Gerald Freeman Campground

Sutton Lake — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: SUTTON, WV, WV

Price: From $28 per night

Price range: $28–$46 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (266 reviews)

Season: May through October

Gerald Freeman Camp is nestled in the headwaters of Sutton Lake in central West Virginia, 70 miles north of Charleston. The area provides a wide variety of recreational activities, including boating, swimming, fishing and hiking.Sutton Lake covers 1440 acres as it winds 14 miles up the Elk River. Many quiet coves can be found along its 40 miles of shoreline.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Showers, Dump Station, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/gerald-freeman-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Gerald Freeman Campground offers affordable waterfront camping ($28/night) nestled in the headwaters of Sutton Lake with excellent fishing opportunities for bass, crappie, catfish, and sunfish. Google reviewers praise it as a nice, affordable spot with beautiful waterfront sites and full electric hookups on select sites.

Wildlife alert: American Mink, White-tailed Deer, American Woodcock, Mallard, Eastern Box Turtle, and Common Box Turtle confirmed in the area.

Insider tips for Gerald Freeman Campground: Book early — this is a popular federal campground with limited availability. Request waterfront sites with electric hookups when booking; these are available on select sites only. Bring a powerful cell booster — Google reviews confirm minimal to no cell service at this location. From I-79 exit 67, GPS directions may be inaccurate; use official directions via WV-4 and WV-15.

Skip Gerald Freeman Campground if: You need cell phone service — multiple reviewers report no bars even with signal boosters.. You require privacy — campsites are noted as too close together.. You need hookups at most sites — full hookups are only available on select sites; plan accordingly..

Best time to visit Gerald Freeman Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only per verified schedule..

Nearby campgrounds: Bakers Run Campground (Sutton, WV), Bee Run Campground (Sutton, WV), Sutton Lake Picnic Shelters (SUTTON, WV), Bulltown Camp (BURNSVILLE, WV).

Cell Phone Coverage at Gerald Freeman Campground

Cell signal at Gerald Freeman Campground (SUTTON, WV): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch›WV›Gerald Freeman Campground
Gerald Freeman Campground — photo 1
Sutton Lake — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Gerald Freeman Campground

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SUTTON, WV, WV★ 4.2 (266 reviews)From $28/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Gerald Freeman Camp is nestled in the headwaters of Sutton Lake in central West Virginia, 70 miles north of Charleston. The area provides a wide variety of recreational activities, including boating, swimming, fishing and hiking.Sutton Lake covers 1440 acres as it winds 14 miles up the Elk River. Many quiet coves can be found along its 40 miles of shoreline.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV75 ft
Hookups111 electric sites
ADA sites6 sites
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowersFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesDump StationBoat Launch
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsElectric Hookups

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need cell phone service — multiple reviewers report no bars even with signal boosters.✕ You require privacy — campsites are noted as too close together.✕ You need hookups at most sites — full hookups are only available on select sites; plan accordingly.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with limited availability.

Request waterfront sites with electric hookups when booking; these are available on select sites only.

Bring a powerful cell booster

Google reviews confirm minimal to no cell service at this location.

From I-79 exit 67, GPS directions may be inaccurate; use official directions via WV-4 and WV-15.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months only per verified schedule.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Mink, White-tailed Deer, American Woodcock, Mallard, Eastern Box Turtle, and Common Box Turtle confirmed in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
Getting there →

From I-79, take exit 67. Turn right on WV-4 and go 1 mile. Turn left on WV-15 and travel 12 miles to the campground. Campground will be on your right. NOTE: GPS directions are not always accurate. Call for additional information.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Sutton Lake fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Sutton Lake before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Gerald Freeman Campground cost per night?+
Gerald Freeman Campground costs $28–$46 per night. Hookup options: Full hookups available on select sites
What season is Gerald Freeman Campground open?+
Gerald Freeman Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Gerald Freeman Campground have hookups?+
Full hookups available on select sites
What is the maximum RV length at Gerald Freeman Campground?+
Gerald Freeman Campground can accommodate RVs up to 69 feet.
How do I make reservations at Gerald Freeman Campground?+
Gerald Freeman Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Gerald Freeman Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Gerald Freeman Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Gerald Freeman Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Gerald Freeman Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$28 /night★ 4.2 (266)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Gerald Freeman Campground cost per night?+
What season is Gerald Freeman Campground open?+
Does Gerald Freeman Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

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