Kanawha State Forest
- Status
- Status not postedDaily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Statewide rule — see below
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- wvstateparks.com304-558-3500
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
In Kanawha County County, about 5 miles south of Charleston, Kanawha State Forest covers about 9,364 acres.
Visitors come for historic sites, hunting in season, biking, fishing, and geocaching. The official site lists about 60 miles of trails. Overnight options include campsites, with tent sites.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. | — |
Official wording
10 A.M. to 6 P.M.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/New York).
Pets
'Dogs and cats are the only pets permitted in state parks and forests. Pets must be leashed and restrained.' Select cabins are pet-friendly, varying by park.
Statewide rule from West Virginia's park system (source). This park’s page doesn’t state its own pet rules, so check for local restrictions.
Fees and passes
Fees apply to lodging, camping, pools and activities.
Statewide fee rule from West Virginia's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- WV State Parks reservations (Inntopia-based, reservations.wvstateparks.com)
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Camping
Kanawha State Forest’s campground is open April through December. It includes 46 sites, 25 of which have electricity and water hookups. Each campsite has a fireplace and picnic table. The campground has two bathhouses and a coin-operated laundry. RVs or trailer/truck units longer than 26 feet are not recommended.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
BikingCampingFishingGeocachingHikingHuntingHistoric sites and tours
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Store Trail | 0.25 mi | Moderate | This short trails starts near the first bathhouse in the campground and ends on Pine Ridge Trail. Non-campers can park at the campground entrance and hike to this trail. Distance: 0.25 miles Difficulty: Moderate |
| Alligator Rock Trail | 0.5 mi | Moderate to difficult | This steep trail begins on Shrewsbury Hollow Road above the pool and ends on Middle Ridge Road. Distance: 0.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate to difficult |
| Beech Glen Trail | 1.5 mi | Moderate | This trail starts in Polly Hollow and ascends to Wildcat Ridge Trail. Distance: 1.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate |
| CCC Snipe Trail | 0.75 mi | Easy | This interpretive trail starts at the group camp area behind the pool and ends at Shrewsbury Hollow Road and Mossy Rock Trail. Distance: 0.75 miles Difficulty: Easy |
| Hemlock Falls Trail | 0.75 mi | Moderate | This trail follows an old gas well road out of Polly Hollow and turns west to the Boundary Ridge Road. Distance: 0.75 miles Difficulty: Moderate |
| Johnson Hollow Trail | 0.75 mi | Easy to moderate | This trail starts behind Shelter #7 and ends at Middle Ridge Road. Distance: 0.75 miles Difficulty: Easy to moderate |
| Lindy Trail | 0.5 mi | Moderate to difficult | This steep trail ascends from the shooting range road up to Middle Ridge Road near the top of Alligator Rock Trail. Distance: 0.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate to difficult |
| Logtown Trail | 0.75 mi | Easy to moderate | This trail begins behind Shelter #3 and ends on Middle Ridge Road. Distance: 0.75 miles Difficulty: Easy to moderate |
| Overlook Rock Trail | 1.5 mi | Moderate to difficult | Overlook is a steep trail that starts just south of the pool and ends in #2 Store Hollow. The trail follows an access road and then turns south. Watch for this turn off or you will end up on the Old Boundary Road. Distance: 1.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate to difficult |
| Polly Trail | 1.5 mi | Moderate to difficult | This trail starts in Dunlop Hollow Picnic Area and can be accessed at the mouth of Polly Hollow. It runs up Polly Hollow and ends into Wildcat Ridge Trail. Distance: 1.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate to difficult |
| Rattlesnake Trail | 1 mi | Moderate to difficult | This trail starts near the main road at the mouth of Rattlesnake Hollow and ends approximately halfway up an access road. Distance: 1 mile Difficulty: Moderate to difficult |
