RV Parks In Summersville, West Virginia

The top public pick is Battle Run Campground, the Army Corps of Engineers site right on Summersville Lake, with 110 electric sites, a dump station, showers, laundry, and a boat ramp, handling rigs from 30 to 90 feet. The newer Summersville Lake State Park adds full-hookup sites at its Overlook Campground plus primitive loops at Deer Run and Joe Branch. For rafters, private Gauley Tailwaters Campground sits near the river below the dam. Your choice comes down to electric lakeside sites at Battle Run versus full hookups at the state park or a river-focused private camp.

Some do. Summersville Lake State Park's Overlook Campground offers full-hookup RV sites with electric, water, and sewer, plus mountain views. Battle Run Campground, the big Corps of Engineers site on the lake, has electric hookups but no water or sewer at the site, relying on a dump station and central water. The state park's Deer Run and Joe Branch loops are more primitive. So for full hookups, book the Overlook Campground; for electric lakeside camping with a boat ramp, Battle Run is the pick, and you dump at its station on the way out.

It varies by campground. Battle Run, the Corps of Engineers lake site, runs about $24 to $34 per night for an electric site, plus the standard Recreation.gov reservation fee, a strong value for waterfront camping with showers and a boat ramp. The full-hookup sites at Summersville Lake State Park's Overlook Campground cost more for the added sewer and views, and the private rafting camps price with demand, climbing during fall Gauley Season weekends. Late spring and early fall shoulder weeks are cheaper, so time your visit to save money.

For the popular sites, book early. Battle Run Campground opens on Recreation.gov up to six months before your arrival date, and both summer weekends and the fall Gauley Season fill quickly, so reserve as far ahead as you can. The full-hookup Overlook Campground at Summersville Lake State Park and the private rafting camps like Gauley Tailwaters also book out for peak dates, especially Gauley Season weekends. Outside those windows, midweek stays in late spring and early fall are easier to grab closer to your travel dates.

It depends on what you want. Summer is prime for the lake, with clear, warm water for swimming, scuba diving, and cliff climbing, and it is the busiest season. Fall is legendary for the Gauley River whitewater, when scheduled dam releases create world-class rapids, plus excellent foliage, though the lake gets drawn down for those releases. Spring is green, mild, and quieter as campgrounds open in early May. Winter is limited, since the lake campgrounds including Battle Run close by mid-October and reopen in spring.

Yes, and Battle Run Campground is built for it, with sites accommodating RVs from 30 up to 90 feet, which is unusually generous. Summersville Lake State Park also takes larger rigs at its Overlook full-hookup loop, though you should check individual site lengths when booking. Access is easy too, since US-19 through town is a four-lane highway that big rigs handle without trouble. The main caution is the steeper, winding roads down to the lake and river access points, so take those descents slowly and use low gears in a loaded rig.

It is one of the best. The Gauley River, which runs below the Summersville Dam, is a world-class whitewater river, especially famous for the fall Gauley Season when scheduled dam releases create big rapids that draw rafters from around the world. Camping in Summersville puts you minutes from the put-ins, and private camps like Gauley Tailwaters cater specifically to rafters. The nearby New River Gorge adds even more rafting and climbing. If you are coming for Gauley Season, reserve your campsite well ahead, since the whole area books up for those weekends.

Options are limited. The main campgrounds, Battle Run and Summersville Lake State Park, are reservation-based, and this is not a big dispersed-camping area, so there is little truly free camping. The state park's more primitive Deer Run and Joe Branch loops are the closest to simple, low-cost camping. Some Corps and state park sites open up for shorter-notice midweek stays outside peak season, which is the practical way to camp without booking far ahead. For most RVers the plan is to reserve a lake site rather than count on free camping.

Battle Run Campground has a dump station and potable water fill for its campers, and Summersville Lake State Park has dump-and-fill facilities, including full hookups at the Overlook loop. The private rafting camps also have dump stations. Do not dump on public land or near the lake and river. If you are camped at Battle Run, empty and fill on your way out. For the full utility rundown, including which stops handle black and grey tanks and where to top off water, see our companion guide to RV dump stations in Summersville.

