Buffalo Gap Island large group camp

Buffalo Gap Retreat is a beautiful mountain escape just 35 minutes west of Winchester, VA near the beautiful town of Capon Bridge, WV. This particular large private group campsite is ideal for up to 14 people and 5 tents. It is surrounded by a wrap around creek and 2 bridges, secluded with lots of trees, yet still close to all of the beautiful amenities of Buffalo Gap.
Buffalo Gap Retreat is a beautiful mountain escape just 35 minutes west of Winchester, VA near the beautiful town of Capon Bridge, WV. This particular large private group campsite is ideal for up to 14 people and 5 tents. It is surrounded by a wrap around creek and 2 bridges, secluded with lots of trees, yet still close to all of the beautiful amenities of Buffalo Gap.
The "Island" large private group campsite
--> This private group campsite can accommodate up to 5 tents and 14 people. Larger groups may rent any of the sites adjacent to the Island for increased capacity (Creeksite Sites: 21, 22, 23, or 24).
--> The site is located in a heavily treed area surrounded by a wrap around creek and two bridges
--> You will see signage for Reserved Island Campsite.
--> You can park in the Creekside campground area overflow (big) parking lot and be really close to the island campsite.
--> The site has a grill (bring your own charcoal and lighter fluid), two picnic tables and a large central bon-fire pit and 3 additional fire pits.
--> Pet Fee of 20$ for up to two dogs, must be paid at the Office Cottage upon arrival. Well-behaved dogs only, please.
Overview
Buffalo Gap Retreat is a beautiful mountain escape just 35 minutes west of Winchester, VA near the beautiful town of Capon Bridge, WV. We have 30+ campsites, many with picnic tables and all with stone fire pits for you to choose from. Our list of amenities at Buffalo Gap Retreat and Things Nearby make a days stay or a weeks stay exciting and fun.
We have a lower main campground area with 16 sites each with stone fire pits and an upper, hillside and lakeview camping area with 14 sites, each with stone fire pits. Many sites have picnic tables and access to common area grills can be found near our dining hall and beach house. All of our sites are well spaced for covid spacing.
With many on-site and things nearby to do including kayaking & canoeing (provided), hiking, a wood fired sauna, beach, lake, volleyball, an interpretive trail (see website), horseshoes, ladders and corn hole, creeks, bon-fires, fire pits, charcoal grills and more, Buffalo Gap makes for a great mountain escape.
Our property includes a 3200 square foot lake view dining hall with full service cafe / restaurant planned (temporarily closed due to covid-19) as well as a huge stage with occasional performances, concerts and even Open Mic many Friday or Saturdays.
Further we have a 3800 square foot covered log-hewn pavilion with games and shelter from weather as well access to a 10,000 square foot gym with 8 basketball nets and two full court.
General Camping at Buffalo Gap Retreat (Capon Bridge, WV) -- lower Creekside campground and upper lakeview campground
--> Parking for the lower Creekside camp area is past the main entrance to the retreat property and has signage to guide you.
--> Parking for the upper lakeview campground area is through the main camp entrance and to the side of / behind the large blue dining hall building on your left as you enter the property with additional parking in the large overflow lot on your right as you approach the blue dining hall building.
--> No cars at campsites -- it is a short walk from parking to unload -- thanks.
--> Some sites have picnic tables , all have stone firepits.
→ Firewood is available for purchase at the Office Cottage (self serve / honor system) . Wheelbarrows are available or bring your vehicle to transport back to your site.
--> The beach house (at the lake) has a microwave oven, toaster, outlets to charge phones, darts, a plasma TV and DVD's and a coffee pot and k-cup pot -- bring your own coffee and sugar and creamer and a gallon of your own water.
--> The dining hall mini-pavilion has a charcoal grill (bring your own charcoal) and a huge grill pit building next to it that can cook 200 hamburgers simultaneously by firewood or charcoal.
-->Brick and mortar bathrooms and hot showers are located to the left of the dining hall as well as nearby the gymnasium, closer to the Creekside campsites.
-->We have wi-fi at the Lakeview Dining Hall for all to use. Wi-fi network and passcode are posted on the wall to the left when you walk in.
-->Quiet Hours are from 10pm to 8am -- please respect your neighbors.
→ No amplified music or stereos please or car stereos.
→ All dogs must be on leash and under owners control at all times.
→ The Sauna is available to book for a fee at the Office Cottage.
→ You may also wish to bring camping chairs and marshmallow/hot dog skewers…. Additional fold-up tables are always useful too.
→ Our on-site caretaker and property manager is located at the office located in the red building near the upper pond -- labeled "Office". Knock hard / ring the bell if you need something or call/text. → please pack out your trash - red dumpster near the open-air Pavilion not far from dining hall, and second dumpster (coming very soon) to the campground area near the port-a-potty.
→ We have corn-hole and ladders games on the covered pavilion, darts, foosball and ping pong in the dining hall, and a big plasma TV and DVD and movies in the beach house for all to use - as well as kayaks and canoes at the lake.
