Bear Heaven Recreation Area Campground

Bear Heaven Recreation Area Campground is a tiny, rustic campground on the edge of the Otter Creek Wilderness. What it lacks in amenities, it more than makes up for in solitude. The eight sites are offset and spread out with underbrush between them, but if this were not the case, you would still have a quiet campground. Even on holiday weekends, the campground is rarely full on holiday weekends, and on summer weekdays you will probably have the campground to yourself. And due to the difficulty of getting a big rig into the campground, you won’t have to deal with any generator noise.  

The campground is a single loop with most of the sites on the outer part. Snuggled in among rock formations, the sites each have a table, fire ring and lantern pole. Parking is on gravel spurs, and there is a level tent pad at each site. There is a one-hole vault toilet. Bearproof trashcans are also provided. Older descriptions of the campground state that there is a pump there, but this is no longer the case; no water is available at the campground or the adjacent picnic ground. The campground is in among trees, so solar recharging isn’t really an option. Verizon and AT&T have a weak signal here; you may be able to text in or out, but don’t count on it. None of the spots should be considered bad, but 4, 5 and 6 would be slightly better than the others. Site 1 and 2 are the only ones that are really flat and the only ones that are big enough for more than one vehicle. This area gets a lot of rain, so any of the wood you collect can be be damp. If you are intent on getting a fire started quickly, it is strongly suggested that you stop and buy some wood on the way in. The closest town is Elkins, and wood is usually available at the Krogers. There is also a pretty good brewery in Elkins. Coming from the east, stop in Moorefield for wood. Pets are allowed with the usual restrictions.

This campground is definitely for tents or truck campers, but not big rigs. To reach it, there is a 3-mile long, narrow dirt road. The road is well maintained, and it can be easily traveled in a passenger car. It is a narrow road with very few pullouts, so big rigs would be discouraged from camping there. In addition,none of the parking pads are particularly level.  

While there are no real hiking trails directly from the campground, you are right on the edge of Otter Creek Wilderness with its wonderful 42-mile network of trails, such as the Otter Creek Wilderness Loop. There are also some unofficial trails around the assorted house-sized rock at the adjacent picnic ground that are used to access the bouldering opportunities there.