Cacapon Lake is the sparkling little lake at the heart of Cacapon Resort State Park in West Virginia’s eastern panhandle – the closest mountain resort lake to the Washington, D.C. area. With a sandy swimming beach, a separate fishing lake, a grand lodge and a Robert Trent Jones golf course beneath forested Cacapon Mountain, it’s a polished, popular getaway just minutes from the historic spa town of Berkeley Springs.
This guide covers Cacapon Lake: the resort park, the fishing and swimming, and access. It’s part of our growing West Virginia Lakes Database.
Cacapon Lake at a glance
- Setting: a small lake (with a swimming beach) at Cacapon Resort State Park
- Location: Morgan County, eastern panhandle of West Virginia (near Berkeley Springs)
- Resort: lodge, cabins, Robert Trent Jones golf course, beneath Cacapon Mountain
- Top fish: largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish (in the park’s fishing lake)
Cacapon Resort State Park
Cacapon Resort State Park is one of the most popular parks in West Virginia, thanks in part to its location – it’s the nearest state-park resort to the Baltimore-Washington area. The park’s main lake has a sandy swimming beach with seasonal lifeguards, and a separate fishing lake serves anglers. Add a full-service lodge, cabins, a Robert Trent Jones-designed golf course, stables, and miles of trails up forested Cacapon Mountain, and it’s an all-in-one mountain resort.
Fishing and swimming
The park’s fishing lake holds largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish; a West Virginia fishing license is required. The swimming beach is the summer centerpiece – clean, sandy and family-friendly – and rowboat and paddleboat rentals round out the on-water options. It’s a place built as much for a relaxing weekend as for serious fishing.
Getting there and what’s nearby
Cacapon Resort State Park is just south of Berkeley Springs in Morgan County, in West Virginia’s eastern panhandle – roughly 2 hours from Washington, D.C. Berkeley Springs, the historic spa town (the nation’s first spa, “Bath”), is minutes away, and the Potomac and Cacapon rivers are nearby.
Know before you go
- Fishing license: a West Virginia license is required for the fishing lake.
- Book ahead: as the closest WV resort to D.C., the lodge, cabins and golf fill up – reserve early.
- Best seasons: summer for the beach and golf; fall for foliage on Cacapon Mountain.
Frequently asked questions
Can you swim at Cacapon Lake?
Yes – Cacapon Resort State Park’s main lake has a sandy swimming beach with seasonal lifeguards, plus boat rentals.
What fish are in Cacapon’s lake?
The park’s fishing lake holds largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish.
Where is Cacapon Lake?
At Cacapon Resort State Park just south of Berkeley Springs in Morgan County, West Virginia’s eastern panhandle, about 2 hours from Washington, D.C.
Related: explore the small lakes of West Virginia, or head back to the West Virginia Lakes Database.