→ Bring additional floatation devices if you like your own inner-tubes or rafts!
→ p.s. Do a search for Buffalo Gap Retreat in Capon Bridge, WV to read much more about us -- go to Camping --> More Info.
- Check in: After 2PM
- Check out: Before 11AM
- Cancellation policy: Moderate
- On arrival: Go straight to camp
- Minimum nights: 1 night
- Accepts bookings: 6 months out Weeknight discount: 5% off
Activities
Offered on the Host's property or nearby.
Biking
A great nearby road to bike along is River Rd. -- off Rt. 50 at the Green Truss bridge in Capon Bridge -- about 9 miles one way...Read more
Boating
We have a small 2 acre lake with sandy beach
Fishing
Catch and release in our 2 acre lake on site or at the cacapon river -- accessible from the Riverhouse cafe in town or from pri...Read more
Paddling
We have canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats at buffalo gap on our 2 acre lake -- bring your own kayak or canoe or tubes and launch...Read more
Climbing
Nearby things to do
Swimming
Yes, in our 2 acre lake with sandy beach.
Whitewater paddling
Nearby on the Cacapon River -- about 1 mile on private property for $5 per vehicle per day - neighbor Curtis Sine's property of...Read more
Wildlife watching
On our Wild Berry hiking trails on-site -- in the late spring, tons of wild raspberries (wine berries) and blackberries.
Terrain
Natural features you'll find at Buffalo Gap Island large group camp in West Virginia.
Beach
We have a white sand beach and volleyball court on the beach front area of the 2 acre lake on-site.
Forest
We have a couple of marked hiking trails on our property -- Wild Berry Hiking Trails on-site.
Lake
We have a 2 acre lake on site with sandy beach and a wood fired sauna with floating dock at the far end of the lake.
Mountainous
Buffalo gap is located in the gap (valley) between 2 mountains - Sandy Ridge and Slane's Knob -- beautiful mountain scenery and...Read more
River, stream, or creek
Buffalo Gap has an abundance of creeks and streams on-site -- due to our location in a gap between 2 big mountains (valley) -- ...Read more
Swimming hole
We have a 2 acre lake on-site and nearby river access along the cacapon river.
Wetlands
At the far end of Buffalo Gap property, past the 10,000 square foot gym are wetlands that form fast moving creeks and streams f...Read more
Places to see near Buffalo Gap Retreat and Camp
12 Reviews
Our family loves Buffalo Gap, we loved our first visit so much we went back 2 weeks later. Great place for the whole family.
Lovely boutique campground. A winding stream through the campsites gave it a magical feel. We enjoyed the golden rod, asters and stunning autumn canopy. Facilites were well maintained and the host was friendly.
We stayed on the “island” family campsite which was spacious and had lots of shade. The communal spaces they have available were all fantastic and well maintained. The bathrooms and showers were definitely a cut above other campgrounds I’ve been at – clean and free! I definitely would return and recommend this place for groups of friends or families, seemed really welcoming to both.



Great tent site. Clean bathrooms nearby and fun man made lake.
The lake was great. The staff were friendly & the atmosphere was laid back. The showers were hot. "The island" was private & we really enjoyed our stay.
We booked “The island” which is a family camping for up to 6 tents and 20 people. The site was great as it’s really shaded no one walks through your area. There was a minor situation if someone else on our prebooked site but it was swiftly sorted out.
If you book the island you should know the back half of the site is extremely bumpy and you can’t put a tent there at all, so one of our group had to pitch just outside the island but that was fine. We had 2 very big tents and 2 medium tents in total. It’s a great shady spot though!
There are two portable potties at creek side camping but pretty gross. The walk to the main toilet and showers is pretty far and up at the lakeside camp area, and there were only two toilets (one of which was overflowing for a day). The showers were basic and not that clean. Honestly the toilets and showers are really the only thing letting this place down. The campsite itself is fabulous. The lake And little beach is great and the kids had the best time there. So peaceful. I think if they invested in a decent toilet/shower block for creek side and an improvement for lakeside it would be perfect. Our friends rented a cabin which was rustic but good and their facilities were great. I’d go back but probably rent a cabin if they don’t improve bathrooms.
Great spring fed cool swimming hole! Special fireworks show at the boat house that made it extra fun. Overall not bad. Might have been because it was the night after the 4th, but it stayed loud until 4 am, campsite was full of bottle caps and cigarette butts, the street lamps from up the hill stayed on and on us all night, a class at the pavilion was going on when we arrived that was quite loud, and there was more trash at drop spots then the staff was keeping up with. Social distancing was observed and felt very comfortable in that regard.
This place was great. We loved the location, relaxed atmosphere, and hiking/lake available on site.
Awards
- Property
- Buffalo Gap Retreat and Camp
- State
- West Virginia
- Country
- United States
- $120/night
- 1 Site