Campgrounds and RV parks near Shady Spring, WV

The New River Gorge is the main draw. Whitewater rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, and hiking cluster around the gorge, with popular stops at Grandview, Sandstone Falls, and the New River Gorge Bridge. Anglers fish the New River for smallmouth bass and walleye, and Glade Creek Trail follows an old rail bed for over 10 miles with side paths to waterfalls including Kates Falls. Closer to camp, Little Beaver State Park has an 18-acre lake stocked with bass, crappie, channel catfish, and trout, plus over 20 miles of hiking and biking trails. Beckley itself offers the Exhibition Coal Mine tour and the Tamarack cultural center, both practical rainy-day options for families traveling with kids.

The Little Beaver State Park campground is open from April 1 through November 1, weather permitting, and closes over winter. Summer weekends are the busiest stretch: sites fill early, and reservations are strongly recommended for June, July, and August. Late April and early fall are quieter, with fewer neighbors and cooler nights. Fall brings peak color in the Appalachian hardwoods, generally mid-October, and is prime time for gorge overlooks and photography. It is also the driest season locally, which helps with gravel access roads into the NPS campgrounds. Bridge Day in October brings a large crowd to the New River Gorge Bridge and books out area lodging weeks ahead. Winter is cold and snowy at this elevation, with Beckley averaging around 38 inches of snow annually. Most public campgrounds are closed or offer limited services, though the NPS primitive sites remain open year-round. Spring rafting on the New River peaks with higher, colder flows from March through May.

Little Beaver State Park has 46 sites: 30 with water and electric hookups and 16 with water only. Amenities include a central dump station, a bathhouse with hot showers, and a laundry facility. There are no sewer hookups at individual sites. Some pull-throughs accommodate larger rigs, but curves at a few sites can be tight for RVs over about 30 feet. Shady Rest RV Park offers full hookups including sewer, which is the practical choice for longer stays or larger motorhomes. The New River Gorge campgrounds are primitive: no hookups, no potable water, vault or composting toilets, and gravel access. Only small and medium RVs (under about 31 feet) are recommended at Glade Creek and Army Camp. Cell coverage in the gorge is spotty, so download maps before arrival.