New River Gorge National Park & Preserve guide · 2 min read
Free Primitive Riverside Campgrounds
Camping along the New River in this park is primitive only, and the campgrounds charge no fees.
Sites are first-come, first-served, and reservations are not accepted, so arriving early makes a difference. When it is busy, spots at these campgrounds can go fast, so a backup plan is wise. The longest allowed stay is fourteen days, and that limit applies to a single area.
The riverside sites lack drinking water and hookups, and their restrooms are limited, so campers should bring their own water and food. Getting to these campgrounds means following gravel or dirt roads through fairly remote country, and the nearest gas stations and grocery stores can be several miles away.
Some sites are walk-in and others are drive-in. Walk-in sites are for tents only, with a short hike from the parking area to your pitch. Drive-in sites pair a parking space with a camping pad, and they can hold recreational vehicles and campers of many sizes, though very large rigs are not advised at any campsite. A picnic table, a fire ring and a grill come with each spot. Pitching camp anywhere other than an assigned site is not permitted, and neither is parking an RV in a walk-in lot to camp there.
Meadow Creek Campground offers tent sites only, beside the New River and roughly one mile from the Sandstone Visitor Center. Its 17 tent sites spread across an open field. Motorhomes, fifth wheels and travel trailers are kept out because the low railroad crossing on the approach is unsuitable for them. Trains pass close by, so expect the sound of train horns during your stay.
For another primitive option with drive-in sites, look to Gauley Tailwaters. It is the only primitive campground in the nearby Gauley River National Recreation Area, which lies just north of the park, and its drive-in sites are primitive as well.
