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West Virginia boating waters. Backdrop for the Boating Hubs West Virginia marina directory

Marinas · West Virginia

Marinas in West Virginia

Cruise 12 marinas across West Virginia. Maps, hours, contact info, photos, and verified operator profiles, all in one place.

Mountain State. Monongahela, the New River Gorge, and the Allegheny Plateau.

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Highest rated

Marinas in West Virginia by Google rating

Ranked by Google rating, then by number of reviews, across all 12 marinas listed in West Virginia. A blank cell means we do not have that detail yet.

MarinaCityActivitiesRating
Burnsville DocksBurnsville4.9101 Google reviews
New River Jetboats MarinaAnsted4.834 Google reviews
Edgewater MarinaMorgantown4.789 Google reviews
Beech Fork Lake MarinaLavalette4.6443 Google reviews
Summersville Lake MarinaSummersvilleMarina Services, Paddleboarding, Pontoon +14.6402 Google reviews
Pier 54 Marina LLCCharleston4.648 Google reviews
Sutton Lake MarinaSutton4.5373 Google reviews
The Marina at Stonewall ResortWeston4.5114 Google reviews

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12 marinas in West Virginia

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Also on the water

Boat rentals, tours and charters in West Virginia

Top camping

Most-booked campgrounds in West Virginia

Federal campgrounds in West Virginia that Recreation.gov lists for boating, ranked by how many times they were booked in fiscal 2025.

  1. Bulltown Camp1

    Bulltown Camp

    4,031 bookings
  2. Battle Run2

    Battle Run

    3,850 bookings
  3. 3

    Seneca Shadows

    2,709 bookings
  4. Gerald Freeman Campground4

    Gerald Freeman Campground

    2,322 bookings
  5. East Fork5

    East Fork

    1,742 bookings

Bookings: Recreation.gov, fiscal 2025 (Oct 2024 to Sep 2025).

On the map

Marinas, boat launches, rivers & creeks and camping in West Virginia

Everything we have mapped in West Virginia, on one map. Tap anything for its details.

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Tap a launch to pinpoint it on the map, then open it for ramp type, fees, and the nearest marina.

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Browse all 229 boat launches

About West Virginia

West Virginia's reputation runs to mountains and coal, but the state carries a serious amount of navigable water. The Ohio River defines the western border, a working, lock-and-dam waterway that links a string of river towns and rewards long-distance cruising. Inland, the Kanawha and Monongahela add more river miles, running from old industrial towns through stretches that feel entirely wild. And where the rivers leave off, deep forested canyons hold the reservoirs. It's boating with topography, and the views come standard.

The lakes each have a personality. Cheat Lake, just outside Morgantown, draws the powerboats, sailors, and skiers, with several marinas and public launches to serve them. Down in the central mountains, Summersville Lake, the state's largest, is famous for clear water and sandstone cliffs, and for what those enable: diving, kayaking, and houseboating near the Gauley River National Recreation Area. Sutton Lake plays the quiet counterpart, better suited to a fishing rod and an unhurried afternoon under the hardwoods.

River boating here means learning the locks. The Ohio carries you past Wheeling, Parkersburg, and Huntington, sharing the channel with commercial tows and offering well-equipped marinas between them. The Kanawha, which joins the Ohio at Point Pleasant, threads through Charleston, the capital's amenities on one bank, green hills on the other. Fishing skiffs, weekend cruisers, and bigger powerboats all work these rivers, and the Appalachian backdrop never lets up.

The infrastructure is catching up to the water. A growing set of marinas offers transient slips, fuel, and pump-outs, enough to support real trips rather than just day runs. Wide-open watersports on a busy lake, a hidden river cove, dinner at a dock in a river town, the Mountain State holds all three, and most boaters outside its borders haven't figured that out yet.

When to cruise in West Virginia

Peak Jun–Aug

Full season

Quick facts

Boat launches mapped
229
Rivers mapped
486
Marinas listed
12
Best season
April through November

Trip guide

Know before you go in West Virginia

Confirm current requirements with the agency that sets them before your trip. Rules and fees change every season.

  • Boater Education Card

    Anyone born on or after December 31, 1986, operating a motorboat or PWC on West Virginia waters must possess a Boating Safety Education Certificate. This requirement applies to all motorized vessels, regardless of horsepower.

  • Vessel Registration

    All motorized vessels, including sailboats with auxiliary engines, must be registered with the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and display valid registration decals. Non-residents must check reciprocity rules for their home state's registration.

  • Life Jacket Requirements

    All vessels must carry a USCG-approved life jacket for each person on board. Children 12 years of age and younger must wear a life jacket at all times the vessel is underway, unless they are below deck or in an enclosed cabin.

  • Operating Under the Influence (BUI)

    It is illegal to operate a vessel on West Virginia waters while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. West Virginia has strict BUI laws, with penalties similar to those for DUI offenses.

  • Fishing License

    If you plan to fish from your recreational boat, a valid West Virginia fishing license is required for anyone 15 years or older. Licenses can be purchased online or from authorized agents.

01Are there many marinas in West Virginia for transient boaters?
More than you'd guess: especially along the Ohio River and at the popular lakes like Cheat and Summersville, where marinas offer transient slips, fuel, and pump-outs. Call ahead and reserve, particularly in peak season and around holidays; capacity is real but not unlimited.
02Do I need a special license to operate a boat in West Virginia?
If you were born on or after December 31, 1986, yes: a Boating Safety Education Certificate, earned through an approved safety course, is required to run any motorboat or PWC on state waters. Older operators are exempt; there's no blanket boating license.
03Can I rent a boat or charter a trip in West Virginia?
Rentals are easy to find at the big lakes: pontoons, ski boats, and kayaks at Cheat, Summersville, and Sutton. Charters run thinner than in coastal states, but fishing guides and scenic tours operate on some of the larger rivers and lakes. Marinas and local tourism operators are the best sources.
04What are the best lakes for recreational boating in West Virginia?
Three names cover most trips. Cheat Lake near Morgantown handles powerboats and watersports with multiple marinas. Summersville, the state's largest, pairs clear water with dramatic cliffs, drawing houseboaters, divers, and kayakers. Sutton Lake is the quiet one: fishing and slow cruising.
05Are there locks and dams on West Virginia's rivers that I need to be aware of?
Yes: the Ohio, Kanawha, and Monongahela all run on lock-and-dam systems, and passage means working with the lockmaster: hail, wait for instructions, follow them exactly. These are commercial waterways, and the locks are simply part of navigating them.
06What kind of fish can I expect to catch while boating in West Virginia?
The rivers hold smallmouth, largemouth, and striped bass, plus catfish, sauger, and musky. The lakes add crappie, bluegill, walleye, and trout in stocked waters. Check the current West Virginia fishing regulations for rules and limits before you wet a line.

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