Best Camping in and near Gauley River National Recreation Area

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Meadowcroft

1 site · Lodging1 acre · Nallen, WV

Meadowcroft is a semi-primitive cabin on the bank of the beautiful Meadow River. Swim, fish, and hang out with the river otters. It's like camping, but with a roof over your head, WiFi, A/C in the summer, and a cozy wood stove in the winter. A large lawn with fire ring fronts a long section of lazy river (perfect for paddleboarding, tubing, canoeing, etc.), with worldclass whitewater beginning about a mile downstream. Premium bouldering is two miles away, Meadow sport climbing 10 min., Summersville Lake 15 min., and all other NRG-area climbing within a 25-min radius. Like Camping, But a Cabin The cabin is a lovingly souped-up Amish-built shed. Like camping, you bring your own sleeping gear and most of your cooking gear, and you pack everything out and tidy up after yourself. This is a self-cleaning cabin, which means *you clean up after yourself to prepare for the next guest* (not that it cleans itself, unfortunately). This keeps the costs down for all the guests. We provide: -WiFi (slow, but good enough for Zoom meetings and Netflix) -Ample electrical outlets -A very clean portapotty -An outdoor spigot with excellent treated river water -A two-burner propane campstove on the porch -A refrigerator and freezer -An electric kettle -Folding tables and eight folding chairs for indoor use -A/C in hot weather -Wood stove or space heaters in cold weather (your choice) -Firewood (for purchase) -Cleaning stuff The cabin and property do *not* have: -Beds/bedding (so bring your sleeping bags and pads) -Plates/utensils/cups/bowls, etc., etc. (so bring what you need to cook and serve food) -Indoor running water -Sink -Microwave -Oven -Shower -Camp chairs Learn more about this land: The level, grassy lot is perfect for boaters, fishers, and climbers. The property is on a two-mile section of lazy river that is perfect for paddle boarding, tubing, swimming, and wading. Just a mile and a half upriver from the first Meadow River technical rapids. Put in here and take your whitewater boat all the way down to the Gauley. Just 10 minute drive from the lower and upper Meadow climbing areas, 15m from Summersville Lake, and 20m to Fayetteville. The property is right on Wilderness Highway, which is a 55 mph road. It doesn’t have a lot of traffic and it’s almost completely quiet after 10 PM. There are neighbors across the road but no neighbors within view on either side of the property. All of the neighbors are very friendly. There is basically no cell service on the property. If you have Verizon, you might be able to do some texting intermittently. The closest reliable cell service is about 10 min. north on Rte 41 / Wilderness Hwy. Closest amenities are also 10 minutes north on 41. A left on Riviera Road will take you to the Dollar General and U-Save truck stop, both sources of basic necessities and beer/wine. Stay on Rte 41 for The Tractor Bar, which has a beer/wine/liquor off-license store. Behind The Tractor Bar is The Brownstone Mill General Store, which has a deli. A minute further north, at the intersection with Rte 19, are the Appalachian Coffee House (good wifi) and Craft Kings (incredible sandwiches and other fare from local ingredients). There is also a Dollar General 10 min. south, via Rte 41 S to Rte 60 E. That direction will also get you to Rte 19 S (14 min.), and the famous Midland Trail Exxon at the intersection of 19 and 60--famous among climbers for its breakfast sandwiches and baked goods. More Details Cabin Orientation • **Flood Awareness** In 120 years of record-keeping, the river has risen far enough to endanger the cabin only once. But that was 2016, and conditions are changing. A July 2022 flood came up to the second porch step. Rampant recent clearcutting means flooding happens more quickly and more often than in the past. Fortunately, it's easy to know when to take action, using this tool: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/03190000/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D. You want to be on the lookout when there is >3 in. of rain in 12 hours and/or river reaches 12 ft. The flood of July 2022 reached 17.21 feet without endangering the cabin. We estimate it would have to reach 19 ft. to get the cabin wet. That said, the water rises *fast* in these scenarios (several ft./hr.), so if it gets to 12 ft. and it's still raining with more rain forecast, you probably want to evacuate. At 15ft, Rte 41 S will probably be closed, so N is the way to go. • Lofts: The loft over the porch is for the hosts’ stuff. Please do not use that area or its contents. The other loft is for you to sleep in or store stuff. • Shelves: A section of the back shelves, clearly labeled, is for guests’ storage. Another