Lost River State Park
- Status
- Status not postedDaily 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed
- Camping
- YesAlso cabins
- Official site
- wvstateparks.com304-897-5372
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. Details last changed Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Lost River State Park is a 4,094-acre park in Hardy County, about 22 miles west of Woodstock.
Popular activities here are horseback riding, historic sites, hunting in season, swimming, and biking. Its trail network totals roughly 23 miles, according to the park. If you'd rather not camp, the park offers cabins.
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 | 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. | — |
Official wording
6 A.M. to 10 P.M.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/New York).
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.
Pets
Dogs allowed
Two of the cabins are handicap-accessible and nine cabins are pet-friendly.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Camping
There are two primitive campsites at Lost River State Park that are accessible by hiking 1.5 miles on White Oak Trail to the top of Big Ridge Mountain. A public shelter, campfire ring, picnic table and latrines are on site. No potable water is available. Campsite No. 1 is horse friendly. Site rental is fee based and includes firewood. Reservations are required. This unique camping opportunity is seasonal and concludes at the end of September and available again in mid-spring. For details and rates, call the park at (304) 897-5372.
Three campsites are available near the upper shelter No. 2 area of the park, close to the ball field. Sites include a fire ring, picnic table and use of the public shelter. Restrooms are located nearby and showers are available during pool hours (seasonal). Parking is available in the ball field parking lot adjacent to the camping area. Site rental is fee-based and a reservation is required. The area can also be rented as a group camp area. For details and rates, call the park.
Read more from the park
A renovated ranger cabin located on top of Big Ridge Mountain is available for overnight rentals. It is a pack-in, pack-out style camper cabin only accessible by hiking two miles on White Oak Trail to Miller’s Rock Trail. It is an ultimate primitive overnight experience. Click here to learn more.
To discover more Unique Places to Stay at Lost River State Park and other state parks, click here.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Cabins and lodging
- Cabins: 26 units
Cabins
Lost River State Park has 26 cabins available for overnight guests. Of these cabins, 11 are comfortably furnished classic cabins. The other 15 are legacy cabins. Both cabin types have fireplaces and come fully furnished. Two of the cabins are handicap-accessible and nine cabins are pet-friendly.
Things to do
BikingGeocachingHikingHorseback ridingHuntingHistoric sites and toursSwimming
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arbutus Trail | 0.75 mi | Moderate | This trail runs from East Ridge Trail to Loblolly Trail near storage building. Distance: 0.75 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Yellow |
| Big Ridge Trail | 1 mi | Moderate | This trail runs from the lower Fire Tower Road around Big Ridge and back onto Fire Tower Road on top of Big Ridge. Distance: 1 mile Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Yellow |
| Branch Mountain Trail | 0.5 mi | Moderate | This trail runs from Shingle Mill Land Trail near the lower picnic area to the top of the ridge, rejoining Shingle Mill Land Trail. Distance: 0.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Red |
| Copse Cove Trail | 1.75 mi | Moderate | This trail runs from the Lee Sulphur Spring near Cabin No. 1 or across from the parking lot near Cabin No. 2 to the intersection of Light Horse Harry Lee Trail. Distance: 1.75 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Yellow |
| Covey Cove Trail | 0.5 mi | Moderate | This trail runs from the end of Cabin Run Road to Light Horse Harry Lee Trail and then to Piney Ridge Road. (Mountain bikers welcome.) Distance: 0.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Green |
| East Ridge Trail | 2.5 mi | Moderate | This trail runs from Howard's Lick Run near the east entrance to the intersection of Red Fox Trail and Light Horse Harry Lee Trail near the southwest corner of the park. (Mountain bikers welcome.) Distance: 2.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Red |
| Howard Lick Trail | 1.25 mi | Easy | This trail runs from the parking lot near Cabin No. 3 or the nearby picnic area to the junction of East Ridge Trail near the park’s east entrance. Distance: 1.25 miles Difficulty: Easy Blaze: Blue |
