# Steel arch, high bog and sandstone fins – by camper through the mountains of West Virginia from the New River Gorge to Canaan Valley

> From Charleston via the New River Gorge, the Glade Creek Grist Mill and Lewisburg onto the Highland Scenic Highway, to Seneca Rocks, across the Dolly Sods…

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-332-west-virginia-new-river-gorge/

**At a glance:** 7-day road trip of about 437 km (272 mi) with 14 stops, from Charleston to Canaan Valley. About 4 h 51 min of driving in total. Best time to go: May and September–October. Tolls and vignettes for a car: about $1 (WV). From Charleston via the New River Gorge, the Glade Creek Grist Mill and Lewisburg onto the Highland Scenic Highway, to Seneca Rocks, across the Dolly Sods plateau to Blackwater Falls: around 740 kilometres of Appalachians, coal history and cool high country.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | approx. 437 km (272 mi) |
| Driving | 4 h 51 min |
| Suggested days | 7 |
| Stops | 14 |
| Route | Charleston → Canaan Valley |
| States | WV |
| Best time to go | May and September–October |
| Tolls and vignettes | ≈ $1 |
| Updated | October 1, 2026 |

[Download GPX file](https://camping-spirit.com/gpx/rf-332-west-virginia-new-river-gorge.gpx)

Practical guides for this route: [Driving in the US: The Rules European Visitors Most Often Get Wrong at the Wheel](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-driving-rules-visitors/), [Fuel, Tolls and Distances: Practical US Driving Math for Motorhome and Camper Travelers](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-fuel-tolls-distances/), [US national parks: entry fees, passes and reservations in plain terms](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-national-park-passes/)

*From Charleston via the New River Gorge, the Glade Creek Grist Mill and Lewisburg onto the Highland Scenic Highway, to Seneca Rocks, across the Dolly Sods plateau to Blackwater Falls: around 740 kilometres of Appalachians, coal history and cool high country.*

## The spirit of the route

West Virginia is the only state that lies entirely within the Appalachians, and you feel it on every kilometre: the roads follow rivers, crawl in switchbacks over ridges and drop back into narrow valleys with railway tracks, churches and abandoned coal tipples. It all begins at the New River Gorge, a canyon of grey sandstone spanned by a rust-brown steel arch, where the river foams white over the rocks. After that the landscape grows higher and quieter: high bogs with sphagnum moss and sundew, spruce forests that look like Canada, wind-shaped blueberry flats on Dolly Sods, amber water in the falls of the Blackwater River. From the sliding door you see mist lying in the valleys in the morning and hear streams; in the evening, fireflies in the grass and sometimes the whistle of a steam locomotive. Mobile signal is often beside the point here.

## Stage-by-stage plan

### Stage 1: Charleston to Fayetteville (New River Gorge) (approx. 95 km)

- **The drive:** Instead of the interstate, from Charleston you take US-60, which runs east along the Kanawha River as the Midland Trail Scenic Byway: two lanes, past industrial and coal towns, largely flat as far as Gauley Bridge. After that the road climbs in switchbacks with steep grades onto the plateau of Ansted and Hawks Nest – drive large motorhomes in low gears and spare the brakes. From Hico, briefly south on US-19 to the New River Gorge Bridge and Fayetteville. Pure driving time just under 2 hours. In the afternoon, take Fayette Station Road (a one-way road that leads from the rim down into the gorge and back up) only with a van or small camper; vehicles over 12 feet (3.66 m) high cannot get through because of a low bridge, and the NPS advises against medium and large motorhomes.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston: Cass Gilbert's gilded domed building on the Kanawha River, open to the public; plus the Capitol Market in an old freight depot for regional provisions.
  - Kanawha Falls and Hawks Nest State Park: at Glen Ferris the Kanawha River spills broadly over a rock ledge; a few kilometres further on, from the overlook at Hawks Nest you look around 180 metres down to the New River. The aerial tramway to the river runs seasonally.
  - Canyon Rim Visitor Center and New River Gorge Bridge: arch bridge from 1977, around 924 metres long and 267 metres above the river. From the visitor center a wooden staircase leads to viewing platforms looking out on the arch; on Fayette Station Road you see it from below as you cross the old river bridge.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** The NPS campgrounds in the park are primitive: no hookups, no drinking water, no dump station, toilets only at some, free and strictly “first come, first served”. If you want showers and electricity, you are better off starting at Kanawha State Forest south of Charleston (sites with electricity, bathhouse, reservations via wvstateparks.com) or asking in Fayetteville at the American Alpine Club's simple campground, a meeting point of the climbing scene without electric hookups; check access for non-members, facilities and vehicle size in advance.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In the national park you may only stay overnight at the designated drive-in sites; camping is prohibited in the car parks of visitor centers, trailheads and river access points, and vehicles at visitor centers must leave before dark. For vans and small campers, Army Camp, Glade Creek, Grandview Sandbar and War Ridge (Backus Mountain) are the free options (see stage 2).
- **Insider tip for campers:** The Canyon Rim Visitor Center has dedicated RV parking for all sizes – park there and continue on foot. The trailheads for Endless Wall, Long Point and Kaymoor have no spaces for motorhomes; if you want to go there, come by bike or park at the visitor center. Fill up and shop in Fayetteville: there is nothing in the gorge.

