Babcock State Park is located 20 miles southeast of the New River Gorge Bridge near the small mountain town of Clifftop, in West Virginia.

Babcock State Park opened to the public on July 1, 1937. It quickly became the centerpiece of West Virginia’s fledgling state park system.  The Civilian Conservation Corps built the park on a former logging site. The CCC was one of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal programs designed to put young people to work during the Great Depression.

 Babcock’s famous Glade Creek Mill was added in 1976.

Site Review:

Babcock State Park is large and covers over 4000 acres. Most of this is undeveloped. The amenities that the park offers are spread out and some are a significant distance from each other.

There is a 52-unit campground, 28 sites serviced with electric, and 24 non-electric sites.

The campground is divided by county road 11. There are 30 sites located on one side and 10 more sites on the other. The 10 sites on the other side of the county road are the furthest away from the bathhouse. The campground can accommodate tents as well as trailers and RVs. There is a central bathhouse with coin-operated laundry. There is a sanitation dump station between the 2 campground areas (just behind the trees across from the gatehouse). It is a bit awkward but manageable. There is another dump station across from the playground by the bathhouse. The potable water is from a faucet that you would have to attach your own hose to. The water at the dump stations used to clean your sewer hose is not potable.

In my opinion, the 10 sites in the smaller section of the campground are better quality. They are more level and larger, though they are close together and there is minimal visual privacy. You are definitely going to need to level in the larger campground section. And I mean potentially with every levelling block you have- the pads are very uneven and sloped.

Activities:

Hiking:

There are numerous trails you can hike at Babcock State Park. In fact, hiking is probably the main thing to do here. Some trails may reward you with a view. Or take you past a natural feature, such as this formation along the Natural Arch Trail. Or you can enjoy a nice walk around Boley Lake on the Lake View Trail. Many trails intersect and you can create your own route incorporating whichever trails you wish. Click here for a detailed map and individual trail descriptions.

Biking:

All paved and gravel roads are open to bikers. Several of the hiking trails are open to mountain bikers. You should note that it is extremely hilly, so if long climbs are not your idea of fun biking then this is not an activity you will enjoy very much. There is no flat area anywhere, that I could determine. If you have one of those e-bikes with the motor then this could be fun. The roads are in good shape.

Boley Lake:

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, you can rent paddleboats, rowboats, and canoes at the Boley Lake Marina. The lake is small and I don’t know how congested it would become on a summer weekend. There is a boathouse adjacent to the parking lot where you can make arrangements for watercraft rental.

There are no other water facilities to enjoy at Babcock State Park except for Glade Creek near the Grist Mill. Here people have taken it upon themselves to make a swimming hole right beside the Visitor Center. I suppose on a hot day it may be a good spot to get your feet wet but the rocks are slippery and there is nowhere to set up if you were planning an extended day visit by the water. It is not a park-sanctioned activity. There are signs warning you to swim at your own risk. There is no swimming at Boley Lake.

Fishing

You can bring your electric motored boat to Boley Lake to fish, or you can fish along the banks of Glade Creek. Make sure you have the proper license.

Game Courts:

Basketball and tennis courts are available for use. They are located at the Mann’s Creek Picnic area.

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve:

Canyon Rim Visitor Center is the primary visitor contact station for area information regarding the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. There are no hiking trails that start at the visitor center. The center features exhibits, information, a park film, and a bookstore.
It is located about a 20-minute drive from the Babcock State Park campground.

From the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, the most easily recognized attractions of the site are the views of the gorge and bridge. The back deck of the center offers a two-mile view southward into the park. A short boardwalk descends into the gorge to two observation decks which offer unobstructed views of the longest steel arch bridge in the western hemisphere and the mile-wide gorge it spans.

Scenic Drive:

Encircling the heart of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, the scenic drive is an estimated three-hour trip. The 83-mile route includes interstates, divided highways, and two-lane roads. The scenic drive is an opportunity to experience the park—its gorge and its river. A few highlights along the way include:

The Sandstone Visitor CenterThurmond Ghost TownSandstone FallsConcho Rim Overlook

Whitewater rafting:

Whitewater rafting is a widely advertised activity. Click here for a list of outfitters in the area.

Things to Know:

• There are two entrances to the park, with the main park entrance being near the Grist Mill. There are no entrance fees.
• Firewood and ice are available for purchase
• WiFi is available
• Cell phone service is available from most major cell phone companies

IMO:

Babcock State Park is a well-maintained park. It is large and has a remote feel. The various amenities, however, are not close to each other. The campground is nowhere near Boley Lake for example. There are only 52 camping sites and maybe a dozen cabins (located in another area of the park) so it is not particularly busy if you are an overnight visitor.

I wanted to love this park, but I didn’t. There are lots of hilly forest hikes that may afford you a bushy overlook view and there is a lake that really is more of an oversized pond that doesn’t even accommodate swimming. It’s a park that wants to be something special but just can’t seem to pull it off.

The gristmill (which is a replica and fashioned from the parts of 3 other mills) is quite picturesque, it doesn’t hold your attention for very long (I mean honestly how many pictures can you take?) The campground is quiet and while it is relaxing there is little to do. It was a great lodging spot to check out the New River Gorge National Park but even that, unless you are committed to an 83-mile drive to see a handful of less than awe-inspiring photo spots, the Gorge Park is not much of a draw.

I would say if you are in West Virginia I would bypass this park in favour of another, but there really isn’t another. Babcock State Park is the flagship park of the West Virginia State Park system, so in that case, I guess I would recommend it as an RV Place to Go, but just for a short stay.