GENERAL INFO: The land in Lake Anna State Park used to be known as "Gold Hill" and contained the Goodwin Gold Mine. Gold was first discovered in 1829 with mining reaching its peak in the 1880s. In 1971 Lake Anna was created to serve as a water coolant for Dominion Power’s nuclear plant. In 1972 work began on the acquisition and development of a water-oriented state park. Lake Anna State Park opened in 1983.
While boating and fishing on this beautiful lake are major attractions, these are only some of the park’s offerings. Lakefront picnic areas and wooded hiking trails are also popular. On summer weekends, interpretive programs on the nature and history of the area complement exhibits and displays in the visitor center.
Lake Anna State Park has rental cabins, camping, more than 15 miles of hiking trails, lakeshore picnicking, a guarded swimming beach, a children’s play area, a boat ramp, a food concession stand, a bathhouse and a children’s and handicapped fishing pond.
Note: Day-use parking areas near the beach and picnic areas fill up rapidly when the summer weather is nice on weekends and holidays. When this happens, park staff close the park road to additional traffic until enough parking spots have been vacated. Park closure may remain in effect until 4 p.m. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Anglers may access the park's boat ramp an hour before sunrise for early morning fishing. Lights have been added to help with early and late boat ramp activity. An automatic gate allows campers to exit the boat ramp area and return to the campground after hours.
AT-A-GLANCE: The pictographs directly below show park offerings. Click on those of interest or read below for more detail. Mouse-over the image for a short text description or click here to view a legend in which each pictograph's meaning is expressed.
LOCATION: The park lies adjacent to Route 601 off Route 208, 25 miles southwest of Fredericksburg and 60 miles northwest of Richmond.
Drive Time: Northern Virginia, one hour; Richmond, one hour; Tidewater/Norfolk/Virginia Beach, three hours; Roanoke, four hours
Directions:
From I-95, take Exit 118 at Thornburg and travel about four miles on Rt. 606. At Snell, Rt. 606 becomes Rt. 208. Stay on Rt. 208 west for 11 miles. Turn right onto Rt. 601 Lawyers Road and drive three miles. You’ll see the state park sign on your left.
Going east on I-64, take Exit 143 at Ferncliff and stay on Rt. 208 east for six miles. Go through Louisa and continue five more miles on 208 east to Mineral. Turn left at the light onto Rt. 522 north and stay on the road for six miles to the intersection just before Dickinson Store. Take a right there onto Rt. (New Bridge Road) and travel eight miles. You’ll cross a bridge. When you get to Rt. 601 (Lawyers Road), turn left and go three miles. The park sign will be on your left.
From west on I-64, take Exit 159 at Gum Springs. Take Rt. 522 north for 11 miles until you reach the village of Cuckoo. Stay on Rt. 522 until you reach Mineral. Turn right at the light to stay on Rt. 522 north and stay on the road for six miles to the intersection just before Dickinson Store. Take a right there onto Rt. (New Bridge Road) and travel eight miles. You’ll cross a bridge. When you get to Rt. 601 (Lawyers Road), turn left and go three miles. The park sign will be on your left.
Traveling south on Rt. 522, it’s best to go past the state park sign at the Rt. 612 intersection and, instead, stay on Rt. 522 for eight miles. At that point, you’ll see Dickinson Store. Just beyond that, turn left onto Rt. 208 east. Stay on that road for eight miles. You’ll cross a bridge. When you get to Rt. 601 (Lawyers Road), turn left and go three miles. The park sign will be on your left.PARK MAP: Click here (PDF) for the park's trail guide. Click here (PDF) for its general facilities guide.
OVERNIGHT FACILITIES: For information on availability of overnight accommodations, particular park amenities or to make a reservation, you can reserve online or call 1-800-933-PARK. Click here for park fees.
Click here for details on reservation cancellation and transfer policies. A fee is charged per pet per night for overnight stays.
Site type: Two-bedroom frame, 3; two-bedroom frame waterview, 7. All cabins have two bedrooms and wood-frame construction (cedar siding), metal roof, dry wall and wood laminate flooring. Ceramic tile flooring in the bathrooms. Units have shower-bath. Each sleeps six, no bed rentals; a queen-size bed in one bedroom, two singles in the other bedroom. Also a queen pull-out sofa in the living room.
The campground offers sites with and without water and electric hookups, centrally located restrooms with hot showers, fire-rings, picnic tables and lantern holders.