### Stage 2: Fayetteville to Babcock State Park (approx. 110 km)

- **The drive:** South on US-19 to Glen Jean, then down WV-25 in hairpins to Thurmond – not recommended for medium and large motorhomes, and the bridge into the town is off-limits to motorhomes of any size. Back via Glen Jean and Beckley onto WV-61/US-19 and to Grandview at the southern end of the park. From there via Prince onto WV-41 north: winding, narrow, through forest and small towns to Babcock State Park. Pure driving time 2.5–3 hours. Filling stations and large supermarkets in Beckley.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Thurmond: once one of the highest-earning stations of the Chesapeake & Ohio in the coalfields, today a ghost town with a handful of residents. The restored depot serves seasonally as a visitor center; Amtrak still stops here on request. Small campers park at the Southside car park across the river and walk over.
  - Grandview: from the Main Overlook you look around 430 metres down onto a large bend of the New River; in May the rhododendrons bloom here. Grandview has large overflow car parks where even large motorhomes fit, but no specially designated RV spaces.
  - Detour to the river: at Prince and at Grandview Sandbar you can get to the water; in summer the rafting companies' inflatables drift past.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Babcock State Park: campground in the forest above Glade Creek, with sites with and without electricity, central bathhouse with coin laundry, water taps and dump stations; season roughly mid-April to the end of October, reservations via wvstateparks.com. Check length and hookups per site when booking. Alternative closer to Grandview: Little Beaver State Park near Beckley with electricity and bathhouse.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** NPS campgrounds in the south of the park: Army Camp and Grandview Sandbar lie right on the river, Glade Creek at the end of a gravel road in a narrow side valley; all are free, without reservations, without drinking water and without hookups, with basic toilets. According to the NPS they are suitable for small (under 25 feet, 7.6 m) and medium motorhomes (up to 31.5 feet, 9.6 m); large ones are not recommended. A maximum of eight people, two vehicles and two tents (or one tent and one motorhome) per site; no more than 14 days in total within 28 days. On summer weekends the sites fill early – have a backup plan.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Fill up with drinking water for the NPS sites in Fayetteville or Beckley, and don't dump grey water there – keep it until the dump station at Babcock. The access road to Glade Creek is narrow with few passing places; with a trailer rig or large vehicle, choose Army Camp or Grandview Sandbar instead.

### Stage 3: Babcock State Park to Lewisburg (approx. 85 km)

- **The drive:** Briefly north on WV-41 to US-60 at Clifftop, then east on the Midland Trail: across the high plateau with pastures, through Rainelle and over Sewell Mountain, where the road winds downhill in curves. Two lanes, speed mostly 55 mph (88 km/h), much less in towns. Pure driving time around 1.5 hours – enough time for the morning at the mill and the afternoon in Lewisburg.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Glade Creek Grist Mill in Babcock State Park: the water mill was assembled in 1976 from parts of older mills in the region, grinds corn in season and is one of the most photographed sights in West Virginia – at its best in the morning or in October, when the leaves turn.
  - Lewisburg: small town with an 18th- and 19th-century brick centre, Carnegie Hall from 1902, galleries and cafés on Washington Street; parking for large vehicles on the outlying streets.
  - Greenbrier River Trail: rail trail of around 125 kilometres from North Caldwell near Lewisburg to Cass, flat, mostly gravel, ideal for bike rides; start in North Caldwell.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Greenbrier State Forest near White Sulphur Springs, about 20 minutes east: small forest campground with 16 sites with electric hookups and a bathhouse, open roughly spring to autumn, reservations via wvstateparks.com. Alternative in the Monongahela National Forest: Lake Sherwood Campground (USFS) northeast of White Sulphur Springs on a reservoir, several loops, open seasonally; check status and reservations on recreation.gov.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** The area around Lewisburg is mostly private land; in town, overnight stays on streets and car parks are not provided for. Free camping only becomes possible again in the Monongahela National Forest, for example around Lake Sherwood, where dispersed camping is allowed unless signed otherwise.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Lewisburg is the last town with large supermarkets, hardware stores and plenty of filling stations before the high country; stock up on supplies, propane and diesel here. The Lost World Caverns on the edge of town are a good bad-weather alternative. In White Sulphur Springs you can visit the former government bunker beneath The Greenbrier hotel on guided tours.

