Less than an hour west of Richmond and nestled in the heart of Cumberland State Forest, Bear Creek Lake is the perfect getaway for the outdoor enthusiast.

Activities center on the park's 40-acre lake complete with a boat launch, fishing pier, boat rentals and swimming beach. The park offers camping, cabins, a meeting facility, an archery range, lakeside picnicking, playgrounds, hiking and access to a 14-mile multi-use trail in the state forest.

The park is surrounded by the 16,000-acre Cumberland State Forest, which provides opportunities for a wide range of outdoor activities. Four small lakes in the state forest are managed by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries for recreational fishing. A network of forest roads with and without gates enables great hiking, mountain biking and nature observation.

Take some time to get away to Bear Creek Lake State Park

Cabin number 4 has water views, a porch with rockers and modern conveniences like A/C!

Multi-use trails at Bear Creek Lake State Park

I was recently at Bear Creek Lake State Park and the memories came flooding back to me from our stay there three years ago. We stayed in Cabin 4 which is a modern, very comfortable waterfront 2 bedroom cabin. We hiked the trails, rode bikes, went swimming at the beach and kayaked around this small but mighty little Bear Creek Lake. In a nutshell, we had a blast!

I remember seeing photos on the Virginia State Parks blog and always wondering "Gee I wonder where THAT cabin is?"  I mean, that specific cabin, as it looked so great, I could picture my family there, relaxing and enjoying time away from home in the great outdoors.

So for that reason, I wanted to share some photos I took yesterday just for you! I know you need a break, rent a cabin or a campsite, the beach is open, the trails are marked, grab the dog, the Frisbee and get away from it all (even if it is just an hour or two from where you live, we won't tell anyone!)

Recommended day trip from Bear Creek Lake State Park is Appomattox Courthouse National Historic Park "Where Our Country Reunited" now there's a novel idea. I think you will thoroughly enjoy the walk through history at Appomattox, no matter what side of the battle lines your family are from!

Drive Time: Northern Va., three hours; Richmond, one hour; Roanoke, two hours; Tidewater/Norfolk/Virginia Beach, three hours. Click here for a Google map

Bear Creek Lake State Park, 22 Bear Creek Lake Road, Cumberland, VA 23040; Phone, (804) 492-4410; email, bearcreek.

You can reserve your cabin or campsite any time online here or call the reservations center at 1-800-933-PARK or email resvs.