USDA Forest Service · West Virginia
Gatewood Group
USDA Forest Service · West Virginia, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Season
- April 17 to October 12
- Group sites
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 4,341 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- GATEWOOD (NFSR 131) · crushed aggregate or gravel · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- Monongahela National Forest
- Nearest town
- PETERSBURG
- Address
- HC 59 BOX 240, PETERSBURG, WV, 26847
- Phone
- 304-567-3082
- Activities
- Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Star Gazing
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Gatewood Group Campground is ideally located just two miles from Spruce Knob Lake in the Monongahela Forest, creating an ideal base camp for hikes and wildlife watching. Gatewood contains 1 reservable site that can accommodate up to approximately 30 people. The campground contains fire rings, picnic tables, and two single-toilet vault restrooms. There is no electric or drinking water at the group campground. The group campground is not ABA accessible.
Recreation
With over 500 miles of hiking trails, visitors are have many options in the forest, including the Gatewood Nature Trail.
With some of the most beautiful overlooks in the area, Spruce Knob Lake offers fishing and boating opportunities (fish are stocked). No swimming is allowed.
Unobstructed views of the night sky bring stargazer clubs to this spot all summer long.
Facilities
Three group sites are available that can accommodate up to 20 people each. Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided, as are accessible pit toilets. Drinking water is NOT available in the campground.
Natural Features
The campground is situated on a ridge in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia. The Monongahela Forest extends over the north central highlands of the state, encompassing many of the region's highest peaks. Elevations range from 1,000-4,863 feet, and Gatewood sits at 4,300 feet.
Variations in terrain and precipitation have created one of the most ecologically diverse national forests in the country.
Nearby Attractions
Spruce Knob, West Virginia's highest peak, lies just 9 miles from the campground. It overlooks forested ridges and grassy open pastures. Visitors can drive or hike to the top. Rock climbing is also a popular activity.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 13° | -16° | 54° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 37° | 22° | -5° | 59° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 46° | 26° | -1° | 63° | 10 of 11 |
| April | 58° | 36° | 14° | 74° | 10 of 11 |
| May | 64° | 47° | 26° | 77° | 2 of 11 |
| June | 69° | 52° | 41° | 79° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 73° | 58° | 49° | 81° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 71° | 58° | 45° | 80° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 67° | 52° | 37° | 79° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 56° | 36° | 25° | 71° | 5 of 10 |
| November | 44° | 26° | 11° | 59° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 35° | 23° | -3° | 58° | 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.
Nearby campgrounds
- Spruce Knob Lake · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 42 sites
- Laurel Fork Campground · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi
- Middle Mountain Cabins · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi · 1 sites
- Island Campground · USDA Forest Service · 12 mi
- Seneca Shadows · USDA Forest Service · 13 mi · 81 sites
All public campgrounds in West Virginia · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.