GEORGE WASHINGTON NATIONAL FOREST
I'm putting general information about GWNF here for new people as a lot of the thread information is spread out all over the place sometimes.
To use Mapquest put in Brandywine, WV as an address. The campground is about 2-3 miles before the map marker on RT 33. It is marked. Here's the link to the Brandywine Recreational Area / Dry River District. You can click on various links on this page to check out the area and there's contact information for the ranger stations with email addresses. They may not answer right away during this time of year so give them a few days to respond.
There are clean hot showers and bathrooms close to the overflow area where we all set up camp. Please keep them clean and clean up after yourself.
FEES: Last year the charge was $2.00 per person per night. (very cheap!) This may change. The ranger said they may change the overflow lot fees but I'll update this post as we know more information. You pay at the entrance to the campgrounds. You'll see a big bulletin board just after the lake with instructions. There are payment envelopes there to fill out and a lock box to put your envelope in. Make sure to keep the part you tear off the ticket to put in your windshield while on the campground. Occasionally the host will come around to make sure everyone is paid up & has a ticket. We usually round up our money in the envelope to help out with the campground.
There is no electric for any of the sites. If you bring a generator please be considerate of fellow campers in the early morning hours. There is no water in the overflow area where we camp. There is water at a few of the campsite lots but not sure how good it is for drinking or cooking. Bathhouses have electric for hairdryers, etc. You can get water from the bathhouse but do not do dishes in the sinks. I usually bring a 2.5 gallon water container for my cooking & dishes at my campsite and bottled water for drinking.
There is a gas station/store a couple miles down the road so you can buy food, ice, batteries, lunch, just about anything. Some people bring dinner stuff & buy lunch before the trail ride. There are a couple restaurants a couple miles down also so you don't have to cook at camp if you don't want to.
We usually start the main campfire as soon as we get back when it's cold so you can cook on the campfire or bring a stove, grille, whatever you want to cook with. You can also have your own campfire if you want. There are enough picnic tables for everyone to have one. You just may have to move it to your tent area.
We have to buy firewood locally or collect our own firewood from the woods. It has been brought to my attention that bringing firewood from out of state can lead to the infestation of unwanted pests to the local flora & fauna so please do not bring firewood from home. If we have firewood delivered from a local source we will let everyone know in the main thread and will collect $5 or $10 from everyone at the campsite.
The ground is flat and free of rocks. (unless someone puts rocks under your air mattress when you are not looking)
So you can bring air mattresses or not. Have your own air supply or pump.
Some people stay in the local hotels and meet up with us in the morning to head out on the trails. The campground is located in Brandywine WV. Over the mountain is Raleigh Springs, VA and Harrisonburg VA. Do a search for hotels in that area. I think most people have had very good luck at the Jamison Hotel.
It is a good idea to have a CB to stay in contact with all other Jeeps while on trails and driving down the road. Cell phones do not work in most areas there. Occasionally when we get to the top of a mountain you can get a signal and pick up your messages. The camp host has a land line in case of emergency.
Let me know if you need any other information. Look back on other GW threads for more information and some great pics.
PS
WEATHER: