Traveling Through NC WV KY

[Lisa G]

We are making our way back to Minnesota in May. We will be leaving from Myrtle Beach and would like to spend a few days at New River Gorge NP, and then a few days near Lexington KY.

Per another travel forum, the recommendation is to go up through WV (I77 to I64) rather than cutting across from Asheville to Knoxville. I have driven that route in a car and have no intention of repeating it in my 41' Montana.

My concern is that I'm not finding any information about this area from my regular travel sources, and I'm beginning to wonder if it's because this just isn't a good place to travel with a large rig.

Any thoughts/suggestions/warnings? Or alternate route suggestions?

Much appreciated!

[RMcNeal]

I travel I77 through WV about 4-6 times per year. We have property in the Princeton/Beckley area near the New River Gorge NP.
Not sure what your concern is, but there should be no problems travelling this route with your Montana. The higher elevations and 7-9% grades are much further north than what you will see in this area.

[Lisa G]

Hi Robert, this is very helpful! Our concerns are primarily road size (too narrow), long-term construction, and grade. This will be our first trip through the mountains as we traveled south from MN right down I35. We have the exact same model as you, but a 2022! The area looks so beautiful, I just hope we can find accommodations. Not many RV parks there. Thank you!

[RMcNeal]

No problem.
Camp Creek state park is one of our favorite places to stay. It's beautiful and very close to our property on the ridge above it. On the east side of I77 there is Brush Creek Falls just north of Princeton. It is a tight campground and more like a KOA type atmosphere, but it is a decent place to stop for the night. Further north about 20-30 miles, you've got Little Beaver campground around the Ghent area that is similar to Camp Creek. I've never stayed at the new national park, but I hope some time in the near future we will. Our rig is going back to Elkhart for sidewall crack repairs next week, so we won't have it for about 2-3 months.
There are tons of state parks in WV, some better than others but IMHO that is one of the most beautiful areas of the country.
https://wvstateparks.com/?gclid=Cj0K...8aAoY3EALw_wcB

[mlh]

That is a pretty area. Pipe stem is my favorite WV state park.
Lynwood

[RMcNeal]

Been to pipestem several times, but I've never camped there. They have a year or more waiting list, so I've never been able to stay there.

[Bourbon County]

If you think the section of I-40 between Asheville and Knoxville is bad; try the section between Asheville and Hickory! I've never pulled my rig across there but driven in car numerous times. Anytime you see the emergency run off ramp sand traps every half mile or so tells you it's steep.

I'm not that familiar with I-77, but the stretch of I-64 between Charleston and Lexington isn't bad at all. As far as ongoing road construction, most states have pretty accurate information on their DOT websites.

Have you chosen a campground in the Lexington area yet? I live in the area and can tell you there are a couple that have a grossly overrated internet rating. One of the highest rated parks on Good Sam Club is accessed by a very narrow 2 lane road with no shoulders and big drop offs. This road is also the access to the county landfill and there are large trucks traveling there pretty constantly. Let me know if I can help.

[Lisa G]

Bourbon Country, now I'm concerned that I'm considering a bad campground! Cummins Ferry was at the top of my list. What do you suggest in the area? We will be there for 3 or 4 nights. I'm not having any luck near New River Gorge so we may have to change our route after all, but would still like to stay in Kentucky.

[KirkFess]

We live near Statesville, NC. We tow our High Country 343RL on both I40 and I77 when we head west.
I40 has a steep grade at black mountain in NC. It also has a curvy 55mph zone where it goes through the gorge into TN. After being trapped in the gorge section due to construction, we tried out the I77 route.

I77 has several steep sections, you pass through tunnels, and there are four (I think) toll gates . However, we prefer the I77 route over the I40. Seems to be less traffic, the inclines are more gradual, the road is wider. When i77 and I64 meet, consider taking 35 to Dayton and I70. 35 is a good road, mostly 2 lane, but traffic flows well. This is the route we take when heading to Wyoming or Montana. It’s not perfect, but it has worked out better for us than i40.

[Bourbon County]

Originally Posted by Lisa G

Bourbon Country, now I'm concerned that I'm considering a bad campground! Cummins Ferry was at the top of my list. What do you suggest in the area? We will be there for 3 or 4 nights. I'm not having any luck near New River Gorge so we may have to change our route after all, but would still like to stay in Kentucky.

I was actually referring to Whispering Hills in Georgetown. It has a 4.5 rating on Good Sam with 3 ratings; I'm guessing 3 people must own this park!

There are a few options near the Gorge; 4 Guys RV Park in Stanton, KY, Callies Lake and Campground, and Natural Bridge St Park. The State Park has a 40' limit, but doubt they even have a tape measure. This is a very rugged and beautiful area; there are several cabin rentals and primitive campgrounds. Stanton is big enough to get a few groceries if needed, maybe a couple of restaurants, and fuel; not a tourist town at all.

I believe the Cummins Ferry park is fairly new. I've driven that road but never seen the park. It's in a pristine location in the bend of the KY River. That road is somewhat narrow.

One recommendation to look at is Kentucky Horse Park, it's actually part of the State Park system and has a large (260 site) campground that's very popular. They only have power and water, no sewer or cable if that's a deal breaker. This is actually closer to the I64 corridor than Cummins Ferry. I-64 crosses I-75 in Lexington at mile marker 112, take I-75 north 8 miles and get off exit 120, it's <1 mile to the park from there. If you are possibly interested, look at a park map and the outer loop on the right with sites A07-A041 is my favorite area. They use Reserve America for booking.