Plenty for an active trip. Summersville Lake, the largest in West Virginia, offers boating, swimming, some of the clearest water in the region for scuba diving, and cliff climbing on its shoreline crags. Below the dam, the Gauley River delivers world-class whitewater, especially in the fall. About 40 minutes south, New River Gorge National Park adds climbing, hiking, rafting, and the famous New River Gorge Bridge. For a quieter stop, Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park has Civil War history and overlooks above the Gauley. It is an easy area to fill several days.

Generally yes. Battle Run Campground and Summersville Lake State Park allow leashed dogs at campsites and on the trails, and the lake and forest paths make for good dog walks. The private rafting camps also typically welcome leashed pets, though policies vary, so confirm when you book. Bring vaccination records, keep dogs leashed around wildlife, other campers, and the water, and carry plenty of fresh water on warm, humid summer days. The shaded lakeside sites and trails make this a comfortable area to camp with a dog.

It depends on what you want. Battle Run, the Corps of Engineers campground, puts you right on Summersville Lake with electric sites, a boat ramp, and generous big-rig lengths at a low price, ideal for boaters and anyone wanting waterfront value. Summersville Lake State Park's Overlook Campground trades the immediate waterfront for full hookups and mountain views, which suits RVers who want sewer at the site and a more finished setup. Many campers choose Battle Run for lake access and the state park when they want full hookups, and both fill for peak weekends.

The lake campgrounds do. Battle Run Campground is normally open from the beginning of May to mid-October and closes for the winter, and the Summersville Lake State Park loops are also seasonal. That leaves few options right at the lake in the cold months, so winter travelers should look to year-round private parks in the broader region. Winters here are cold with some snow, and the lake is drawn down in fall for the Gauley River dam releases. If you travel the shoulder seasons, confirm openings before you count on a lake campground.

The top public pick is Battle Run Campground, the Army Corps of Engineers site right on Summersville Lake, with 110 electric sites, a dump station, showers, laundry, and a boat ramp, handling rigs from 30 to 90 feet. The newer Summersville Lake State Park adds full-hookup sites at its Overlook Campground plus primitive loops at Deer Run and Joe Branch. For rafters, private Gauley Tailwaters Campground sits near the river below the dam. Your choice comes down to electric lakeside sites at Battle Run versus full hookups at the state park or a river-focused private camp.

Some do. Summersville Lake State Park's Overlook Campground offers full-hookup RV sites with electric, water, and sewer, plus mountain views. Battle Run Campground, the big Corps of Engineers site on the lake, has electric hookups but no water or sewer at the site, relying on a dump station and central water. The state park's Deer Run and Joe Branch loops are more primitive. So for full hookups, book the Overlook Campground; for electric lakeside camping with a boat ramp, Battle Run is the pick, and you dump at its station on the way out.

It varies by campground. Battle Run, the Corps of Engineers lake site, runs about $24 to $34 per night for an electric site, plus the standard Recreation.gov reservation fee, a strong value for waterfront camping with showers and a boat ramp. The full-hookup sites at Summersville Lake State Park's Overlook Campground cost more for the added sewer and views, and the private rafting camps price with demand, climbing during fall Gauley Season weekends. Late spring and early fall shoulder weeks are cheaper, so time your visit to save money.

For the popular sites, book early. Battle Run Campground opens on Recreation.gov up to six months before your arrival date, and both summer weekends and the fall Gauley Season fill quickly, so reserve as far ahead as you can. The full-hookup Overlook Campground at Summersville Lake State Park and the private rafting camps like Gauley Tailwaters also book out for peak dates, especially Gauley Season weekends. Outside those windows, midweek stays in late spring and early fall are easier to grab closer to your travel dates.