### Stage 4: Lewisburg to Snowshoe (approx. 125 km)

- **The drive:** North on US-219 via Renick and Droop Mountain to Mill Point, then west on WV-39 to the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center. This is where WV-150 begins, the core section of the Highland Scenic Highway: around 36 kilometres without a town or filling station over the ridges of the Allegheny Mountains, at over 1,350 metres, speed 45 mph (72 km/h), closed to commercial truck traffic. In winter WV-150 is not ploughed; from November to April the Forest Service advises against driving it. At the end, via US-219 to Slatyfork and the access road to Snowshoe. Pure driving time around 2.5 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park: wooden lookout tower above the Greenbrier Valley and site of the largest Civil War battle in West Virginia (1863), right on US-219.
  - Cranberry Glades Botanical Area: high bog at around 1,000 metres with sphagnum moss, cranberries, orchids and carnivorous plants; a boardwalk of about 800 metres leads through it. A few kilometres west on WV-39, the Falls of Hills Creek with three falls and a stepped path.
  - Overlooks on the Highland Scenic Highway: Williams River, Big Spruce, Little Laurel and Red Lick, with wide views over the forested ridges; there is no drinking water along the route.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Tea Creek Campground (USFS) on the Williams River below WV-150: simple forest campground with toilets, no hookups, starting point of the Tea Creek trail network. Similarly quiet: Day Run Campground a few kilometres upstream and, to the south, Cranberry Campground and Summit Lake Campground near Richwood. Opening times seasonal, drinking water not guaranteed; check length and status with the Gauley Ranger District.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Along Williams River Road (Forest Road 86) there are numbered, simple riverside sites that may be used free of charge; in the Monongahela National Forest dispersed camping is generally allowed unless signed otherwise, with a limited length of stay. Overnight stays are prohibited in the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area and at the overlooks.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Fill up before WV-150 (Lewisburg or Marlinton) and stock up on water. The access road to the Snowshoe ski resort is long, steep and winding, and parking in the village is scarce for large motorhomes – in summer it's better to go up by bike or in a small vehicle. This area lies within the National Radio Quiet Zone around the Green Bank Observatory: mobile signal is weak or absent, so save maps offline.

### Stage 5: Snowshoe to Seneca Rocks (approx. 170 km)

- **The drive:** Via WV-66 to Cass, on to Green Bank and north on WV-28 through the upper Greenbrier valley, via Durbin and through high forests into the valley of the South Branch. At Riverton the access road to Spruce Knob branches off: paved at first, finally on a gravel road with climbs to just below the summit – doable for vans and small campers, not advisable with large motorhomes and trailer rigs. Then on WV-28/US-33 to Seneca Rocks. Winding, little-used country roads with long climbs; pure driving time 3.5–4 hours including Spruce Knob.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Cass Scenic Railroad State Park: former logging town with Shay steam locomotives that climb steep tracks; rides seasonal, book early.
  - Green Bank Observatory: huge radio telescopes in the valley at the centre of the National Radio Quiet Zone; in parts of the site mobile phones, Wi-Fi and other radio devices are not allowed – follow the instructions at the visitor center.
  - Spruce Knob: at 1,482 metres the highest point in West Virginia, with a stone observation tower and wind-shaped spruces whose branches grow on one side only. The Whispering Spruce Trail circles the summit in around 800 metres.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Seneca Shadows Campground (USFS) a few minutes south of Seneca Rocks with a view of the rock face: several loops, only a small share of sites with electricity, flush toilets with showers, drinking water and dump station, reservations via recreation.gov, season roughly April to October. Simpler and higher up: Spruce Knob Lake Campground on the state's highest lake, no hookups, seasonal.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In the Spruce Knob–Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area and the surrounding Monongahela National Forest, dispersed camping is possible along many forest roads unless signed otherwise; overnight stays are prohibited at the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center and in trailhead car parks. The forest roads around Spruce Knob are good territory – only use existing, already-used sites.
- **Insider tip for campers:** There are only a few filling stations between Durbin and Seneca Rocks – fill up in Elkins or Marlinton if you are coming from another direction. The trail to the observation platform at Seneca Rocks is around 2.1 kilometres long and climbs steadily; climbing onto the summit ridge only with equipment and experience.

