Bear Creek Lake State Park RV & Campground Guide
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Bear Creek Lake State Park is a 329-acre park in Virginia with a lake that was created by hand by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. This stunning state park is just an hour’s drive away from the city of Richmond, and it’s open to the public from 8 a.m. to dusk daily. Facilities at the park include multiple rental cabins, a campground, a large picnic shelter available for reservations, and Bear Creek Hall, which is popularly rented for family reunions and weddings. Nearby Cities • Richmond, VA • Whiteville, VA • Farmville, VA • Zion Crossroads, VA
Spring 43-71 F
Summer 64-87 F
Fall 45-71 F
Winter 25-47 F
RV Resorts & Campsites in Bear Creek Lake State Park
Bear Creek Lake State Park Campground • Water hookup: Yes • Electrical hookup: Yes • Sewer hookup: No • Wi-Fi: Yes • Pet-friendly: Yes • Max RV length: 35 feet • Other amenities: Firewood, ice, seasonal market
Bear Creek Lake State Park Campground
Bear Creek Lake State Park Campground offers 37 RV campsites, all of which are back-ins. Of those sites, nine can handle RVs up to 35 feet in length, and the rest limit the length to 20 feet. The sites are wide enough to deploy any slide-outs an RV may support. All of the pads are gravel with a heavy canopy of trees shading the campground. Fishing, boating, swimming, and hiking are among the favorite activities of guests. Boats may be rented from the concessionaire.
Water Hookup: Yes
Electric Hookup: 20/30 amps
Sewer Hookup: No
Wi-Fi Available: No
Pet-friendly: Yes
Other amenities: Restrooms with flush toilets, fire rings, picnic tables
Fee: $35 to $40 per night
Cozy Acres Campground
Located 20 miles east of Cumberland in Powhatan, VA, is Cozy Acres Campground. This campground is a family-owned and -operated facility that offers 113 RV campsites. The older campsites have a graveled pad, but the new sites offer paved pads and are clear of the tree canopy that hovers above most of the campground. There is an outdoor swimming pool that is available during nice weather. The playground is huge, and trails run throughout the campground and around its edges. A fishing pond is stocked with farm-raised catfish. The camp store offers firewood, ice, and some fresh produce.
Water Hookup: Yes
Electric Hookup: 30/50 amp
Sewer Hookup: Yes
Wi-Fi Available: No
Pet-friendly: Yes
Other amenities: Restrooms with flush toilets, warm showers, fire rings, picnic tables, dump station
Fee: $49 to $80 per night
Amelia Family Campground
Amelia Family Campground is located just a 25-mile drive toward the southeast from Cumberland in the town of Amelia Court House, VA. The campground offers 80 RV spaces, 50 of which are pull-throughs with full hookups. The sites are only 14 feet in width, which may cause a problem when attempting to deploy slide-outs. However, each site is 65 feet long, making them capable of handling nearly any RV on the road. Recreational facilities include a swimming pool, a fishing pond, a horseshoe pit, and a playground.
Water Hookup: Yes
Electric Hookup: 30/50
Sewer Hookup: Yes
Wi-Fi Available: No
Pet-friendly: Yes
Other amenities: Restrooms with flush toilets, warm showers, fire rings, picnic tables, dump station
Fee: $35 to $45 per night
What to Do at
Bear Creek Lake State Park
In the summertime, Bear Creek Lake State Park is popular for its large swimming beach, which features the Lakeside Snack Bar with a picnic area. The trailhead to the Cumberland Multi-Use Trail, which is 15.7 miles long, is also found at the park and is open for biking, hiking, and horseback riding. The park offers a 10-lane archery range with 3D targets, and there are four-hour archery equipment rentals often available at the park office. Boat rentals are available seasonally from Memorial Day to Labor Day at the office.
Inside Bear Creek Lake State Park
The fishing on 40-acre Bear Creek Lake is fantastic. There is an ADA-accessible fishing pier, a boat launch, and an unguarded swimming beach. Not only does the lake attract anglers, but it also beckons painted turtles, green herons, and ducks. The surrounding Cumberland State Forest, where wildlife habitats occur naturally, is full of bird and animal life. An extensive trails system exists inside the park and connects with trails in Cumberland State Forest, including the 14-mile Cumberland Multiuse Trail that allows hikers, bikers, and horseback riders.
Fishing
Bear Creek Lake is home to fish such as largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish, and black crappie. Anglers who want to fish at the state park are required to have a valid state-issued fishing permit, and they can catch fish on the handicap-accessible pier at the boat launch area or at the park’s swimming beach.
Geocaching
Bear Creek Lake State Park is a popular spot for geocaching, and caches with camping and fishing gear are commonly found along the park’s hiking trails. The park has also hosted several geocaching events in the past, such as the Bear Creek Lake 75th Anniversary Adventure.
Nature Watching
Plenty of birds inhabit the Bear Creek Lake area, including Carolina chickadees, tufted titmice, hairy woodpeckers, and white-breasted nuthatches. Other wildlife that you may be able to see at the state park include eastern painted turtles and green herons in the lake.
Hiking
All trails in this state park are easy to moderately difficult, and each trail is 1.8 miles long or shorter. Some of the most popular trails include the Black Oak Loop and Acorn Loop, both of which can be accessed from the park’s campground.
Boating
Bear Creek Lake State Park offers a boat launch with a parking area on the northern tip of Bear Creek Lake. The boat launch features an accessible pier that is also shared with anglers, and boat rentals are usually available between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Biking
All trails located inside Bear Creek Lake State Park are open for hiking only. However, the Cumberland Multi-Use Trail and Willis River Trail are open for biking, and they can be accessed from the Pine Knob Bike Area on the northeast side of the park.
How to Get to
Bear Creek Lake State Park
To reach Bear Creek Lake State Park, take U.S. Route 60 to Route 622. From there, turn south onto Route 629 to reach the park entrance. For visitors coming to the park from the west, GPS devices tend to direct drivers through the Cumberland State Forest, and it is recommended that visitors, specifically those with an RV or large vehicle, take Routes 60, 622, and 629 instead.
Entering Bear Creek Lake State Park
Visitors to the park may park only in designated parking areas, and those who stay in campsites are permitted only two motor vehicles, aside from their RVs, at their sites. Additional vehicles must park in other designated areas and pay an additional overnight parking fee.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bear Creek Lake State Park
Perhaps the best time to visit Bear Creek Lake is during the summer, between Memorial and Labor Days, to enjoy the swimming beach and snack bar. Fishing is also most successful in the warmer months, and camping at the park is closed from December to March.
Plenty of waterfowl, including blue herons, osprey, and wood ducks, can be spotted at Bear Creek Lake State Park. Other animals commonly seen there include deer, squirrels, groundhogs, and rabbits.
There are 48 campsites at the Bear Creek Lake State Park Campground, 12 of which may accommodate RVs up to 35 feet in length. All other sites may accommodate RVs up to 20 feet long or tents, and each site may separately be designated as a site with or without electrical and water hookups.
Campers who come to Bear Creek Lake are recommended to reserve their campsites in advance online. The sites with electricity and water are priced at $35 a night for Virginia residents and $40 a night for non-residents. All other standard sites are $25 to $35 a night depending on whether the site is a water view site or not.
Yes, pets are allowed at Bear Creek Lake State Park and at the park's campground. Note that all pets must be kept on a leash of a maximum of six feet at all times while outdoors.