Greenbrier State Forest Campground

The 98-mile drive from Stony Fork Campground in Wytheville, Virginia to Greenbrier State Forest in Caldwell, West Virginia was just beautiful. We often take as many back roads as possible. Occasionally we have had to alter our course due to an upcoming tunnel that isn’t high enough for us to clear. The campground here is another comfortably remote and heavily treed piece of paradise. Though the temperatures here are a bit warmer than the higher elevation we just exited, we are still situated in a hilly and sometimes mountainous region. The nighttime sleeping temps allowed for having our windows open and no loud and annoying A/C was necessary.

The two towns bordering either side of Caldwell are Lewisburg and White Sulphur Springs and are the main reasons we are here. Though Greenbrier State Forest offers many trails to hike and also a nearby and famous bicycle trail, we are more interested in the history and charm of this region.

Our campsite #8 is located on a small wooded hill across from the host’s tiny cabin and the shower room. There are no neighbors next to us on the curbside. We are completely private. On the streetside the neighboring side sits a bit below us and basically out of sight. We have electricity on this site but no water. The good news is the threaded water spigot is just below and across from us next to the host’s cabin. The shower buildings, though dated, are clean and serviceable. As reported there is no dump station and none that I know of in the vicinity. Our AT&T cell signal is a good enough two bars of 5G. No problem with streaming a show on the tv if so desired. We paid $48 per night and spent three nights here. Sort of expensive for being so remote but I think the draw is for the possible charm to be found in the two towns nearby and the many types of trails afforded for our recreation. There is a public pool near the entrance to the park which costs five dollars for a swim.

Lewisburg is a protected, charming, and historic town. Lots of stores to wander through, plenty of eating establishments, a Confederate cemetery, county museum (which is very much worth visiting), and at least three bakeries. The town is a short and pleasant seven-mile drive from the campground.

White Sulphur Springs was a bit of a disappointment. It was interesting to witness firsthand the contrast between the two towns only fifteen minutes apart from each other. White Sulphur Springs is host to the famous spa and golf resort called Greenbrier and their clients’ elitist wealth is obvious in its posh surroundings. Meanwhile, small houses dot the downtown and it is again obvious that the majority of the wealthy do not live here. Even the downtown retail section could just as well be classified as a wannabe compared to the charming and historical town of Lewisburg. We ate lunch at a new brewery that is the typical draft beer/live music establishment that is meant to draw that type of crowd. Even the food does not compare to Lewisburg. Hardly anything is open here on Sunday and Monday, so plan ahead.

Small state park campground near the Greenbrier Hotel and the Greenbrier River Trail. Only 16 sites and they are nicely wooded. Some (# 9 and higher) might be tight for larger rigs. Numbers 6&7 are off to one side and perfect for people camping together. #7 is listed as a host site but can be rented. Bath house was clean but a little worn. It does have a nice sink for cleaning pots & pans. Host was very helpful. As mentioned, there is a low, one way tunnel just off I 64.

This is a WONDERFUL place to camp. From the I64 side there’s a low bridge on a narrow lane. Has electric on sites. We were just passing through but would definitely stay again! Very wooded. Probably not a good place for a big rig or to arrive after dark and try to maneuver your rig and park. Ours was one of the first sites in and we had to go all the way around so we could back in and we’re VERY experienced.

We stayed here on our first trip in our pop-up. It was a really small campground, which we appreciated. Staff was helpful, pool was great for the kid, and the facilities were relatively well-maintained. Lack of water or dump site was kind of a bummer but we knew ahead of time and were prepared. The sites were pretty spaced out, although the inner loop had little vegetation between sites. We will absolutely be back and will probably stay at the same campsite.

The whole campground is nicely wooded. The sites are large and well spread out. The lack of water on site is a minor annoyance but there is a spigot near the check-in building that you can use to fill containers as needed. If you are working while camping, I had a sufficient verizon and AT&T signal to do so. The hiking trails nearby were a nice hike.

The only minor issue I had is there is no dump site in the park and I could not find one nearby. The closest one I found was 30 minutes away at a truck stop.