Lake Moomaw
A WEEKEND KAYAKING ON LAKE MOOMAW
Some weekends, a brief jaunt to a park or a nearby town just isn’t enough. You get the need to really get out of the city, into the woods, away from the crowds. No place in Virginia have I experienced quite that as much as at Lake Moomaw. This crystal blue lake, created nearly four decades ago through the construction of the Gaithright Dam, is a haven for fishing, boating, swimming, and getting lost in the woods. The lake is surrounded by the George Washington National Forest, has a depth of up to 152 ft, and has 42 miles of shoreline. At a four hour drive from DC, Lake Moomaw is a perfect weekend lake adventure.
There are three main campgrounds in the Bolar Mountain Recreation Area, designed for car camping. If you want to make things a bit more adventurous, pack up your kayak or strap on your backpack and hike or paddle to the primitive Greenwood Point Campground. It’s about an hour’s paddle or a 3 mile hike from Campground #3. No reservations needed if you camp at Greenwood Point, though you’ll still have to pay a camping fee to a campground host.
I was able to leave my kayak at the shore just a couple minutes walk away, past three other campsites.
CAMPING
1. Bolar Mountain Recreation Area
(3 campgrounds)
2. McClintic Point Campground
3. Blowing Springs Campground
4. Greenwood Point Campground (primitive, paddle-in or hike-in)
Reservations can be made at https://www.recreation.gov/; for primitive sites, pay a campground host upon arrival.
HIKING
The Bolar Mountain Area has 10 miles of hiking trails; however, based on my personal experience, I wouldn’t suggest hiking any farther than the Twin Islands Overlook at the moment. Beyond that point, there are multiple fallen trees and the many incursions make the trail hard to follow. Start the trail from the picnic area just north of the beach parking lot. It’s about a 40 minute walk to the lookout, mostly along a forest road.
SWIMMING
The Bolar Mountain Recreation Area has a main beach ($5 parking fee if not camping), plus smaller areas for swimming/putting in boats at each campground. If you’re on a kayak, paddle around until you find a good place to park the boat, and jump in! It might take a while to find a good spot to park; the lakeshore is more vertical rock wall than beach. Keep an eye out for boats while swimming; it might be safest to stick close to shore. The water gets deep quickly, which also means it clears up quickly.
KAYAKING / BOATING
It should be no trouble to find a place to put your boat in the water. For easy access (and day access), head to the Bolar Flats Marina. There is a small camp store, restrooms, and some nice picnicking areas along the shore near the marina. If you’re kayak camping, you can also put in at one of the campground put-ins. Coles Point Boat Ramp is on the southeast side of the lake and provides better access if coming to the lake from the south.
Lake Moomaw
DD Coordinates (lat, long):
37.98361, -79.96694
See list at right for additional resources.
- USFS, Bolar Mountain Recreation Area
- Recreation.gov, Bolar Mountain Recreation Area
- USACE, Map of Lake Moomaw including recreational areas and activities
DC Weekend Trips 