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Camping Maps/Directions Background
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Phase one of the building process is complete! The road is finished, and we've cleared spaces for camping. Come have a great time at our new campground!
You can now camp at the AAC New River Gorge Campground!
Camping is free for a limited time and open to all.
Basic camping is up and running with essentials like potable water, porta potties, and a friendly camp host. No reservations are necessary. Just come on down whenever you like, check in with the host, and you'll be climbing before you know it.
Once more infrastucture is built, we will begin charging for camping. AAC members will stay at a discounted rate.
Check out this sweet video with AAC members bouldering just a short walk from the campground!
But there's more coming! Our long-term hope is to add:
- Hangout / cooking area
- Bathhouse
- Office
- Online Reservations
- Electricity
- Picnic tables
- Fire Rings
- Tent platforms
- Manager's Cabin
Some of these improvements will begin as early as Spring 2013!
The Campground is located within walking distance of the Junkyard and Bridge areas on the east rim of the New River Gorge, just outside Fayetteville, West Virginia. Map
How to get there:
- From Fayetteville, head North on US-19
- Turn Left on Ames Heights Rd/Co Route 5
- Campground will be on your left
Want more detail? Check out these bigger maps.
The AAC campground at the New River Gorge resides in Fayetteville, West Virginia, on a 40-acre parcel chosen by the AAC Huts Committee in conjunction with the Access Fund and local climbers. The land is adjacent to National Park land and within walking distance of popular crags at the New River Gorge. In autumn 2010 the AAC purchased the property, which was successfully re-zone for a campground in April of 2012 by local authorities.
Car campers and walk-in campers are welcome at the new AAC campground. Structures will include a community gathering room, shower house, and a cabin to accommodate a permanent camp host. There will be no accommodation for RVs. The campground is being developed in phases and, depending on demand, at final build-out will have up to 60 campsites. We have completed phase one of the building process. The road is complete, and we've cleared brush for campsites. Primitive camping is currently available. Phase two, which will include routing electicity and construction of permanent structures, will begin in spring of 2013.
Designing a campground that is environmentally sensitive and supported by the adjacent landowners is paramount to the project's success. The design includes a spatial buffer from the Ames Heights neighborhood. Trees were removed by horse-loggers, that lumber will be used for on-site construction, and the road alignment works with the topography to minimize site disturbance. The green design of structures will be overseen by Jim Logan, AAC board member and the LEED-certified architect designing the site.
This purchase was made possible by the generosity of AAC donors along with other financing. Notably, just over one-third of the funding was a loan from the Access Fund Land Conservation Campaign. The campground is located a short walk from the Junkyard and Bridge areas on the east side of the river. In addition to the parcel's central cragging location, some bouldering exists on-site.
As with other AAC campgrounds, the property has been developed specifically with climbers in mind and will allow for extended stays at inexpensive rates. And, of course, AAC members will enjoy a great discount.
Providing lodging facilities is central to the AAC's vision of supporting the climbing way of life by improving benefits for members and other climbers, said AAC Executive Director Phil Powers: "We are building on the tradition that started with the Grand Teton Climbers' Ranch. Lodging options within walking distance from great climbing supports the climbing lifestyle we all enjoy. We hope to create a facility that meets climbers' needs and adds opportunities for climbers to gather and share their stories."
Support the AAC and great projects like the New River Campground—Join the AAC Today!
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Your membership supports land acquisitions like these, as well as a whole host of other great things.
Only AAC Members get $10,000 in Global Rescue Insurance and Services, Exclusive Deals on Insurance, guidebooks mailed to you—free—from the extensive AAC Library, and the rest of the great AAC Member Benefits.
Contact The AAC for more information.
