Campgrounds and RV parks near Rupert, WV

Whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and hiking anchor most trips. New River Gorge National Park and Preserve protects a long stretch of gorge and river, with Class IV and V rapids in the lower gorge and the New River Gorge Bridge overhead. Summersville Lake, reached from Summerville Lake Retreat & Lighthouse, is the largest lake in the state and draws swimmers, boaters, and climbers to its sandstone cliffs. Closer to Rupert, families float, tube, and paddle the calmer Greenbrier River from Greenbrier River Campground, Cabins and River Trips, which rents kayaks, canoes, and tubes and offers Class I to III sections suitable for beginners. The Greenbrier River Trail, Lost World Caverns, and the historic downtown of Lewisburg are within a short drive.

Peak camping season runs from late spring through mid fall. Many private campgrounds in the area, including Greenbrier River Campground, Cabins and River Trips, operate April through October, so trips outside that window need to be planned around year-round options such as State Fair of West Virginia Campground. Summer brings warm days, reliable river flows on the Greenbrier, and the busiest weekends. The State Fair of West Virginia runs for ten days in mid-August at the fairgrounds near Lewisburg, and the on-site campground fills fast during that stretch. Fall is prime time for the New River Gorge, with leaf color typically peaking in mid to late October, and controlled dam releases on the Gauley River near Summersville Lake create some of the best whitewater in the eastern United States during the fall release season. Winter is cold and snowy at this elevation, with limited services. Spring can be wet, and higher river levels sometimes affect access roads to primitive sites along the New River.

Terrain is mountainous and wooded, with narrow two-lane roads leading to many campgrounds. Larger rigs are accommodated at State Fair of West Virginia Campground and Greenbrier River Campground, Cabins and River Trips, but access roads to primitive New River Gorge sites are gravel or dirt and can be steep or slick after rain. Hookups vary widely. Greenbrier River Campground, Cabins and River Trips offers full hookups with 30 and 50 amp service, water, and sewer, along with an on-site dump station. National park sites are primitive with no hookups, no drinking water, and limited restroom facilities, offering only picnic tables and fire rings. Expect cell service to be spotty in the gorge, black bears in the area, and cool nights even in summer.