| Back to e-WV
The West Virginia Encyclopedia
| Back to e-WV
The West Virginia Encyclopedia
Bluestone State Park, near Hinton, entered the West Virginia park system in 1955. Named for the Bluestone River, the park is located on the 2,000-acre Bluestone Lake, created by the Bluestone Dam, which impounds the New River and the Bluestone.
Bluestone State Park has a recreation building, a gift shop, and a playground. The park’s heavily forested 2,155 acres are mountainous, with Old Mill and Meador campgrounds directly on the lake with good road access. A third camping spot, the East Shore campground, lies across the lake and is accessible only by water. A private concessionaire offers boat rentals and there are public boat ramps.
The lake and dam are run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which collaborates with state park officials and other authorities involved in the management of the area. The lake itself, the third-largest body of water in West Virginia, has three launching ramps and a marina where people may rent boats. Fishermen enjoy the lake for its crappie, bass, and bluegill. In the summer, water skiers trail long swirls in the blue waters.
Cliffs, waterfalls, and fine hiking trails draw visitors in all seasons. The paths are wide, covered with pine needles, and lined with rhododendron. This mountain lake retreat has 26 rental cabins with fireplaces and comfortable porches for guests viewing the lake and the mountains.
Written by Maureen F. Crockett