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Major city · United States

SummersvilleSummersville, West Virginia

Give Summersville 2 nights if you want the lake; 1 night works as a US-19 stop between Fayetteville and Weston.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Sep for the lake; late Sep for the Gauley River Festival
avoid Jan–Feb (cold, lake facilities closed)
Airports
CRW · CKB
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Summersville is a small West Virginia town of about 3,300 people on US-19, and the reason to stop is Summersville Lake next door: the state's largest lake, with cliffs, boat rentals and campgrounds. The town itself is a strip of motels, chain hotels and a few local restaurants. Two nights covers the lake plus Carnifex Ferry; one night is enough if you are only breaking a drive.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Summersville, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$2–5
  • Street or quick mealDiner breakfast$8–15
  • BeerBeer at a bar$4–7
  • Budget bedCampsite, a night, per personUS$8
  • Mid-range bedBudget motel room, a night, per roomUS$80
  • High-end bedBudget motel room, a night, per roomUS$120

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$150 · High US$260

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Summersville LakeCarnifex Ferry Battlefield State ParkGauley River whitewaterBluegrass and lake festivals
Airports
CRW Yeager Airport, Charleston (About 1 h 15 min by car via US-19 and I-79; check current rental-car hours.) · CKB North Central West Virginia Airport, Bridgeport (About 1 h 45 min by car; smaller, fewer flights.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Summersville: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

5°C

−6°C

13 rd

Feb

7°C

−5°C

11 rd

Mar

12°C

−1°C

13 rd

Apr

18°C

4°C

12 rd

May

23°C

9°C

13 rd

Jun

27°C

14°C

12 rd

Jul

29°C

16°C

13 rd

Aug

28°C

16°C

11 rd

Sep

25°C

12°C

9 rd

Oct

19°C

6°C

9 rd

Nov

13°C

1°C

11 rd

Dec

7°C

−4°C

13 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a car. US-19 runs through town and WV-129 branches off to Summersville Lake and Mount Nebo. There is no useful local bus for visitors; taxis and rideshare are thin, so plan your own vehicle or rent at the airport.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Drive WV-129 and county roads to Carnifex Ferry Road, about 20 min

Gauley River overlooks, short trails and the Patterson House Museum; a half day.

Gauley River Recreation Area (Route 129 at Mount Nebo)

go

Door to door: About 30–40 min

Drive WV-129 from US-19

Whitewater rafting and primitive camping; rafting is scheduled around dam release days, so book with an operator.

Fayetteville

go

Door to door: About 30 min

US-19 south

Gateway to the New River Gorge.

Sutton

go

Door to door: About 40 min

US-19 north

Small town stop on the Elk River.

Richwood

caution

Door to door: About 40 min

WV-39 east

Mountain roads; slow going in winter.

Weston

go

Door to door: Just over 1 h

US-19 north

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum tours.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

US-19 strip (S Broad Street / Merchants Walk)

Chain motels and hotels with parking, walkable to fast food; best for one night with a car.

Summersville Lake Road and Mount Nebo

Cabins, campgrounds and lake access; 10–20 min drive from town, no walkable services.

Downtown Main Street

A few local restaurants and shops; limited lodging.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$120–190 excl. bed
High
$200+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Chain hotel room1 × 2 nights × US$130US$260
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$150US$600
Boat or pontoon rental, half day1 × US$300 · checkUS$300
Gauley River rafting trip2 × US$150 · checkUS$300
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20US$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$150
Trip total≈ US$413 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,650

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$2–5
Diner breakfast$8–15
Burger or sandwich plate$10–18
Beer at a bar$4–7
Gallon of gas$3.00–3.60 (check)
Motel room, one night$55–145
Lake boat rental, half day$150–500 (check)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Low crime and a safe small-town feel; the real risks are highway speed enforcement, fast water and cliffs at the lake, and unlit back roads at night.
  • Speed limits on US-19 through town are enforced closely; the area is known for speed traps.
  • Lake marinas, boat rentals and campgrounds are seasonal: confirm opening dates before you drive out.
  • Cell coverage is patchy in the Gauley River gorge and on back roads.
  • Summer weekends fill motels and campsites; book ahead.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Poison Control
1-800-222-1222

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

SummersvilleSummersville, West Virginia

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Poison Control1-800-222-1222

Embassy

No embassies in Summersville; national embassies are in Washington, DC. Consulates for several countries are in Charleston or Pittsburgh (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Yeager Airport (CRW) → Summersville by car: about 1 h 15 min, roughly 60 mi (check)
  • Summersville → Fayetteville on US-19: about 30 min
  • Summersville → Weston on US-19: just over 1 h

Say or show

  • Where is the boat launch? — Where is the boat launch?
  • Is the lake open today? — Is the lake open today?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • How far is the trailhead? — How far is the trailhead?

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Summersville. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep for the lake; late Sep for the Gauley River Festival · avoid Jan–Feb (cold, lake facilities closed) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for CRW: last rental-car desk hours, drive time to Summersville, overnight fallback.
  2. Two walking clusters with anchors: the US-19 motel strip and Main Street.
  3. Lake pages with verified season dates, marina hours and boat-rental cutoffs.
  4. Festival fixtures (bluegrass in June, lake festival in July, Gauley River Festival in late September) so event weekends can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources