Bear Creek Lake State Park

Cabins, camping

OVERNIGHT FACILITIES

Camping and cabins. For information on the availability of overnight accommodations and particular park amenities or to make a reservation, you can reserve online or call 1-800-933-PARK. Reservations are highly recommended.

Unguarded swimming is unavailable. Read more about swimming in the park's Recreation section.

Click here for details on reservation cancellation and transfer policies.

Visit a photo collection of Bear Creek Lake's overnight accommodations.

Cabins | Lodges | Bunkhouse | Camping

Cabins

Between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, all cabins and the lodge are rented for a six-night minimum, beginning on a specified start date that varies by cabin. The six-night requirement is reduced to a required four-night stay three months out and dropped to two nights in the last month before arrival. A two-night minimum stay is required for the rest of the year.  Cabins and the lodge are open year-round and may be reserved up to 11 months in advance. Extra beds are unavailable for these dwellings.

Map of cabin locations (PDF)

Directions for cabin and lodge guests to registration office: Register at the park office near the campgrounds on Bear Creek Lake Road off Route 629. Those arriving late will find check-in information posted outside the park office door.

From Feb. 15 through April 30, a burn ban is in effect from midnight to 4 p.m. No open fires, including charcoal fires, are allowed until after 4 p.m. unless a camp host is on-site.

During prime season, weekly rental for cabins 6 through 9 starts on Friday, cabins 1 through 5 on Saturday, and for 10 through 13 on Sunday.

• Check-in is 4 p.m., and check-out is 10 a.m.
• Maximum two cars per cabin; additional parking is very limited and may not be available. Guests will find an overflow parking area by the linen building. A parking fee is charged for additional cars. 3 bedroom cabins allow 3 vehicles.
• Each cabin has at least one bathroom.
• Kitchen: Refrigerator, stove, coffeemaker, dishes, silverware, cooking utensils, pots, pans, microwave oven, toaster, manual can opener.
• No linens are provided. Guests must bring sheets, pillowcases, blankets, towels, bath mat, kitchen towels and cloths.
• Bring food, dish detergent, dish towels, coffee filters, coffee, salt and pepper, nonstick cooking spray, body wash/soap, bath towels, books, board games or cards.
• Keep pets on a leash no longer than 6 feet when they're not in an enclosed area. Pets are not allowed on the beach. Pets may not be left unattended at any time during your stay.
• A fee is charged per pet per night.
• No smoking in cabins.
• No dishwasher, phone, TV, washer or dryer.
• Wood-burning fireplace. The park provides one bundle of complimentary firewood; extra firewood is available for a nominal fee. Firewood is available in a shed at the entrance to the Acorn Camping Loop. Firewood sales support the Friends of Bear Creek Lake State Park. Cash payments are accepted. Credit card payments through a QR code are accepted at the firewood shed.
• Living area: Sofa, dining table, chairs and end tables.
• Bedrooms: Bed(s), nightstands, dresser, closet with hangers, clock radio.
• Heat pumps.
• Each cabin has a picnic table, fire ring and a charcoal pedestal grill.
• Wrap-around deck; open porch with rocking chairs and end tables.
• Out of respect for cabin guests, large gatherings and camping are not allowed in the cabin area.
• State law permits alcohol use only in private areas (inside a cabin or camping unit) or in areas designated on permits issued by the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
• Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. through 6 a.m. Only overnight guests are allowed in the park after 10 p.m. Visitors are charged daily parking fees; visitors must park in the area designated by the park.
• Cabins 2, 4, 5, 11 and 12 are waterview.
• Cabin 5 has a queen bed, one set of bunk beds and a full-size pullout couch in the living area.
• Cabin 6 has 15 steps leading to the cabin.
• The 3-bedroom cabins, 9 and 11, have two bathrooms. Cabin 9 has one bathroom with a shower/tub combination and one with an ADA-accessible shower. In cabin 11, the two bathrooms include a shower/tub combination.
• The two-bedroom cabins offer a shower amenity in the bathroom.
• Each cabin and the lodge allows for an electric vehicle to be charged. It is 15 amp service.

