Babcock State Park

History

In the 1930s, two CCC camps located in Clifftop, Camp Beaver and Camp Lee became the site of what is now known as Babcock State Park. The original camp buildings are gone today, but Babcock’s Campground is located at the former site of Camp Lee. All plans for the administration building, cabins, and other work were drawn up by park staff at the park and approved by the Department of the Interior.  The camps at Babcock, Watoga, Cacapon, Lost River, and Oglebay were operated by the Civilian Commission of West Virginia in cooperation with the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior.  Other help included a skilled stonemason foreman who supervised the park’s stone quarry and work on the administration building.

The Glade Creek Grist Mill at Babcock is a new mill that was completed in 1976.  Fully operable, this mill was built as a re-creation of a previous one that once ground grain on Glade Creek long before Babcock became a state park.  Known as Cooper’s Mill, it stood on the present location of the park’s administration building parking lot. Of special interest, the mill was created by combining parts and pieces from three mills which once dotted the state.  The basic structure of the mill came from the Stoney Creek Grist Mill which dates back to 1890.  After an accidental fire destroyed the Spring Run Grist Mill near Petersburg, Grant County, only the overshot water wheel could be salvaged.  Other parts for the mill came from the Onego Grist Mill near Seneca Rocks in Pendleton County. A living monument to the over 500 mills which thrived in West Virginia at the turn of the century, the Glade Creek Grist Mill provides freshly ground cornmeal, which park guests may purchase depending on availability and stream conditions. Visitors to the mill may journey back to a time when grinding grain by a rushing stream was a way of life, and the groaning mill wheel was music to the miller’s ear.

Accommodations

Cabins

Babcock State Park has 13 legacy cabins along Glade Creek, five legacy frame cabins, eight economy cabins and two handicap-accessible vacation cabins. Each legacy cabin has a wood-burning fireplace, fully equipped kitchen and bath with shower. The economy cabins have a combination living/dining/bedroom with built-in double bunks or single-size bunks, small bath with shower, and a screened-in porch. The accessible vacation cabins have heating and air conditioning, a gas fireplace and HDTV. Specific cabins are designated as pet-friendly. All cabins have wi-fi, modern appliances and are stocked with cooking utensils, dishes, flatware, bed linens and bath towels. Cabins are open from the third Friday in April until the fourth Monday in October. So, book your reservations now!

Camping

Babcock State Park’s 52-unit campground has 24 non-electric sites and 28 sites with electric hookups, four of which are accessible. The campground accommodates tents or trailers, and has a central bathhouse with coin-operated laundry machines, two water fill-up stations and two sewage dump facilities. Firewood and ice are available for purchase. Wireless Internet is available, and cell phone service is available from most major cell phone companies.

The campground is open from the third Friday in April until the fourth Monday in October, weather permitting. Campsites may be reserved between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. Reservations may be made for no less than two consecutive nights on weekends (Friday and Saturday) or one night Sunday through Thursday. There is a 14-night maximum stay. An application for mail-in reservations is available here.

Trails

Nearby Attractions

Adventures on the Gorge

This popular New River Gorge resort has been a family favorite since 1972. Whitewater rafting, zip lining, and guided hiking are just some of the recreational trips you can try.

Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park

The park, set on the rim of the Gauley River Canyon, was the setting for the 1861 Civil War battle during which Confederate troops were driven out of the Kanawha Valley. The park features the Patterson House Museum and three overlooks of the Gauley River.  The Battle of Carnifex Ferry is re-enacted here on odd-numbered years so be sure not to miss out.

Hawks Nest State Park 

This 276-acre park with a lodge and restaurant is known for its scenic overlooks of the New River Gorge and exciting transportation. Visitors can ride the aerial tramway to the bottom of the gorge and ride a jetboat to the base of the New River Gorge Bridge. How’s that for beating traffic?

Summersville Lake

Plunge into the clearest water east of the Mississippi. Known as the “Little Bahamas of the East,” this exotic lake is a popular spot for boating, swimming, scuba diving, and stand-up paddle boarding. It’s also West Virginia’s largest lake, with 60 miles of shoreline.