Bike Camping

ike many people, I love the West Virginia

Lhighlands and there is no better way to

enjoy them then by cycling and camping there.

For many years, that meant taking my mountain

bike with me and exploring the many trails in

the . In recent Monongahela National Forest

years, it means taking my road bike with me and

enjoying the many miles of rural paved roads.

I use to enjoy backpacking, but my knees no

longer allow that, but when car camping, I am

still looking for places that come close to

providing me the peace and solitude of the back

packing experience.

For me, camping means spending the nights

in a tent, which provides protection from rain

and wind, but lets you still experience the

sounds of the wind in the trees and the hoot of

the owl. (Rv’s and camping trailers are trailer

parking, not camping, but that is a personal

preference.)

Camping Facilities:

There are three types of camping experiences

available in WV which I refer to as primitive,

rustic, and full service. Primitive is where you

dig your own restroom facilities. I have utilized

a few of these in the national forest. Rustic is

where they have pit toilets and may or may not

have water available. Full service is where

showers, ﬂush toilets, and running water are

available and usually electrical hookups.

Almost all the state parks are full service and a

few of the National Forest (NF) campgrounds

are full service. However, most NF, state forest

and wildlife management area campgrounds are

rustic.

With the exception of near Seneca Shadows

Senecas Rocks, near Elkins, MNF Stuart

campgrounds are rustic facilities with pit toilets.

Favorite Camping sites for Road Biking:

Over the years, I have developed a preference

for a few camping areas that also provide

convenient access to scenic road biking. These

areas provide a decent tent camping experience,

with shade and some protection from the wind

and are usually quiet.

Starting in the Northern part of the

1 state is Horseshoe Campground

between St. George and Leadmine in Tucker

County. This is a Monongahela National Forest

(MNF) campground managed by the YMCA,

which runs an adjacent Summer camp. The

campground has undergone some recent

upgrades with the roads and parking pads paved

and new ﬁre pits (terrible designs) installed

within the last few years. The trailer parking

area has electric and the sites are in a circle

around a small ﬁeld. The tent camping area is

separated from the trailer parking area by a large

ﬁeld and is in an old growth stand of trees

(mostly hemlock) along Horseshoe Run. There

are no shower facilities, but running water and

ﬂush toilets are located in the tent camping

area. There are a couple deep pools in

Horseshoe run where you can take a dip to cool

oﬀ after a ride on a hot day. The YMCA facility

is next door, so if any issues arise, they can be

easily contacted.

The tent camping area is in shade all day so

you have a nice cool area for relaxing around the

campsite. Horseshoe Run is just a few steps

away from most of the tent sites so there is the

sound of the proverbial babbling brook to tickle

your senses. There are some short (less than 3

miles each) hiking trails that can be taken from

the campground. There is a large ﬁeld adjacent

to the camping area that can be used for ﬁeld

games, heating your sun shower, or drying you

tent prior to packing if necessary.

is located in Blackwater Outdoor Adventures

St. George and provides ﬂat water canoe/kayak

Favorite Camping Spots for Road Biking

Cycling Scenic West Virginia

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Dale Porter, 2015

rental and guided raft trips on the Cheat River.

They will take you 4, 6, or 9 miles upriver and

you can ﬂoat back down river to St. George. The

distance you want to go will often depend on the

river level. I have seen bald eagles, osprey, green

and blue herons on this section of river.

The nearest stores are in Parsons.

Rides that can be done from the

campground are (add 14 Limestone Mountain

miles if riding from the campground), Parsons -

Kerens Loop (add 8 miles if riding from the

campground), and , (add 14 St. George Loop

miles if riding from campground). In addition

to the above rides, you can do some out and back

routes past Leadmine.

DIRECTIONS:

From Parsons, WV, take State Rt. 72 north 6

miles to sign for right turn to St. George, WV.

