Worth it for a car-based mountain weekend with easy access to trails, lake activities, dining and lodging; it works best if you stay overnight or allow a full day, and do not count on the Upper Lake or Overlook Trail until fire restrictions are lifted.
Enter the park for free
There is no park admission, timed-entry reservation or parking charge published; grounds are generally open 6 a.m.–10 p.m.
MoreBring cash for summer swimming
Cacapon Lake’s seasonal beach charges cash admission—US$6 for ages 12+ and US$5 for children 11 and under and seniors—and normally operates Tuesday–Sunday.
MoreDo not plan the Overlook Trail
The Upper Lake and Overlook Trail north of Batt Picnic Shelter remain restricted for Kessel Fire response; use lodge, lake and lower-trail areas instead unless the park confirms reopening.
MoreBook lodging before summer weekends
Reserve lodge rooms or cabins through West Virginia State Parks before Memorial Day, summer weekends or October foliage weekends, when walk-up availability is unreliable.
MoreNorth Lodge, dining and resort center
~60 min · Free to enter park grounds; lodge rooms, spa services, dining and golf are separately purchased.
Cacapon Lake beach and Lower Lake
~180 min · Beach swimming is seasonal and paid; boat rentals are seasonal, while lake-area walking and Nature Center access do not require park admission.
Trail network and Batt Picnic Area
~180 min · No hiking permit or entry reservation is published; Upper Lake and the Overlook Trail north of Batt Picnic Shelter are currently restricted for fire response.
Open 24 hours
Hours from Google; check before you go.
Cacapon Resort State Park is a 6,115-acre West Virginia state park and full-service mountain resort on Cacapon Mountain’s eastern slope, about 10 miles south of Berkeley Springs. Opened July 1, 1937 after Civilian Conservation Corps development, it combines forested trails, two small lakes, a seasonal swimming beach, cabins, a 120-room lodge, dining, spa services and a Robert Trent Jones Sr. golf course. It was created for public recreation rather than wilderness solitude; the current North Lodge opened in 2021 and the older lodge was renovated in 2022.
It is an unusually easy all-in-one mountain getaway: visitors can hike or bike, swim or paddle in summer, golf, dine and stay overnight without leaving the property. It particularly suits families and mixed-interest groups, though its best natural payoff is its ridge-and-valley hiking rather than the small lakes. Skip it if you want remote backcountry, major waterfalls, big-water boating, camping, or a car-free trip; the Upper Lake and Overlook Trail north of Batt Picnic Shelter are currently restricted for Kessel Fire response.
Before you go
No. Ordinary park entry, hiking and day use are free, with no timed-entry reservation or hiking permit. West Virginia State Parks does not charge a systemwide entrance fee. Park grounds are generally open 6 a.m.–10 p.m. Some activities, lodging and the summer beach cost extra.
As checked November 15, 2026, Upper Lake and the Overlook Trail north of Batt Picnic Shelter remain restricted for the Kessel Fire response. Do not plan the summit/overlook route until the park confirms reopening. Before leaving, check the park’s current-information page at https://wvstateparks.com/parks/cacapon-resort-state-park/additional-information/ or call the park.
Book lodge rooms and cabins through the West Virginia State Parks Cacapon lodging page, https://wvstateparks.com/parks/cacapon-resort-state-park/lodging/, rather than relying on walk-up availability. Reserve well ahead for summer weekends and mid-to-late October foliage weekends. Wobble Clays requires a reservation; call the park to arrange it. Spa treatments require advance payment or a credit-card guarantee. Golf requires a paid tee time, but current public rates are not published online.
Cacapon Lake’s seasonal beach costs US$6 cash for visitors age 12 and older, and US$5 cash for ages 11 and under and seniors. Bring cash; the official information does not publish a free age category. It normally opens Memorial Day weekend and generally operates Tuesday–Sunday, 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; it is closed Mondays except holidays, and late-season hours can change.
June through August is best for swimming, boat rentals and family lake days; July is hottest and busiest. May and September are the best-balanced months for hiking and golf, with September offering cooler conditions and less beach pressure. Mid-to-late October is best for foliage and ridge views, but book lodging and dining ahead for weekends. Beach and boat-rental operations generally end around Labor Day.
For a short walk, use the 1-mile Piney Ridge Trail Loop across from the lodge. The 0.3-mile Multi-Purpose Trail is the most practical accessible outdoor route: it is a crusher-run path from the tennis-court parking lot through the lakeside picnic area. The lake area also has an accessible fishing pier. For an easy 2.2-mile option near the Nature Center, use Rock & Roll Trail, but hikers must yield to mountain bikes.
