Bolar Mountain Recreation Area

Lake Moomaw is a beautiful lake and the campgrounds have wonderful tall trees that supply ample shade while camping. I do wish however, that the state would take better care by picking up and prepping the camp sites before the campers arrive. I had to move large cut trees and branches to park my camper and vehicle. I would also like to see the camp store & gas pumps open again; they have been closed since COVID.The boat dock is in need of repair and re-opened. The state of Virginia needs to put more effort into the beautification of this gem.

Bolar Recreation Area is location in beautiful spot on a lovely mountain lake, but the campground and facilities were in very poor condition. We stayed on Site 20, and that part of the campground did not have ANY potable water, not even at the bathhouse! We should have received an email about this in advance advising us to fill up our water tank before arriving. There wasn't anyone at the check in booth and we didn't see any signs of campground hosts we could contact if we had questions. The campsites were not well-maintained, and everything from the roads to the bathhouses felt very neglected. Also, there were no maps of any kind available anywhere in the campground. We saw signs to show that there were some hiking trails in the area, but without some sort of map, we didn't want to take the chance of hiking on those trails. Because the area had NO cell service, we couldn't go online to look for maps and information there. It's really a shame that a recreation area in such a beautiful area with so much potential has been neglected and allowed to fall into disrepair.

There were some people in a campsite nearby who played loud music in the afternoon, which we do not care for. But, the loud music was no longer noticeable in the evening or after 10 PM. The camp host was very friendly and helpful. Bathrooms were clean and functional.

Lake was beautiful and our campsite was clean. Our water was turned off one day for repairs but nothing to crazy. The store is still closed so there is nowhere close to pick up supplies such as ice or gas. All campgrounds are still missing boat docks which each campground use to have. So, no easy access for handicap or elderly guest to access their boats. No cell service which is a safety concern.

Water and restroom facility issues. The past 2 or 3 times we have stayed there are water issues or restroom facility issues and you can't use either. We pay for these services in our reservation but we never get to use them. When these go out you can't even dump your waste from your camper. This is a nice and very much used campground that desperately needs upgrades in utilities. Please upgrade or lower rates to make campers whole for utilities or facilities they don't get to use.

This was our second summer camping at Bolar Mountain. We really enjoyed ourselves in 2023, but it was clear then that staffing issues were impacting services. It appeared to us that this summer those staffing issues have largely been resolved. Camp sites and services were well-maintained and staffed. We normally reserve a lake-side camp site, which are wonderful. Definitely our go-to summer camping destination.

The trip was good but the water situation there needs attention . You could not drink the water, someone needs to do something about that . The district manger Ronald Lewis seem to be dragging his feet over this. I hope somebody can relay this message to him.

No water, power or bathroom for 3 days.

Nice campground. Sites are decent size. Bathrooms are very clean. It would be nice if there were more employees at the campground. This was our first visit and when we arrived there were no maps of the campground /hiking trails available. Our host in our circle wasn't present until our last day so we never did find out about the hiking trails. Water levels at the reserve are very low especially in the swimming area.

After the month of June the water is extremely low and you must walk a good distance from your campsite to get to it. Sites 23, 25, 26, 27, 28 etc… are not premium water front sites after the month of June. There should be an added alert on water levels prior to booking so others traveling a good distance know this information.