You can visit Bear Creek Lake, Holliday Lake, High Bridge Trail, Twin Lakes, and Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Parks all in a 5-day, 4-night trip. We have prepared an itinerary showing you how to make the most of your Farmville park visits.

Farmville, Virginia, is the center of the five Virginia State Parks in this blog. 

If you are new to visiting State Parks,  log your visits on the Trail Quest Adventure Page, earn pins as you visit more parks, and get closer to reaching the Master Hiker status.

Day 1: Bear Creek Lake State Park and overnight trip

Nestled in the heart of the Cumberland State Forest in central Virginia, Bear Creek Lake is less than an hour west of Richmond. Upon arrival, you will check-in at the Park Office to get your camping information and a parking pass. Now you are ready to begin your park adventure!

There are a lot of activities to choose from to enhance your park visit. For those who love target practice and have your own archery gear, bring it here! Bear Creek Lake’s 3-D archery range features new targets to give you a more realistic experience. If you want to test your skills on the target range, you can reserve a session that is held on Saturdays from July to September. Call the park at 804-492-4410 for more details.

Canoe and Kayak trips are a great way to see nature and explore the park. Rowboats, trolling motors, paddleboats, paddleboards, canoes and kayaks are available for rent, so be sure to call the park for availability and pricing details. Experience the 40-acre lake that includes a boat launch, fishing pier, boat rentals and a swimming beach. You can easily plan a couple of hours on the water. Bring your own equipment or rent from the park. 

After being out on the lake, hiking is a fun way to unwind and take in the park’s scenery. Trails range from easy to moderate, depending on the type of hike you are looking for and use the trail guide to select the perfect hike. You will also be able to access the adjoining 16,000-acre Cumberland State Forest, including the 14-mile Cumberland Multi-use Trail, which is available for hiking, biking and horseback riding. 

If you are traveling with a pet, the park has amenities for them as well. Dogs are allowed in all Virginia State Parks, as long as they remain on a leash. There is also a dog-friendly swimming area where your pet can cool off after a walk.

Other attractions include a meeting facility, cabins, camping, picnicking and playgrounds. Check the website to see when the campsite get-togethers are held, as this is a fun way to meet fellow campers and park staff.

Whether you set up camp or check into a cabin before or after your park adventure is up to you, but once you are settled in for the night, you will enjoy a peaceful sleep surrounded by nature. 

Day 2: Holliday Lake State Park and overnight trip

After a scenic 45-minute drive, you will arrive at Holliday Lake for your next adventure. 

Exploring the park via the lake is a good way to experience nature. The park provides rentals for all your water activity needs, such as canoes, kayaks, Jon boats, stand-up paddleboards and pedal boats from Memorial Day until Labor Day.

The swimming area at this park provides colorful floating animals that kids can climb and play on. For those traveling without kids, please know that there is plenty of space for chilling on a float, swimming or relaxing on the beach. A snack bar nearby offers hot dogs, nachos, cold beverages, ice cream and sno-cones to help control your appetite. Check the website for hours of operation.

Continue with water adventures like fishing and canoe tours or take a hike to explore the park. Both are great ways to unwind.

The park contains numerous fishing spots where you can catch largemouth bass, crappie and bluegill fish. The best times for catching these fish are early in the morning or around sunset, but it’s ultimately your call on what time you want to go fishing during the daylight hours that the park is open.

The main feature of Lakeshore Trail is the dam. Check out the events page to see if a canoe tour is available, as they are held on Wednesdays and Sundays. The tours rotate from a guided dam tour to a guided tour that focuses on identifying birds of prey. You will want to bring your binoculars for either tour.

If hiking is your activity of choice then be sure to check out the many trails at Holliday Lake that allow you to explore the woods and surrounding nature. Check out at least one of the four overlook points that give you a wonderful view of the lake and provide a nice break along the hike. 

Located in Appomattox, this park is located minutes from the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, where Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in 1865 ending the American Civil War in Virginia. Visit the museum for more history about the park and the surrounding area.

