Nestled in the heart of West Virginia, Little Beaver State Park offers an escape into nature’s embrace. Just a stone’s throw from Beckley, West Virginia, this hidden gem boasts a shimmering 18-acre lake, dense woodlands, and an array of recreational activities including hiking, biking, camping, fishing, and water sports.
Little Beaver State Park Trails
On our July visit, we hiked two trails – Lake Front Trail and Beaver Creek Trail.
Lake Front Trail
This easy 1.1-mile trail circles Little Beaver Lake. Lake Front Trail is mostly flat and technically universally accessible – there are slight elevation changes and narrow areas. It is also part of West Virginia’s Mountaineer Mile Trails.
The parking area is next to Little Beaver Dam, a historic 400-foot dam. At the edge of the dam is a spillway that creates a small waterfall.
We had rhododendron blossoms everywhere. In addition to the rhododendrons, Carolina horsenettle, chicory, daisy, lily-of-the-valley, and sweet pea were also in bloom.
It was a beautiful hike with the water creating a mirror-like reflection. Many spots were shallow, and we could see the bottom.
We saw over 20 Canada geese on the opposite side of the lake and enjoyed watching their little bums in the air as they bobbed in the water. Then we had the lovely surprise as the group swam closer, including some younger geese.
The absolute best part of this hike was finding a pair of river otters! This was my first time seeing them in the wild. We initially found one snacking near the shore, hidden in rhododendron branches. We could barely see it but, thankfully, both otters eventually swam out into the lake where we had fantastic views.
There were also squirrels, chipmunks, and lots of birds – American crows, blue jays, Carolina chickadees, gray catbirds, hooded warblers, pileated woodpeckers, red-eyed vireos, red-shouldered hawks, song sparrows, and tufted titmice.
Beaver Creek Trail
Beaver Creek Trail is a 0.7-mile path that follows Little Beaver Creek above the lake. The park lists this trail as easy, but I would call it the easy side of moderate. There were tons of roots and rocks, and several minor elevation changes. White diamond blazes mark the way.
The trail wanders through a pine and oak forest. Rhododendrons were blooming here as well.
Tiny fluttering wings regularly caught my eye. Damselflies like ebony jewelwings bounced from leaf to leaf along the path. They look a little like aliens with their big eyes.
A couple of openings offered the chance to watch the cascading creek. The trail dead ends at a stepping stones across Little Beaver Creek.
For those looking for a longer hike, you can cross the creek and pick up additional trails on the other side.
On our way back to the trailhead, I heard some rustling in the trees. Quieting our steps and peering through branches paid off when we found a white-tailed deer! She stared at us as we stared at her, then she slowly moved deeper into the woods.
We also heard Acadian flycatchers, blue-headed vireos, broad-winged hawks, Carolina chickadees, eastern towhees, hooded warblers, northern cardinals, northern rough-winged swallows, and wood thrushes on the trail.
Little Beaver State Park has so much to offer! I will be back to explore more trails and enjoy some time on the lake.