Cave Mountain Lake Campground
Natural Bridge Station, Virginia · on Cave Mountain Lake · Jefferson National Forest
Verified · 5 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Yes, see below
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Cave Mountain Lake Campground
Cave Mountain Lake is a 7-acre man-made lake in the Jefferson National Forest near Natural Bridge Station, Virginia, built in the late 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps using existing rock buttresses to form a 35-foot dam. For anyone after a forest lake to swim in near Natural Bridge, the U.S. Forest Service operates a designated swim area with a sandy beach here, a classic CCC-era swimming hole, alongside a family campground, group camp, and group picnic shelter.
The lake sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains within the Jefferson National Forest, with a grassy field extending from the sandy beach to surrounding forested hills. The recreation area includes a family campground (41 sites), a separate tent-only group camp, and a group picnic shelter, all reached via a gated entrance road (State Route 781) open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Swimming at Cave Mountain Lake Campground
Swimming is confined to an official designated area with a sand beach on the small (7-acre) impounded lake. Kayaks and paddleboards are allowed on the lake but must stay outside the roped-off swimming zone, and no motorized watercraft are permitted at all, so the swim area itself is calm, non-motorized water suited to families and casual swimmers rather than open-water or current-based swimming.
How to get to this swimming hole
From I-81 North: take Exit 175, follow US 11 North, then VA Route 130 East for about 4 miles, then Route 759 for about 3 miles, then Route 781 to the campground entrance. From I-81 South: take Exit 180, following the same route through Natural Bridge via US 11 and VA 130 East, then Route 759 and Route 781 (about 1.6 miles) to the entrance.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. No hike is required to reach the swim beach; it's a drive-up/campground beach area. Two hiking trails start from within the recreation area for those who want to hike separately from swimming: the Panther Knob Trail begins at the group picnic shelter and follows the lake's edge to the dam, and the Wildcat Trail begins above campsites #41-42, climbs the mountain, and loops back to the campground. Neither trail is required to access the swim beach. The Appalachian Trail, James River Face Wilderness, and Thunder Ridge Wilderness offer additional nearby hiking (Recreation.gov).
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Designated, roped-off sandy beach swim zone on a calm 7-acre lake with no motorized watercraft allowed; official Recreation.gov pages describe it as a swim beach with a bathhouse, which is typically shallow, controlled family swimming rather than open-water/current swimming. No lifeguard presence is documented on the official pages, so supervise children directly.
Parking
Paid
Day-use visitors must pay an appropriate day-use fee (exact amount not published on the official Recreation.gov pages). No specific lot size, surface type, or walk distance from parking to the beach is stated in official sources.
Restrooms
Yes
Flush toilets located throughout the campground; a bathhouse with warm-water showers is located across the road from Campsite #20 (per Recreation.gov Family Camp page). The Group Camp's flush toilets are behind the workcenter building across the road, with shower facilities at the beach bathhouse.
Hours
Main gate on State Route 781 open 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. daily; campground check-in 1:00 p.m., check-out 11:00 a.m. (Recreation.gov).
On the water
Restrictions: Kayaks and paddleboards are permitted on the lake only outside the roped-off designated swimming zone. No motorized watercraft (boats, jet skis) are allowed at all. No canoes or larger craft are mentioned in official rules, only kayaks/paddleboards.
Rules confirmed on both official Recreation.gov facility pages (Family Camp #233397 and Group Camp #233139).
Rentals nearby
Kayak, canoe, tube, and raft rentals/guided trips on the Upper James River (day trips and tubing); described on their site as having 'the largest fleet of river tubes in the area' and operating since 1978
640 Lowe Street, Buchanan, VA 24066 - on the James River, roughly 20 miles north of Roanoke; not on Cave Mountain Lake itself (Cave Mountain Lake has no on-site rental concession) but the nearest identified river outfitter in the broader Natural Bridge/Blue Ridge region · 9 a.m.-5 p.m., 7 days a week, April-October; advance reservations required
Backstory
Cave Mountain Lake was built in the late 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which used existing buttresses of natural rock to form a 35-foot dam creating the 7-acre lake.
Cave Mountain Lake Campground: FAQ
Does Cave Mountain Lake Campground charge a fee?
Camping requires an advance reservation through Recreation.gov (1-877-444-6777) or by calling the site at (540) 291-2188; exact nightly rates and any day-use fee amount were not listed on the official facility pages retrieved.
Is Cave Mountain Lake Campground kid friendly?
Designated, roped-off sandy beach swim zone on a calm 7-acre lake with no motorized watercraft allowed; official Recreation.gov pages describe it as a swim beach with a bathhouse, which is typically shallow, controlled family swimming rather than open-water/current swimming. No lifeguard presence is documented on the official pages, so supervise children directly.
Do I need to hike to reach Cave Mountain Lake Campground?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Cave Mountain Lake Campground?
Day-use visitors must pay an appropriate day-use fee (exact amount not published on the official Recreation.gov pages). No specific lot size, surface type, or walk distance from parking to the beach is stated in official sources.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Cave Mountain Lake Campground?
Rules confirmed on both official Recreation.gov facility pages (Family Camp #233397 and Group Camp #233139).
What are the rules at Cave Mountain Lake Campground?
Swimming is restricted to the designated beach area; no motorized watercraft allowed on the lake; kayaks/paddleboards permitted only outside the swim zone; no alcohol in the beach, picnic, swimming, or parking areas; maximum 2 leashed dogs (6 ft leash) per campsite; food must be stored in approved containers or locked in a vehicle due to bear activity; generators prohibited 10 p.m.-6 a.m.; fishing restricted to anglers 15 and under from April 1-June 15, after which a valid Virginia fishing license, trout stamp, and National Forest stamp are required for all ages; main gate open 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
What water body is Cave Mountain Lake Campground on?
Cave Mountain Lake Campground is on Cave Mountain Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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