State Park of the Week: Beech Fork
Experience the best of southwestern West Virginia with a getaway at Beech Fork.
Warm weather is on the way and travel season will be here before you know it! Beech Fork State Park is a great place for a vacation, where you can enjoy the outdoors and make lasting memories with your family. Located in the Barboursville-Huntington area, this beautiful park offers hundreds of campsites, miles of hiking trails and plenty of lake activities that’ll keep you and your kids occupied until the sun goes down.
Get in a spring state-of-mind by planning a trip. Here’s everything you need to know about Beech Fork!
Outdoor activities the whole family can enjoy
If getting out and enjoying nature is your thing, Beech Fork is the place to be. Open all year, the park has places to ride bikes, watch birds and other wildlife and hike some of the best trails in the region. For a fun forest trek with a great view, try the Overlook Trail, which has an overlook with views of the park headquarters and recreation area. The park also has a new nine-hole disc golf course, designed by Johnny Sias. Many of these activities can be enjoyed year-round, so there’s always something to do!
In the summer months, you can cool off after a long morning hike at the park pool. You can also spend some time at Beech Fork Lake, which offers recreational boating and fishing opportunities. Canoes, kayaks, jon boats, paddle boats and stand up paddle boards are available to rent at the park’s boat dock, which is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. You can even bring your own boat to the paved boat launch. For those wishing to cast a line, the lake has largemouth and hybrid striped bass, crappie, catfish, sauger and bluegill.
Enjoy a weekend trip or vacation
There’s so much to do at Beech Fork, it’s hard to stay for only one day! Luckily, the park has four campgrounds with hundreds of campsites where you can kick back and relax. The Old Orchard campground is open all year, while Moxley Branch, Four Coves and Lakeview are open mid-April through October or November. During the spring and summer, pitch your tent or hook up your RV at one of the park’s 100 lakeside sites and see why this park is one of our most popular camping destinations in West Virginia.
Beech Fork also has six luxurious vacation cabins with open trussed ceilings, large decks and great views of the park. The cabins are fully furnished and have wireless Internet, so you won’t miss the comforts of home during your stay. Don’t forget to make a reservation in advance, because these cabins book up fast!
An interesting history
Did you know the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created Beech Fork Lake in the 1970s by damming the Beech and Miller forks of Twelvepole Creek near Lavalette? This was done to control flooding and provide recreational opportunities and wildlife management in the area. The lake is the centerpiece of the park, which officially opened in 1979. Beech Fork has been popular with locals and travelers ever since!
Explore nearby towns for dining, shopping and more
Thinking about a long weekend? Beech Fork is located in the tri-state area, where there are plenty of things to do nearby! Blenko, a premier handblown glassware factory, is a short drive away and offers unique glass products in their gift shop. If you’re interested in learning Appalachian history, Heritage Farm Museum and Village is a living history museum only a short drive from the campground. If you’re looking for amusement park thrills come summertime, check out Camden Park, West Virginia’s only amusement park, typically open late May to early August with select dates through October.
Big and small, high and low, West Virginia State Parks are home to your fondest memories and experiences yet to come. Visit Beech Fork and you’ll find a new reason to love Almost Heaven.
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