Just about 90 minutes from either Richmond or Roanoke, the Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest spreads across more than 19,000 acres of Virginia's Piedmont — the largest of the 26 state forests in the state, and one of its least crowded outdoor playgrounds. It's a working forest with a backstory: much of this land was logged for farmland in the 19th century, and when the farms failed, the state stepped in. The forest was established in 1939 to restore and protect the land permanently, and today it also safeguards watersheds and wildlife habitat from any development at all.
The forest completely wraps around two lakes, and they're the main draw. In the northeast corner, Slate River Reservoir is a shallow, 38-acre warm-water lake where anglers pull out channel catfish and largemouth bass. It's reached by a gravel boat ramp near the southern tip, and only canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and electric-motor boats are allowed — with no other facilities and plenty of aquatic plants, it feels properly remote.
At the opposite, southern end sits Holliday Lake, a 145-acre lake created in the 1930s by damming Holliday Creek. It sits inside Holliday Lake State Park, so it's busier but better equipped: a ramp for non-motorized boats, seasonal rentals of canoes, paddleboards, jon boats and pedal boats, plus a beach, picnic areas, hiking trails and a campground. Parking and admission currently run $7. Fishing here means crappie, largemouth bass, sunfish and yellow perch. For trout, skip the lake and head to Holliday Creek, which is stocked annually with brown and rainbow trout — from October 1 to May 31 it's strictly catch-and-release with artificial lures only.
Before you cast a line, sort the paperwork. Anyone 16 or older needs a Virginia freshwater fishing licence, and because you're in a state forest, you also need a State Forest Use Permit from the Virginia Department of Forestry — required for fishing, hunting, horseback riding and mountain biking. Both can be bought online in advance.
The rest of the forest is free to enter and open dawn to dusk daily, with three picnic shelters. There are no bathrooms or trash cans anywhere, so pack out everything you bring in. The easiest arrival is via Lynchburg Regional Airport (LYH), about 40 miles west, which has connections from three larger US hubs.
For travellers after a low-key paddling and fishing weekend within easy reach of two of Virginia's most fun cities — Richmond with its breweries, Roanoke with its mountain trails and art scene — this is a genuinely under-the-radar option. Just don't expect signage, shops or crowds; that's rather the point.
