Big Bend Campground is located in the Smoke Hole Canyon section of the Monongahela National Forest. Its located on the South Branch of the Potomac River and is situated in a very sharp U-shaped bend. Hence the name. It has restroom facilities and running water. No showers are provided. There are upper and lower sites. I only looked at the lower ones because I wanted to be near the water. The sites are generally large and shaded.
It claims to be 10 miles from Petersburg but I think that would be the crow's opinion. It seemed a lot longer by car. Their web site has pretty good directions.
The
trout fishing in the area is pretty good, and maybe excellent. A large part
of the river upstream from the campground is stocked and is catch and release.
Nearer the campground is catch and eat. That is my preference. There
is a small store along the dirt road to the campground that has worms and ice.
I was taking a 6-week retirement / leave of absence from my job and my wife couldn't join me. I decided to enjoy the pleasure of my own company and went anyway. I figured two days of fishing/hiking and one day of sight seeing before heading back.
The first day I didn't catch anything but then I didn't know what I was doing. I decided that maybe there weren't many fish around. That evening I met the folks on the site across from mine. I don't recall their names but they were from Keyser, WV. As I was talking to the older couple, their son and his 19 year old daughter came in. She had a 21" Rainbow Trout and between them had a mess of fish. I began to understand that I didn't know what I was doing.
They took me out with them late one afternoon. I managed to catch 3 trout and could call it dinner. There was an amount of satisfaction with that and I hope to try again. It was a lot more work than sitting on the bank watching a bobber and a worm. Still, these were the first trout I ever caught.
Sightseeing took me to
Seneca Rocks and
Blackwater Falls. Both are a
fairly easy drive from Big Bend. The falls offer some good photo
opportunities. Seneca Rocks does too if you're willing to hike the trail
to the top.
Big Bend is a very nice, quiet place to spend a few nights. You don't need to fish to enjoy it. They have well cared for trails to walk as well.