boat launch, parking lot, and vault toilets. A wooden pier along the shoreline provides barrier free access.

    Where Are The Boondocks In West Virginia

    Spruce Knob: The Amazing West Virginia Campground That

    Top West Virginia Dispersed Campgrounds Blackwater Falls State Park. 36 Reviews. Beech Fork State Park. 29 Reviews. Coopers Rock State Forest. 26 Reviews. Rifrafters Campground. 21 Reviews. Harpers Ferry Campground River Riders. 20 Reviews. Kanawha State Forest. 17 Reviews. Five River Campground. Mountain Lake Campground & Cabins.

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    Hike Around Spruce Knob Lake

    Whitmer, West Virginia

    Added by Brandon Dewey

    Spruce Knob Lake Trail has a one mile loop that follows the shore if this 25 acre lake. It is a flat loop and a well-maintained trail, making it ideal for the whole family.

    Spruce Knob Lake is located just below the peak of Spruce Knob at 3,840, making it the highest lake in West Virginia. If you are not camping in the campground, there is a parking lot/boat launch located near the dam. If you are camped in the campground, there is a trail that leads from the campground down to the lake and ends in the parking lot near the dam. To reach the trailhead from Riverton, WV, take HWY 33 south 2 miles to Briery Gap Road . Turn right onto Briery Gap Road, and follow it for 2 miles to Forrest Road 112. Make another right and follow 112 for 13.5 miles. Make another right onto Forest Road 1, and follow it for about 1 mile, passing the campground, and then make a hard left where the road forks, and turn on to Forrest Road 1B. Find a place to park, and then walk to the end of the parking lot toward the lake, and the trail starts at the dam.

    To reach the trailhead from Elkins, WV, take HWY 33 to HWY29, and make a right onto HWY29. Follow HWY29 south for 19.4 miles to Forest Road 1. Make a left onto Forest Road 1, and follow it for about 2 miles. When the road forks, take the right fork onto Forrest Road 1B. Find a place to park and then walk to the end of the parking lot toward the lake, and the trail starts at the dam.

    Spruce Knob Lake Campground Dry Fork

    Spruce Knob is the highest point in the entire state of West Virginia, and just west of the mountain is a 25-acre lake stocked with trout. The Spruce Knob Campground has easy access to the lake, an excellent view of the mountain, and is peaceful and quiet.

    This campground is a bit larger than most on this list, with almost 30 individual sites, but only 12 of them allow car camping, so you can hike into the others if you want to get away from your fellow campers.

    Where will you get off the grid?

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    Driving Directions To Spruce Knob Lake Campground

    From Riverton, WV, take U.S. Route 33 south 2 miles to Briery Gap Road . Turn right onto Briery Gap Road. Go 2 miles to Forest Road 112, turn right and continue for 13.5 miles. Turn right on Forest Road 1. The campground is 1/2 mile on the right.From Elkins, WV, take U.S. Route 33 to State Route 29, which is 1 mile west of Harman. Turn right onto SR 29, go south 18.6 miles and tum left onto Forest Road 1. Follow FR 1 for 2.5 miles.

    Canoe/boat Rental Near Spruce Knob

    Camping in Spruce Knob West Virginia

    Hey all,

    A buddy and I are going to be camping at SK lake soon and are interested in getting out on the water, somewhere nearby. Maybe within 90min or so? Google is not being super helpful – anyone know of canoe/kayak rental somewhere in that area?

    Additionally, any dog friendly day hike recommendations are welcome! Got a couple we might do – Seneca Rocks, Chimney top via Landis, etc.

    Thank you!

    I’m almost positive I’ve seen a place that appears to rent canoes along route 55 somewhere in the vicinity of Smokehole Caverns . If that doesn’t pan out there are outfitters near the “Trough” downstream of Moorefield .

    I’d figure almost all hikes are dog-friendly, depending on the dog. Some, including Seneca Rocks, are bad places to let a dog off-leash.

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    Buffalo Lake Campground Bartow

    Fishermen, rejoice! This is your go-to site. The Buffalo Lake Campground is a primitive area adjacent to a 55-acre lake. Thelake is well-stocked with trout, and there is a limited warmwater fishery nearby for smallmouth bass, bluegill, green sunfish and channel catfish. This quiet space is the perfect getaway for a long weekend.

    Looking For More Camping Amenities

    Would you prefer to have outhouses, picnic tables, and bear-proof dumpsters? If so, reserve a fee site at Spruce Knob Campground. This campground sits right between Gandy Creek and Seneca Creek. Besides a lake open for fishing and non-electric boating, this campground is surrounded by miles of shared-use trails!

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