Swimming at Virginia State Parks

Swimming at Virginia State Parks
Open fires are prohibited throughout the park from midnight to 4 p.m., Feb. 15 through April 30.
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Swimming
When the heat's on, it's time to get wet. Many parks have great places to cool off, grab a snack and enjoy nature's splendor. Even better, guarded swimming is free for overnight guests. Pack up the kids, sunscreen, shades, beach towels and sun hat and head to a Virginia State Park.
Parks with swimming
These parks offer swimming
Please check with each park for swimming availability before heading to the park.
Beaches - Small lakes
Between the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, guarded beach swimming is available for a fee. Weather and other issues may at times force suspension of guarded swimming. When guarded swimming is unavailable, guests may swim at the beach’s designated area but do so at their own risk. Swimming elsewhere in the park is prohibited.
Bear Creek Lake
Douthat
Fairy Stone
Holliday Lake
Hungry Mother
Twin Lakes
Beaches - Large lakes
Between the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, guarded beach swimming is available for a fee. Weather and other issues may at times force suspension of guarded swimming. When guarded swimming is unavailable, guests may swim at the beach’s designated area but do so at their own risk. Swimming elsewhere in the park is inadvisable.
Claytor Lake
Lake Anna
Smith Mountain Lake
Beaches - Chesapeake Bay
Guarded swimming is unavailable at the beach. Swimmers using these areas do so at their own risk. Swimming elsewhere in the park is inadvisable.
First Landing
Kiptopeke
Pools
Pocahontas
The pools at Chippokes, Natural Tunnel and Staunton River
will remain closed for the 2025 swimming season
.
Splash-Spray Grounds
Pocahontas
Occoneechee
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Virginia State Parks are managed by the
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
600 E. Main St., 24
th
Floor | Richmond, VA 23219
To learn about park offerings and overnight accommodations, email
resvs@dcr.virginia.gov
or call
800-933-PARK (7275)
.
Address other general inquiries to
vastateparks@dcr.virginia.gov
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Last Modified:
Thursday, 15 May 2025, 12:21:06 PM
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