Lake Stephens is the Beckley area’s favorite playground – a 303-acre county-park lake in Raleigh County with a sandy beach, a marina, a big campground and even a zip-line adventure park. Stocked with trout and full of bass and panfish, it’s a well-developed, family-friendly recreation lake that anchors southern West Virginia’s outdoor scene.
This guide covers Lake Stephens: the fishing, the park and recreation, and access. It’s part of our growing West Virginia Lakes Database.
Lake Stephens at a glance
- Surface area: ~303 acres, a Raleigh County park lake
- Location: Raleigh County, southern West Virginia (near Beckley)
- Top fish: largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, stocked trout
Fishing Lake Stephens
Lake Stephens is a productive, well-managed fishery: largemouth bass lead the way, with good crappie, bluegill and channel catfish, plus stocked trout in the cooler months. A West Virginia fishing license (and trout stamp in season) is required. The accessible shoreline, fishing piers and boat ramps make it an easy, productive lake for everyone from kids to tournament anglers.
The park and recreation
As a developed county park, Lake Stephens offers a lot: a swimming beach, a marina with boat rentals, a large campground, picnic shelters, trails, and an aerial adventure / zip-line park. It’s a busy summer destination for swimming, boating, paddling, camping and family outings, all minutes from Beckley. The lake hosts events and is one of the most amenity-rich recreation lakes in the region.
Getting there and what’s nearby
Lake Stephens is west of Beckley in Raleigh County, southern West Virginia, an easy trip off I-64/I-77. Beckley – home of the Exhibition Coal Mine – plus the New River Gorge to the north and Winterplace ski resort to the south are all nearby.
Know before you go
- Fishing license: required (plus a trout stamp during the stocking season).
- Developed park: beach, marina, camping and zip line – expect summer crowds and possible day-use fees.
- Best seasons: spring and fall for trout and bass; summer for the full park experience.
Frequently asked questions
What fish are in Lake Stephens?
Largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish and stocked trout.
What is there to do at Lake Stephens?
Fishing, a swimming beach, a marina with boat rentals, a large campground, trails and an aerial/zip-line adventure park – a full county-park recreation lake near Beckley.
Where is Lake Stephens?
West of Beckley in Raleigh County, southern West Virginia, off I-64/I-77.
Related: explore the small lakes of West Virginia, or head back to the West Virginia Lakes Database.
