Suggestions on some camping spots? (Parkersburg, Blennerhassett: house, restaurant, shops)

[Threerun]

My wife and I are trying to decide where to go camping this Spring/Summer in the mountain state. We have two kids, 10 and 8, who are very fond of hiking and camping (tent style), so we can go about anywhere..

In years past we frequented Blackwater / Canaan Valley, mainly due to the activities offered for the kids at the Park. But we've also been to Cass, Seneca, Watoga, Bluestone...

Anyone been to Kumbrabow?

We don't have to limit the choices to WV State Parks, so if anyone has any other places to recommend in the Ntl. Forest areas, feel free to offer suggestions.

thanks

[Hinton Bound]

How about Pipestem? Great hiking/fishing/ and scenery. Kids can spend the day at the water slide in Hinton. Come enjoy the cleanest air and water in the country!

Pipestem Resort State Park - A West Virginia State Park

[Threerun]

Been close to there at Bluestone. I doubt my wife will never, ever go back. At Bluestone, the poison ivy was so thick and in bloom that she developed some serious respiratory issues. We were going to tour that area for a week, but we had to leave after two nights.

I've never seen poison ivy so bad in all my life as was found in that park. Every tree was literally covered and flowered out with it.

[snorpus]

You still might want to try Pipestem. The campground there is along the ridge, a lot more open ground than Bluestone. And having the lodge right there provides a good alternative for rainy days, or if you want to "eat out" without driving 20 miles.

I've driven to/thru Kumbrabow, but never camped there. The campground is small (12-15 sites, IIRC), but as their website says, "it hardly ever is full." There's a decent size playground for the kids. It's probably the most isolated park/forest I've been to in WV.

A couple of others to consider are North Bend SP and Seneca SF.

North Bend is in the heart of the original oil and gas country, so you have old towns like Cairo that can be explored, plus Parkersburg/Blennerhassett Island is an easy day trip. It's right along a rail trail for hiking.

I see you listed Seneca, so I won't belabor that one any more.

You probably wouldn't want to do it for a week, but riding the Cass train up to Bald Knob and camping overnight a night or two would be a nice adventure. We've put staying in the caboose up there on our "bucket list."

Nice to see a post about camping, takes the chill off a 0 degree morning.

[Hinton Bound]

Yikes, that's no good! We have some up where I'm at, but I wouldn't say it's any more than normal.

[millersangel]

There's a lot of poison ivy at Pipestem too. Anytime you go into the woods there is poison ivy. Also copperheads. I'd worry more about them myself. :)

Having said that, the campground is in a cleared area. If you stay on the trails, you should be able to avoid the poison ivy. I'm assuming your wife knows what it looks like.

If you come in contact with poison ivy, immediately washing the area with Dawn dishwashing liquid helps. Might want to carry some with a bottle of water.

And I'd also recommend Pipestem. Lots to do and see. Ride the tram. :)

[GottaHerdOn]

Maybe somewhere around Bowden.... or Gandy Creek, or Bemis or Glady???

[Threerun]

Oh we're not strangers to poison ivy. We've only recently moved into 'suburbia', and our last house was in the woods so we had our fair share of both 'poison' and copperheads.

But I'm telling you I have never, ever seen so much thick poison ivy in all my life than was at Bluestone. It literally looked like southern cypress with all the vines hanging from it. It all happened to be in bloom the week we went in the summer. It was actually very pretty, but it was everywhere.

So Kumbrabow is fairly remote.. Hmm..

Isn't Pipestem a resort kinda place too?

[CTMountaineer]

North Bend is very nice. Last time I was there deer came right up and ate from my hand. Also, there is a beautiful state park off of I-68 in Maryland but I can't remember the name. It is in gorgeous country.

[millersangel]

Originally Posted by Threerun

Isn't Pipestem a resort kinda place too?

Yes, in a way. It's actually called Pipestem Resort State Park and also the Crown Jewel of WV Parks.

It has two golf courses, two lodges, cabins (they call them cottages :) which can sleep 6, have kitchens and fireplaces, campgrounds, three gift shops, a tram to the Bluestone River Gorge, horseback riding, tennis, free wifi at McKeever Lodge, indoor and outdoor pools, gourmet restaurant and dining room, nature center.

I'm sure I missed something. Click on the link.

But there are lots of hiking trails and the view is breathtaking. The sunsets are just incredible and you will see people lined up outside on the balcony with cameras every night. There are a lot of deer and it's not unusual to have an 8 point buck standing outside your cabin since there is no hunting and they're almost tame.

I hike there all the time and I'm a notorious off trail person. See something and have to leave the trail to check it out. I have not seen an abundance of poison ivy. I have met a lot of copperheads but don't bother them and they won't bother you.

The staff there is wonderful. Real southern WV hospitality.