| Rocky Ridge Trail | 2 mi | Moderate to difficult | This trail starts across from Shelter #5 parking lot and ends into Pigeon Roost Trail. A portion of the trail follows a ridge top gas well road. Follow trail blazes and watch for the turn off the road. Distance: 2 miles Difficulty: Moderate to difficult |
| Spotted Salamander Trail | 0.25 mi | Easy | This is a wheelchair-accessible interpretive trail across the road from the old barn. Distance: 0.25 miles Difficulty: Easy |
| White Hollow Trail | 2 mi | Moderate | This trail starts on the southern end of Davis Creek Trail and ends across from Dunlop Hollow. A portion of this trail follows an access road so follow blazes carefully. Distance: 2 miles Difficulty: Moderate |
| Ballard Trail | 1.5 mi | Moderate | This trail starts on Middle Ridge Road and ends near the shooting range. A rocky overhang makes this trail a technical challenge for bikers. Distance: 1.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate |
| Black Bear Mountain Bike Trail | 1 mi | Difficult | This is a steep challenging downhill trail from Middle Ridge Road to Pigeon Roost Trail. Look for the right-hand alternative route around the steepest section, "Spectator Falls." Distance: 1 mile Difficulty: Difficult |
| Davis Creek Trail | 2.5 mi | Easy to moderate | This fairly level trail begins at the footbridge below the lake and follows Davis Creek to Copperhead Rock below the stables. The trail can also be accessed from the forest office and the pool area. Distance: 2.5 miles Difficulty: Easy to moderate |
| Mossy Rock Trail | 0.75 mi | Moderate | A moderate trail that goes from the head of Shrewsbury Hollow to Middle Ridge Road. Distance: 0.75 miles Difficulty: Moderate |
| Pigeon Roost Trail | 0.75 mi | Moderate | This trail ascends Pigeon Roost Hollow up to the West Boundary Road. Distance: 0.75 miles Difficulty: Moderate |
| Pine Ridge Trail to Dunlop Trail | 1.5 mi | Moderate to difficult | This trail begins on the C-26 Gas Well Road and ends in Dunlop Hollow. Bikers watch for signs: #1 Store Trail and the northern portion of Pine Ridge Trail are for hikers only. Distance: 1.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate to difficult |
| Polecat Trail | 1.5 mi | Moderate | This downhill trail splits off Ballard Trail very close to Middle Ridge Road and ends at the road to the Shooting Range. Distance: 1.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate |
| Teaberry Rock Trail | 1.5 mi | Moderate to difficult | The trail begins at Middle Ridge Road near gas well c-25 and ends into Davis Creek Trail. The Access trail splits off to Shrewsbury Hollow Road above pool area. Distance: 1.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate to difficult |
| Wildcat Ridge Trail | 2 mi | Moderate to difficult | The trail begins on the west Boundary Ridge Road and runs between Polly and Dunlop Hollows descending into Dunlop Hollow Picnic area. Distance: 2 miles Difficulty: Moderate to difficult |
Trail descriptions from the park
Kanawha State Forest has more than 60 miles of trails for every level of hiker. Naturalists regularly lead guided hikes and wildlife programs for visitors. Kanawha State Forest offers "The Spotted Salamander" trail, a paved, level walkway with braille interpretive nature stations designed for both visually impaired and physically challenged guests.
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Fishing
Thanks to the reconfiguring of Davis Creek, with the removal of a small dam, this fishing stream flows more naturally, creating a better experience for everyone. The recently completed Davis Creek restoration project includes the installation of two new wheelchair-accessible fishing piers to facilitate Class Q fishing.
To learn more about fishing in West Virginia, visit WVdnr.gov.
Fishing in Kanawha State Forest
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Nature center or museum
Camping
- Tent camping
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Getting there
- Address
- 7500 Kanawha State Forest Dr
Charleston, WV 25314 - Nearest town
- Charleston — about 5 mi south (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 38.2786, -81.6507
- Phone
- 304-558-3500
- dnrkanawhasf@wv.gov
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- West Virginia State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026; page says updated Jul 17, 2025
- West Virginia State Parks park finder: window.parks JSON embedded in the /parks/ page (WordPress page + park post with ACF meta)
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology