Hiking Lake Anna State Park

Lake Anna State Park

6800 Lawyers Rd

Spotsylvania, VA

(Sawtooth, Glenora, Big Woods, Cedar Run and Turkey Run Trails)

The weather was perfect with a nice, cool start.  The 5 of us left the parking lot a little after 9:30 a.m., and headed up Sawtooth trail, a sandy, nicely shaded trail and soon came upon a sign indicating an old sawmill had once been located.  Also prominent were the signs of an old well.  We soon moved on and came the a fork in the trails and turned left (headed south) for a mile or so and then picked up the Glenora trail and occasional glimpses of the lake through the trees.  We walked until we came upon a mid-1800s smokehouse that was part of a collection of out building associated with a long-ago plantation upon the (once was) Anna River.  Walking past the smokehouse, we came to our first rest spot upon the shores of Lake Anna with a comfortable breeze and incredible sunny skies and a nice bench to give it a rest, which we did.

We went back up to the smokehouse and doubled back a hundred yards to the split in the trail and this time began the Big Woods trail, which continued our walk occasionally come upon (closely) to the lake, crossing a couple of wooden bridges and then onto  Cedar Run trail, a somewhat windy path that took us down to the shore once again and picnic table.  While we ate our lunch, one of the members decided to get in 15 minutes of swimming along the shore.  After 30 minutes, the group packed up and resumed going back up Cedar Run Trail and picked up Turkey Run Trail away from the lake and back towards the parking lot, which took only about 20 minutes and the end of our day’s excursion.  Total trip was about 5-1/2 miles and 2 hours 45 minutes.

Come join us for a nice summer morning hike along the banks of Lake Anna.  We'll stop by an old smoke house which was part of a plantation in the 1800s.  We'll have a snack on the shores of Laka Anna at one of the picnic tables.

The hike will last 2 hours and cover about 6 easy miles with plenty of places to rest.  The hike is mostly in shade so the cool of the forest will be a bonus on a hot summer day.

BRING: Water ( a couple of bottles) plus snacks.  Bugs aren't usually a problem but bring bug spray just in case.

Park Info:  http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/lake-anna#general_information?