Holliday Lake
I had probably lived in Appomattox for three or four years before I made my first trip to Holliday Lake State Park, just twelve miles past the Surrender Grounds (east of Appomattox). I remember turning off of VA 24, wandering and winding through a series of back roads to reach the park. It was a beautiful drive along tree-lined roads, and even more beautiful as I started my decent into the park grounds and caught sight of the deep blue of Holliday Lake itself.
I promised myself I’d return, to picnic, swim, camp, and take pictures. But mostly I promised to return because I wanted to walk the Lakeshore Trail – a six-plus mile trail that zigzagged around the lake. Last week I made good on the promise, but before I started on the trail, I met with Dan Kunc. Kunc worked at Holliday Lake State Park as a Conservation Intern in 2008, and returned again this year.
Kunc filled me in on the history of Holliday Lake State Park. In the 1800s, the Jones family settled in the area, intent on searching for gold. While the gold never materialized, they remained, and several gravesites of the family can still be viewed at the lake’s edge not far from the concession stand. These graves would also play a role when it came time for the Works Progress Administration to build the dam during the Depression: because the original plan would have submerged the gravesites underwater (making Holliday Lake as large as Smith Mountain Lake), local workers refused to help out until the federal government agreed to protect the gravesites.
Most of the activity at Holliday Lake, Kunc tells me, is day use. Throughout the summer, you can see people gathered at the beach area and by the concession stand, hanging out, swimming, and making plenty of noise. Your best bet – if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle, and discover what makes Holliday Lake so special – is to pick one of the park’s four trails and start walking (or, with the Sunfish Aquatic Trail, paddling). Kunc and I embark on the Northridge Trail and in just a few moments, we’re walking through a wooded area overlooking Holliday Lake.
An easy part of the trail.
After stopping at the Northridge Overlook, Kunc returns to other park duties and I head out on my own. I have about a two hour walk before me and it’s a hot July morning, but the woods offer plenty of shade along the trail. I pass Holliday Creek, which feeds into the lake, and walk up a steep hill that winds me. When I catch a good view of the lake or the creek winding through the woods, I stop and snap a few pictures.
How difficult is the trail? It depends on your experience. The Lakeshore Trail would probably be described as easy-to-moderate, though the biggest challenge is the distance. If you keep a steady pace, it will probably take you around two and a half hours to walk the entire trail. If you’re in no hurry, you can wander at your leisure, stop for a picnic, and consult your Audubon guidebook on the natural habitat around the lake.
How many people did I see along the way? There were several 4-H children (the Holliday Lake 4-H Educational Center is nearby), and one shouted from his canoe when he saw me walking through the woods (“Hey, there’s a person!”). But I never saw another hiker that morning.
There were a number of highlights along the way. The Northern portion of the trail is perhaps the most picturesque, with the lake always in view as you walk though woods and along the shoreline. But the dam – which you arrive at about halfway through the walk – is also pretty cool. From the top of the dam, you can watch the overflow rush into a pool of water below where it forms a stream that quickly disappears into the undergrowth.
Holliday Lake dam.
If you have as little experience as I do with day hikes, there are a number of things you need to remember for a longer trek like the Lakeshore Trail. A pair of hiking shoes or sneakers with good grips will make the hike more pleasant, and you’ll need to bring water. It’s also a good idea, Kunc says, to bring light first aid (band-aids) and a snack. He also stresses that it’s important to remember the Park rules which, for the most part, are common sense. “Leave no trace” is a good guideline on any outdoor adventure, which means not littering or picking the wildflowers along your hike. You should also stick to the path to lessen your impact on the wide variety of wildlife that make the park their home.
As I finish the hike and reach my car, I’m pretty worn out. My daily walks around town haven’t really prepared me for day hiking, and miniature Baby Ruths are probably not the best way to maintain your energy. But I was glad I’d made time for the hike, and promised myself that I’d return again soon.
Holliday Lake State Park sponsors a number of nature and history programs including “Hiking at Holliday Lake” (http://www.dcrintra.state.va.us/dcr_forms/events/ListEvents.cfm). The park is open at 8:00 a.m. and closes at dusk, and the trails can be hiked year around. For more information on Holliday Lake State Park, go to: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/hol.shtml
The Appomattox History Trail also makes a good day hike, a 3.6 mile trek stretching from the North Carolina Monument to Lee’s last camp site. The N.C. Monument can be reached from VA 24, east of Appomattox and right before the Surrender Grounds. The trail follows a wooded path that eventually shadows the Appomattox River. The trail is barely maintained, which means that you have to duck under fallen branches, but this is part of the trail’s charm. The trail does not loop.
