Accommodation Near Tomlinson Run State Park — Hillcrest Retreat
Stay just 5 minutes from Tomlinson Run State Park at a private historic West Virginia estate. Hot tub. Real ale pub. Wilderness. The perfect park base camp.
The Best Base Camp For Tomlinson Run
Known as West Virginia's northernmost state park — and one of its finest — Tomlinson Run State Park lies along the Ohio River near the tip of the Northern Panhandle. The park's 1,398 acres are divided into two sections — a wilderness area with heavily forested hills, overhanging cliffs of sandstone and shale, and an abundance of wildflowers and fauna, and a developed area with traditional park offerings.
It is also just 5 minutes from Hillcrest Retreat.
While the park campground puts you inside the park in a shared campsite — Hillcrest Retreat puts you in a private historic 1890s estate five minutes away with a hot tub, a genuine pub with homemade real ale, and 2,212 acres of your own wilderness at the door.
Spend your days at Tomlinson Run. Come home to Hillcrest.
That is the perfect West Virginia outdoor weekend.
Everything Tomlinson Run State Park Has To Offer
Tomlinson Run is one of the most complete state parks in West Virginia. Half of the park is developed with picnic spots, miniature golf, basketball and volleyball courts and a large campground with cabins, while the other half remains untouched with overhanging cliffs of sandstone and shale and an abundance of wildlife.
Here is the complete guide to everything the park offers.
Hiking — 8 Trails Through Forest and Cliff
Tomlinson Run State Park has about eight beautiful hiking routes that run into the wilderness. The Beech Trail, for example, is a moderate climb along spectacular sandstone and shale cliffs.
Other trails like the Laurel Trail Loop and the White Oak Trail are somewhat easier to navigate for the less seasoned hiker. The Big Foot Trail is an especially scenic route with gorgeous views of the lake and the beach. The Laurel Trail is the longest and provides a bit of a challenge while coursing through the woods.
You can create a four-mile loop from the campground by combining the Poe Trail, Half King Trail, and Bigfoot Trail — winding alongside Tomlinson Run Lake with beautiful views along the route. The trail system accommodates every level from families with young children to experienced backcountry hikers.
Total hiking — approximately 7 miles of trails throughout the park.
Tomlinson Run Lake — Fishing and Boating
Tomlinson Run Lake is a 30-acre lake in the park's Shepherd's Valley section. The scenery is breathtaking and it is a popular destination for both fishermen and leisure boaters.
The park boasts several small waterways that are stocked with trout in the early spring as well as a 30-acre lake that hosts trout, bass, bluegill, catfish, and sunfish. Campers who haven't brought their boat can either fish from the shore or rent a rowboat from the marina.
The marina rents paddleboats and rowboats — no boat required to get out on the water. The moderate slope to the water's edge makes launching your own boat straightforward if you bring one.
Swimming Pool with Waterslide
The recreational amenities at Tomlinson Run include a swimming pool with a waterslide, a bathhouse complex, and a snack bar. The pool has a figure eight-shaped water slide that is 182 feet long.
One of the few state park campgrounds in West Virginia with a proper swimming pool and waterslide. Open seasonally spring through fall — perfect for families with children.
Disc Golf Course
A full disc golf course throughout the park grounds. Popular with locals and visitors alike. Free to play. Bring your own discs or pick them up at the camp store.
Miniature Golf Course
Miniature golf can provide a fun diversion and Tomlinson Run State Park is one of the few state park campgrounds with a miniature golf course on the grounds. The course is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
A fun addition for families and groups wanting a relaxed afternoon activity between hikes and swimming.
The Almost Heaven Swing
One of West Virginia State Parks' signature installations — the Almost Heaven Swing at Tomlinson Run is a must photograph moment. A picturesque swing overlooking the park landscape with the WV hills as the backdrop. It has become one of the most photographed spots in the northern panhandle.
Basketball and Volleyball Courts
Full outdoor courts available for park visitors. Perfect for groups wanting active recreation beyond the trails and lake.
Picnic Areas and Shelters
The park offers four picnic shelters which can be reserved by the day for a modest fee. Otherwise picnic shelters are available on a first-come first-served basis.
Multiple picnic areas throughout the park with tables and grills. Ideal for family gatherings and group outings.
Camping — Campsites, Cabins, and Yurts
Tomlinson Run State Park's campground is open spring through fall weather permitting and has a contact station, convenience store, dump station and two bathhouses with showers and laundry facilities. The campground includes 48 traditional campsites, five camper cabins and yurts. All campsites are suitable for tents and trailers and include picnic tables and grills and fire rings.
