★ Field-verified · Dave's ownPublic land · dispersedFree
Randolph County
Drive-up · public land · Randolph County, WV · 38.72809, -79.61388
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Ask about this camp →Dave's been here. A spot from Dave's own travels on public land — free to camp. Conditions still change, so confirm access, stay limits and fire rules before you go.
A wonderful primitive campsite in a wooded valley next to a babbling stream. Picturesque rock formations jutting from hill. A grove of conifers upstream. Small stone fire ring. Enough room for two vehicles. No cell service. Short distance up two track from forest road. Decent privacy. Just out of sight of forest road. Recommended.
USGS topo — contours & terrain
Aerial — USGS / NAIP
Weather outlook
Loading the latest forecast…
Live NWS area forecast (~2.5 km grid, not elevation-corrected). Camp sits at 3,423 ft.
Fire & smokeNIFC · AirNow
Checking active fires & air quality…
Active wildfires from NIFC (within ~50 mi); air quality from AirNow. Always confirm current fire restrictions with the managing office before you go.
Everything you need — measured from camp
Straight-line miles · bearings approx · roads run longer
Nearest of each
- FFuel8 mi
- @Mail8 mi
- GGrocery14 mi
- WWater14 mi
- AAir-up14 mi
- RxPharmacy16 mi
- OOutfitter16 mi
- MMechanic16 mi
- +Urgent care16 mi
- HHardware16 mi
- LLaundry17 mi
- DDump22 mi
- ShShower31 mi
- PPropane45 mi
≤30 mi30–4545+water
The read: water's a short hop out, fuel & food sit about 8 mi out.
One dot per need — the nearest of each kind, straight-line from camp. Places from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Open in Google Maps ↗
The site
Access
Drive-up
Land
public land · dispersed
Elevation
3,423 ft
County
Randolph County, WV
Coordinates
38.72809, -79.61388
Cost
Free
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Water featureGandy Creek (stream) · nearby
- Nearest townOsceola · ~1.4 mi
- Drinking waternone within 10 mi
- FuelWarner's Store · ~7.6 mi
- Propane / LPGTrent's Arbovale · ~22.9 mi
- Dump stationDumping Station · ~21.6 mi
- GroceriesMacksville Mart · ~13.5 mi
- PharmacyWalgreens · ~15.9 mi
- Hospital / clinicExpress Care · ~17.0 mi
- HardwareB & H Ace Hardware · ~16.4 mi
From the field — what Dave saw, in person
Cell service
No signal
Getting there
Any vehicle managed it
Fire ring
Yes
Toilet on site
No
Tent friendly
Yes
Verdict
Recommended
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- Vault / pit toiletLocust Springs · ~10.0 mi S · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletBear Heaven Campground · ~14.5 mi N · USFS
- Flush restroomBrandywine Lake Beach · ~23.9 mi E · USFS
- Flush restroomBrandywine Campground · ~24.2 mi E · USFS
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Gandy Creek Camping Area~0.9 mi
- Johnny Meadows Camping~4.1 mi
- Little River Camping Area~7.6 mi
- Wildell Shelter~8.8 mi
How we know this
Source
Dave's own travels
Confidence
Researched — The record is detailed and internally consistent, and the coordinates land where the managing agency says this site is.
How it was placed
FIELD VERIFIED by Dave Lalande -- he has stood on this site. Coordinates are his own GPX track point, not a geocode. County and state confirmed against the FCC Census Block API (Randolph County, WV). Everything under 'From the field' is a direct observation; nothing here is inferred from a land record.
Field check
Verified on the ground. Dave has stood on this one. Conditions still change — confirm before you commit.
What we don’t know
A land record can put you within a few metres of a spot. It cannot tell you any of this — so check it yourself, and treat anything below as the open question it is.
- How many rigs actually fit
- Seasonal & winter access
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up
Before you go
Been here? Tell us what changed. This page is built from public records, so the fastest way it gets better is somebody who has actually pulled in. Road washed out, site gone, gate locked, or it is exactly as described — all of it useful. Send a report →