Campgrounds and RV parks near Kingwood, WV

The Cheat River draws whitewater rafters and kayakers through spring runoff, with outfitters running trips out of Albright and Rowlesburg. Coopers Rock State Forest offers overlooks above the Cheat Canyon, marked hiking trails, and rock-climbing routes. Mountain bikers head to the Big Bear Lake Trail Center, which maintains an extensive singletrack network used for regional races. Swallow Falls State Park is the area's headline day trip: three waterfalls, including the 53-foot Muddy Creek Falls, plus old-growth hemlocks and connector trails to Herrington Manor. Families use Big Bear Lake Camplands for its water park, lake swimming, and mini-golf. Cathedral State Park protects one of the last stands of old-growth hemlock in the state and stays open year-round for day use.

Peak camping season runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, when private parks fill on holiday weekends and state-park sites near Kingwood book well in advance. Summer temperatures are warm rather than hot, with daytime highs typically in the upper 70s Fahrenheit and cool nights thanks to elevation. Afternoon thunderstorms are common from June through August. Spring is variable. Snow can linger into April at higher elevations, and Cheat River rafting peaks with snowmelt from April into June. Fall brings the region's strongest color, generally mid-October, with cold nights and shorter operating hours at private campgrounds. Some seasonal parks begin closing in late October. Winter is long and snowy, with Kingwood averaging roughly 90 inches of snow annually and most private campgrounds closed from late fall through early spring. Swallow Falls campsites in the Tolliver Loop are limited to Memorial Day through Labor Day, while the Garrett Loop is reservable from the first weekend in April through the first weekend in December.

Roads into the region are mountainous. I-68 provides the main east-west access between Morgantown and Cumberland; secondary routes to Terra Alta, Bruceton Mills, and Swallow Falls include grades and switchbacks that can be slow for larger rigs. Fuel and grocery stops are concentrated in Kingwood, Bruceton Mills, and Morgantown. Cell service is spotty in the river valleys and inside Coopers Rock and Swallow Falls. Download maps before leaving town. Black bears are present across Preston and Garrett counties, so use provided food storage and secure trash at your site. Swallow Falls has three full-hookup sites and three with water and electric; the remaining 59 sites are non-hookup with a fire ring, table, and lantern post on a stabilized pad. Private parks in the area generally offer 30/50-amp electric, water, and dump-station access, and Big Bear Lake Camplands has both 30-amp and 50-amp full hookups in Beaver Creek Village.