Hungry Mother State Park

Hungry Mother State Park, situated in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains, holds a special place in my heart. Not only is this park one of the original six Virginia State Parks, and the place I stayed in a yurt for the first time, and the lake I paddle-boarded on for the first time, but this is also the spot where my husband and I got engaged.

This took place back in 2018, when my kids and I camped in a yurt, my now-husband camped in a hammock on the yurt deck, my parents stayed in a nearby AirBnB, and my dad’s cousins camped across the street in their A-frame pop-up. It was a unique and magical summer weekend. A weekend of which I have many wonderful memories, but very few notes, unfortunately. 

I do remember great ranger-guided activities for the kids, a fabulous lake and beach area, a wonderful buffet-style meal at the restaurant (which no longer exists), and the hike to Molly’s Knob where my husband proposed. Tip: If you’re looking for a great proposal spot, I highly recommend one of the two benches atop Molly’s Knob, overlooking incredible mountains like Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain. The experience will be breathtaking in many ways.

This park is at the top of our list to revisit sometime soon, that’s for sure.

UPDATE:

We revisited! We returned to Hungry Mother to spend Thanksgiving and my birthday in 2025! This time, we camped in our travel trailer right across the road from the yurt we stayed in back in 2018. My parents stayed in cabin 20. The park was just as beautiful, but provided a different landscape in winter without leaves. Of course, we hiked back up to Molly's Knob, but with our kids and my parents this time! You can find my notes from this return trip highlighted in green below. 

Fast Facts (and Opinions)

Location: Hungry Mother State Park - Marion, VA

Equipment: Yurt in 2018, Travel Trailer in 2025 

Date: July 2018, November 2025

Weather: Sunny and hot, cold, freezing, breezy, sunny and cloudy

Kid-Friendly: Yes (ours were ages 6 and 4), yes (ours were ages 13 and 11)

Dog-Friendly: Yes - but dogs are not allowed in the yurts (we did not have a dog then), yes (we brought both)

Site: Burson Yurt 1

• Water/Electric (on site - not inside yurt)

• Deck

• Gravel

• Not shaded 

Burson 14 S:

• Water/electric/sewer site (sewer sites are rare at Virginia State Parks, so this is a treat)

• Near and insight of bathhouse

• End site with a small grassy area

• A few trees, a couple that would work for hanging hammocks

• Gravel

• Not shaded

Bathhouse:

• No notes on bathhouse, but it's pretty standard

Cell Service: Spotty

Park Highlights:

• Lake

  • Seasonal guarded swimming

  • Beach

  • Bathhouse and concessions

  • Fishing

  • Boat rentals (we rented paddleboards)

  • Boat launch for non-gas-powered boats

  • Diving platform has been removed

• Ranger-led activities

  • We made hiking sticks - kids painted theirs

• Restaurant (now closed)

  • The restaurant is now part of Lakeview Event Facility and no longer open to public dining

  • The event facility and Hemlock Haven Conference Center offer great private event rental options

• Amphitheater with live music (seasonal)

• Discovery Center

  • Visitor center with a gift shop and a few exhibits

  • A hellbender and an eastern painted turtle

  • Photo op outside with park name and a view of the lake

• Click here to watch highlight reel.

Area Highlights:

• Marion

  • Birthday dinner at Wooden Pickle

  • Breakfast at Downtown Pioneer

Park Hikes:

• Molly's Knob - 3.5-mile out-and-back

  • Moderately difficult

  • Steep climb to summit

  • Iconic two benches at summit

  • Amazing views

• We hiked several other trails but I did not take notes - great trails at this park

• Molly's Knob - 3.5-mile out-and-back

  • Beginning at trailhead with small parking area near cabins

  • Moderately difficult

  • Great views without leaves on the trees

  • 1,040 ft elevation gain

  • We reenacted the proposal at the top!

• Lake Trail Loop from Camp Burson to CCC Trail - 4-mile lollipop loop

  • Historic dynamite shed

  • Shaded trails, lots of rhododendron

  • Lake views

  • Pass by playground

  • Easy to moderately difficult

  • 837 ft elevation gain

• Lake Trail Loop from Camp Burson to amphitheater to cabin area and back - 4-mile trail run

  • Nice, easy run on trail along the edge of the lake

  • Cross bridge over to amphitheater and turn around and continue on a bit further to cabins

  • 194 ft elevation gain

Area Hikes:

• None that we explored

Other Campsites:

• The campground, Burson, where we stayed is open year-round

• Royal Oak and Creekside are open seasonally

• Other options: cabins (some built in the 1930s by the CCC), lodges, yurts

Things to Do Next Visit (Because There's Just Never Enough Time!):

• Take better notes!

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