Beech Fork Lake
Near Booton, West Virginia · on Millers Fork · Beech Fork Recreation Area
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Beech Fork Lake
Beech Fork Lake is a 720-acre U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood-control reservoir in the hills of western West Virginia near Lavalette, fed by Millers Fork and Stowers Branch. For anyone after a lake to swim in here, the recreation area operates a designated swimming hole at 'Stower's Branch Swimming Beach,' with a shaded deck alongside picnic shelters and a marina, distinct from the separate swimming pool run by adjoining Beech Fork State Park.
The lake sits within an oak-hickory-pine (Appalachian hardwood) forest in the hills of western West Virginia, with over 30 miles of shoreline around the 720-acre reservoir, offering wildlife and birdwatching habitat.
Swimming at Beech Fork Lake
Swimming is concentrated at the official Stower's Branch Swimming Beach, a lake-shore swim area with a shaded deck near the Beech Fork Shelters picnic grounds; no official information on water depth, clarity, or bottom conditions was found in this session.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Charleston, WV: travel west on I-64 about 52 miles to exit 8, then south on WV Route 152 for about 5 miles to Beech Fork Road, then continue about 3 miles to the recreation area (3784 Beech Fork Road, Lavalette, WV 25535). From Lexington, KY: travel east on I-64 about 120 miles to exit 8, then follow the same route.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. The swim beach is a drive-up/short-walk location within the Beech Fork Shelters day-use area next to the marina, not reached via a hiking trail. Beech Fork State Park's official trail list (Long Branch, Nature Trail, Physical Fitness Trail, Overlook Trail, Coal Mine Trail, Lost Trail, Mary Davis Trail, North Ridge Trail) are all located in the Franklin D. Wooten Recreation Area/Wildlife Management Area on the state-park side and none are described as leading to or passing the swim beach.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Stower's Branch Swimming Beach is a designated lake swim beach (not a pool) with a shaded deck, next to playgrounds and picnic shelters, which suits families, but no source confirms lifeguards, a roped-off shallow zone, or posted depth markers, and it's on an open 720-acre reservoir rather than a contained area, so adult supervision is warranted. The separate Beech Fork State Park pool (Memorial Day-Labor Day, bathhouse on site) is a more controlled option for small kids.
Parking
Lot
The swim beach is part of the developed Beech Fork Shelters/marina day-use area at 3784 Beech Fork Road, Lavalette, WV, reachable directly by road (no hike). No day-use or parking fee is mentioned in any source; the state park's boat launch is explicitly stated to have 'no fees for launch, recovery, or usage,' suggesting the broader recreation area is free to access, but this was not confirmed specifically for the swim beach lot.
Hours
Beech Fork State Park (adjoining land manager) posts general park hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The park's separate swimming pool operates Memorial Day-Labor Day with variable/limited weekday hours (call 304-528-5794 to confirm). No specific posted hours were found for the USACE Stower's Branch Swimming Beach itself.
On the water
Restrictions: 10-HP limit on boat motors (per the official Recreation.gov gateway page for the lake). The state park boat launch is paved, open April-November, with no launch/recovery/usage fees.
The lake is used for both boating and fishing alongside swimming; the state park operates its own rental boat dock separate from the USACE swim beach/marina area.
Rentals nearby
Canoes, kayaks, jon boats, paddle boats, and stand-up paddleboards for rent; life jackets required and provided with all rentals
Beech Fork State Park boat dock/marina on Beech Fork Lake, adjacent to the USACE recreation area · Memorial Day through Labor Day, noon to 8 p.m. daily; renters must be 16+ with valid ID
Backstory
The reservoir was authorized by the Flood Control Act of October 23, 1962, built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the mid-1970s, and completed in May 1978. The area was historically farmland known as the 'Bean Capital of the World,' and government land acquisition for the lake displaced local families, including members of the Beech Fork Adkins family line.
Beech Fork Lake: FAQ
Is Beech Fork Lake kid friendly?
Stower's Branch Swimming Beach is a designated lake swim beach (not a pool) with a shaded deck, next to playgrounds and picnic shelters, which suits families, but no source confirms lifeguards, a roped-off shallow zone, or posted depth markers, and it's on an open 720-acre reservoir rather than a contained area, so adult supervision is warranted. The separate Beech Fork State Park pool (Memorial Day-Labor Day, bathhouse on site) is a more controlled option for small kids.
Do I need to hike to reach Beech Fork Lake?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Beech Fork Lake?
The swim beach is part of the developed Beech Fork Shelters/marina day-use area at 3784 Beech Fork Road, Lavalette, WV, reachable directly by road (no hike). No day-use or parking fee is mentioned in any source; the state park's boat launch is explicitly stated to have 'no fees for launch, recovery, or usage,' suggesting the broader recreation area is free to access, but this was not confirmed specifically for the swim beach lot.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Beech Fork Lake?
The lake is used for both boating and fishing alongside swimming; the state park operates its own rental boat dock separate from the USACE swim beach/marina area.
What are the rules at Beech Fork Lake?
At the adjacent Beech Fork Shelters picnic area, reservation holders must remove all decorations and temporary signage before leaving, and confetti, plastic sequins, and foil streamers are prohibited; no swim-specific rules (lifeguard status, hours, alcohol/glass policy) were found.
What water body is Beech Fork Lake on?
Beech Fork Lake is on Millers Fork, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
More swimming holes near Booton
★ Top verifiedLake Vesuvius Beach
Pedro, Ohiolake
⛺🛶🚤
★ Top verifiedLake Snowden
Lee Township, Ohioreservoir
⛺🛶🏄🚤
Pike Lake State Park Swimming Beach
Bainbridge, Ohiolake
⛺🛶🏄🚤
Strouds Run State Park - Beach
Athens, Ohiolake
⛺🛶🏄🚤
★ Top verifiedGlade Creek Falls
Beaver, West Virginiawaterfall pool
🥾 1 mi hike⛺
Paint Creek Shoemaker Beach
Greenfield, Ohioreservoir
⛺🚤🛶