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West Virginia Free Camping Rank and Rules

West Virginia ranks #9 of 50 for free camping

West Virginia ranks #9 of 50 for free camping, with 13.3 known dispersed sites per 1,000 sq mi.

Data as of

West Virginia free camping in numbers

West Virginia ranks #9 of 50 for free camping, with 13.3 known dispersed sites per 1,000 sq mi.

Rank
#9
Known dispersed sites per 1,000 sq mi
13.3
Known dispersed sites
319
Land area
24,038 sq mi
Developed campgrounds
362
State-land rule
Not confirmed
Forest restrictions tracked
0

Dispersed camping in West Virginia

Can you camp on West Virginia state land?

Not confirmed. We could not confirm which rule applies, though the state’s own recreation land data flags 37 state forest and wildlife area tracts as allowing camping. West Virginia state parks also run their own booking system, separate from the federal one. Every state, with the rule behind each answer: dispersed camping on state land, state by state.

Where is dispersed camping restricted in West Virginia?

Our records hold no National Forest restriction on dispersed camping in West Virginia. That is not the same as having none, so check the forest's own alerts page before you camp.

How far from a forest road can you camp in West Virginia?

  • Ozark-St. Francis, Ouachita, and George Washington & Jefferson National Forests (150 ft). All three publish the same 150 ft figure for how far off the road you may camp.

Each restriction, cited and dated: where dispersed camping is restricted.

How the rank works

We divide the known dispersed campsites in a state by its land area, in square miles, and multiply by 1,000. The rules above sit beside the rank but never change it. The count includes only sites that public sources map, so mapping effort affects the result. Roadside camping corridors and the points we place inside state wildlife and forest areas are not counted.