The yurt rentals are a unique offering only at Tomlinson Run and are perfect for the novice camper. You may rent a five-person yurt complete with a cooler, a propane stove, lantern, picnic table and cookware and one set of bunk beds.
Convenience Store and Camp Store
A convenience store within the campground area for basic supplies, firewood, and snacks. No need to drive into town for the basics.
Wildlife and Nature
The park features a wide array of recreational activities including hiking, fishing, boating and swimming. The wilderness section of the park is home to abundant wildlife — white-tailed deer, wild turkey, various bird species, and the diverse wildflowers and fauna that West Virginia's northern panhandle is known for.
The gorge section features dramatic sandstone and shale cliffs — one of the most striking natural features in Hancock County. The trail paralleling Tomlinson Run through the gorge is one of the most memorable hikes in the entire state park system.
History of the Park
The area of the park was home to several grain grinding or grist mills in the 1800s. During the 1930s the Civilian Conservation Corps went to work building features for the park which officially opened in 1940.
Visitors can still see the original CCC-built picnic shelters — massive stone structures that are a hallmark of the expert craftsmanship of the Depression-era conservation corps. The Tomlinson Run dam itself was built 1940 to 1942 by the Works Progress Administration.
A park with genuine history and character that goes back nearly a century.
Park Location and Contact
Tomlinson Run State Park State Route 8 New Manchester, WV 26056 1-833-WV-PARKS
Just 5 minutes from Hillcrest Retreat via Route 8.
Why Stay At Hillcrest Instead Of The Park Campground
The park campground at Tomlinson Run is perfectly functional for tent campers and RV travelers who want to be inside the park. But Hillcrest Retreat — just 5 minutes away — offers something the campground simply cannot provide.
| Hillcrest Retreat | Park Campground | |
|---|---|---|
| Private hot tub | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Historic 1890s pub | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Handcrafted real ale | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Full private kitchen | ✅ Yes | Shared facilities |
| Complete privacy | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Pets welcome freely | ✅ Yes | Restrictions apply |
| Hot shower any time | ✅ Yes | Shared bathhouse |
| Alcohol welcome | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| 2,212 acres of your own wilderness | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Distance to Tomlinson Run | 5 minutes | On site |
Five minutes is nothing. You spend your days at Tomlinson Run. You come back to Hillcrest for everything a campsite cannot offer.
That is the smart way to do a Tomlinson Run weekend.
Your Accommodation Options at Hillcrest Retreat
Option 1 — The Hillcrest Manor Cottage 4.99 stars · Over 100 reviews · The classic Hillcrest experience
Two bedrooms sleeping up to 5 guests. Private 6 person hot tub with lighting overlooking the West Virginia hills. Fully equipped kitchen. Rainfall shower. High speed WiFi. Covered back porch. Welcome wine and snack basket on arrival. Pets welcome.
Hike Tomlinson Run all day. Fish the lake. Swim in the pool. Come back 5 minutes down the road to a private hot tub and a welcome wine waiting.
From $175 per night · Sleeps 5 · Pets welcome · Minimum 2 nights
[Book The Cottage]
Option 2 — The Skyview Cabin Luxury above it all · Opening Fall 2026 · Now accepting reservations
Private luxury cabin perched on the upper field of the Hillcrest estate with panoramic wilderness views. Hot tub. Covered gazebo bar with large screen TV and Bluetooth sound system. Sunken stone fire pit. Full kitchen. Sleeps 4. Pets welcome.
Spend the day on the Tomlinson Run trails or the lake. Drive 5 minutes back to the Skyview. Sink into the hot tub. Watch the stars come out over the WMA wilderness. That is what outdoor weekends should look like.
From $395 per night · Sleeps 4 · Pets welcome · Minimum 2 nights
[Reserve The Skyview Cabin]
Option 3 — The Historic Pub Unit Your own private 1890s pub · Coming Soon
Three bedrooms plus exclusive access to a genuine 1890s carved mahogany bar, cast iron pot belly stove, brick fireplace, and screened porch bar. Brian's homemade real ale and cottage food snacks waiting on arrival.
You hiked the Bigfoot Trail around the lake. You fished Tomlinson Run. Now you are in a private 1890s pub 5 minutes away with handcrafted ale at the bar.
From $350 per night · Sleeps 6 · Minimum 2 nights
[Join The Waiting List]
The Perfect Tomlinson Run Weekend
Friday — Arrive at Hillcrest Check in from 4pm. Welcome wine and snack basket waiting at the cottage. Hot tub ready. Settle in. Cook dinner in the fully equipped kitchen. Plan your Tomlinson Run days. The West Virginia hills quiet all around you.