It depends on what you want. Summer is prime for the lake, with clear, warm water for swimming, scuba diving, and cliff climbing, and it is the busiest season. Fall is legendary for the Gauley River whitewater, when scheduled dam releases create world-class rapids, plus excellent foliage, though the lake gets drawn down for those releases. Spring is green, mild, and quieter as campgrounds open in early May. Winter is limited, since the lake campgrounds including Battle Run close by mid-October and reopen in spring.

Yes, and Battle Run Campground is built for it, with sites accommodating RVs from 30 up to 90 feet, which is unusually generous. Summersville Lake State Park also takes larger rigs at its Overlook full-hookup loop, though you should check individual site lengths when booking. Access is easy too, since US-19 through town is a four-lane highway that big rigs handle without trouble. The main caution is the steeper, winding roads down to the lake and river access points, so take those descents slowly and use low gears in a loaded rig.

It is one of the best. The Gauley River, which runs below the Summersville Dam, is a world-class whitewater river, especially famous for the fall Gauley Season when scheduled dam releases create big rapids that draw rafters from around the world. Camping in Summersville puts you minutes from the put-ins, and private camps like Gauley Tailwaters cater specifically to rafters. The nearby New River Gorge adds even more rafting and climbing. If you are coming for Gauley Season, reserve your campsite well ahead, since the whole area books up for those weekends.

Options are limited. The main campgrounds, Battle Run and Summersville Lake State Park, are reservation-based, and this is not a big dispersed-camping area, so there is little truly free camping. The state park's more primitive Deer Run and Joe Branch loops are the closest to simple, low-cost camping. Some Corps and state park sites open up for shorter-notice midweek stays outside peak season, which is the practical way to camp without booking far ahead. For most RVers the plan is to reserve a lake site rather than count on free camping.

Battle Run Campground has a dump station and potable water fill for its campers, and Summersville Lake State Park has dump-and-fill facilities, including full hookups at the Overlook loop. The private rafting camps also have dump stations. Do not dump on public land or near the lake and river. If you are camped at Battle Run, empty and fill on your way out. For the full utility rundown, including which stops handle black and grey tanks and where to top off water, see our companion guide to RV dump stations in Summersville.

Plenty for an active trip. Summersville Lake, the largest in West Virginia, offers boating, swimming, some of the clearest water in the region for scuba diving, and cliff climbing on its shoreline crags. Below the dam, the Gauley River delivers world-class whitewater, especially in the fall. About 40 minutes south, New River Gorge National Park adds climbing, hiking, rafting, and the famous New River Gorge Bridge. For a quieter stop, Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park has Civil War history and overlooks above the Gauley. It is an easy area to fill several days.

Generally yes. Battle Run Campground and Summersville Lake State Park allow leashed dogs at campsites and on the trails, and the lake and forest paths make for good dog walks. The private rafting camps also typically welcome leashed pets, though policies vary, so confirm when you book. Bring vaccination records, keep dogs leashed around wildlife, other campers, and the water, and carry plenty of fresh water on warm, humid summer days. The shaded lakeside sites and trails make this a comfortable area to camp with a dog.

It depends on what you want. Battle Run, the Corps of Engineers campground, puts you right on Summersville Lake with electric sites, a boat ramp, and generous big-rig lengths at a low price, ideal for boaters and anyone wanting waterfront value. Summersville Lake State Park's Overlook Campground trades the immediate waterfront for full hookups and mountain views, which suits RVers who want sewer at the site and a more finished setup. Many campers choose Battle Run for lake access and the state park when they want full hookups, and both fill for peak weekends.

The lake campgrounds do. Battle Run Campground is normally open from the beginning of May to mid-October and closes for the winter, and the Summersville Lake State Park loops are also seasonal. That leaves few options right at the lake in the cold months, so winter travelers should look to year-round private parks in the broader region. Winters here are cold with some snow, and the lake is drawn down in fall for the Gauley River dam releases. If you travel the shoulder seasons, confirm openings before you count on a lake campground.

Yes — there are free RV waste disposal options available near Summersville.