Swimming

When the heat's on, it's time to get wet. Many parks are great places to cool off, have a snack and enjoy nature's finest settings. 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.

• Swimming fees
• Find a park
• Parks with especially popular swimming holes
  • Pocahontas
  • Lake Anna
  • Bear Creek Lake
  • Smith Mountain Lake
  • Fairy Stone
  • Hungry Mother
  • ALL parks with swimming

These parks offer swimming

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

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

Pools

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. Swimming elsewhere in the park is inadvisable..

• Breaks Interstate
• Chippokes Plantation
• Natural Tunnel
• Pocahontas
• Staunton River
• Westmoreland

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

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