West Virginia Camping Locations: The Williams River

There are many different places to go camping in the beautiful state of West Virginia. The state sports several different national and state forests that provide for great opportunities to camp and participate in other outdoor activities. One such area is along the Williams River in the Monongahela National Forest. There is no more beautiful place to spend time in the great West Virginia mountains than in the Monongahela National Forest.

Facilities. There are several camping sites available along the Williams River, but these spots are in high demand. There is a 14 day limit on these camp sites, and they must be occupied every day that you pay. These campsites used to be free, but starting this year they are $5 per night. Several of these sites have forest service latrines available. The forest service also recently completed a paving project, blacktopping the road along the length of the river. This has made travel much more comfortable, but has also brought more people to the area. If you want to secure one of these river side camping sites, it is best to go early in the year. Otherwise, you will be trying to time it so that you can get a site as soon as it is vacated by others. If you go on a Sunday evening, or Monday morning, you will have a better chance of finding a site available as others are heading out of the mountains to get back to work. There is also a campground just off the river at Tea Creek. This campground is very close to the Scenic Highway, and the areas of Snow Shoe and Cranberry Glades. There are restroom facilities in the campground, but there are no showering facilities anywhere in the area. Campsites here cost $10 per day.

Things to do. There are several things for people who enjoy the outdoors in the area. The Williams River is stocked weekly from the first of the year to the end of May with trout. There is excellent fishing available, whether using spin tackle or fly fishing tackle. This camping area is also very close to the Cranberry River and the Cherry River, both of which are stocked with trout on a weekly basis. For those that would enjoy a true wilderness experience, there is a great section of backcountry fishing behind closed gates on the Cranberry River. One must be in good shape to tackle this challenging section! If you plan to fish, make sure to purchase the right license and stamps. A National Forest stamp and a trout stamp are required on top of the standard fishing license. These can be purchased at the DNR website. There are many hiking trails throughout the National Forest. There are several marked trailheads both along the Williams River Road, and the Scenic Highway. Cranberry Glades is an interesting natural setting that is worth the drive across the Scenic Highway. It only takes about 30 minutes to travel from the Tea Creek Campground to the Cranberry Glades visitor center, and just a few more minutes to the boardwalk that circles the glades area.

Wildlife. This area is full of a diversity of wildlife. It is not uncommon to see deer in the area, and the occasional bear can also be spotted. Because of this, it is imperative that campers keep their campsites cleaned up, and make sure that any fish that are kept are cleaned away from the camp and then secured in coolers. It is also not uncommon to spot raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, and beavers. The bird populations are also fun to watch. Besides typical song birds, one can expect to see a variety of woodpeckers, ravens, and even an occasional eagle or osprey. Those who spend time on the river can expect to see a variety of salamanders, frogs, tadpoles, snakes and crayfish. Fishermen hope for the "grand slam" of West Virginia trout: the rainbow, golden rainbow, brown, and brook trout. The great amount of wildlife is amazing, and those who will take the time to look will find many of these species.

How to get there. Getting into the backcountry is no easy task. If you are susceptible to motion sickness, make sure to take some Dramamine before getting off the interstate! From Route 79 in West Virginia, take Highway 19 (Exit 57) toward Summersville. Take the Birch River exit off of Highway 19, County road 82 toward Cowen. At the end of County Road 82, turn left on County Road 20. This will take you through the town of Cowen. After passing through the town of Cowen, turn onto Williams River Road on the right. There is a convenience store that sits between the two roads after the turn. After crossing a small bridge, Lower Williams River Road turns to the right. You will follow this for several miles before coming to any campsites. There are 2 riverside campsites before the bridge that crosses the Williams River after entering the National Forest. The rest will be scattered along the river bank until you reach Tea Creek Campground, which is 10 miles further up the river.

West Virginia is known for its outdoor opportunities. The Williams River area is beautiful and full of opportunities for those who enjoy the outdoors. If you are looking for a great place to camp out, consider spending time in the Monongahela National Forest this summer!