Boating

Virginia’s waters offer a diversity of environments to explore by boat. Regardless of watercraft - a one-man kayak, a 16-foot canoe or a powerboat - boaters find plenty to do at Virginia State Parks.

There are 30 parks with boating access, 27 have ramps (car-top, slide, standard concrete), 19 parks rent boats and some with marina services. Parks access Virginia's most popular waterways, including Buggs Island Lake, Claytor Lake, Clinch River, the Chesapeake Bay, the James River, Lake Anna, the Potomac River, the Rappahannock River, Shenandoah River, Smith Mountain Lake and the York River.

Check out our fishing page for insights on where you can find the catch you are looking for.

Parks with boating access

Bear Creek Lake (BC) Belle Isle (BI) Breaks Interstate (BK) * Chippokes(CP) Claytor Lake (CL) Clinch River (CR) ** Douthat (DO) Fairy Stone (FS) False Cape (FC) First Landing (FL)

Holliday Lake (HL) Hungry Mother (HM) James River (JR) Kiptopeke (KP) Lake Anna (LA) Leesylvania (LE) Machicomoco (MA) Mason Neck (MN)

New River Trail (NR) Occoneechee (OC) Pocahontas (PO) Powhatan (PW) Seven Bends (SE) Shenandoah River (SH)

Smith Mountain Lake (SM) Staunton River (SR) Twin Lakes (TL) Westmoreland (WE) Widewater (WW) York River (YR)

Protect against the spread of invasives with boats:

• Five Ways to Protect Our Waters | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (fws.gov)
• Invasive Species : BoatUS Foundation

Learn more about boating at the Department of Wildlife Resources.