Bulltown Swim Beach
Napier, West Virginia · on Little Kanawha River · Burnsville Recreation Area
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $34
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Bulltown Swim Beach
Swim Beach is a USACE-designated swimming area on Burnsville Lake (impounding the Little Kanawha River) near the Bulltown Historic Area in Braxton County, West Virginia, about a mile from the Bulltown Camp campground. It is an official reservoir beach and boat-launch facility within the Burnsville Recreation Area, a sanctioned lake to swim in rather than an informal or hidden swimming hole.
The beach sits on Burnsville Lake, a Corps of Engineers flood-control reservoir on the Little Kanawha River in the forested Allegheny Mountain foothills of central West Virginia, adjacent to the Bulltown Historic Area, a preserved Civil War battle site with twice-yearly reenactments.
Swimming at Bulltown Swim Beach
Recreation.gov lists a dedicated 'Swimming Site' as one of the lake's activities alongside boating, kayaking, canoeing, tubing, and water skiing, consistent with a maintained reservoir swim beach rather than a backcountry hole; no first-hand description of depth, bottom composition, or water clarity was found.
How to get to this swimming hole
The beach is roughly a mile from Bulltown Camp campground within the Burnsville Lake Recreation Area, near Napier/Bulltown, WV; exact driving directions from town were not found in sourced material.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. No trail or trailhead to the swim beach is mentioned in any official USACE/recreation.gov material, the Wikipedia entry, or WV tourism pages. The beach is described as a standard facility (boat ramp, beach, campground) within the developed Bulltown Recreation Area, reached by road; it functions as a drive-up/short-walk beach rather than a hike-in swimming hole.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
It is a maintained, sandy USACE reservoir beach (easy shallow entry typical of this facility type), but recreation.gov lists boating, jet skis, and water skiing as activities on the same lake right next to the beach/boat ramp, and no lifeguard was confirmed in any official source, so adults should watch kids for boat traffic near the swim area.
Parking
Free
The beach is part of the developed 'Bulltown Campground/Day-use/Beach/Boat Launch' complex reached via I-79 exit 67 then Rt. 19 North about 13 miles; it has its own lot separate from the campground (recreation.gov describes the beach as 'about a mile away' from the campground). No day-use parking fee was found; camping fees ($34-46/night) are separate and only apply if staying overnight.
On the water
Recreation.gov lists swimming, tubing, boating, kayaking, canoeing, and water skiing as activities on Burnsville Lake, and a boat ramp sits within the Bulltown Campground adjacent to the beach; no electric-only or no-wake restriction specific to the swim area was found in sourced material.
Rentals nearby
Marina at Riffle Run Campground (Burnsville Lake, USACE)
Boat and jet ski rentals, plus seasonal boat tours
Riffle Run Campground/Day-Use/Boat Launch, Burnsville Lake; reached via I-79 exit 79 then old Rt. 5 east about 3 miles; roughly 3.6 mi from Swim Beach by road per nearby-facilities data
Backstory
The beach and lake sit next to the Bulltown Historic Area, a preserved 19th-century/Civil War-era site with a documented 1863 battle, now hosting historical reenactments.
Bulltown Swim Beach: FAQ
Does Bulltown Swim Beach charge a fee?
No standalone beach admission fee was found; the adjacent Bulltown Camp campground charges $34-46/night, but that is a camping fee, not a beach entrance fee.
Is Bulltown Swim Beach kid friendly?
It is a maintained, sandy USACE reservoir beach (easy shallow entry typical of this facility type), but recreation.gov lists boating, jet skis, and water skiing as activities on the same lake right next to the beach/boat ramp, and no lifeguard was confirmed in any official source, so adults should watch kids for boat traffic near the swim area.
Do I need to hike to reach Bulltown Swim Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Bulltown Swim Beach?
The beach is part of the developed 'Bulltown Campground/Day-use/Beach/Boat Launch' complex reached via I-79 exit 67 then Rt. 19 North about 13 miles; it has its own lot separate from the campground (recreation.gov describes the beach as 'about a mile away' from the campground). No day-use parking fee was found; camping fees ($34-46/night) are separate and only apply if staying overnight.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Bulltown Swim Beach?
Recreation.gov lists swimming, tubing, boating, kayaking, canoeing, and water skiing as activities on Burnsville Lake, and a boat ramp sits within the Bulltown Campground adjacent to the beach; no electric-only or no-wake restriction specific to the swim area was found in sourced material.
What water body is Bulltown Swim Beach on?
Bulltown Swim Beach is on Little Kanawha River, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
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