Total sites of each type: STD, 23; E/W, 23
Site type:
STD - No hookups, various equipment (tents, popups. RVs) up to 60 feet; bathhouse with hot showers. Tents must fit on 20’ x 25' tent pad.
E/W - Electric and water hookups for various equipment (tents, popups, RVs) up to 60 feet; bathhouse with hot showers. Tents must fit on a 20’ x 25' tent pad.
Camp Cabins - six sites (Camp Cabins 01-06)
SWIMMING: Per person fee Memorial Day-Labor Day for beach swimming. Click here for park fees.
A swimming beach, snack bar concession and bathhouse are available to the public during the summer. The beach can accommodate several hundred visitors per day and there are lifeguards on duty. From the Saturday before Memorial Day weekend through the Monday of Labor Day weekend, the beach is open:
Swimming cannot be guaranteed should circumstances beyond the park's control require that swimming be closed.
Annual parking passes are available through the Reservation Center or park. Discount swim coupons and annual swimming passes are available at the park only.
Note: Day-use parking areas near the beach and picnic areas fill up rapidly when the summer weather is nice on weekends and holidays. When this happens, park staff close the park road to additional traffic until enough parking spots have been vacated. Park closure may remain in effect until 4 p.m. We apologize for any inconvenience.
TRAILS: The park has 11 trails totaling more than 15 miles. All are for hiking with 12 miles designated as shared, multiple-use trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. All trails also allow travel in both directions. They pass over moderate terrain through mixed hardwood and pine forest. All trails except Big Woods, Pigeon Run and Gold Hill trails are rated "easy," those three are rated more difficult. Click here (PDF, 175K) to download an Old Pond Trail guide published by Friends of Lake Anna State Park.
FISHING, BOATING: Fishing: Lake Anna is well known for its largemouth bass, crappie, bream. A variety of other freshwater fish can also be found. A valid Virginia fishing license is required. A 1.5-acre fishing pond designed for children and handicapped persons only is located near the visitor center. Also, a public boat launching ramp is available, along with many areas for bank fishing. Call 1-800-933-PARK to purchase an annual boat launch passport. Click here for park fees.
HUNTING: Managed deer hunt.
PARKS CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Click here to view park events, festivals, workshops and interpretive programs.
VISITOR CENTER, GIFT SHOP: Open Wednesday through Sunday from Memorial Day through Labor Day from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. The visitor center has wildlife and historical exhibits as well as varying interpretive displays on gold mining. Be sure to visit the Gold Mine Gift Shop for a Lake Anna souvenir. All proceeds from the sale of souvenirs are used to operate and maintain Virginia State Parks.
NATURE, HISTORY PROGRAMS: Programs are held Wednesday through Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day and on various weekends the rest of the year. Programs include canoe tours, panning for gold, gold mine tours, children in nature, geo-caching and more. Click here to view park events, festivals, workshops and interpretive programs.
Environmental Education Pavilion: This pavilion and surround facilities - outdoor classroom, Old Pond Trail, the pond, the visitor center and the campfire circle - offer groups places to teach people about the natural world around them. Training for teachers and volunteers is available on request; the Piedmont edition of Your Backyard Classrooms is now available. Please contact park staff at least four weeks prior to your group's planned visit so staff can help meet your educational request.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER: This park has a facility for groups interested in teaching individuals about the world around them. To enhance the experience, canoe tours are available at certain times of the year. A stream, pond, lake and forest surround the center and the outdoor classroom. These facilities are great places to reserve for group programs. Educational groups may use Lake Anna’s Let’s Explore and Research Nature environmental education lesson plans, DCR’s Your Backyard Classrooms lessons, and park materials, equipment and grounds free of charge. Park staff can help plan the trip, but group leaders must conduct the programs and supervise the group. Training is available for teachers and volunteers. Contact the park for information about the training or to schedule a group activity.
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Visit www.lakeannaonline.com for local businesses in the Lake Anna area that offer private campsites, lodging, restaurants, boat rentals, etc.
PICNIC SHELTERS: The picnicking area has grills and restroom facilities. Three picnic shelters are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are reserved by calling the Reservation Center at (800) 933-PARK. Parking fees are not included in the shelter rental. See above for details.
