GPS Coordinates:
38.707745, -79.584812
We spent the weekend camping and hiking deep in West Virginia up in the Allegheny Mountains. Spruce Knob Lake Campground located in the Monongahela National Forest, near Seneca Rocks. It is the cleanest campground I've ever been to - the hosts maintain it very well. This place truly is a hidden gem! The campground is less than a mile away from the lake, where there is no swimming access, but are permitted to fish for trout and boat. There is a biking and walking trail around the lake as well. I highly recommend going down to the lake at night to check out the stars. Spruce Knob is the highest point in West Virginia, and has one of the darkest skies in the area. We saw the Perseids a few days after the shower's peak, and it was a perfect setting. We could also see the Milky Way very clearly.
It's a bit of a trek to get to the campsite - lots of windy dirt roads makes for a slow climb. It doesn't make a lot of sense to drive out of town to get things (ex. ice), so be smart about packing! They sell firewood at 3 bundles for $20, provide some papers for starting, and deliver the bundles to your campsite - don't bring in your own wood. Our standard non-electric drive-up site was something like $14 a day and had a large fire pit with a grate.
I really loved this campsite. It was so quiet and beautiful up in the area. I can't wait to go back and check out more hiking in the area. read more