Trail Info

TRAIL DISTANCE: 3.7 Miles
TRAIL HEAD/ DIRECTIONS: Lake Side Snack Bar
TRAIL TYPE: Loop
TRAIL GRADE:  Moderate (2)
TRAIL PARKING: 10 spots or less
DOG FRIENDLY: Yes
FAMILY FRIENDLY: Yes, Ages 8+

What’s to like about the trail:  Abundant lake views, easy to navigate terrain and well managed trail system. Lakeside camping spots too!
Why go for a hike on this trail: 

• Virginia State Park Entrance $10.00
• Camping permitted at additional charge
• Bears frequent the area

What to pack

• 1 Water bottle
• hiking shoes or running shoes
• Light Snack
• Bug Spray

Extras

TRAIL MAP

Southern VA Trail Finder

The Experience

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  Your adventure begins at the Bear Creek Lake State Park snack bar. Yes, truly the snack bar at the lake beach. From here head to the right on the Channel Cat trail towards the Acorn campground. The trail will initiate as a forest trail but quickly glide to the shoreline for and up close and personal trail experience with the Bear Creek Lake.  Use Channel Cat trail for 0.66 miles until the Acorn Campsite area, your trail experience continues around the campsite and near the park entrance. The trail will spill out onto the park road, route 629, make a left and carefully use the shoulder of the park road to head over the bridge (and bear creek lake) . At the end of the bridge, look for a trail marker on the left to continue your adventure now joining the Lost Barr Loop trail. At all time on this experience remaining lake side. Once on the Lost Barr remaining on the trail for 1.1 miles (passing the park's rental cabins) , taking in scenic views of the lake all the whiles enjoying the leisurely saunter through the woods.  The trail is consistent compacted dirt, roots with little to no change in elevation. At 1.1 miles look for trail head to move onto the Lakeside trail. This experience is a relative 1.3 mile trek within dense pines along the lake. The trail can get muddy at points, be mindful of footing.  The Lake Side trail will navigate over a small creek crossing as well as a few wooden bridges carefully placed to protect the creek ecology. The trail continues until its reunites with the Channel Cat trail about 0.4 from the Lake Side snack bar. Turn left onto the Channel Cat and return to the parking lot. This trail is quite manageable for family, furry friends and little ones. It has very limited if any elevation gain while showing off its lake views. 
 
Camping:
The camping area is broken into three unique sections (called loops). The loops are each equipped with a bathhouse (bathrooms, showers, changing areas) and exterior sinks for your camping dishes.
Camping sites must be reserved online and are $35.00 per night. The camping plots come with a fire ring, picnic table , dedicated gravel parking spot and a rubber palate area for your tent

Pro Tip: The Acorn camping loop is lakeside, specifically camping plots 7-12 will all provide water views that are just brag worthy.

HIKE ON!