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Camp Creek State Park

Located in Mercer County, Camp Creek State Park entered the West Virginia state park system in 1987. Named for the creek that meanders through it and the contiguous Camp Creek State Forest, the park’s 500-plus acres offer a waterfall, campgrounds both rustic and developed, and hiking trails. The name of Mash Fork, one of the park’s streams, suggests a moonshining past not uncommon in the region.

A handicap-accessible trail with a railed boardwalk and benches winds through the forest to a stream. Another path, Farley Branch Trail, leads up a mountain from a series of ledges that look like stone steps. The stocked streams provide good fishing. The park also offers volleyball, badminton, and basketball courts. There are swings, a softball field, and shuffleboard.

A rugged, splashing waterfall on Mash Fork, surrounded by shady, moss-covered rocks, is a favorite spot for visitors in all seasons, though it diminishes to a trickle during summer droughts. White and pink rhododendron are a showy attraction in the hot months. The park, with its fine picnic facilities, is popular for family reunions, class picnics, and church get-togethers. Unlike most West Virginia state parks, Camp Creek is located quite close to an interstate highway (I-77, the West Virginia Turnpike), making the park easily accessible to travelers passing through the state.

Written by Maureen F. Crockett