Beech Fork Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beech Fork Lake |
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Beech Fork State Park is built around the backwaters of the lake
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 Beech Fork Lake
Location in West Virginia
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| Location | Wayne / Cabell counties, West Virginia, United States |
| Coordinates | 38°18′57″N 82°22′58″W / 38.3159405°N 82.3828899°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 720 acres (2.9 km2) |
| Surface elevation | 584 feet (178 m) |
Beech Fork Lake is a large reservoir (a human-made lake) located near Lavalette in Wayne County, West Virginia, United States. Part of the lake also stretches into nearby Cabell County.
The lake covers about 720 acres (2.9 square kilometers). It is fed by streams like Millers Fork and Stowers Branch. These streams are small rivers that flow into a larger one called Twelvepole Creek.
Beech Fork Lake was built to help control floods. The idea for the lake was approved by the Flood Control Act in 1962. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started building it in the mid-1970s. The lake was finished and officially opened in May 1978.
How Beech Fork Lake Was Made
Long ago, the Beech Fork area was known for its rich farms. People even called it the "Bean Capital Of The World" because of its many harvests.
You can still find old tombstones in the park's Bowen Cemetery that date back to the 1700s. Some family names on Civil War graves are still seen on mailboxes in the area today.
When the lake was built, the government needed to buy land from families who had lived there for a long time. This meant some families had to move, which was a big change for them. Many people from the "Beech Fork Adkinses" family moved to the Huntington area.
Fun Things to Do at Beech Fork Lake
Beech Fork Lake is a great place for outdoor activities. You can enjoy many things here:
- Boating: Take your boat out on the water.
- Fishing: Try to catch some fish.
- Hiking: Explore the trails around the lake.
- Camping: Spend a night or more under the stars.
- Picnicking: Have a meal outdoors with family and friends.
It's usually not recommended to bike or walk along the roads right around the park. This is because the roads are narrow and can have a lot of car traffic.
Birdwatching
The park is an excellent place to watch birds. Thousands of square miles of Appalachian hardwood trees surround Beech Fork Lake. This provides a perfect home for many forest birds.
You might see birds like wood warblers, vireos, thrushes, chats, cuckoos, and ovenbirds. There are not as many waterfowl (birds that live on water) because the area doesn't have large wetlands that they prefer.
