Paddling at Virginia State Parks

Kayak, canoe or stand-up paddleboard (SUP) your way through Virginia State Parks. You can access 29 parks by paddle-craft, and 19 of them rent boats. Beginners can get into paddle sports at one of our tranquil lakes or go with the flow on a lazy stretch of river. More experienced paddlers will want to take advantage of our paddle-in campsites for multi-day adventures on the water. From fishing to SUP yoga, our parks offer unparalleled access to water-based recreation. Explore paddling through the pages below or search by amenity.

Popular paddling destinations

Kiptopeke: Around the concrete fleet - Kiptopeke’s nine concrete McCloskey ships were scuttled in 1948 as a breakwater to protect the booming Cape Charles Ferry docks. While the ferry system is long gone, the ships remain a breakwater for the beach and pier at Kiptopeke. Visitors may rent kayaks and paddle out into the Chesapeake Bay around the ships for a closer look. Read more about them here.
New River Trail: Austinville to Foster Falls - Paddlers have many options when visiting New River Trail State Park, and many guests use the park’s shuttle service at Foster Falls. Park your car, rent a boat and take a short shuttle ride upriver to the Austinville put-in. Before returning to Foster Falls, paddlers enjoy nearly 5 miles of the scenic New River, including Shot Tower State Park. Call 276-699-1034 for details.
Holliday Lake: Explore the shoreline, picnic and relax - Some of the cleanest water in the state can be found in Holliday Lake. Bass, bluegill and crappie fishing is excellent, and fisherman and paddlers alike enjoy exploring all nooks and crannies of the 119-acre lake tucked away deep in Buckingham State Forest. Park guests may picnic shoreside at one of the CCC-built shelters or take a floating lunch in the shade of massive, old-growth broad-leaf trees along the lakes’ edge.

Parks known for great paddling

map of good paddling parks statewide

Paddle-in sites

Paddle-in sites are a primitive camping option for a real wilderness experience. Reservations for these sites vary, and planning ahead is a must. Contact the park of interest for details.

Many parks along the Potomac offer paddle-in sites. A popular option here is to recreate portions of the historic Capt. John Smith Water Trail. The Potomac along these locations, from Leesylvania to Westmoreland, is very wide. Knowledge of tides, wind direction and open-water paddling will help make your trip enjoyable. Boat rentals from the park are not available for inter-park, overnight paddles.

A good beginner trip can be found at Belle Isle. Rent a canoe from the park and put in near the visitor center. Paddle approximately 2.5 miles around the park’s riverfront to the primitive sites at the tip of Brewer’s Point. Unload your boat, make camp and enjoy. The park rents canoes for this trip. Call 804-462-5030 for details.

Know Before You Go

Safety is imperative, so personal floatation devices are available from parks’ rental stations. The American Canoe Association’s standard for safe paddling is that the sum of the air temperature and water temperature be greater than 120. If the sum is below 120, protective clothing is recommended.

Paddling Safety Tips

Always wear a lifejacket
Don’t paddle under the influence
Always check the weather and tides before you paddle
Wear appropriate clothing including closed toe shoes
Always file a float plan
Know your paddling ability
Don’t stand up in swift moving water
Know and obey navigation rules
Avoid paddling in flood waters
Portage around low head dams

Leave No Trace

Pack it in, pack it out. If you bring it in, you take it out. Learn more here.

Watercraft rentals

Eighteen of Virginia's 43 parks rent watercraft of some type. Typically, the boats are rented by the hour. Call the park you're interested in before you visit to learn more about availability, which is limited and generally between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.