Lake Anna State Park picnic shelters
Three shelters are available for rent. There are two sizes, large and small. They can be rented from 8 a.m. to dusk (all day). Click here for park fees. Because of limited parking, shelters are not rented on holiday weekends. Shelter 2 is not rented on any weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Cancellation policy: No refund within 14 days before reserved date. Before then, there's a cancellation fee.
Amenities: Visitors should contact the park if they want to coordinate payment of park admissions and/or beach admissions for their overall group. Use of a caterer to prepare the meal requires a special use permit. The park is open daily 8 a.m. to dusk. The swimming beach is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on holidays. See particular swimming dates above for more detail.
Shelter #1 (small): The shelter is a 40' x 20' framed tent so there are no poles in the center and the sides are open. No cement floor. The vinyl top has large green and white stripes. There are eight picnic tables and three pedestal grills (charcoal). The shelter can seat 50 people at one time; a group of more than 50 but fewer than 100 can use the site, however people will need to bring lawn chairs. Bringing additional tables and grills is discouraged. Parking space is not a problem. The shelter is at the far corner of the visitor center parking area approximately 200 yards from the beach and restrooms. No electrical outlets or water hydrants. There is not a good view of the lake, however the shelter offers more privacy and a woodland view.
Shelter #2 (small): The shelter is a 40' x 20' framed tent so there are no poles in the center and the sides are open. No cement floor. The vinyl top has large green and white stripes. There are eight picnic tables and two pedestal grills (charcoal). The shelter can seat 50 people at one time; a group of more than 50 but fewer than 100 can use the site, however people will need to bring lawn chairs. Bringing additional tables and grills is discouraged. Parking space is adequate but on busy weekends it may be necessary to offload supplies and park in the beach area parking lot, which is approximately 200 yards away. The shelter is near the shoreline with a view of the lake between the boat ramp and swimming beach. The shelter is within Picnic Area A, and the general public uses the picnic tables and grills around this area. Restrooms are approximately 100 yards away. No electric outlets or water hydrants.
Shelter #3 (large): The shelter is a 25' x 35' wooden frame structure with a cement floor. There are four large picnic tables equivalent to eight regular size tables and two pedestal grills (charcoal). Two tables are wheelchair accessible, and there is a cement walkway leading to the shelter. The shelter can seat 50 people at one time; a group of more than 50 but fewer than 75 can use the site, however people will need to bring lawn chairs. Bringing additional tables and grills is discouraged. Parking space is limited. Groups with more than 25 vehicles are not recommended during the summer season, Memorial Day-Labor Day. The shelter is within Picnic Area B with restrooms and a small playground approximately 50 yards away. No electric outlets or water hydrants. The shelter is not within walking distance of the swimming beach. Reaching the beach is best accomplished by having group members car-pool about ½ mile. Boats can be launched at the park boat ramp and driven a short distance to this area and anchored around the shoreline near the shelter. The shelter has a good view of the lake.
CONCESSIONS: The park's snack bar, which is near the swimming beach, offers hot dogs, chicken tenders, French fries, ice cream, soft drinks, etc. It's open Memorial Day through Labor Day. And don't miss the Gold Mine Gift Shop, located in the visitor center, open 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., open Wednesday through Sunday from Memorial Day through Labor Day. There's a small gift shop in the park office.
LAUNDRY: Coin-operated laundry in south loop campground bathhouse.
RESTAURANT: Nearby you'll find: 208 Variety Store, 6274 Courthouse Road; R J's Pizza, 6276 Courthouse Road; Chelsea Jo's, 5152 Courthouse Road; Hubba's, 6276 Courthouse Rd.; Tavern on the Rail, 81 Tavern Rd.; Anna Cabana's, 4227 Boggs Drive; and Lakeview Restaurant on Rt. 719.
HISTORY: The land in Lake Anna State Park used to be known as "Gold Hill" and contained the Goodwin Gold Mine. Gold was first discovered in 1829 with mining reaching its peak in the 1880s. In 1971, Lake Anna was created to serve as a water coolant for Virginia Power's nuclear plant. In 1972, work began on the acquisition and development of a water-oriented state park. Lake Anna State Park opened in 1983.
FRIENDS GROUP: Friends of Lake Anna State Park Inc., a nonprofit citizen group, helps support the park. The group's mission is to help conserve the park's natural, cultural, scenic and recreational resources. The group also helps provide various recreational and educational opportunities, and promotes environmental stewardship on one of Virginia's largest lakes. To join up or learn more about the friends group, please contact its president at (540) 895-5061.
