Entry is free and the park has its own RV guidance: some famous roads are off limits to RVs, and park campgrounds suit only small and medium rigs.
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve protects a deep, forested canyon in southern West Virginia, crossed by the famous New River Gorge Bridge. There is no fee to enter the park, and its drive-in campgrounds are free, first come, first served and primitive.
The National Park Service publishes unusually clear RV guidance. It calls anything under 25 ft small, under 31.5 ft medium and over 31.5 ft large. Four drive-in campgrounds (Army Camp, Glade Creek, Grandview Sandbar and War Ridge) suit small and medium RVs, and the park says large RVs are not recommended at any campsite.
For hookups, base at a private park near Fayetteville or at Battle Run on Summersville Lake, which has 110 electric sites. Then use the tow vehicle for the gorge roads that the park warns RVs away from.
| Park entry | Free |
|---|---|
| Park campgrounds | Free, first come, first served, primitive; no hookups, water or dump stations |
| Stay limit | 14 days within any 28-day period |
| Site limits | 2 vehicles (RVs not counted), 8 people, 4 pets |
| Nearby electric | Battle Run at Summersville Lake: 110 electric sites, May–October |
| NPS phone | 304-465-0508 (weekdays) |
The park sorts RVs by size: small is under 25 ft, medium under 31.5 ft, and large is over 31.5 ft.
May through October is the main season, with rafting and fall color as highlights.
| Time of year | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Spring (May) | Green gorge, high water and open campgrounds. |
| Summer | Warm and busy. Park campgrounds fill on weekends. |
| Fall (September–October) | Color season. Whitewater releases and the October Bridge Day crowd the region. |
| Winter | Quiet, with some roads and private parks closed. Fayette Station Road is best avoided in winter. |
Park campground rules come from the National Park Service. Nearby details come from state park pages and RV listing sites.
Best for: Free primitive camping for small and medium rigs.
Watch out: Army Camp’s road is narrow with low limbs; Glade Creek has five drive-in sites and no freshwater.
Best for: Electric sites on a clear lake, about 18 miles from the gorge climbing area.
Watch out: Pull-throughs are tight and some trees need trimming.
Best for: Glade Creek Grist Mill and quiet woods.
Watch out: Electric hookups, lengths and rates were not on the page we read. Call before you go.
Best for: Level gravel sites that visitors call big-rig friendly.
Watch out: Seasonal.
Best for: Big-rig friendly with a dump station.
Watch out: Site size varies and some sites are close together.
Best for: Space and low rates.
Watch out: Confirm big-rig details.
Flatwoods KOA has many pull-through sites, Shady Rest RV Park has gravel pads but a narrow access road, and Little Beaver State Park near Beckley has 46 water sites, 30 electric sites and a dump station.
Plans keep the big rig at a campground and use the tow vehicle for the gorge roads.
First visit.
Active travelers.
Anyone who wants rest days.
One of the longest steel arch bridges in the Western Hemisphere. Canyon Rim has RV parking and overlooks.
Rim trails and overlooks with large overflow lots. The park says these are the best RV-accessible hikes.
A broad waterfall on the river. The road is recommended only for small RVs, so use a tow vehicle.
A railroad ghost town. Park at Southside and walk across the bridge.
A clear lake with swimming, scuba and climbing nearby.
Home of Glade Creek Grist Mill, a working replica of the original.
Skip the roads the park warns about. Fayette Station Road, the Thurmond bridge and Keeney’s Creek Road are not for RVs.
Use the tow vehicle. Trailheads for Endless Wall, Kaymoor and Long Point have no RV parking.
Have a backup plan. Park campgrounds fill quickly in summer and on weekends.
Fayetteville has groceries, fuel and outfitters. Park campgrounds are several miles from stores and gas stations, so bring water and supplies.
Park campgrounds have no potable water, hookups or dump stations. Developed campgrounds nearby may offer showers and dumps, so check before you arrive.
Fees from the National Park Service and RV listings. Confirm current amounts before booking.
| Item | What we found | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Park entry | Free | No entrance pass required. |
| Park campgrounds | Free | First come, first served. |
| Battle Run | About $34 per night | Reported June 2023; confirm on Recreation.gov. |
| Private RV park | $15–$55 | Fayetteville area listings. |
Fees are the amounts listed by the managing agency when this guide was checked. Use the budget worksheet to add fuel, groceries and contingency.
The Outpost advertises RV camping near Fayette Station Road. Ask the operator for an approach route for your rig, because NPS bars vehicles over 12 feet high from that road and does not recommend it for medium or large RVs.
No. The park says there is no fee to enter New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
The park says large RVs, meaning over 31.5 ft, are not recommended at any campsite. Four drive-in campgrounds suit small and medium RVs.
Fayette Station Road for any RV over 12 ft high, the Thurmond bridge for all RVs, Keeney’s Creek Road for all RVs, and River Road to Sandstone Falls for anything larger than small.
No. They have no hookups, electricity, potable water or dump stations. Sites are free and first come, first served.
Battle Run at Summersville Lake and private parks around Fayetteville, Meadow Bridge and Beckley.
May through October. Fall brings color and whitewater.
Rules were checked October 21, 2026. The park’s RV guidance is specific, but campground rates and some state park details were not on the pages we read, so confirm them with the park.