### Stage 6: Seneca Rocks to Davis (approx. 115 km)

- **The drive:** West on US-33 over the Allegheny Front to Harman, then north on WV-32 and via Laneville onto Forest Road 19 up to the Dolly Sods plateau, and on along Forest Road 75 to Bear Rocks. Both forest roads are gravel with potholes, water bars and steep sections; unsuitable for large motorhomes and trailer rigs, drivable slowly with vans and small campers in dry weather. The climb up FR 75 from the east is even steeper. The roads are closed to motor vehicles in winter, usually from January to about mid-April. Back to WV-32 and through Canaan Valley to Davis. Pure driving time 3 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Bear Rocks: sandstone blocks on the eastern edge of the plateau, from which you look east across blueberry and heath flats as far as the Ridge-and-Valley landscape; the area belongs to The Nature Conservancy's Bear Rocks Preserve.
  - Dolly Sods Wilderness: high plateau with bog meadows, stunted spruces and expanses reminiscent of Canada; trails are often wet and poorly marked. During the Second World War the area was a military training ground – unexploded ordnance is possible, so don't touch unfamiliar metal objects and report them.
  - Red Creek: stream with cascades on the western edge of the wilderness, popular for cooling off in summer.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Blackwater Falls State Park: campground on the plateau above the gorge, all sites with electricity, bathhouse with hot showers, laundromat and dump station; open roughly late April to the end of October, reservations via wvstateparks.com. On Dolly Sods itself lies the small Red Creek Campground (USFS) on FR 75: few sites, toilets, no hookups, no reservations, small vehicles only.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Along FR 19 and FR 75 there are simple dispersed camping sites, in high demand at weekends; only use sites that have already been used, and don't create new fire rings. Camping is prohibited in the Bear Rocks Preserve, and within the wilderness only on foot. Temperatures here drop noticeably at night, even in summer.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Check the forecast before Dolly Sods: fog, storms and thunderstorms come in quickly on the plateau, and the gravel roads turn slippery in rain. Davis and neighbouring Thomas have groceries, cafés and filling stations; Thomas has a small art and music scene in old commercial buildings from the coal era.

### Stage 7: Davis to Canaan Valley (approx. 40 km)

- **The drive:** Short final stage on WV-32 and the park roads of Blackwater Falls: from Davis into the state park to the falls, Lindy Point and Pendleton Point, then back onto WV-32 south into Canaan Valley. Asphalt, leisurely pace, less than an hour of pure driving time in total. If you are continuing from here, Corridor H (US-48) takes you east towards Virginia or west to I-79; watch out for gaps in the completed route.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Blackwater Falls: the Blackwater River plunges around 19 metres into a gorge; the water is amber-coloured from tannins from hemlocks and red spruces. A staircase of more than 200 steps leads to the viewing platform at the foot, and an accessible path to a higher viewpoint.
  - Lindy Point: short forest path to a platform above the Blackwater gorge, especially fine in the late afternoon and with autumn foliage.
  - Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge: high valley at around 1,000 metres with wet meadows and bogs, habitat of beaver, American woodcock and, in winter, snowshoe hare; trails and observation points on WV-32.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Canaan Valley Resort State Park: campground with full-hookup sites (water, electricity, sewer), bathhouse and laundry, a longer season than the other campgrounds; reservations via the resort (canaanresort.com), check winter opening in advance. If you prefer something simpler, stay at Blackwater Falls State Park.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Canaan Valley is mostly private and protected land; overnight stays are prohibited in the wildlife refuge. The nearest dispersed options are in the Monongahela National Forest south and east of the valley (Dolly Sods, forest roads near Laneville).
- **Insider tip for campers:** Canaan Valley and Davis get a lot of snow in winter, and even in May or October night frost and snow showers are possible – keep an eye on the fresh-water tank and pipes. The wildlife refuge is a good destination at dawn; deer often stand on the road.

