Beech Fork State Park

Beech Fork State Park is a peaceful and welcoming state park in the rolling hills of Wayne County in western West Virginia, centered on the 720-acre Beech Fork Lake created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Beech Fork Creek. Near the city of Huntington and the Tri-State area where West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio meet, the park offers a relaxed, family-friendly setting of forest, lake and varied recreation.

Boating, fishing, camping, swimming, hiking and a range of park amenities draw visitors from the Tri-State region and beyond. The park’s lake is excellent for fishing, with bass, crappie, catfish and other species, and the surrounding woodland trails wind through the quiet, green hills. A comfortable and accessible state park near a major population center, Beech Fork is a beloved destination for families, anglers, boaters and campers in western West Virginia.

Beech Fork State Park centers on its 720-acre lake, offering boating (electric and non-powered; boat launch available), fishing for bass, crappie, catfish and bluegill, a swimming beach (seasonal), kayaking and paddling. On land, the park offers hiking trails through the wooded hills, a full-service campground with electric hookups and a dump station, tennis courts, a basketball court, a playground, picnic shelters and a park store. The variety of lake and land recreation, with well-maintained facilities near Huntington, makes Beech Fork a popular and accessible western West Virginia destination.

Late spring through early fall is the prime season at Beech Fork, when the lake, the swimming beach, the campground and all the park facilities are fully open and the fishing is productive. Summer is the busiest season for boating, swimming and camping; weekends fill quickly, so plan ahead or arrive early. Spring brings excellent fishing and a beautiful green awakening of the woodland trails. Fall offers pleasant hiking and fishing in the colored woodland hills, with fewer crowds. The park is especially popular for summer camping and family recreation near Huntington.

Beech Fork Lake was created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of a regional flood-control and water-management system, impounding Beech Fork Creek in the rolling hills of Wayne County. West Virginia State Parks developed and manages the surrounding state park, opening it to the public as a recreational destination for the Tri-State area. Beech Fork State Park has grown into a beloved local outdoor destination, offering the people of Huntington and the surrounding region accessible lake, forest and campground recreation in the quiet hills of western West Virginia.

Beech Fork State Park sits in the dissected plateau of western West Virginia, where the Ohio River drainage has cut a rolling landscape of wooded ridges and creek valleys through ancient Pennsylvanian-age sedimentary rocks — sandstone, shale and coal-bearing strata laid down in ancient river deltas and swamps. The park’s hills and hollows reflect this geology, with creek valleys that drain into the impounded Beech Fork Lake. The lake itself — a man-made reservoir — fills one of these valleys, creating the park’s centerpiece amid the gentle wooded hills.

The lake, woodland trails and creek hollows of Beech Fork State Park host white-tailed deer, wild turkey, foxes, raccoons and a community of birds including herons, osprey, kingfishers and waterfowl on the lake, woodland songbirds and hawks in the forest, while the lake supports a productive warm-water fishery of bass, crappie, catfish and bluegill. The wooded hills and the lake edge create varied habitat for wildlife. The park is a pleasant place for wildlife watching and birding amid its accessible lake and woodland setting near Huntington.

Beech Fork State Park protects a swath of the rolling western West Virginia hill country — a landscape of mixed hardwood forest, wooded creek hollows and the reservoir’s lake edge — providing green space and habitat connectivity in a largely agricultural and suburban region near Huntington. The forested ridges and creek corridors support diverse wildlife and plant life, and the lake shore provides wetland-edge habitat. The park’s woodland and lake ecosystem offer ecological value as a refuge of natural habitat in the Tri-State region of western West Virginia.

Beech Fork State Park holds a cherished place in the outdoor life of Huntington and the Tri-State area — a local treasure that has given generations of families a place to boat, fish, swim, camp and hike in the wooded hills just beyond the city. Its accessible lake, comfortable campground and family-friendly facilities make it a beloved regional destination, embodying the role that West Virginia’s state parks play as outdoor gathering places for communities throughout the Mountain State’s varied regions.

Beech Fork State Park is in Wayne County in western West Virginia, about 15 miles south of Huntington off State Route 10 and Beech Fork Road. The park is free to enter (camping and facility fees apply). It offers a boat launch, swimming beach (seasonal), campground with electric hookups and a dump station, hiking trails, picnic shelters, a playground, courts and a park store. Check West Virginia State Parks for campsite reservations, beach opening dates, boating regulations and current conditions before visiting.

West Virginia State Parks manages Beech Fork State Park and its lake, woodland and facilities. Visitors help by following boating and swimming regulations, fishing responsibly and following state licensing and regulations, staying on trails, packing out trash, protecting the lake’s water quality by disposing of waste properly (no dumping in the lake), respecting wildlife, and following all park rules. Protecting the lake, the woodland and the creek corridors sustains both the park’s ecological health and its value as an accessible outdoor destination for the Tri-State community.

On the lake, always wear life jackets when boating or paddling, obey boating regulations and speed limits, and never swim except in the designated beach area during supervised hours. Be aware of submerged hazards when boating. On trails, wear sturdy footwear and watch footing on slopes. Store food properly to avoid wildlife conflicts (raccoons are persistent at campsites). Campfires must be in designated fire rings; follow fire regulations. Supervise children near the water. Check the park for swimming beach hours and any advisories before entering the water.

The park is free to enter; camping and facility fees apply. Reservations are recommended for campsites in peak season. Follow all boating regulations; electric motors only on the lake (check current regulations). Only licensed anglers may fish; follow West Virginia fishing regulations. Swim only at the designated beach during supervised hours. Pets must be leashed. Campfires in designated fire rings only. No dumping of waste into the lake. Pack out all trash or use park receptacles. Check West Virginia State Parks for current rules, reservations and seasonal facility hours before visiting.

Huntington, West Virginia’s second-largest city, is about 15 miles north, with the Tri-State area (Huntington, WV; Ashland, KY; Ironton, OH) and the Ohio River defining the region. Beech Fork State Forest adjoins the park, offering additional woodland trails. Chief Logan State Park, Carter Caves State Resort Park (in Kentucky) and the New River Gorge area are within a broader regional drive. Beech Fork is the accessible outdoor anchor for the Huntington metro area, paired naturally with the adjacent state forest and the rivers and parks of the Tri-State region.

Launch a kayak or canoe early in the morning to enjoy the lake in peaceful quiet and watch the herons and osprey before the motorboats arrive, or spend the afternoon fishing the lake’s productive coves from the bank or a boat. Reserve a lakeside campsite well ahead for summer weekends, and enjoy the woodland hiking trails in the cool morning. Pack a picnic for the shelters, plan around the swimming beach hours for families, and combine a stay at Beech Fork with a visit to nearby Huntington and the Ohio River.