| Laurel Trail | 0.5 mi | Moderate | This trail runs from the administration building to the junction of Razor Ridge Trail. Distance: 0.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Blue |
| Lee Sulphur Spring Trail | 0.25 mi | Easy | This trail begins at the Lee Sulphur Spring and runs along the creek to the Athletic ballfield and Shelter #2 area. Distance: 0.25 mile Difficulty: Easy Blaze: Yellow |
| Lee Trail | 0.5 mi | Moderate | This trail starts at Cabin No. 8 and crosses Light Horse Harry Lee Trail to Copse Cove Trail. Distance: 0.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Orange |
| Lighthorse Harry Lee Trail | 1.25 mi | Moderate | This horse trail runs from the playground across from the administration building to the junction of East Ridge Trail and Red Fox Trail. Distance: 1.25 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Blue |
| Loblolly Trail | 0.875 mi | Easy | This trail runs from the end of the road near the storage building to the end of Cabin Run Road. Distance: 0.875 miles Difficulty: Easy Blaze: Orange |
| Millers Rock Trail | 3.5 mi | Moderate | This trail starts at the White Oak trailhead at the horse stables and leads to the Cranny Crow overlook at an elevation of 3,200 feet, offering a scenic panorama of five counties. Distance: 3.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Yellow |
| Razor Ridge Trail | 1.25 mi | Moderate | This trail runs from the parking lot near the swimming pool and Cabin No. 3 at the intersection of Howard Lick Trail to East Ridge Trail. Distance: 1.25 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Orange |
| Red Fox Trail | 0.25 mi | Moderate | This trail runs from East Ridge Trail to Piney Ridge Road near the southwest corner of the park. (Mountain bikers welcome.) Distance: 0.25 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Orange |
| Shingle Mill Lane Trail | 1 mi | Moderate | This horse trail runs from the stables to the lower picnic area. Distance: 1 mile Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Green |
| Staghorn Trail | 1 mi | Moderate | This trail runs from East Ridge Trail to Cabin Run Road near Cabin No. 17. Distance: 1 mile Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Blue |
| Virginia View Trail | 0.625 mi | Moderate | This trail runs from Miller's Rock Trail at Cheeks Rocks to Big Ridge Trail near Big Ridge Picnic Shelter. Distance: 0.625 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Red |
| White Oak Trail | 1.5 mi | Moderate | This horse trail runs from the stable to the top of Big Ridge at the junction of Miller's Rock Trail. Distance: 1.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Orange |
| Wood Thrush Trail | 0.25 mi | Moderate | This trail runs from East Ridge Trail to Staghorn Trail. Distance: 0.25 miles Difficulty: Moderate Blaze: Green |
Trail descriptions from the park
Hiking at Lost River State Park is exceptional and covers 23 miles of trails that leads to hours of exercise and an unparalleled opportunity to study nature, given the abundance of flora and fauna found in the park. One rewarding trail leads to Cranny Crow overlook with its commanding views of the park from 3,200 feet. There is no fee to enjoy hiking the park trail system, so enjoy at your leisure! Lost River is a perfect choice if you like hiking and enjoy nature.
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Swimming
Take a break from the summer heat and cool off in the Lost River State Park pool. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day on Tuesdays through Sundays. Weekday hours are 12:15-5:45 p.m. Weekend hours are 10:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Days and hours of operation in late August may vary.
Amenities
Facilities
- Nature center or museum
- Drinking water: not available (stated by the park)
Lodging
- Cabins
Recreation
- Horse trails
✓ 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
- 321 Park Drive
Mathias, WV 26812 - Nearest town
- Woodstock — about 22 mi west (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 38.8969, -78.9240
- Phone
- 304-897-5372
- lostriversp@wv.gov
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- West Virginia State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026; page says updated Jul 11, 2025
- West Virginia State Parks park finder: window.parks JSON embedded in the /parks/ page (WordPress page + park post with ACF meta)
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. “Last changed” (Oct 29, 2026) is when the information shown here last differed from the previous check. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology