Mount Storm Area
Valley Head, West Virginia
| GPS: |
39°27'18.9"N 79°6'9.2"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Virginia |
Swim
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Valley Head, West Virginia
- Head north on US-219 N/Seneca Trail toward Conley Run Rd/Marple Rd (13.9 mi)
- Turn left onto US-219 N/US-250 N/Seneca Trail (17.8 mi)
- Turn right onto US-33 E (22.4 mi)
- Slight left onto WV-32 N (19.7 mi)
- Turn right onto WV-93 E (11.6 mi)
- Slight left onto US-48 (4.9 mi)
- Turn left onto Communications Dr (0.2 mi)
- Turn right onto WV-93 E (0.1 mi)
- Turn left onto WV-42 N (4.4 mi)
- Turn right onto US-50 E (7.9 mi)
- Turn left onto WV-42 N (4.9 mi)
- Slight right onto WV-46 E (6.5 mi)
- Turn left onto Barnum Rd (0.2 mi)
- Turn left to stay on Barnum Rd (1.6 mi)
- Turn right onto Appalachian Trail (0.5 mi)
Other Swimming Holes Nearby
New Germany State Park
Swanton, Maryland
6.5 miles NA mountain gem tucked between Big Savage Mountain and the Continental Divide, with ten miles of multi-use trails, a small lake for fishing and swimming, and a true off-the-grid atmosphere.
Backcountry Ski, Camp, Canoe, Cross-country Ski, Hike, Mountain Bike, Snowshoe, Swim
Swallow Falls State Park
Oakland, Maryland
17.1 miles WTwo sets of waterfalls and multiple swimming holes in Swallow Falls State Park — dive into the pools below each falls, but never swim or climb directly above Muddy Creek Falls where people have fallen to their death.
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Mill Run Recreation Area
Friendsville
23.4 miles NWA Corps of Engineers beach on a quiet cove of Youghiogheny River Lake in far western Maryland, with a boat ramp, a 30 site campground and swimming officially permitted but unguarded. The lake is drawn down hard every autumn, so the season is short.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak, Swim
Welton Park
Petersburg, West Virginia
31.5 miles SA beautiful 29-acre riverside park on the Potomac River with beach and dock access, kayak and canoe put-in, picnic areas, campsites, a playground, and a growing holiday light show.
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Petersburg Area
Parsons, West Virginia
31.5 miles SSwim near Parsons, West Virginia
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Kingwood Area
Webster Springs, West Virginia
31.6 miles WSwim near Webster Springs, West Virginia
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Fairhope Area
Bradford, Pennsylvania
32.1 miles NESwim near Bradford, Pennsylvania
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Horseshoe Bend Area
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32.8 miles SWSwim near Webster Springs, West Virginia
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River Access Hole
Cabins, West Virginia
33.3 miles SScenic forested rock formations and the rushing North Fork South Branch of the Potomac River offer wading, swimming, fly fishing, and float access — wear foot protection in the rocky riverbed.
Canoe, Kayak, Swim, Whitewater
Red Creek
Davis, West Virginia
34.4 miles SWA remote West Virginia canyon hides multiple waterfalls, natural water slides, and deep swimming pools along a 6.3-mile out-and-back through dramatic rock formations.
Camp, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Ohiopyle Area
Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania
35.0 miles NWSwim near Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania
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Big Sandy Creek Area
Cabins, West Virginia
35.6 miles WWest Virginia's Big Sandy Creek hollows are a favorite WVU swim escape — crystal-clear and clothing-optional, but do not enter at high flows.
Swim
Blue Hole Barronvale
Rockwood, Pennsylvania
37.3 miles NSwim near Rockwood, Pennsylvania
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Deckers Creek Trail
Masontown, West Virginia
37.9 miles WSwim near Masontown, West Virginia
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Laurel Hill State Park Beach
Somerset, Pennsylvania
38.1 miles NA sand beach on 63 acre Laurel Hill Lake in the Laurel Highlands, in a park built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and still full of its stonework.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Green Ridge State Park
Rock Hall, Maryland
38.3 miles NESwim near Rock Hall, Maryland
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Trout Pond Recreation Area
Lost City
39.6 miles SEForest Service swim beach on 17-acre Rock Cliff Lake near Lost City, WV, next to Trout Pond, the state's sinkhole lake. Day use is $8 per vehicle, April through December.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Big Bend
Cabins, West Virginia
39.7 miles SA sandy-beached swimming hole on the Potomac River with deep enough water for splashing and a circular current perfect for tubing — plus a campground with showers and fire pits.
Swim
Otter Creek Area
Parsons, West Virginia
40.7 miles SWA network of swimming spots in and around Otter Creek Wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest — remote, scenic, and clothing optional in some areas.
Swim
Grafton Area
Masontown, West Virginia
42.1 miles WSwim near Masontown, West Virginia
SwimNearby Campsites
New Germany State Park
Swanton, Maryland
6.5 miles NA mountain gem tucked between Big Savage Mountain and the Continental Divide, with ten miles of multi-use trails, a small lake for fishing and swimming, and a true off-the-grid atmosphere.
Backcountry Ski, Camp, Canoe, Cross-country Ski, Hike, Mountain Bike, Snowshoe, Swim
Mill Run Recreation Area
Friendsville
23.4 miles NWA Corps of Engineers beach on a quiet cove of Youghiogheny River Lake in far western Maryland, with a boat ramp, a 30 site campground and swimming officially permitted but unguarded. The lake is drawn down hard every autumn, so the season is short.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak, Swim
Red Creek
Davis, West Virginia
34.4 miles SWA remote West Virginia canyon hides multiple waterfalls, natural water slides, and deep swimming pools along a 6.3-mile out-and-back through dramatic rock formations.
Camp, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Laurel Hill State Park Beach
Somerset, Pennsylvania
38.1 miles NA sand beach on 63 acre Laurel Hill Lake in the Laurel Highlands, in a park built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and still full of its stonework.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Trout Pond Recreation Area
Lost City
39.6 miles SEForest Service swim beach on 17-acre Rock Cliff Lake near Lost City, WV, next to Trout Pond, the state's sinkhole lake. Day use is $8 per vehicle, April through December.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
