National Park Service · West Virginia
War Ridge/Backus Mountain Campground
National Park Service · West Virginia, United States · in New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
- Sites
- 8
- Season
- Year-round
- Max RV length
- 25 ft
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- No
- Showers
- No
- Dump station
- No
- Laundry
- No
- Elevation
- 2,536 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 2
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · T-Mobile none · AT&T none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
- Nearest town
- Beckley
- Phone
- (304) 465-0508
Site map
The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
This is the only campground in the park that is not along the river. It is located on a ridgetop near Backus Mountain. There are 8 drive-in sites for tents, RVs, or campers. Only small (less than 25 feet) RVs or campers are recommended. Camp only at designated sites. RV, camper, or car camping in non-designated sites or any parking area is strictly prohibited.
Fees
War Ridge Campground: free. These primitive camping areas have no drinking water or hookups, and limited restroom facilities. All sites are managed on a first-come, first-served basis and reservations are not accepted. There are no fees for camping.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 36° | 22° | -6° | 61° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 42° | 28° | 0° | 65° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 55° | 32° | 5° | 70° | 9 of 11 |
| April | 64° | 41° | 24° | 79° | 6 of 11 |
| May | 70° | 53° | 34° | 84° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 76° | 58° | 47° | 84° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 81° | 64° | 54° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 79° | 65° | 52° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 75° | 59° | 45° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 62° | 42° | 30° | 78° | 2 of 10 |
| November | 50° | 32° | 15° | 67° | 8 of 10 |
| December | 41° | 28° | 1° | 63° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Trails nearby
- Lower Glade Creek Trailhead · 1.9 mi as the crow flies
Glade Creek Trail 5.5 mi Hike · Drive there - Turkey Spur Trailhead · 4.2 mi as the crow flies
Grandview Rim Trail 1.5 mi Hike · Drive there - Main Overlook Trailhead · 4.4 mi as the crow flies
Grandview Rim Trail 1.5 mi Hike, Grandview Walkways 0.4 mi Hike · Drive there - Grandview Shelter 1 Trailhead · 4.5 mi as the crow flies
Grandview Rim Trail 1.5 mi Hike, Grandview Walkways 0.4 mi Hike · Drive there - Little Laurel Trailhead · 4.7 mi as the crow flies
Little Laurel Trail 2.6 mi Hike · Drive there
All 50 trails in New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Glade Creek Campground · National Park Service · 2 mi · 11 sites
- Grandview Sandbar · National Park Service · 4 mi · 16 sites
- Thayer Campground · National Park Service · 5 mi · 4 sites
- Meadow Creek Campground · National Park Service · 5 mi · 17 sites
- Army Camp · National Park Service · 6 mi · 11 sites
All public campgrounds in West Virginia · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-09-08. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.