## Camping practice & local rules

### Wild camping & overnight parking

- West Virginia has no statewide ban on sleeping in a vehicle, but almost all land outside the federal forests is privately owned. In state parks and state forests you may only stay overnight at the campgrounds; towns and municipalities regulate parking through their own ordinances.
- Monongahela National Forest: dispersed camping is generally allowed unless signed otherwise; the length of stay is limited, and keep your distance from water, trails and roads. Overnight stays are prohibited in botanical areas such as Cranberry Glades, in trailhead car parks and in picnic areas.
- New River Gorge National Park and Preserve: camping only at the designated primitive drive-in sites, free, without reservations, no hookups, no drinking water; a maximum of eight people and two units per site, length of stay limited. The park charges no entrance fee; for other US national parks, visitors without US residency have faced partly higher fees and surcharges since 2026 – check current amounts on nps.gov.
- Reservations: West Virginia State Parks via wvstateparks.com, Forest Service campgrounds with reservations (Seneca Shadows, Lake Sherwood) via recreation.gov; many small USFS campgrounds allocate their sites on a “first come, first served” basis. In October during leaf season, the campgrounds in the high country are full at weekends.
- Bears: black bears are widespread throughout the high country. Lock food, cool box and rubbish inside the vehicle and leave nothing outside; many campgrounds have bear-proof bins.
- Apps: iOverlander, Campendium, The Dyrt and Recreation.gov; Park4Night is hardly used here. Because of the dead zones and the Radio Quiet Zone, save maps and campground information offline.

### Waste disposal & supplies

- Dump stations: at the state park campgrounds (Babcock, Blackwater Falls, Canaan Valley, Kanawha State Forest), at Seneca Shadows and at private campgrounds; the NPS sites in the New River Gorge and many small USFS campgrounds have none.
- Drinking water: at taps on state park campgrounds; on USFS campgrounds often only seasonally or not at all. Stream and river water is not drinkable without treatment, and in the coalfields also because of possible contamination from old mining.
- Empty grey water and chemical toilets only at dump stations; draining along forest roads and at rivers is prohibited and damages the sensitive mountain streams.
- Propane: filling stations, hardware stores and farm supply stores in Charleston, Beckley, Lewisburg, Elkins and Petersburg fill US cylinders; European cylinders are generally not filled. In the high country between Marlinton and Davis supply is thin.
- Electricity: on state park campgrounds many, but not all, sites have electricity (check the amperage when booking); NPS sites have no electricity, USFS campgrounds only some.
- Fuel and shopping: large supermarkets in Charleston, Beckley and Lewisburg, smaller ones in Fayetteville, Marlinton, Elkins and Davis; on WV-150 and between Durbin and Seneca Rocks there are practically no filling stations.

### Vehicle size & traffic rules

- Speed limits: interstates in West Virginia mostly 70 mph, country roads mostly 55 mph, the Highland Scenic Highway (WV-150) 45 mph, much less through towns. Steep downhill grades have warning signs for trucks – drive heavy motorhomes just as carefully and use engine braking.
- Mobile phones at the wheel only hands-free; texting while driving is prohibited.
- Tolls: the West Virginia Turnpike (I-77/I-64 between Charleston and Princeton) is a toll road, E-ZPass is accepted. This route doesn't use it, but if you want to get quickly from Charleston to Beckley, you take the Turnpike. Otherwise no toll roads.
- Vehicle dimensions: Fayette Station Road only up to 12 feet (3.66 m) in height and in practice only for small vehicles; Thurmond, Nuttallburg and the access road to Sandstone Falls are not suitable for large motorhomes. The forest roads on Dolly Sods and to Spruce Knob are gravel and not recommended for trailer rigs. Check your vehicle length before tight hairpins.
- Wildlife on the road: West Virginia regularly ranks among the states with the highest risk of deer collisions; drive slowly at dusk and at night, especially in autumn.
- Weather: the high country (Highland Scenic Highway, Snowshoe, Dolly Sods, Canaan Valley) lies between 1,000 and 1,480 metres; snow is possible from October to April, and WV-150 and the Dolly Sods roads are not ploughed or are closed in winter. In summer, thunderstorms with heavy rain and flash floods in narrow valleys.
- Emergency: 911. Mobile signal is weak or non-existent in the gorges, on WV-150, around Green Bank and on Dolly Sods.

## CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist

- Offline maps and a printed road map of West Virginia: in the National Radio Quiet Zone and in the valleys, navigation via mobile data often fails.
- Extra water containers holding 20–40 litres: the NPS sites in the New River Gorge and many Forest Service campgrounds have no drinking water.
- A warm layer, a hat and a heater that runs without shore power: on Dolly Sods and in Canaan Valley it gets cool at night even in summer, and frosty in autumn.
- Waterproof hiking boots and gaiters: the trails on Dolly Sods and around Cranberry Glades are often wet and muddy.
- Tick remover, repellent and tick protection: ticks are widespread in the forests and meadows along the entire route.
- Wheel chocks and levelling ramps: many sites in the mountains are on a slope, and on gravel roads you need a secure hold when parking on a hill.

_As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go._

## Sources

- [National Park Service – Camping, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve](https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/camping.htm)
- [National Park Service – Visiting New River Gorge With an RV](https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/tips-for-rvs.htm)
- [National Park Service – Fayette Station Road](https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/fayette-station-road.htm)
- [West Virginia State Parks – Babcock Camping](https://wvstateparks.com/places-to-stay/campgrounds/babcock-camping)
- [West Virginia State Parks – Camping at Greenbrier State Forest](https://wvstateparks.com/places-to-stay/campgrounds/greenbrier-state-forest-camping/)
- [West Virginia State Parks – Camping at Blackwater Falls](https://wvstateparks.com/places-to-stay/campgrounds/blackwater-falls-camping/)
- [West Virginia State Parks – Camping at Kanawha State Forest](https://wvstateparks.com/parks/kanawha-state-forest/lodging/camping-at-kanawha-state-forest/)
- [Recreation.gov – Seneca Shadows (Monongahela National Forest)](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232095)
- [Allegheny Mountain Radio – USDA Forest Service closing Dolly Sods roads for winter](https://www.alleghenymountainradio.org/?p=19924)
- [USDA Forest Service – Red Creek Campground, Monongahela National Forest](https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mnf/recreation/natureviewing/recarea/?recid=7003&actid=63)

## Which stops are on the route from Charleston to Canaan Valley?

1. **Charleston** (WV)
2. **Hawks Nest State Park** (Ansted, WV): A stone overlook high above the New River, with a seasonal aerial tram down to the water. The main overlook is a short walk from US-60.
3. **Fayetteville** (WV)
4. **Canyon Rim Visitor Center** (WV)
5. **Thurmond** (WV)
6. **Grandview** (Beckley, WV): The southern rim of the New River Gorge, where the river makes a wide horseshoe bend below the main overlook; rhododendrons bloom here in June.
7. **Babcock State Park** (WV)
8. **Lewisburg** (WV)
9. **Cranberry Glades** (WV)
10. **Snowshoe** (WV)
11. **Seneca Rocks** (Seneca Rocks, WV): A thin fin of quartzite rising 900 feet above the North Fork valley. A trail climbs to a viewing platform just below the crest.
12. **Dolly Sods** (WV)
13. **Blackwater Falls State Park** (Davis, WV): Amber-colored water drops 62 feet into a deep canyon; a boardwalk with stairs leads to the viewing platform. Lindy Point overlook is a short walk away.
14. **Canaan Valley** (WV)

## When is the best time for the route from Charleston to Canaan Valley?

The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April, June and August. Cold, short days in January–February. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## FAQs

**How long is Steel arch, high bog and sandstone fins – by camper through the mountains of West Virginia from the New River Gorge to Canaan Valley?**
7-day road trip of about 437 km (272 mi) with 14 stops, from Charleston to Canaan Valley. About 4 h 51 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Steel arch, high bog and sandstone fins – by camper through the mountains of West Virginia from the New River Gorge to Canaan Valley?**
We suggest 7 days: about 4 h 51 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Steel arch, high bog and sandstone fins – by camper through the mountains of West Virginia from the New River Gorge to Canaan Valley start and end?**
It starts in Charleston and ends in Canaan Valley.

**Which states does Steel arch, high bog and sandstone fins – by camper through the mountains of West Virginia from the New River Gorge to Canaan Valley pass through?**
West Virginia.

**Where can you camp along Steel arch, high bog and sandstone fins – by camper through the mountains of West Virginia from the New River Gorge to Canaan Valley?**
OpenStreetMap lists 88 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 19 mi of the stops on this route. For example: Kanawha State Forest Campground, East Fork Campground & Horse Hotel and Wrangler Meadow Campground.

**How much are the tolls on the route from Charleston to Canaan Valley?**
Tolls and vignettes for a car: about $1 (WV). Estimate with typical rates; motorhomes pay more, and vehicles over 3.5 t often pay by distance.