Horseshoe Recreation Area

Monongahela National Forest — riverside, fishing

Location: Parsons, WV, WV

Price: From $22 per night

Price range: $22–$25 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (33 reviews)

Season: May through October

Horseshoe Recreation Area is located in north-central West Virginia, 7 miles from the town of St. The campground is tucked in a valley along the Horseshoe Run River, providing excellent opportunities for fishing and wildlife viewing. Day hiking options include the 1.8-mile Losh Trail, the Dorman Ridge Trail at 1.3 miles, and Two Camp, a short 0.3 mile hike.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

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

Horseshoe Recreation Area is tucked in a valley along Horseshoe Run in the Monongahela National Forest, providing excellent fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities. Google reviewers consistently praise the well-maintained grounds and beautiful setting, with a 4.5/5 rating from 42 reviews.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Timber Rattlesnake, Bald Eagle, Canada Warbler, Veery, Gray Catbird, Northern Watersnake, and Eastern Garter Snake documented in the area.

Insider tips for Horseshoe Recreation Area: Book early — this is a federal campground with high demand. Sites 7-12 are reservable; sites 1-6 and 13-21 operate first-come, first-served. Total of 21 campsites available (not 8 as some sources indicate). Narrow and steep access roads require careful driving with larger RVs.

Skip Horseshoe Recreation Area if: You need water or sewer hookups — only electric hookups available on select sites.. You require camping outside May-October season.. You have a large RV — roads are narrow and steep..

Best time to visit Horseshoe Recreation Area: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only..

Nearby campgrounds: Stuart Recreation Area (PARSONS, WV), Tygart Lake Shelter (Grafton, WV), Seneca Shadows (Seneca Rocks, WV), Jess Judy (Cabins, WV).

Cell Phone Coverage at Horseshoe Recreation Area

Cell signal at Horseshoe Recreation Area (Parsons, 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
CamperWatch›WV›Horseshoe Recreation Area
Horseshoe Recreation Area — photo 1
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Monongahela National Forest — riverside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Horseshoe Recreation Area

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Parsons, WV, WV★ 4.6 (33 reviews)From $22/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Horseshoe Recreation Area is located in north-central West Virginia, 7 miles from the town of St. The campground is tucked in a valley along the Horseshoe Run River, providing excellent opportunities for fishing and wildlife viewing. Day hiking options include the 1.8-mile Losh Trail, the Dorman Ridge Trail at 1.3 miles, and Two Camp, a short 0.3 mile hike.

Best for:AnglersFamiliesSites: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 RV35 ft
Hookups7 electric sites
ADA sites2 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFirewood for Sale

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 water or sewer hookups — only electric hookups available on select sites.✕ You require camping outside May-October season.✕ You have a large RV — roads are narrow and steep.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand.

Sites 7-12 are reservable; sites 1-6 and 13-21 operate first-come, first-served.

Total of 21 campsites available (not 8 as some sources indicate).

Narrow and steep access roads require careful driving with larger RVs.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

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 Black Bear, Timber Rattlesnake, Bald Eagle, Canada Warbler, Veery, Gray Catbird, Northern Watersnake, and Eastern Garter Snake documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
304-478-2481· Monongahela National Forest
Getting there →

From Parsons, take State Route 72 northeast to State Route 5 to St. George. In St. George, turn south on State Route 1. Follow State Route 1 to the intersection of State Route 7. Turn left on State Route 7 and continue past the YMCA Camp Horseshoe to the Horseshoe Recreation Area entrance.

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 — Monongahela National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Monongahela National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Horseshoe Recreation Area cost per night?+
Horseshoe Recreation Area costs $22–$25 per night. Hookup options: Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What season is Horseshoe Recreation Area open?+
Horseshoe Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Horseshoe Recreation Area have hookups?+
Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What is the maximum RV length at Horseshoe Recreation Area?+
Horseshoe Recreation Area can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet.
How do I make reservations at Horseshoe Recreation Area?+
Horseshoe Recreation Area 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 Horseshoe Recreation Area?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Horseshoe Recreation Area is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Horseshoe Recreation Area open, and what are check-in times?+
Horseshoe Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service Concessionaire
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●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.

$22 /night★ 4.6 (33)
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 Horseshoe Recreation Area cost per night?+
What season is Horseshoe Recreation Area open?+
Does Horseshoe Recreation Area have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Stuart Recreation Area

PARSONS, WV

From $33/night

Tygart Lake Shelter

Grafton, WV

From $50/night

Seneca Shadows

Seneca Rocks, WV

From $17/night

Jess Judy

Cabins, WV

From $50/night

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