No detected openings were recorded in the last 90 days. Campsite Sniper monitors Sutton Lake Picnic Shelters continuously and will alert you if that changes.
Of the 12 tracked reservation dates (May 1 – May 3, 2027): 6 open for online reservation · 6 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative). Of the facility's 4 monitored sites, 2 can be reserved online and 2 are first-come, first-served.
Where the open windows are
Load status
May 1 – May 3, 2027Of the open reservation dates on mapped day-use units, 2 fall on weekdays and 4 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
May 2027 – May 2027May holds the most room. 6 of 12 reservation dates are still open there.
Holiday windows — day use
Units open per date · of 4 shelters| Window | Date | Units open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial Day | FRI May 28 | 0 | None open |
| SAT May 29 | 0 | None open | |
| SUN May 30 | 0 | None open | |
| MON May 31 | 0 | None open |
Memorial Day: no online availability on any tracked date.
Availability by shelter
Most open reservation dates · tracked window| Shelter | Open reservation dates |
|---|---|
| 001 | 3 |
| 002 | 3 |
The 2 shelters with the most open reservation dates in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Tracked window
CoverageCampsite Sniper's data for this facility starts May 1, 2027. That is about 180 days after the current snapshot was taken, so dates before May 1, 2027 are not covered by what Campsite Sniper tracks here — they are not known to be unavailable. The reservation dates shown on this page describe May 1, 2027 onwards only. Check Recreation.gov for earlier dates.
Reservation dates
All 2 shelters with current availability
| Shelter | Open reservation dates | Consecutive dates | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | 3 | 3 dates | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 002 | 3 | 3 dates | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
About Sutton Lake Picnic Shelters
Overview
Sutton Lake Picnic Shelters overlook Sutton Lake and the Elk River in central West Virginia, 70 miles north of Charleston and 60 miles south of Clarksburg. The area provides a wide variety of recreational activities, including boating, swimming, fishing and hiking.
Recreation
Sutton Lake's five recreation areas offer many recreation opportunities for visitors. Three campground have sites available for reservation or on a first come, first serve basis. Boat may be launched in all of the lakeside recreation areas. Below Sutton Dam, there is a small boat ramp accessing the Elk River. All three Day Use Areas have fishing platforms. Kids love the playgrounds. Anglers find plentiful bass, crappie, catfish and sunfish in the lake. Below the dam, the Elk River is well-known for its muskie and walleye fishing, and trout are stocked in the Tailwaters. Fire roads and hunting trails in the surrounding lands provide great hiking and biking opportunities around Sutton Lake and at the nearby Elk River Wildlife Management Area.
Facilities
Sutton Lake Day Use Areas offers five picnic shelters, each with six to eight picnic tables and a large charcoal grill.
Shelters 1 and 2 are in the Downstream Area, overlooking the Elk River. Both shelters have water and electric hook-ups and Shelter 1 is accessible. There is a playground, fishing pier, small boat access, horseshoe pits and corn hole in the area. Other facilities include a large parking area and accessible flush toilets.
Shelters 3 and 4 overlook Sutton Lake from the Bee Run Day Use Area. Water and electric hookups are available at each shelter. Amenities include a playground, a large beach, and the Sutton Lake Marina. Area facilities include flush toilets and ample parking. Shelter 4 is ADA accessible, although there is not direct ADA access to the restroom facilities.
Natural Features
Sutton Dam is an impressive 210' tall and 1178' wide concrete dam, backing up Sutton Lake, which covers 1440 acres as it winds 14 miles up the Elk River. Many quiet coves can be found along its 40 miles of shoreline. The lake is surrounded by rolling hills wooded with mixed stands of oak, hickory, poplar and cherry trees. Wildlife, including deer, bears, turkeys, squirrels, ruffed grouse, Canada geese and other waterfowl are abundant in the area.
Nearby Attractions
Sutton Lake Marina is nearby in the Bee Run Area. It is a private concession with a snack bar, boat and slip rentals and more. Camping is available at Gerald Freeman, Bakers Run and Bee Run Campgrounds.
The Elk River Wildlife Management Area contains nearly 18,000 acres of public hunting lands. The terrain is diverse and divided into the Elk River and Holly River sections. The Elk River section consists primarily of steep hills, ridges and benches, where the Holly River section is on the north side of the lake and consists of forested hills and open farmlands.
Getting there
Shelters 1, 2 and 3 are located at the Sutton Dam. From I-79, take Exit 62 toward Sutton/Gassaway. Turn left on SR-4, approximately 2 miles into Sutton. Turn right at the stop sign, cross the Elk River, and turn left to the dam. Shelters 4 and 5 are located in the Bee Run Day-Use Area. From I-79, take Exit 67 toward Flatwoods. Turn right on SR-4. Go 1 mile to SR-15 and turn left. Continue a mile to Bee Run Day-Use Area and turn right. NOTE: GPS directions are not always accurate.
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
Photo gallery
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Sutton Lake Picnic Shelters?
Reservations for Sutton Lake Picnic Shelters are made through Recreation.gov. 6 of 12 tracked reservation dates are currently open (50%). Pick the shelter on the map to see its reservation calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this facility for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Nov 2, 2026 18:20 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
Which month has the most availability at Sutton Lake Picnic Shelters?
May 2027, with 6 open reservation dates in the current snapshot of 12.
When is the next open date at Sutton Lake Picnic Shelters?
Campsite Sniper cannot answer that from the current snapshot. The availability data held for Sutton Lake Picnic Shelters begins May 1, 2027 — about 180 days after this snapshot was taken, so any earlier dates are outside what Campsite Sniper is tracking here rather than known to be unavailable. Check Recreation.gov for dates before May 1, 2027.
Let the app watch this shelter
Choose the reservation dates you want at Sutton Lake Picnic Shelters.
Campsite Sniper can monitor this facility and notify you if a selected date becomes available.
When a selected date becomes available, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.