Go into St. George .4 of a mile and turn right

onto State Rt. 1. Proceed on Rt. 1 for 3 miles to

State Rt. 7. Turn left onto Rt. 7 and go 3.7 miles

to campground.

Private campgrounds in the area are Patriots

Four Five Rivers Camp Ground in St. George and

in Parsons.

Handley Wildlife Management

2 Area in Pocahontas County has been

a regular camping spot for several years now.

Not the most convenient for road biking, as

there is a mile of gravel road between the

campground and the nearest pavement, but the

location, and usually light use during the

Summer, provides the quiet non riding camping

experience I’m looking for. There is plenty of

beautiful riding in an easy commute from the

campground.

The campground consists of 12 campsites

place in a large circle around an open area. The

campsites are set back in woods, so they are

shaded and protected on three sides during the

day. There are two pit toilets located at one end

of the open area. Water can be obtained at the

pump house next to the log home that serves as

an oﬃce for the area wildlife manager.

In addition to the excellent road riding in the

area, there is a ﬁshing lake (more of a big

pond)and a smaller pond within easy walking

distance to the campground. This lake is

frequented by locals in the evening. There are

almost always beavers in the lake, which makes

for enjoyable late evening watching. Beyond the

ponds are several large ﬁelds that are mowed for

wildlife habitat. They provide hiking and are

great for butterﬂy and bird watching. From the

far end of the ﬁelds, you have a great view of the

Williams River watershed. Mountain biking is

not currently allowed in the wildlife

management area.

The wildlife manager for that part of the

state used to live below the lake and made

frequent checks on the campground, but when

he retired in 2013, the house was torn down

reducing the amount of supervision of the area,

but I have had no issues in 2014.

Road biking opportunities include the Upper

Scenic Highway Loop . The paved road to access

the Handley Wildlife Management Area is part

of this loop. The Woodrow - Williams River

Road provides many miles of beautiful riding.

From the Highland Scenic Highway bridge to

Cowan is ﬂat along the Williams River. From the

bridge to Edray, you will encounter some

climbing. The are an easy Marlinton Loops

commute to Edray, or can be extended by riding

from the WMA access road, however you will

also have the 2 mile Woodrow climb coming

back. All of the above is beautiful riding.

Other camping opportunities in the area are

the numbered campsites along the Williams

River Road, near the Tea Creek Campground

Scenic Highway bridge and Day Run

Campground. Day Run was my favorite before

ﬁnding Handley WMA. However, it also has the

Dale Porter, 2015

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Page 2- Favorite Camping Spots for Road Biking

disadvantage of having a mile of gravel road to

get to it and has higher useage the Handley.

The Williams River Road numbered sites and

Tea Creek provide easy access to paved riding.

Tea Creek is a favorite of mountain bikers. Tea

Creek has the highest usage rate, if you like

company camping. There are plenty of

mountain biking opportunities oﬀ the Scenic

Highway in the area.

Seneca State Forest Campground

is located on State Route 28 between

Huntersville and Cass. It is a small (12 sites)

campground right oﬀ the paved road. Though

rustic, there are pay showers behind the forest

headquarters about a mile down the road. The

campsites are almost entirely shaded all day,

which is great for those hot Summer days.

Marlinton Loops and can be done from the

campground and the can be done Cass Loop

with a short commute.

Seneca State Forest provides hiking,

ﬁshing, boating and mountain biking

opportunities. , Cass Scenic Railroad the

Greenbank Observatory Watoga State Park, ,

Droop Mountain Battleﬁeld State Park, and

Beartown State Park are in convenient

commuting distance.

- Beaver

Watoga State Park

Creek State Campground. This

campground has been a base for many bike

adventures over the years, whether mountain

or road biking. Watoga is the largest park in

the WV park system and has two

campgrounds, Beaver Creek and Riverside,

separated by seven miles. Both campgrounds

are full service facilities.

