Pocahontas State Park: Beaver Lake Trail (Blog Hike #681)

Trail: Beaver Lake Trail

Hike Location: Pocahontas State Park

Geographic Location: west of Chesterfield, VA (37.38650, -77.58205)

Length: 2.5 miles

Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)

Date Hiked: May 2018

Overview: A rolling circumnavigation of Beaver Lake.

Park Information: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/pocahontas

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=734725
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of I-95 and SR 288 between Richmond and Petersburg, take SR 288 west/north 6.2 miles to SR 10.  Take the second exit for SR 10 to begin heading east on SR 10.  Drive SR 10 1.5 miles to Beach Road and turn right on Beach Rd.; there is a traffic light at this intersection.  Drive Beach Rd. 4 miles to the state park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the park entrance fee, and follow signs for the Visitor Center and CCC Museum.  Park in the blacktop lot in front of the CCC Museum.

The hike: Weighing in at 7925 acres, Pocahontas State Park is Virginia’s largest state park.  The park was built by the depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) between 1938 and 1942, and initially it was operated by the National Park Service as the Swift Creek Recreational Demonstration Area.  On June 6, 1946, the National Park Service donated the site to Virginia State Parks, and the site was renamed to honor the famous young Powhatan princess from the 1600’s who helped English settlers at nearby Jamestown.

            The park offers nearly every amenity including a 129-site campground, 6 picnic shelters, and boating, fishing and swimming on Swift Creek Lake.  The park also offers more than 54 miles of trails.  While all of the park’s trails are open to hikers, most of the trails are primarily designed for mountain bikers and/or horses.  The park’s longest and probably best hiker-only trail is the 2.5-mile Beaver Lake Trail described here.  The Beaver Lake Trail circumnavigates its namesake lake and provides a good way to observe the many types of wildlife that live around the lake.

Trailhead at CCC museum

            Many trails start at the CCC Museum, which is worth a visit if you come on Saturday or Sunday afternoon when it is open.  Look for the cobalt blue signs that mark the Beaver Lake Trail near the back (south side) of the CCC Museum; the ones near the front of the museum mark our return route.  The Beaver Lake Trail is mostly unblazed, but these cobalt blue signs appear at all intersections.  Follow the asphalt trail (the park calls this trail the Spillway Trail) as it snakes its way downhill toward Beaver Lake.  Several lizards scurried across the asphalt in front of me, the first of much wildlife I saw on this hike.

            At 0.15 miles, you intersect the Beaver Lake Trail.  Angle left to begin a clockwise journey around Beaver Lake.  Soon the asphalt ends as the trail drops below Beaver Lake’s stone spillway.  After crossing Third Branch just below the spillway on a concrete bridge with wooden handrails, you reach another trail intersection where the Old Mill Trail exits left.  As directed by another sign, turn right to continue the Beaver Lake Trail.  Some park maintenance people were hard at work clearing brush here when I passed through on a humid Wednesday afternoon.

Beaver Lake spillway

            The wide dirt trail climbs past the spillway to trace around a wide but shallow ravine.  Although the difference between maximum and minimum elevation on this hike is only about 60 feet, you will go up and down this 60 feet several times.  At 0.5 miles, you arrive back at the lake after a moderate to steep descent.  The next 700 feet may give you the best lake views on this hike.  I noticed a beaver lodge in the middle of Beaver Lake, I sent several frogs plopping into the water, and I sent a family of Canada geese swimming away from the shore.

Beaver Lake

            After curving left to climb away from the lake, a spur trail to an overlook exits right.  While this “overlook” sits atop a bluff and features a nice bench, trees block any view.  The trail continues a general westward course as you pass Beaver Lake’s backwaters downhill to your right.

Beaver Lake Trail near second Third Branch crossing

            At 1.3 miles, the trail descends moderately and curves right to cross Third Branch for the second and final time on another concrete bridge.  A flat area just across the creek would make a great campsite except that backcountry camping is illegal in Pocahontas State Park.  After climbing slightly, the trail forks.  The left option leads to the bike trail system, so you want to angle right to stay on the Beaver Lake Trail.  Some nice tulip poplar trees live in this area.

            The trail undulates slightly before descending to reach a boardwalk over a wetland near Beaver Lake.  A few old interpretive signs sit beside the trail, but they are sufficiently smeared with mud to be virtually unreadable.  Wherever side trails exit left to reach the mountain bike trail system, stay right to remain on the Beaver Lake Trail.

Water lilies near dock

            Just past 2.3 miles, you reach a floating wooden dock on Beaver Lake.  The dock gives nice lake views, and a few water lilies beside the dock were in bloom on my visit.  Past the dock, angle left to follow signs uphill for the CCC Museum.  Reaching the museum marks the end of the hike.