Bear Creek Lake State Park Campground

We came here because it’s about an hour-and-a-half from home, perfect for an overnight. The photo on the website of our particular site was very deceptive. It looked way more secluded and wooded than it actually was, but it was decent.

Acorn Loop has lake-front sites that I would highly recommend. Sites 4-12 are the best, with #11 being the best best: it’s right on the water but also kind of tucked away a bit. #13 is smack in the middle of the loop, I personally wouldn’t want that site. The sites at the top of the hill, A1, A2, A3, and A15 are right on the road, but there wasn’t much traffic in this particular loop, so it didn’t bother us. A1, A2, and A3 will have people walking by a lot for the bathhouses. I don’t think every loop has one.

The lake itself is very pretty, 40 acres and manmade. We brought innertubes and just floated but we saw people fishing, kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddle boarding, and paddle boating. There were lots of people fishing, and someone got a catfish and kept it for dinner. 🎣

We drove around and checked out the cabin sites. These cabins are HUGE and really beautiful. They look like they could accommodate over 12 people. There’s also a meeting space/hall that you can book.... would be a great place for reunions, receptions, etc. 

Overnight

This park is only about an hour's drive from Richmond which makes it very accessible for a short weekend trip. The tent-only section of the campground is alongside a lake, which provides beautiful views. There are lots of hiking trails to explore in the park. The facilities are well-maintained. 

Wonderful place to escape to!

Part of the VA State Park system, BCL is exceptionally well-maintained. Most of the site are RV accessible, but there are a few tent-only sites along the lake, which is where we stayed. These sites are absolutely beautiful--great lake views, and while the only swimming allowed is at the roped off beach area, there is a canoe launch and fishing opportunities right at the campsites.

The tent pads are filled with shredded tires instead of gravel or dirt, which provides a little extra cushion, but can be uncomfortable on bare feet.

All sites have fire rings, lantern hooks, and extra long picnic tables. Tent pads are of varying sizes--we stayed in site A12 and our 6 person tent fit easily, and we could have fit a second one-many of our camp neighbors had 10 person tents set up.

The water view loop was not heavily trafficked, though the water does provide a hazard if you have small children as it is not roped off in any way. Our kids loved having the water right there and we loved watching them, it just requires extra vigilance. Loops B and C have more sites that are very shady but closer together, and there is more vehicle and bicycle traffic going past campsites.

Bathrooms are clean, and have showers and electrical outlets to charge devices if needed.

The park has lots of hiking, including trails that go directly from the camp sites to the swimming area, boat/canoe rentals, cabins, fishing, and a lakeside diner that sells concessions. Campsites allegedly have Wifi though we did not test this to see how reliable it is.

Cumberland County is only at 455' elevation, so the heat and humidity in the summer is intense--we were very uncomfortable our first night because of this, so fall would probably be the best time to go as it is when central Virginia has the best weather.

Well maintained with lots of recreational activities

This was our first time camping at state park with our dogs and it has been great. We were able to score a campsite with a view of the lake and easy access to the Channel Cat Loop trail. Our tent pad was covered in rubber pieces which made for a comfortable base for our tent, and the separate area with fire pit, picnic table and pattern hooks was awesome. Another couple joined us and there was plenty of room for all four people and three dogs to spread out. Fell even more in love when majority of campsites left on Sunday, leaving peace and quiet all around. Bonus is having the dog only section at the swimming beach, which made for a fun afternoon with our pups.

Weekend getaway

We loved this place! It was a small quiet campground with easy hiking trails, a small lake and some friendly bears poking around in the camp office. The sites were pretty close together. I prefer a more serene camp site with less people so unless we find a secluded spot here we might not return. I do recommend for families and there is a great spot for group camping with about 8 sites in a circle.

Gina

Perfect setting 

Bear Creek Lake is a bit off the beaten path which was one of the things I really loved about it. My kids and I camped in a tent on the Chestnut Loop, which was well shaded by trees and the bathrooms were incredibly clean. The sites are a little close to each other for my taste, but everything else was so nice I didn't let it bother me.

The lake itself is smallish, but the scenery is beautiful. We rented kayaks and the staff were all very nice and helpful. There is a small beach area for swimming, but I'm not a fan of swimming in lakes myself so I skipped visiting that area. Instead we hiked the very scenic trails around the lake, which are well marked for the most part.

In all, this was a very nice park to visit for camping, hiking and kayaking. I imagine I'll be returning again in the future.

Beautiful park!

The sites were close together but a few sites are worth it right on the water. It had a good weekend program for the family. 
The beach personnel were great and helpful. 
Lots of bugs. Even with bug spray. 
Fishing was not bad. Caught my first ever catfish.

Nice quiet camping 

We had a fun camping trip at Bear Creek Lake! We chose a reservable waterview site (#18) and I'm glad we got the one we did! It is not directly on the water, there is a fence around the site and then a short walk to the water. I'm glad we had the beautiful view of the lake while camping, but didn't have to stress about the kids getting in the water the whole time. Note that there is a hiking trail and fishing spot right behind the fence, so people were walking by all the time, but it wasn't too disruptive. The bathrooms are about a 2 minute walk from the site. There is a shortcut through the woods across the street. 

There is a great swimming area with a little kids area that was so fun! We did a hike around the whole lake, lots of great views. Looks like it would be awesome for fishing as well!

Just worth a mention that my kids came back with poison ivy everywhere, so watch out for that!

Beautiful Bear Creek Lake!

If you are looking for a nice place to relax, this is the campground. It's an older state park with mature shade trees but we'll maintained. The bathhouse is kept very clean. It has a lake for swimming, boating, and fishing. There are programs every weekend. There is even an archery range. There is hiking trails throughout as well. I definitely recommend this place. Limit on RV length to 35 feet. This includes tow vehicle and trailer.

Shaded bliss

Nice little state park close to Richmond and not too far from DC. We had a non-reservable site in the Black Oak loop—sites were tiny and very close together, but it was still pretty quiet even on a full weekend. The lakeside spots on the Acorn loop looked really nice and much more spacious. Kids enjoyed the little sandy beach, paddle boats, and easy, flat hike in the pretty forest around the lake. 

Nice little state park

We stayed at Bear Creek Lake 11/26 &amp; 11/27.  We wanted to stay at a park that had a nice trail system attached to walk about during the day.  It was SO NICE walking along trails that were not crowded (we're from Northern VA, it's crowded).  My dog thoroughly enjoyed getting out and getting new sniffs!  The staff and camp hosts were very friendly and helpful while respecting and maintaining social distancing (COVID-times, amirite?).  Sites and facilities were well-maintained.  The only negative is that the sites are pretty close together, but that's more of a personal preference!

Great trail system around park

I stayed 4 nights in  my Coleman 17b a rolling hills campground 20' max. Lake views and surrounded by hardwoods. Very nice gift shop with very nice staff. Cabins are available as is the archery range. 
Beautiful beach and surroundings make for a quite tranquil week stay.

Chill zone

We camped here for a couple of nights in February for my sister’s birthday. Super clean cabin, lots of dishes and pots/pans, and utensils. Our cabin had beautiful water views and access to the trails. Saw an albino squirrel! We loved our trip!