Campgrounds and RV parks near Ansted, WV

Ansted sits on the Midland Trail (U.S. Route 60) atop Gauley Mountain in Fayette County, directly above the north end of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The park protects 53 miles of the New River and more than 70,000 acres of the surrounding gorge, which puts campers within a short drive of the gorge rim, the New River Gorge Bridge, and the whitewater put-ins on the Lower New and Gauley rivers. Camping options in the immediate area lean toward private RV parks and cabin campgrounds rather than developed federal sites. The Outpost at The New River Gorge, Rivermen Campground, New River Campground Inc., Bear Mountain Cabins & Campgrounds, and Rifrafters Campground all cluster around the Ansted and Fayetteville corridor and cater to RV travelers heading to the gorge. Inside the national park itself, there are eight free, first-come, first-served campgrounds tucked along the river and one ridgetop site. These are primitive, with no drinking water, no hookups, and only vault or composting toilets. Campers who need power, water, or a dump station should plan on a private campground and use the park for day use.

Reservation systems in the area split three ways. Private RV parks like The Outpost at The New River Gorge, Rivermen Campground, New River Campground Inc., Bear Mountain Cabins & Campgrounds, and Rifrafters Campground book directly through their own websites or by phone, and popular Fall Gauley weekends can sell out months ahead. Inside New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, sites work differently. Camping is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis, reservations are not accepted for individual sites, and stays are limited to 14 days within a 28-day period. Group camping areas are also available in the park for groups of nine or more people with a Special Use Permit, obtained by calling the park permits office. For a state park base, Hawks Nest State Park handles lodge and facility bookings through the West Virginia State Parks system.