After your day of exploring, relax in a bunkhouse or campsite at the lake.

Day 3: High Bridge Trail State Park and overnight at Twin Lakes State Park

You will enjoy another 45-minute drive to get to High Bridge Trail. This park provides unique views of Virginia via hiking or biking as the park contains 31 miles of trail. Have plenty of drinking water with you because it isn’t available anywhere along the trail.

If you are planning to hike along High Bridge Trail, then Camp Paradise, Smyth, Spur Line and Spur Line Connector trails offer a variety of unique hiking experiences and are directly accessible from High Bridge Trail with easy to moderate difficulty.

For biking adventures, check out Burnside, Deering and Early trails that total 5.5 miles and offer fun and challenging single-track mountain biking. The Smyth Trail allows biking and hiking.

You will want to check out the park’s centerpiece, the majestic High Bridge, which is more than 2,400 feet long and 125 feet above the Appomattox River. You will have a bird’s eye view of nature and the river while crossing the bridge.

There are two options that provide close parking to the High Bridge. One option is the Rice parking lot, which is 3.2 miles from the bridge. Main Street plaza parking lot in Farmville is another option and the bridge is 4.5 miles from that lot. Visit the park webpage for other parking options if you want a longer trek to the High Bridge.

After a day of exploring High Bridge Trail and some landmarks in the area, you are now ready to embark on another quick scenic drive in under 30 minutes to Twin Lakes State Park. Camping check-in time is 4 p.m.

Day 4: Twin Lakes State Park and overnight

Wake up refreshed and ready to explore Twin Lakes.

This park provides more water options to stay cool in the summer. You can start off your day with swimming, fishing or boating adventures on Goodwin or Prince Edward Lake. A fishing pier is located on Goodwin Lake, and boat rentals are available at both lake locations. There is a concession stand located near Goodwin Lake Beach for refreshments.

Enjoy a nice picnic with a beautiful lake view in between park adventures. The park has two picnic shelters for rent. The rental period runs from 8 a.m. to dusk for the day. A daily parking fee is also charged per vehicle (which you don't have to worry about if you have booked overnight here). Boat rental and boat launching fees are also additional charges.

Hiking and biking trails are available at this park. You can hike the 1.1-mile Goodwin Lake Trail, or if you are looking for a longer hike or a possible bike trail, you might want to check out the 2.9-mile Otter Path, which provides a scenic tour of the surrounding forest area and Prince Edward Lake.

You will want to save some energy and rest before your last night of the trip. You have more exploring to do on day 5 as you end your Farmville Five adventure at Sailor’s Creek Battlefield State Park.

Day 5: Sailor’s Creek Battlefield State Park Day Tour

Less than 20 minutes up the road, you will take a quick drive to Sailor’s Creek Battlefield for a history lesson and a hike or two.

This park is full of history, with nearly every detail of Civil War battles in this area displayed in the Visitor Center. The park rangers are available from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and are an excellent source for Virginia history lessons. They explain the park’s impact on the area and the importance of the local history in a very captivating way. Take advantage of the free tours available of the historic Overton-Hillsman House at Sailor’s Creek. Simply request a tour and you will experience a unique look back in time to better understand the architecture and historical importance of the building, which was used by both armies as a field hospital. 

There are seven trails available to hike at Sailor's Creek where you can follow in the footsteps of the soldiers who took the same path many years ago. To get more storytelling, request a ranger-led hike or simply go self-guided for some peaceful reflection at this historic site.

After learning some history and enjoying the scenic park views, you have successfully completed your Farmville Five adventure!

Book Now 

We hope you enjoyed your park adventures! Book your overnight stay. And click here for information about upcoming events at Virginia State Parks. 

Listen for more tips

Want more tips on how to enjoy Farmville and the five surrounding state parks? Listen to this Virginia Outdoor Adventures Podcast for the full scoop on all things Farmville adventures.