Click here to open our reservations Request Form. This link opens a new browser window or new tab. Just close the new window or tab to return here.

A deposit equal to one-half the rental amount is required to hold a reservation for a cabin. The remaining balance is due at check-in.

Credit cards are not accepted.

Check-in time is 3:30 p.m. and check-out time is 11:00 a.m.

Drifwood Lodge and McKinley's Cabin are pet friendly.

A full refund of the deposit will be made due to cancellation if the cancellation is made at least 30 days prior to the beginning date of your stay. 

For reservations cancelled less than 30 days in advance, 1/2 of your deposit is refunded ONLY if the cottage is re-rented for your reservation period.

A $10 handling fee applies to any cancellation.

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Click a link below to Find:

Carnifex Ferry Cottages

• From Beckley
• From Charleston
• From Morgantown

Driftwood Lodge

• From Beckley
• From Charleston
• From Morgantown

Carnifex Ferry Cottages and Driftwood Lodge
42 Lakeview Hts
Mt. Nebo, WV 26679

Phone: (304) 872-4442 or 1-800-701-0809

Click here to email us

Water Sports

Nearly every water sport imaginable is available on one of our many rivers or Summersville Lake. Check out the Boating and Fishing pages for more info. By the way, the Boating page isn’t just for boaters. There’s plenty of info for everyone from the ski enthusiast (jet skis and water skis) to the beach blanket bunch.

The fishermen will also find what they are looking for with a peek at our Fishing page. We provide links to the DNR as well as information on water and fishing conditions at various rivers, lakes, and streams in the area.

Scuba enthusiasts will be in heaven when they discover how wonderful the diving is at Summersville Lake! Seasonal information is provided as well as dive shop listings.

Hunting

Hunters will find what they need with one visit to our Hunting page. We’ve even got links to the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources to help you with the various hunting seasons and licensing requirements.

Hiking

Carnifex Ferry Cottages is adjacent to Carnifex Ferry State Battlefield Park and is a haven for hikers with trails rated from mild to wild. We're also just a short distance from excellent hiking at the New River Gorge and Gauley River Gorge. Trails around Summversville Lake are at the back door of our Driftwood Lodge cabin and offer fantastic vistas of the lake and its rock cliffs. Check out our Hiking page for more info.

Mountain Biking

The folks here at Carnifex Ferry Cottages can help you find the moutain biking trip that fits your experience and skill level whether you are a beginner or an extreme athlete. Many guided tours are available and rental equipment is available and we know which outfitters are the best fit for the trip you want.

Equestrian

Horseback riding is very popular in the area with trails that will please the most enthusiasic of riders. Our Horseback Riding page has the info you need to make the best choice for your equestrian experience.

Local History

Summersville is the county seat of Nicholas County. It was established in 1824 and was named after Judge Lewis Summers who introduced the bill in the Virginia legislature creating Nicholas County. Summersville was a major crossroads in the old historic Pocohontas Trail which connected the westward flowing Kanawha River with the east. Summersville is located in the center of Nicholas County in central West Virginia.

In July, 1861, a lady Confederate spy named Nancy Hart led an attack on Summersville which captured the Union forces and their leader, Captain Starr. Most of the town was burned.

Nicholas County was established in 1818 and named for Wilson Cary Nicholas who served as governor of Virginia from 1814 to 1816.

Carnifex Ferry Cottages are adjacent to Carnifex Ferry Battlefield with easy access to all the park’s amenities, Summersville Lake, and the Gauley River.

State History

The earliest inhabitants of the area were the Indians known as the Adena, or Mound Builders, whose mounds are still prominent archaeological landmarks at several sites in the state. The Mound Builders were succeeded by the Fort Ancient people, who were in turn succeeded in the 17th century by the Iroquois and the Cherokee. The first permanent white settlers entered the area in the 1730s, and the English won control of the region over the French in the 1750s and ‘60s.

West Virginia was originally part of Virginia, but its largely non-slaveholding population voted against secession in 1861 and split away from Virginia. In 1863 West Virginia was admitted into the Union as a newly constituted state.

 

Civil War

Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park, located just out of Summersville, is a significant historical site. A Civil War battle was fought in this area that resulted in Union control of northwest Virginia for virtually the remainder of the war. Control of the transportation routes made it difficult to supply Confederate units and ensured the safety of West Virginia statehood leaders meeting in Wheeling.

During the first weeks of the war, the Confederate government of Virginia recruited troops in western Virginia, assigning Colonel George A. Porterfield to Grafton, which was connected to most of northwest Virginia by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. As Union troops under General George B. McClellan advanced, Porterfield drew his forces back to Philippi. As McClellan neared the region, he sent Colonel Benjamin F. Kelley and the First Virginia Provisional Regiment (later the First West Virginia Infantry) as an advance guard. On the morning of June 3, 1861, Kelley’s troops attacked Porterfield’s forces at Philippi, resulting in a Confederate retreat. This is considered by many to be the first land battle of the Civil War.

You nature lovers are sure to love West Virginia. The state has four distinct seasons of about equal duration. Mean annual temperatures reflecting latitude and elevation range from about fifty-six degrees in the south to fifty-two degrees in the north and  forty-eight degrees in the most mountainous regions. January is the coldest month (great for snow skiing!) with a statewide average of thirty-three degrees and July is the warmest with an average of seventy-three degrees (great for summer sports!).

What does this have to do with wildlife? Four distinct seasons means a very wide variety of flora and fauna for the nature lover’s enjoyment. Bird and animal watching are very popular. Deer and other wildlife are everywhere! The area is fantastic for nature photographers and artists.

If you’re a shutter bug, you won’t find a better place to photograph birds, animals, plants, whitewater rafters, and majestic scenery, all within a short distance of your cabin at Carnifex Ferry Cottages.

Hiking or backpacking are both popular outdoor activities in this area. You’ll be amazed at how close you can become with mother nature. There are many trails in the area and our Hiking page is just the place to find info on them!

Nature lovers will surely believe this area is “almost heaven.”

You nature lovers are sure to love West Virginia. The state has four distinct seasons of about equal duration. Mean annual temperatures reflecting latitude and elevation range from about fifty-six degrees in the south to fifty-two degrees in the north and  forty-eight degrees in the most mountainous regions. January is the coldest month (great for snow skiing!) with a statewide average of thirty-three degrees and July is the warmest with an average of seventy-three degrees (great for summer sports!).

Hiking or backpacking are both popular outdoor activities in this area. You’ll be amazed at how close you can become with mother nature. There are many trails in the area and our Hiking page is just the place to find info on them!

Nature lovers will surely believe this area is “almost heaven.”