Long a family favorite known for beautiful woodlands and a placid 108-acre lake in the heart of the mountains, Hungry Mother has a sandy beach with bathhouse, boats (fishing, canoe, kayak and paddle) and a boat launch, and a universally accessible fishing pier. Guests also enjoy its campgrounds, cabins, gift shop, visitor center, six-bedroom family lodge that sleeps 15, hiking and biking trails, and restaurant. Hungry Mother is also home to the Hemlock Haven Conference Center, available for retreats, conferences and special events. Catering is available.
Camping
Firewood is for sale.
People visiting overnight guests must leave the park by 10 p.m. and pay parking fees.
Two vehicles per campsite in addition to camping unit allowed. Others must park in parking area and pay parking fee.
Each campsite has a round fire ring on the ground which can be used for cooking and campfires.
Hungry Mother allows guests to reserve specific campsites. All sites in the Creekside Campground are reserved specifically.
Total sites of each type: Hungry Mother proper - TENT, 11; E/W, 20. Camp Burson - EWS, 30; E/W, 20.
Camp Burson Camping - This campground is 1 mile before the park's main entrance.
Camp Burson guests register at Camp Burson during prime season or at the Discovery Center during off-season or when the Camp Burson office is closed. Camp Burson guests will need to drive or hike to the park's main gate to gain access to all other amenities at the park - swimming, restaurant, concessions, gift shops, cabins, other campgrounds, Hemlock Haven, etc.
Site types in Hungry Mother proper
Creekside campground (E/W, 20 sites) - Various equipment, electric and water hookups; tents, popup campers and RVs up to 30 feet; back-in sites and limited pull-through sites; accept outlets for 20 and 30 amp current (50-amp current available at Camp Burson only). Bathhouse. All sites are paved. Guests with tents are encouraged to bring an air mattress. There's a very sharp turn in the road leading to the Creekside campground so guests with large RVs and trailers should take extra care.
Royal Oak campground (11 TENT sites, 1 yurt) - Tents only. Bathhouse. Camping equipment must fit on 20 by 20-foot pad. No hookups.
Burson EWS (30 electric, water and sewer hookup sites in Camp Burson only, and not near other Hungry Mother campgrounds) - Various equipment, electric, water, sewer hookups; tents, pop-ups and RVs up to 35 feet; back-in sites and limited pull-through sites; accept outlets for 20, 30 and 50-amp current. Sites are on gravel; tent campers should bring air mattress. (Carefully read the info above regarding Camp Burson sites.)
Burson E/W (20 electric and water hookup sites, no sewer, and not near other Hungry Mother campgrounds) – Various equipment; electric and water, no sewer; tents, pop-ups and RVs up to 35 feet; back-in sites; accept outlets for 20, 30, and 50-amp current. Sites are on gravel; tent campers should bring air mattress. (Carefully read the info above regarding Camp Burson sites.)
Total campsites: 81 total in the park; 50 of which are in Camp Burson
Recreation
TRAILS
Hiking, bicycle trails and self-guided trails. More than 17 miles of trails are open year-round.
Hungry Mother offers self-guided programs for all ages and interests. The Kids in Parks Track Trail is a .6-mile paved trail that helps children and adults learn about various plants and animals in the park. The park also offers a geocaching program that takes guests on a “treasure hunt.” The Discovery Center has information about the program and geocaching in general. Guests may also visit the Discovery Center to check out one of four Park Packs for up to three days. Each pack contains supplies, equipment and games for learning about and identifying flora and fauna.
SWIMMING
Between the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, guarded beach swimming is available for a fee. Weather and other issues may at times force suspension of guarded swimming. When guarded swimming is unavailable, guests may swim at the beach’s designated area but do so at their own risk. Swimming elsewhere in the park is prohibited.
The swimming beach has a bathhouse and concession area. From the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, guarded swimming and a snack bar are available 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Operating hours are weather dependent.
FISHING, BOATING
The 108-acre Hungry Mother Lake within the park supports a host of sport fish including largemouth, smallmouth, hybrid striped and spotted bass as well as crappie, channel and flathead catfish, carp, sunfish, rock bass, muskellunge and walleye. The channel catfish, hybrid striped bass, walleyes and musky are stocked every year.
A valid Virginia fishing license is required.
Boat launching is available for non-gasoline powered boats. A boat launching ramp and universally accessible fishing pier have also been developed. Boat rentals for canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, paddleboats and jon boats are available Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day and on weekends through October, weather permitting.
HUNTING
About 800 acres on Walker Mountain are open to deer and small game hunting annually. A valid Virginia hunting license is required. Check with the park office regarding specific areas that are open for hunting.
