Reviews

Bobby Shortridge Jr

The staff was so helpful and understanding. The grounds are extremely well kept. We will definitely come back with our Trail life scouting troop again.

Michael Plecker

My wife and I just returned this afternoon from a Thursday thru Sunday camping trip at Holiday Lake State Park. Overall it was another great stay at a Virginia State Park. We booked this last of the season trip on someone's cancellation and accepted the site we set up in based on the online photo. We did the 6.5 mile Lakeshore hike which was beautiful this time of year. But there is only one thing that would have made this trip better which is better non-gravel road direction into the park. Google offers two quicker routes to the park from our home base in Charlottesville VA but both are eventually leading us onto dusty gravel roads. The actual website for Holiday Lake State Park should be updated to give campers a choice. Quick and dusty or 15 minutes longer and dust free. Again, beautiful park with plenty of lake recreation opportunities. We will return at some point.

George Gross

Great lake for paddling around on and fishing. First time fishing this lake and I was pretty happy with it. Multiple ways to launch your canoes or kayaks into the water. Dedicated boat ramp and sandy beach for launching. There is a dock they will let you tie to as well. No gas powered motors which worked fine for me. Makes less wake for the kids who are just being introduced to kayaking. They were incredibly comfortable on the calm water. Swimming area is always a hit too. Plenty of park rangers which helps keep it a family friendly atmosphere but its the Rangers are not over bearing so everyone still gets to enjoy their time there. Id recommend it anytime. Plenty of places for trash disposal as well which to me was a huge plus. Seems like you can't do anything these days without amassing a decent pile of garbage.

Sue Moss

We are huge state park fans and we loved this park. The lake is beautiful and great for fishing or boating. The beach area was really nice and clean. The lake trail was incredible, but several trees were down and there were a few spots that required walking in water to get across. We camped on Redbud 13, which was absolutely awful. It was tight for our 25 ft. TT and terribly unlevel. The bathhouses were clean and shower was roomy, and had great water pressure. We will definitely come back, but we will definitely stay at another campsite.

Juniper Shively

Stayed for four nights at the Redbud loop of campsites and had a wonderful time. The campsites had both water and power with plenty of room for a car and camper or two cars. The lake and facilities were all great. All of the restrooms were well kept and clean. The camp office/store had a good variety of things from bait and fishing gear to snacks and gifts. This is an excellent place with lots so do for the whole family. There's a dedicated swimming area with floats for the kids to play on as well as a playground. For the adults, there are plenty of benches and shaded picnic areas as well as a horseshoe pit and hiking trails ranging from 1/4 to 6+ miles. The park also connects to the Carter Taylor trail a 10 mile loop. All of the staff were very friendly and went out of their way to be helpful, providing tips and recommendations on things to see and good fishing spots. All in all, I had a great experience and will definitely be back soon.

Tisha PARROTT

Great park to visit in the off season. We were there in April and no crowds. Lake shore trail was good for first mile and half, but stream crossing by hopping unstable boulders isnt my thing. Had to turn back.

Sarah n

Nice park, seemed fairly small but is surrounded by state forest. We didn’t like the campground, too tight and hardly any level spots. At $45 a night I wouldn’t stay again. We were in a cab over camper. All of the rangers were very friendly and helpful.

A Cooper

From the picnic parking, I started the Lakeside Trail. You can go about 1.5 miles and you'll reach a river crossing. the water was too high for me to cross without risking falling into the chilled waters, so I had to turn around. Next time I'll start going the opposite way. The trail was marked well, even with the snow. I didn't bring my pup, but it's dog friendly. Moderate is a good rating since there is some elevation gain. Only passed two others on trail, quiet day.

Paul Damerell

Visited this park on a Fall weekday afternoon with very few people there. I like the "old fashioned" nature of this park - parking and picnic areas near the water, no cell phone signal. The campground areas looked nice although the Redbud area seems on the crowded side. Taking in the lakeside walks with autumn views was nice; I suspect this is a very different place in the summer season.

Peter Lavallee

This is a fantastic park. It is a bit out of the way which is nice. The trails are well maintained and the lake is superb. The swim area is a good size but I found it best to swim early or later as the crowds to pack in. The campgrounds are also well taken care of and well worth the fee. The campsites are large and we'll laid out for privacy. My only complaint is the narrowness of the road for backing a trailer. Some sites are better than others so I scoped out the best ones for next time! The rangers are very friendly and will help you learn more about the park as well as provide some tips on the best hikes. This is one of the best parks in VA!