U.S. Forest Service · Monongahela National Forest · Marlinton, WV

Cranberry River Campsites

Fourteen primitive and separately numbered campsites dispersed along a 5-mile section of the lower Cranberry River. Toilets closed as of November 30. Campsites are number 6-19 along the Cranberry River between Big Rock Campground and Cranberry Campground on Forest Road 76. Double sites available at sites 7 and 12.

Open now Reservable · Recreation.gov 14 sites From $10 per nightPets okFires okTents only

More like this: reservable in West Virginia · tent only in West Virginia · pets allowed in West Virginia

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗

Photos courtesy of Forest Service, Tom Hart (CC BY 2.0) · Recreation.gov

1fire
active

Arrowhead Trails Rx (prescribed burn) · 35 mi away · 195 acres

Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-16

Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups

Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

14 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

Site	Entry	Fits, ft	Surface	Shade	Water / sewer	Waterfront	People / vehicles	Fires	Rating
6	Back-in	70	Gravel	Partial	No / –	Riverfront	8 / 2	Yes	Standard
7	Back-in	75	Gravel	Partial	No / –	Riverfront	16 / 4	Yes	Standard
8	Back-in	63	Gravel	Partial	No / –	Riverfront	8 / 2	Yes	Standard
9	Back-in	39	Gravel	Partial	No / –	Riverfront	16 / 4	Yes	Standard
10	Back-in	56	Gravel	Partial	No / –	Riverfront	8 / 2	Yes	Standard
11		24	Gravel	Partial	No / –		8 / 2	Yes	Standard
12	Back-in	65	Gravel	Partial	No / –	Riverfront	16 / 4	Yes	Standard
13	Back-in	45	Gravel	Partial	No / –	Riverfront	8 / 2	Yes	Standard
14	Back-in	46	Gravel	Partial	No / –	Riverfront	8 / 2	Yes	Standard
15	Back-in	99	Gravel	Partial	No / –	Riverfront	8 / 2	Yes	Standard

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 04:00 PM, checkout 02:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

Equipment	Tents
Pets	Allowed
Campfires	Allowed, subject to restrictions
Fees	$10 single campsites; $20 double campsites

Each campsite has a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern post. Vault toilets are spaced along the river corridor.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

Status	Open
Forest	Monongahela National Forest
Rules	Maximum length of stay is 14 days. Check-out time is 2:00 p.m. Dogs are permitted if on a leash at all times. Leash must be 6 ft. or shorter. Food storage order applies to pet food also. Single site limit is one wheeled camping unit only, defined as motorhome or travel trailer; no more than 8 people; no more than 2 vehicles.

Monongahela National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →

The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Richwood 1Sse, 6 miles from the campground at 3,090 feet, station USC00467513 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 56 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 100 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Richwood travel one mile east on State Route 39/55, then 6 1/2 miles north on Forest Road 76. Campsites are numbered 6-19 and dispersed along Forest Road 76.

Nearest town	Marlinton, West Virginia
Coordinates	38.2955° N, 80.5161° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

Prescribed
Arrowhead Trails Rx
35 mi from the campground · 195 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gear	Appalachian Sport ↗	23.3 mi
Dump station	Dump station ↗	25.9 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

360° Campsite Views - Cranberry Campground - Monongahela National Forest - $10 Camping Wes

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

1.1 mi
Barrenshe Trail ↗
4.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
1.8 mi
Hinkle Branch Trail
1.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
2.2 mi
Cranberry Ridge Trail ↗
5.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
2.7 mi
Bishop Knob Loop Trail
2.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
2.9 mi
Fork Mountain Trail ↗
21.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
3.3 mi
Adkins Rockhouse Trail
2.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

George Washington and Jefferson National Forest begins about 2.6 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

2.6 mi
George Washington and Jefferson National Forest ↗
National Forest · Forest Service · 3,487,961 acres
6.1 mi
Cranberry Wilderness ↗
Wilderness · Forest Service · 47,742 acres
9.1 mi
Monongahela National Forest ↗
National Forest · Forest Service · 1,703,725 acres

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Other campgrounds nearby

Summit Lake Campground

Reservable5 mi

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Beaver MillBuilding · Craigsville · 8.4 mi
Morton HouseBuilding · Webster Springs · 13.8 mi

Natural features

Campsites are located adjacent to the Cranberry River.

Recreation

Fishing in the Cranberry RIver, hiking in Cranberry Wilderness.

Nearby

Cranberry RIver and Cranberry Wilderness.

Guidebooks for Monongahela National Forest and West Virginia

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Five-Star Trails: West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest
Johnny Molloy, 2022
Find at Bookshop.org
Camping Virginia and West Virginia
Desiree Smith-Daughety, 2013
Find at Bookshop.org
Paddling Virginia and West Virginia
Charli Kerns, 2019
Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Cranberry River Campsites?

Sites at Cranberry River Campsites are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Cranberry River Campsites?

$10 single campsites; $20 double campsites

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Cranberry River Campsites?

Check-in 04:00 PM, checkout 02:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Cranberry River Campsites open right now?

Open as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Cranberry River Campsites have?

14 sites, including 14 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Cranberry River Campsites?

Cranberry River Campsites is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Cranberry River Campsites?

Yes, pets are allowed at Cranberry River Campsites. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Cranberry River Campsites?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Maximum length of stay is 14 days.

Source: Fire nearby

What is the nearest town to Cranberry River Campsites?

Marlinton, West Virginia. Cranberry RIver and Cranberry Wilderness.

Source: Getting there

What if Cranberry River Campsites is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Big Rock (0.4 mi), Bishop Knob (3.3 mi), and Cranberry Campground (4.5 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby