Campgrounds and RV parks near Belmont, WV

The headline attraction is the 72-mile North Bend Rail Trail, a multi-use path built on the old B&O Railroad bed running from near Parkersburg east to Wolf Summit near Clarksburg. The trail crosses 36 bridges and passes through 13 tunnels (10 currently passable) and is open to hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders. River Run - North Bend State Park sits at the midpoint, so riders can access the trail directly from a campsite. At North Bend itself, families use the swimming pool, nature center, playground, and lake for fishing and paddling. Down in Parkersburg, Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park sits on a small island in the Ohio River, accessed via a 20-minute sternwheeler ride on the Island Belle departing from Point Park, with mansion tours and horse-drawn wagon rides once on the island. Marietta, Ohio is about twenty minutes away and adds riverfront restaurants, museums, and small shops for a rainy-day plan.

The camping window at public parks is narrow. The North Bend State Park campgrounds are open from mid-April through October 31, with the pool and nature programming concentrated between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Summer is the busiest stretch, when weekend RV sites at River Run fill early and the North Bend Rail Trail sees the heaviest bike traffic. Spring brings green hills and blooming dogwoods, but also the wettest weather of the year, with May typically the wettest month and soggy tent pads possible at riverside sites. Fall is the sweet spot for many RV travelers: cooler nights, thinner crowds, and hardwood color across Ritchie and Pleasants counties through October. Blennerhassett Island is open from May through the last weekend of October, Tuesday through Sunday, and hours vary throughout the season, so shoulder-season visits should confirm sternwheeler times before driving in. Winter closes most state park camping. Private RV parks near Belmont typically remain open, but expect limited amenities, colder hookups, and occasional snow on the roads.

Expect a mix of quiet river-adjacent parks and forested state-park loops rather than resort-style destinations. Cell coverage is generally usable but varies by carrier once the road drops into hollows. At River Run, Wi-Fi is available throughout the campground, and 26 of the 49 sites have 30/50 amp electric service and water hookups, with picnic tables, fire rings, and a bathhouse on site. Sites near the rivers can sit at lower elevation and drain slowly after heavy rain, so pick higher ground in wet weeks. A few private parks are close to highways or rail lines, so pack earplugs for light sleepers. Firewood is usually sold on-site; pets are welcome at most parks on leash. Grocery runs are easiest in St. Marys, Belpre, or Parkersburg, and fuel and propane are widely available along US-50 and WV-2.