Beaver Creek is the older campground and

lessor used. Most campsites are shaded and

with the exception of those in the middle

circle, are well spaces apart. The large ﬁeld in

the upper end of the campground used to be a

landing strip and is an excellent place for star

gazing. The Alleghany Trail goes thru the

campground and connects with other hiking

trails in the park.

There are several rides you can do from the

campground. A loop around the park by the

oﬃce will give you an eight mile ride with one

good climb and a great view over toward Droop

Mountain from the overlook. Out and back to

Huntersville is 16 miles. The Assault on Droop

Mountain Ride is done from the campground

and the shorter are Hillsboro - Lobelia Loops

an easy commute. The can Marlinton Loops

be done from the campground, adding 16

miles for the out and back to Huntersville.

Seneca State Forest Cass Scenic Railroad, , the

Greenbank Observatory Droop Mountain ,

Battleﬁeld State Park Beartown State Park, ,

and the are in easy Birthplace of Pearl Buck

commuting distance.

For over twenty years, it was the site of the

Mountain State Wheelers Bicycle Clubs Fall

camping weekend.

Keatley Campground,

Bluestone

Wildlife Management Area is one of

seven campgrounds within the Bluestone WM

with 15 campsites. All the campgrounds are

rustic and do not have water sources, so bring

a good supply. Keatley is across the road from

the WMA oﬃce at Indian Mills. The

campsites at Keatley are situated around a

small ﬁeld adjacent to Indian Creek. There is

a nice rock ledge and swimming hole under

the bridge for cooling oﬀ after a hot ride.

Bring your own ﬁrewood as there is none for

sale at the campgrounds.

____________________________________

Other Favorite Camping Spots:

Spruce Knob Lake Campground: This has

been a long time favorite camping site. I love

camping here and was a base for many

mountain bike adventures. It is a good base

Dale Porter, 2015

Cycling Scenic West Virginia

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Page 3- Favorite Camping Spots for Road Biking

for doing the . It is also my Spruce Knob Climb

base when riding the Franklin - Upper Track

Loop Seneca Shadows Campground, but is more

convenient and also has showers.

Favorite Primitive Spot: My favorite primitive

spot(s) is along the Little River north of Durbin

along Forest Service Rt. 17. You have easy access

to the and 6 mile commute to do West Fork Trail

the from Durbin. Cass Loop

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References:

Best Tent Camping - West Virginia, by Johnny

Molloy is a good reference guide. Can usually be

found at Tamarack or regional section of major

WV book stores as well as Amazon. I might be a

little prejudice as you can ﬁnd my name in the

acknowledgments in the front.

______________________________________

Campground etiquette.

Most campground have rules posted.

Generally these specify a quiet hours between

the hours of 10 to 6 or 7. Quiet hours includes

not running GENERATORS!

These hours also apply to outside lights.

Many people enjoy experiencing the true

darkness of the night or seeing their shadow by

the light of the full moon. If I wanted natural

light, I would camp under the street light in the

front of my house.

Even if it is not quiet hour, it is not cool to

share your music with other campers. Everyone

has diﬀerent taste in music, plus others enjoy

hearing the sounds of nature, like birds, and

frogs. If you want to listen to music, us

earphones. There are no walls to stop your

music traveling to other campsites. The only

music I ﬁnd tolerable sometimes is when people

are making their own.

In general, National Forest campgrounds

(NFC), can be hit or miss. They are generally

unsupervised, so your experience is entirely

dependent on the good behavior of your fellow

campers. Some of my best and worst camping

experiences have occurred in NFCs.

They are usually visited once a day by MNS

rangers or WV State Police under contract, but

these visits usually occur once during the day.

Don’t expect there to be anyone around to

enforce quiet hour rules. In general, most

people are observant of the rules, but it only

takes one for an unpleasant experience.

http://www.forestcamping.com/dow/eastern/m

Dale Porter, 2015

Cycling Scenic West Virginia

cyclingscenicwv.com

Page 4- Favorite Camping Spots for Road Biking

Handley WMA

Keatley Campground