Camping in the George Washington National Forest

Wolf Gap Campground: Amazing views AND No Crowding!

Shenandoah National Park

Let me start off by saying how much I love Shenandoah National Park. Camping, hiking and exploring in the park- I love it all! I am very fortunate to have this amazing park within a very short distance of where I live and often plan many outings exploring this wonderful place. I have spent quite a bit of time on the trails in this park and have even accompanied friends as they have worked to complete their Shenandoah 500 (meaning that they have hiked all 500 miles of trails within the park!).

Within the park’s boundaries, there are 4 main campgrounds and over the years I have camped in them all. Throughout the park there are also several of the PATC (Potomac Appalachian Trail Club) cabins located within the park’s boundaries that I have spent the night in and I have backpacking throughout the park. All of these options are each wonderful in their own way. Each one gives you more time to explore different areas of this amazing park.

Disadvantages of Camping in the National Park

Camping at Shenandoah National Park can be a wonderful experience, it can get expensive and crowded if you are looking to camp overnight. First you have to factor into your budget the cost to enter the park. Second, add in the reservation fees for a campsite. Finally, if you want to use a shower you will have to pay extra. These fees can add up very quickly and can be difficult to manage if you are trying to stay within a tight budget. Often, the facilities can be nice, however, overcrowding and the ability to reserve a campground can sometimes be difficult. Peak season (late spring through early fall) campgrounds book up, even the first come first serve sites fill up very quickly.

There are other options if you are wanting something different other than this National Park. It is easy to forget how many other options for camping there are in the area when you get used to the convenience of a National Park. One area that I enjoy visiting and exploring is the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest.

George Washington and Jefferson National Forest

Another option is the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest that is around 1.8 million acres of forest land that runs through Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky. Compare that to Shenandoah National Park’s 198,000 acres. That means that the GW & Jefferson forest is approximately 800% larger than Shenandoah National Park!

The forest was established in 1918 and in 1932 it was named after George Washington. These forests include 17 wilderness areas, 8 river basins and more than 2000 miles of trails to explore! There are more than 40 campgrounds located within the forest- that’s a lot of camping.

Campgrounds within George Washington National Forest

Woman’s Walk Adventures has started a blog series based on the campgrounds that can be found within George Washington National Forest. These campgrounds are often fantastic alternatives to the more crowded (and expensive) National Park or Commercial campgrounds in the surrounding area. Many of these campgrounds are perfect if you are looking for an inexpensive place to stay. The first campground to cover is: Wolf Gap Campground, this campground is a personal favorite of mine because there are two beautiful vistas to explore.

Campground Description

Wolf Gap Campground is conveniently located along Mill Mountain Trail in Wardensville, West Virginia. The campground is located between two very beautiful hikes: Big Schloss and Tibbet Knob. Wolf Gap is a primitive campground with 9 sites that each have a fire ring, grill and picnic table. The campground is first come, first serve. Once you enter the the campground, there is a board to reserve your site once you arrive. The first thing to do is drive around the loop, mark your spot and then go add your card to the reservation board. The campground has 2 vault toilets for public use. While there is often toilet paper in the privy, it is still a good idea to bring your own toilet paper with you.

Wolf Gap Campground

Don’t want to camp overnight? There is a picnic area available for day use and a large parking lot for day hikers available.

History

Wolf Gap has an interesting history as it was once the site for the African American Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930’s. To find out more about how the Civilian Conservation Corps helped to shape some of West Virginia’s parks read here.

Hikes Near Wolf Gap Campground

Big Schloss (4.2 miles up and back, approximately 1000’ incline)

The trailhead to Big Schloss is located between two of the campsites directly across from the privy. The word Schloss is German for castle which is what the outcropping of rocks looks like from a little bit of a distance. The trail is east to follow and consists of mostly packed dirt, some loose gravel and a few large rocks.

Once you start your hike, you start hiking up in elevation right away. At the 1 mile mark the trail flattens out and you will be rewarded with some early views to the South East. Keep going, as you continue along the trail, watch for the flat areas on your right, there are a few dispersed campsites that are perfect for backpacking.

You are close to the Big Schloss outcropping when you get to the signpost that will guide you up to the rocks on your right, here you will get off of Mill Mountain trail and switch to the Big Schloss Trail. Follow the trail up to the rock outcropping and cross the small wooden bridge that will connect you to the rock outcropping. Once you are out on the rocks there are numerous places to sit and enjoy the view. If you bring your headlamp, you can watch the sunset and then hike back down in the dark.

Tibbet Knob (3.0 miles up and back, approximately 921’ incline)

The trailhead for Tibbet Knob is just across the road from the entrance to the campground. This trail, while shorter than Big Schloss, has steeper sections than Big Schloss. At one point there was a very short section that I needed to climb up a tiny scramble. Generally, the view is not quite as broad and majestic as the view at Big Schloss but it is still worth the hike. Just past the outcropping at Tibbet there is a wonderful campground with a well built fire pit. If you choose to stay here you could backpack up from Wolf Gap Campground or you could take the easier route from Rte 691 (Judge Rye Road). This entry point is much shorter and flatter than coming from Wolf Gap Road.

Not sure if these hikes are for you?