north bend state park

I have always had a hankering to stay in a log cabin, albeit a deluxe one, tucked away in a white pine forest. Our cabin, situated away from the North bend Lodge, overlooked the river valley but within the confines of the park. Not far away, a scenic trail, overhung by large sycamores and hemlocks, skirts the rim of the escarpment , sometimes descending into and climbing out of the miniature valleys that score the sides of the bluff, and run down to the river's edge. Just the ticket after grazing on a large fry-up for breakfast. While getting our first glimpse of the white-tailed deer, who by the way show no discomfort at our approach, we noticed a trail for the handicapped, that provides signage in print and in braille, and also outdoor games and equipment for the blind. Simply amazing. later, we indulged in the use of the swimming pool and took the complementary bikes for a spin.

It is on our bucket list to stay at or visit all of the WV State Parks. We have also been wanting to visit Blennerhassett Island in Parkersburg, WV. When we discovered that North Bend had a package deal we took advantage of it.It included one nights lodging at North Bend Lodge, tickets for two to visit Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park which included the Sternwheeler ride to and from The Island (two passes), two tickets for wagon ride tour of the island, two tickets for Blennerhassett Mansion tour, and two passes for Blennerhassett Regional History Museum. The lodge was rustic and quaint. Our room was on the second floor. It was quiet and comfortable. The breakfast we had in the lodge's restaurant was delicious and the prices were very reasonable. All of the staff we encountered were very friendly. I would certainly recommend going to North Bend State Park's website and looking up a package deal. It was worth it!

I guess the first time I came here with the wife was over 30 years ago. She grew up nearby, and her people are from Cairo, WV. Not much has changed for the better; with the exception of the Rails to Trails project, and a new river dam nearby, not much has changed at all. For the family reunion this year they reserved a meeting room at the State Park Lodge for a catered hot lunch, and lots of family members who live far away stayed the weekend at the Lodge or in the rented cabins. Please see my separate review on Tripadvisor for the North Bend State Park Lodge. Near the entrance to the bike trails there is a pavilion that we rented for the large outdoor meeting and auction. There is a swimming pool on top of a steep hill that some of the kids enjoyed but I didn't go. For me the trail was the better choice. On a fantastic weekend early morning I encountered maybe four other hikers on the trail, on my hike of two hours. I did not bring my bicycle with me, and anyway I just wanted to go out by myself and enjoy the scenery, as well as the old tunnels. You always absorb a lot more of the ambience on foot because on a bicycle you are constantly looking out for trouble spots. Also, my bike has the wrong type of tires for use on this trail. Also, I wanted to take a lot of snapshots. The trail I would rate as 'Easy' for hiking but could be 'Rough' on a bicycle. It is mostly level because it used to be a railroad line. The line has tunnels everywhere. In an hour and a half I encountered 2 tunnels, one of them spooky and damp, but the real long and haunted tunnel is some distance to the west. I didn't get to that one yet. There are some places to sit and rest along the way, but I always bring my own water in my nap sack, so I don't know if there is any drinking water anywhere out there. I know I didn't see any rest rooms along the trails, at least where I was.I think with the new additions this park will continue to gain in popularity, at least I hope so. And then maybe the State of West Virginia will spend a little money upgrading the facilities inside the State Park. It is a fantastic resource for people who enjoy the outdoors, with lots of free stuff to do.

We came here for a weekend with grandparents and teenagers. We stayed at the River Run campground-- set up near the creek with 36' RV and tent-- plenty of room and super nice couple as camp hosts to check us in-- nice clean bathrooms. Beautiful campground with lots of mature trees. Just easy mile to rails to trails bike path. We will definitely be back.

Cleanest, nicest shower/rest rooms of any campground facilities we've used. Stars very bright over campfire. Quiet at night except for plaintive howl of coyotes. Barb & Dave very friendly & accommodating hosts. Woman on phone info line excellent. Gave perfect guidance and directions.

The park has miles and miles of hiking with lots of wildlife. Often times you will be the only one hiking there allowing you time to sit, reflect and enjoy the peace and quiet. There are many picnic tables and shelters for picnics. They have also spent some money setting up really nice new playgrounds with slides for kids. If you're into bicycling explore their Rail Trails which offers many miles of bicycle trails passing through scenic rail tunnels. For me I enjoyed the peaceful trails and watching the deer come out of the forest and night began to fall.

My family and I recently stayed in a cabin in North Bend State Park. The cabin was a little dark but everything about our stay was absolutely wonderful. We hiked. We went to the Nature Center for some wonderful activities. This is a place we will definitely have to go back to again

Overall, it seems like a property that was abandoned in the '80's and just reopened last week. With newly paved roads and modern playground equipment, the park may be in the beginning of some much needed updating...the lodge still has pay phones. There were a variety of strange smells throughout the hallways. Many of the lights outside of the lodge did not work. The trail I visited was nearly unusable. The rail trail, however, was a GREAT biking experience. The pool was also very large and enjoyable, although there were strangely no chairs to sit on. Picnic areas looked inviting. Staff was very nice and helpful. I suggest visiting the nearby Chinese restaurant Peking.

