Howell Run Picnic Area
October 2026
About
Overview
The Howell Run Picnic Area is a day use facility overlooking Jennings Randolph Lake, providing a beautiful backdrop for picnicking, sightseeing and hiking. A nesting pair of bald eagles call Jennings Randolph Lake home. Bring binoculars for the lucky chance to spot a bald eagle.
Recreation
At the Howell Run Picnic Area, enjoy the panoramic view of the lake. Walk the Lakeside trail which connects the picnic area with the Shaw Beach area.
Facilities
Shelter #2 is handicap accessible and has running water. It is closest to the restroom and playground equipment. The Gazebo is located in the center of the picnic area. Shelter #1 is the first shelter as you drive in. Each shelter comfortably accommodates groups of up to 30 people in a lovely lakeside setting.
Natural Features
The Lake spans 952 acres in the rugged hills of the West Virginia Allegany Mountains.
Nearby Attractions
A mile down the road is Shaw Beach where you can enjoy swimming. The project offers facilities for hiking, fishing, biking, swimming, boating and camping.
Amenities
Phone: 304 355-2346
Is Howell Run Picnic Area fully booked?
A campground showing no availability is almost never full for good. People cancel — plans change, weather turns, someone books three weekends and keeps one — and the site goes straight back into the booking system, usually without warning and often at odd hours. The reason sold-out campgrounds feel impossible is not that sites never free up; it is that nobody is watching at the moment they do.
CampHawk watches Howell Run Picnic Area in Elk Garden, WV for you. We recheck it every 15 seconds, around the clock, and the moment a site opens we send a text, an email and a push notification — and on Recreation.gov we can put the site straight into your cart, so it is held while you get to your phone.
Searching is free and needs no account — the calendar above is live right now. Watching Howell Run Picnic Area for cancellations is the paid part.