Lodges

• Check-in is 4 p.m., and check-out is 10 a.m.
• No bed rentals.
• Maximum occupancy is 16.
• Maximum five cars; additional parking is very limited and may not be available. A parking fee is charged for additional cars. Overflow parking is nearby.
• Six bedrooms, one of which is universally accessible, and three bathrooms, one of which is universally accessible. One universally accessible bath is between the master bedrooms; the other two baths are shared by the four remaining bedrooms.
• Two bedrooms have queen size beds.
• Two bedrooms each have two single beds.
• Two bedrooms have two sets of bunk beds (each room sleeps four).
• Universally accessible: Kitchen, dining area, living room, one bedroom and one bath. The other bedrooms and bathrooms are not universally accessible.
• The lodge has 3 bathrooms. One is universally accessible with a shower. The other two bathrooms offer a shower/tub combination.
• No smoking.
• Kitchen-dining-living area has an open floor plan.
• The kitchen is equipped with an electric range/oven, refrigerator, microwave, toaster, drip coffee maker, pots, pans, dishes and utensils.
• The living area includes a fireplace with gas logs. One bundle of wood is provided free of charge for use in the fire ring. Firewood is available in a shed at the entrance to the Acorn Camping Loop. Firewood sales support the Friends of Bear Creek Lake State Park. Cash payments are accepted. Credit card payments through a QR code are accepted at the firewood shed.
• The dining room table seats eight, and there are six other seats at the counter.
• Heated and air-conditioned with a heat pump.
• No linens are provided. Guests must bring sheets, pillowcases, blankets, towels, bath mat, kitchen towels and cloths.
• One porch on the front; a second porch on the back of the lodge.
• Washer and dryer.
• Limited view of the water from the lodge.
• Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet when not in an enclosed area. They are not allowed on the beach. Pets may not be left unattended at any time.
• A fee is charged per pet per night.
• Large gatherings and camping are not allowed in the cabin area to respect other cabin guests.
• Each cabin and lodge allows for an electric vehicle to be charged. It is 15 amp service.
• State law permits alcohol use only in private areas (inside a cabin or camping unit) or in areas designated on permits issued by the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Total sites of each type: two-bedroom frame, 6; two-bedroom frame waterview, 4; three-bedroom frame, 1; three-bedroom frame waterview, 1; Bear Creek Lodge, 1

Site Types:

Two-bedroom frame cabin, maximum capacity six, one queen bed, two sets of bunk beds (room sleeps four); no bed rentals; one bathroom.

Two-bedroom frame waterview cabin, maximum capacity six, one queen bed, two sets of bunk beds (room sleeps four); no bed rentals. Cabin 5, which is universally accessible, has a queen bed, one set of bunk beds and a full-size pullout couch in the living area; one bathroom.

Three-bedroom frame cabin, maximum capacity of eight, one queen bed, two single beds in the second bedroom, two sets of bunk beds (room sleeps four) in the third bedroom; no bed rentals; two bathrooms. This three-bedroom cabin is universally accessible.

Three-bedroom frame waterview cabin, maximum capacity eight, one queen bed, two single beds in the second bedroom, two sets of bunk beds (room sleeps four) in the third bedroom; no bed rentals; two bathrooms.

Bear Creek Lodge (aka The Lakehouse) - six bedrooms, maximum capacity 16, three bathrooms, universally accessible, a queen-size bed in each of the two-bedroom, two single beds in two bedrooms, two sets of bunk beds each in two bedrooms (each room sleeps four); no bed rentals.

Bunkhouse

The park rents a bunkhouse that is next to the group campsite and near Chestnut Loop. The bunkhouse is not a full-service lodge. It has two rooms and seven bunk beds, a refrigerator, a microwave oven, a coffee pot, and heating and air conditioning. The bunkhouse also has a charcoal grill and deck outside. Cooking and smoking are prohibited inside the bunkhouse. Five vehicles are permitted with the rental of the bunkhouse; the daily parking fee must be paid for additional vehicles.

This facility becomes available in January each year; unlike most overnight facilities, it is not sold 11 months in advance. Check-in is 4 p.m., and checkout is 10 a.m. The check-in envelope will be posted outside the park office door beginning at the 4 p.m. check in time.

The transfer deadline and cancellation and pet fees are the same as those for cabins, but there is no week stay requirement; there is a two-night minimum.

• No linens are provided. Guests must bring all linens: sheets, pillowcases, blankets, towels, bath mat, kitchen towels and cloths.
• Maximum occupancy is 14. Guests are responsible for any damage.
• The minimum stay is two nights.
• It has no bathroom, kitchen or fireplace.
• Bunkhouse guests use the bathhouse in Chestnut Loop, which is about 75 yards away. The bathhouse in Acorn Loop, which is about 200 yards away, is available during shoulder seasons.
• A fee is charged per pet per night.
• Cooking and smoking are not permitted inside.
• Electrical outlets are available but limited to 15-amp service.
• No extra bed rentals are available.
• State law permits alcohol use only in private areas (inside a cabin or camping unit) or in areas designated on permits issued by the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
• The bunkhouse is next to the park's group campsite, which may be rented by calling the Customer Service Center (800) 933-PARK (7275). Large groups should consider renting the bunkhouse and the group camping area.

Please note: The bunkhouse is not Bear Creek Lodge. The bunkhouse is next to the park's group campsite.

Camping

All campsites at the park allow site-specific reservations.
Chart of the campsites (PDF)
Campsite Map (PDF)
Photos of the sites.

Camping is available from the first Friday in March until the first Monday in December.

From Feb. 15 through April 30, a burn ban is in effect from midnight to 4 p.m. Open air fires are prohibited during this time unless a camp host is in residence.

• Check-in is at 4 p.m. Check-out is 1 p.m.
• Sites have metal fire rings that may be used for campfires or as charcoal grills.
• Ice can be purchased at the park office.
• Firewood is for sale at the entrance to the Acorn Camping Loop. Firewood sales support the Friends of Bear Creek Lake State Park. Cash payments are accepted. Credit card payments through a QR code are accepted at the firewood shed.
• Two vehicles are allowed per site in addition to a camping unit. Some sites, however, can accommodate only one vehicle. Additional vehicles should be parked at the office parking area adjacent to the campground. The parking fee is charged for more than two vehicles per site.
• Guests visiting campers must park in the parking area and leave by 10 p.m. Daily parking fees apply.
• A campground host is available at most times in site 14 next to the Acorn Loop Campground picnic shelter. A host is also available on site 41 in the Chestnut Loop. The host may also help with firewood and ice sales after the office is closed. 
• Acorn, Black Oak and Chestnut loops have campsite-specific reservations. 
• In Acorn Loop, the only campground by the lake, there are 11 water view tent sites (10' x 10' tent pads) with no electric and water hookups. There are also five sites there that offer no view of the water but they have electric and water hookups to accommodate popups and equipment up to 20 feet long.
• Black Oak Loop has 8 sites with water and electric hookups to accommodate pop-ups and equipment up to 20 feet long, and nine sites with such hookups to accommodate equipment up to 35 feet long. (Note: The 35-foot length includes the combined length of the camper and tow vehicle. Those attempting to place equipment with a combined length exceeding 35 feet risk damaging their equipment).
• Reserve campsites through the Reservation Center - 800-933-7275 option 5 or online.
• Chestnut Loop has 11 electric and water sites. The campground can accommodate tents and small pop-up units. Three of these sites accommodate equipment up to 35ft (Note: The 35-foot length includes the combined length of the camper and tow vehicle. Those attempting to place equipment with a combined length exceeding 35 feet risk damaging their equipment).
• In the Chestnut Loop, most sites are shaded. Sites 41, 43, 45 and 46 provide no shade.
• Sites 41, 43, 45 and 46 provide no shade.
• Site 43 provides a sewer connection and it is handicap accessible. 
• A campground host is available on site 41.
• The Chestnut loop is open through October 31. 
• Please keep pets on a leash no longer than six feet. Pets are not allowed on the beach. Pets must be attended at all times.
• Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• State law permits alcohol use only in private areas (inside a cabin or camping unit) or in areas designated on permits issued by the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
• Campers will find a check in car pass including their last name posted by the park office door. Maps are provided designating the campsite location.

Number of each site type: EW - 21; RV35 - 12; Waterview TENT - 11; BC Group Site - 1

EW – Electric-water sites; gravel parking area; can hold various equipment up to 20 feet; accepts outlets 20 and 30-amp current.

RV35 – Electric-water sites; gravel parking area; holds equipment up to 35 feet long; accepts 20 and 30-amp current. These are located in Black Oak and Chestnut Camping Loops.

Waterview TENT - Tents only. No hookups. Gravel parking area; tent pads and natural surface for setting up a tent.

Total: 48 sites

Group Campsite

The park rents a group campsite that has no hookups and is for tents only. It's near Chestnut Loop and next to the bunkhouse. The site accommodates up to 36 people and is near a restroom. It has six picnic tables, a large pedestal grill and a stone fire pit surrounded by three benches. All equipment must be set up on gravel-covered areas. The campsite is available from April 1 through Oct. 31. Group campsite guests use restrooms in nearby Chestnut Loop and Acorn Loop (about 200 yards away). There is a non-refundable transaction fee plus a cancellation fee when reservations for this site are canceled. The fee for canceling any group site that accommodates more than six people is greater than that for single campsites.

• Dogs are allowed but must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet. Dogs must be attended to at all times and are not allowed on the beach.
• Sites are primitive; no water or electricity.
• One vehicle is allowed per campsite. No more than 6 vehicles are allowed in the group campsite area. Additional vehicles may be parked at the park office, and a daily parking fee is charged.
• Check-in is at 4 p.m., and check-out is at 1 p.m.
• State law permits alcohol use only in private areas (inside a cabin or camping unit) or in areas designated on permits issued by the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
• A burn ban is in effect from midnight to 4 p.m. from Feb. 15 to April 30.