Came here to ride the bike trail. Excellent condition. Fun going through tunnels and riding along the river. Highlight of the ride was stoping in the town of Cairo. Very friendly people. Most business are closed so the ones that are open need our patronage. There are 2 restaurants. We went to Shemps - great ice cream and food. Also, there is a general store where you can buy soft drinks, beer, snacks and many other items. We stocked up on items there. I wish I had read about the B&B there. While the lodge at No. bend was fine, staying at the B&B in Cairo would have been an interesting experience. It has excellent reviews.

North Bend is a great park. Though we did not utilize the rail/trail on this visit, I do highly recommend it. My sister and I went for the kayaking workshop. The workshop was conducted by a local outfitter located in nearby Parkersburg. Kim Coram, one of the owners of Lapping the Couch was the instructor. The workshop was good for beginners. We spent about two hours out on the lake. The lake was developed as part of a dam project. There are many standing trees out in the water, which actually makes the outing more fun, as you have plenty of practice maneuvering the kayak. There is a variety of wildlife and it is an especially good opportunity to spot birds. We saw a deer (low excitement rating), and a beaver dam and beaver. We definitely plan on going back. The workshop was very reasonably priced at $30. The fee includes a certificate for a free two-hour boat rental for future use. Lovely way to spend some time at the park. There was some confusion about the start time--the kayaking seems to be offered on "adventure" weekends that also include mountain biking instruction. We were on the lake from roughly 6-8 pm, which is a great time, with cooler temps and better wildlife viewing. The boating is in the Cokeley Recreation area of the park. There are only port-a-johns in this area, though it is possible to sneak into the incredibly nice bathroom that is nearby at the RV camping area (not that we would sneak).

Another stop for our VIPP tour as a required park. The lake area and public access was easily found and reached by our car. Renting boats and fishing is an option and very affordable. The lodge is not too far from the front entrance, which is nice considering that a lot of state parks send you a few miles down the road before seeing the main lodge. The inside of the lodge is dated, but well kept and decorated - it's almost gives you the feel of a woodsy-summer cabin. The restaurant filled the desk area with a heavenly bread-baking scent. Decided to drive around and see the grounds. The cabins seem pretty close together, but spacious for large groups. The pitch-tent areas were well split and laid out. Duck ponds and wash rooms close by. When passing the pool, it appeared that you must climb a set of tall stairs to reach the swimming area. I assume they have ADA/wheelchair access, as do most state parks. We looped up around the amphitheater, playground, shelter, and nature center. Quaint little area to explore and enjoy. We did not get to hike the many trails available, but all appeared well marked. In summary: it you love the outdoors, this is the place to go. Very accommodating to the woodsy-style person. Lots of space and grounds to cover.

My wife and I take our three kids here every year for a weekly vacation in North Bend cabins. Its about and hour and 15 min. drive for us to have a nice relaxing week in the woods. Ive been coming here for about 15 years off and on myself. There is plenty to do for everyone. The pool, hiking trails, nature center, newer playgrounds, fishing, five and dime store in Harrisville are great family activities. The only negative is the cabins are a little out dated but have a lot of space for a big family.

The rail trail is great bring the family and the bikes and ride from North Bend to the Dairy Queen.Nice hiking trails.Camp site 10 is the biggest siteNice cabins..

North Bend is a very nice place to go camping. They also have a lodge, but I have never stayed there. If you ride bikes this is the place to come!! Park has access to rails n trails that u can ride forever. They also have a new playground, a nature center and bball courts!! Nice campground and lake for fishing.

We have stayed at several West Virginia State Parks and have always been pleased with the accommodations and enjoyed our experience. North Bend State Park offers beautiful grounds. We didn't stay in the lodge, but rented a cabin for two nights. The cabin, a two bedroom, was very large and roomy and included heat and air conditioning. Most everything that was needed was supplied. The pots and pans in the kitchen were very good, with a newer refrigerator and electric stove and microwave. The dishes, silverware, countertops and table top appeared to be clean. However we weren't sure of the cleanliness of the floors. After using the shower, some water got on the floor and after wiping up the water, the paper towel became just a little too gray-brown to be considered clean. Also, we realize that spiders can spin webs overnight and even during the day. However, when there are multiple webs gathered around the inside of the drapes and on the lighting fixture above the kitchen table, one suspects that a deep cleaning hasn't happened for a while. The two bedrooms were also roomy, one with a double bed and the other twins. The sheets were clean, the bedspread questionable. -There were also two roll aways inside large closets.- The cabin, like most cabins, was dark inside, even with many light fixtures. There was a flat screen TV with many channels available. We did eat at the park's lodge. The food was good; however, a few too many flies (alive and dead) were near the tables next to the windows. The staff were pleasant. The state park was nice enough, but because of the lack of cleanliness, we aren't sure if we would want to return or even recommend this park to others.