Spend The Night In An Authentic 1900s Railroad Caboose In The Middle Of West Virginia’s National Quiet Zone

Where can you go to get completely off the grid for a day or two (or more) that also allows you to sleep right along the river in a completely restored, 120-year-old train caboose? West Virginia, of course!

The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad operated by Mountain Rail is one of West Virginia's most popular attractions. With a variety of routes through some of West Virginia's most gorgeous mountainside, a trip on the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad should be high on anyone's bucket list.

And of all the adventure options the popular Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad offers, one of the most requested is the overnight camping trip in the Castaway Caboose.

Here's how it works: a Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Engine will drop you, your friends and family, and the Castaway Caboose off at one of two secluded campsites along the Greenbrier River in the National Quiet Zone (which means absolutely no cell phone service). You'll have the place all to yourself for a few days, and then an engine will come back and pick you up for the return trip to the Durbin Station.

Originally built in 1901, these two authentic Wabash Railroad cabooses that make up the Castaway Caboose camping experience have been masterfully restored to their original glory.

The insides are just as fun and beautiful and gleaming as the outsides of these Castaway Cabooses.

Although you'll want to spend plenty of time out in the woods or the river, there's plenty of room to eat, sleep, and hang out inside in case of rain.

There's even a nook or two for when you need a little space to yourself once in awhile!

Each caboose sleeps up to six. All linens and essentials, including a few cooking and first aid supplies, are provided, but you need to bring your own food - and pack plenty, because you can't run to a grocery store once you've begun your adventure!

But the best amenity of all is having hundreds of acres of Wild, Wonderful West Virginia all to yourself for as long as you stay.

A night on the Castaway Caboose starts at $330, with significant discounts for multiple nights. But the experience of camping out in a century old train car in the middle of the West Virginia wilderness? Priceless.

A night in the Castaway Caboose is a hot commodity and sells out fast (many parties love it so much, they book the same week every year, a year ahead of time), so if you want to try it, be sure to plan well ahead of the dates you want to reserve. To learn more, visit the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad's website. Already booked for the dates you wanted? Try one of these other unique overnight stays in the Mountain State.