Campground · New River Gorge National Park
Eight drive-in sites at the park’s only off-river campground.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
New River Gorge Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for New River Gorge National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the New River Gorge audio tourRecorded for this area
Listen Above the Leaves“Some of the gorge's birds are easier to hear than to see. Cerulean warblers search for insects high in the treetops. Males sing a buzzy song that rises at the end.”
Plays on the road 1 mi from War Ridge Campground in the Parkwolf New River Gorge Tour Guide.
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“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
War Ridge is the park’s only campground set away from the river, on a ridgetop near Backus Mountain. It has eight drive-in sites for tents, campers and RVs. The campground sits in a grassy clearing among trees, with gravel pads, picnic tables and fire rings. Choose it if you want a simple inland base instead of a riverbank camp.
There’s no drinking water, toilet, electricity or hookup, so plan for a self-contained stay. All sites are drive-in, none are pull-through, and the park recommends RVs and campers under 25 feet. Use an existing fire ring and burn only dead wood found on the ground. There are no ADA-compliant campsites or restrooms here.
From Beckley, follow WV 41 to McCreery, cross the river toward Danese, then turn onto Backus Mountain Road. After about 1.5 miles, take gravel SR 22/7; the campground is about half a mile off Backus Mountain Road. NPS lists it as open year-round. Sites are first-come, with no reservations, and can fill during busy months.
Wildlife
18 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
126 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
25 sightingsPileated WoodpeckerMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
15 sightingsBarred OwlMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
14 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
58 sightingsCopperheadMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across New River Gorge. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateGlade Creek Trail5.6 mi · 2.5 hr · 1.9 mi awayA gentle rail grade keeps you beside cascades most of the way.
ModeratePolls Plateau Trail3.7 mi · 2.5 hr · 4.2 mi awayCreek crossings and an old farmstead on a quiet forest loop.
ChallengingKates Plateau Trail8.9 mi · 5.5 hr · 4.2 mi awayOld logging roads, fields and a steep creek crossing.
ModerateGrandview Rim Loop3 mi · 2.5 hr · 4.2 mi awayRiver views, exposed coal seams, and a rocky loop back.
ModerateTunnel Trail0.5 mi · 30 min · 4.3 mi awayA short, shady walk beneath Grandview’s broad sandstone overhang.
ChallengingCastle Rock Trail0.6 mi · 45 min · 4.3 mi awayWalk beneath layered walls and exposed coal along a strenuous gorge path.ModerateGrandview Rim Trail3.2 mi · 2 hr · 4.3 mi awayA wooded 1.6-mile route between two overlooks, with hills near Turkey Spur.
ChallengingLittle Laurel Trail2.6 mi · 2 hr · 4.7 mi awayAn old road drops from Grandview toward Royal's coal-town remains.
Campground · 2 mi awayGlade Creek CampgroundA wooded camp at the end of an old creekside rail trail.
Sight · 2.4 mi awayGlade Creek FallsA creekside hike leads to tiered falls across a sandstone ledge.
Sight · 3.7 mi awayMill Creek River AccessA simple launch where Mill Creek meets the New River.
Campground · 3.8 mi awayGrandview Sandbar CampgroundWooded campsites put you beside the New River.
Sight · 4.2 mi awayTurkey Spur OverlookA steep staircase climbs to wooden platforms above the river.
Sight · 4.3 mi awayGrandview Main OverlookSeven miles of river and gorge from one short overlook.
Visitor center · 4.4 mi awayGrandview Visitor CenterMaps, a small shop, and a walk to a seven-mile river view.
Sight · 4.4 mi awayNorth OverlookA river bend framed by Grandview’s flowering rhododendrons.Parkwolf’s New River Gorge ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