Saturday — Full Tomlinson Run Day Morning — hike the Beech Trail along the sandstone and shale cliffs. One of the most dramatic trail sections in the northern panhandle.
Midday — lunch at the park picnic area. Rent a rowboat or paddleboat from the marina and spend the afternoon on Tomlinson Run Lake fishing for bass, catfish, and bluegill.
Afternoon — the Almost Heaven Swing photo. Disc golf course. Miniature golf with the family if you have children along.
Late afternoon — back at Hillcrest in 5 minutes. Hot tub. The Hillcrest Pub Experience if you added it — Brian's real ale and homemade snacks at the carved bar.
Sunday — Morning at the Park Sunrise hike on the Bigfoot Trail alongside the lake. The park in the morning before the crowds arrive is something genuinely special.
Back to Hillcrest for a final soak in the hot tub and breakfast in the fully equipped kitchen.
Check out at 11am. The best outdoor weekend within an hour of Pittsburgh.
Add The Hillcrest Pub Experience
Nothing ends a day on the Tomlinson Run trails better than a genuine 1890s pub with handcrafted ale waiting at the bar.
Add the Hillcrest Pub Experience to any stay — $50 per person — and find waiting when you return from the park:
A 64 ounce growler of Hillcrest Real Ale brewed on the premises by Brian. Poured into genuine 20 ounce imperial pint glasses at the carved mahogany bar. A board of Brian's homemade cottage food snacks made fresh in the Hillcrest kitchen. The pot belly stove glowing in the corner. The brick fireplace on cool evenings. The screened porch bar open to the West Virginia night.
You hiked Tomlinson Run. You came home to a private 1890s pub with handcrafted ale at the bar.
[Add The Pub Experience — $50 Per Person]
Also Near Hillcrest Retreat
Tomlinson Run is your 5 minute neighbor — but the entire northern tri-state region is within easy reach of Hillcrest.
Parks and outdoor recreation:
- Tomlinson Run State Park — 5 minutes — your primary destination
- Historic Hillcrest WMA — at your door — 2,212 acres hunting and hiking
- Raccoon Creek State Park PA — 20 minutes — 7,572 acres and 101-acre lake
- Beaver Creek State Park — 20 minutes
- Ohio River pontoon experience — 10 minutes
Entertainment and dining:
- Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort — 15 minutes
- The Pavilion at Star Lake — 25 minutes — major concert venue
- Chester WV bars and restaurants — 5 minutes — Shorty's wings, Saddle Ridge, Mary Jane's pizza
- Weirton WV dining — 15 minutes — Basil's, Bistro 303, Kenny B's
Local landmarks:
- World's Largest Teapot — Chester WV — 5 minutes. Yes it is real. Yes you should photograph it.
- Homer Laughlin China Company — Newell WV — 10 minutes
Travel connections:
- Pittsburgh International Airport — 30 minutes
- Downtown Pittsburgh — 1 hour
The World's Largest Teapot — A Bonus Chester Stop
Just 5 minutes from Hillcrest Retreat and right off the highway in Chester WV — the World's Largest Teapot is one of those roadside attractions that genuinely delivers on its promise. A genuine Chester landmark that has been photographed by visitors from across the country. Stop on the way to or from Tomlinson Run for the photo. It takes 5 minutes and you will be glad you did.
What Guests Say About Hillcrest Retreat
"The most peaceful and beautiful place we have ever stayed. We did not want to leave."
"Brian and Charlene go above and beyond for every single guest. We will absolutely be back."
"Truly exceeded all our expectations. The hot tub, the atmosphere, the owners — everything was incredible."
"Perfect for a nature weekend. The hot tub after hiking all day was something we will never forget."
4.99 Stars · Airbnb Superhost · Over 100 Five Star Reviews
Book Your Tomlinson Run Weekend at Hillcrest Retreat
[Book The Hillcrest Manor Cottage — From $175] [Reserve The Skyview Cabin — From $395] [Enquire About The Pub Unit — From $350] [Add The Pub Experience — $50 Per Person] [Contact Brian — [email protected]]
HillcrestRetreat.com [email protected]
Hillcrest Retreat · Chester, West Virginia 26034 Just 5 minutes from Tomlinson Run State Park 15 minutes from Mountaineer Casino 25 minutes from The Pavilion at Star Lake 30 minutes from Pittsburgh International Airport Hosted by Brian and Charlene Mahaffey 4.99 Stars · Airbnb Superhost · Over 100 Five Star Reviews