section, clearly labeled, has some accessories you might want to use. A third section, also clearly labeled, is for the hosts’ stuff; please don’t use this area or its contents. • Refrigerator/freezer: You are welcome to use it. There’s a “hosts’” shelf in the fridge where we keep a few condiments that we ask you don’t use. And there might be some items in the freezer in a bin labeled “Hosts.’” Please don’t leave anything that wasn’t already there. • Water: There’s a pump-like spigot across the yard. It’s “city water,” pumped from the Meadow River and purified at the treatment plant just down the road. We think it’s pretty good. The tire/odd panels around the spigot are to keep it from freezing in the winter. Please try to leave them in place. • Doing Dishes: Please use backcountry camping methods to do your dishes, since there is no plumbing, we have a beautiful, river nearby, and we don’t want to attract critters. o Wipe off all dishes with a paper towel (not provided) before washing so that nearly all food waste goes in the trash (which you pack out). o Use small quantities of biodegradable soap (provided) to wash dishes in the rubber collapsible washbasins (provided). o Dump wastewater (which has no food in it) in the sunken area below the road to the right of the driveway (if you are facing the cabin from the road). This is a natural leachfield. • Stove: The propane camp stove on the porch is there for you to use. You will need to turn on the canister by turning the knob counter-clockwise until it stops. Please clean after each use: o Grease tray must be wiped clean after each use (the local critters love grease and although we love them, too, we don’t want them making the porch their own). o Skillet can be cleaned with soapy water, but should be immediately dried over the flame and treated with a thin layer of oil. o Stove must be covered when not in use. o There are two propane canisters. If the connected canister runs out, please flip the sign on it from “Full” to “Empty” and let us know in the app that it needs to be replaced. o Before you leave, turn off the gas on the canister (knob clockwise). • PortaPotty is emptied, thoroughly cleaned, and restocked with TP once a week by Triple T Septic Service in Summersville (304-880-8993). They are not on a regular schedule, so it’s possible they will not have serviced the toilet between the last guests’ departure and your arrival. For this reason, we ask that you wipe down the toilet surfaces with provided disinfecting wipes before you leave, and restock with provided TP, if necessary. • Firewood: We have well-seasoned hardwood in the wood rack on the far side of the property. Feel free to use the hatchet and splitting maul as needed. Firestarters are highly recommended: even though we have excellent wood, it’s still ridiculously difficult to start a fire most of the year in the rainforest of WV. Firewood is $0.75/piece, or $7.50/dozen, on the honor system (this typically works out to about half the price of Lowe’s or a gas station, by mass). Firestarters (on the guest shelf) are $1/piece. If there’s a supply of newspaper, feel free to use it. Please keep track of how much firewood/firestarters you use, and when you leave, send that amount through your booking app, or Venmo, etc. Retreat-Maker Box: If you really want to get away, we provide a lockbox that you can put your phone in. Obviously, you have the key, but it’s a surprisingly helpful ritual way to break free for a while. Leave the laptops locked in the car. Rules • No smoking inside the cabin. • No use of illegal drugs on the property. This includes marijuana, which is illegal in the state of WV. We have great relationships with our neighbors, and they don’t appreciate pot smoke in the area. WV cops *will* bust you, especially if you are not local. • No use of firearms on the property. • Use the provided fire pit for fires. Before You Leave: Checklist  Remove any food you brought from the refrigerator/freezer, or in the cabin.  Clean the inside and outside of the refrigerator.  Clean the counter.  Sweep and Swiffer the floor and loft floor, if you used it. Cleaning supplies located on back righthand shelves.  Pack out all trash.  Make sure all windows are closed, lights and AC/heaters turned off.  Make sure the porch stove is clean and covered, and the propane tank turned off. Clean area around stove if needed.  Sweep off porch if needed.  Check that you didn’t leave any of your own stuff on the shelves or in the loft.  Text a photo of the clean cabin to Ryan when you depart, along with any other relevant details (repairs needed, supplies depleted, etc.). 412-326-7649. Or via the booking app.  Settle up on firewood, if you used any (instructions above).  Leave doorknob unlocked and use your code to lock the smart deadbolt.

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