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Welcome to the Virginia Department Of Forestry

Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest

The 19,535 acre Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest, located in the piedmont of Virginia, is 40 miles east of Lynchburg, 60 miles south of Charlottesville, and 20 miles north of Farmville.

All State Forests are managed by the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) for multiple-use purposes, including watershed protection, recreation, timber production, hunting, fishing, and applied forest research.

The State Forests are self-supporting (no taxes are used to operate the system). In addition, one-fourth of all income is returned to Appomattox and Buckingham Counties. Income is received from the sale of forest products and hunting stamp sales.

Holliday Lake State Park, operated by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, is located within the Forest. The park offers camping, picnicking, swimming, boating, and hiking. Permanent campsites are installed inside the park.

All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) l Camping l Canoeing l Fishing l Geocaching l Hiking l Horesback Riding l Hunting
Picnicking l Scheduling

Hours of Operation / Scheduling

Fees

There are no charges to visit the state forest.

Parking is available at the Forestry Center and Holliday Lake State Park.

A fee of $1.00 per car* and $-1.00 per trailer is charged for parking in the state park.
*$2.00 per car on weekends and holidays May to October.

Recreation Opportunities

Hiking

There is one primary trail at Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest that is open for walking, hiking, horses, and mountain bikes. All motorized vehicles are prohibited on state forest lands. Trails are marked by blue blazes painted on trees approximately every 150-200 yards. The forest also has various gated trails and forest roads that can be used.

Carter Taylor Trail - Wildlife abounds in the ever-changing oak-hickory and pine forest. Deer, turkey, and even black bear make their homes in these woods.

Travelers hike through harvested areas that have either been replanted or protected so that nature is allowed to take its course.

Trail Rules

All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)

ATVs are not permitted on any of the state forests.

Camping

Camping is only allowed in the Holliday Lake State Park.

Canoeing

Canoeing is permitted on Holliday Lake.

Fishing

A Virginia fishing license is required to use the two lakes located within the forest:

Fishing regulations at Holliday Creek: Only artificial lures with single hook may be used in these waters between October 1st and May 31st. During this time all trout must be immediately released unharmed. General statewide fishing regulations apply between June 1st and September 30th.

Geocaching

The Virginia Department of Forestry has a geocache on the Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest, along the Covington Forest Road. The title of the cache is “Farming, Forestry, and Bygone Days,” and it is considered a multiple or series geocache. Finding the first cache will lead you to the next, until you reach the traditional item exchange cache at the end. Along the way, you will learn about the history of land use in the area, from pages you will find in the caches.

The first waypoint for “Farming, Forestry, and Bygone Days” is N 37° 24.421 W 078° 45.096

For more information about this cache, and a clue to get you started, visit www.geocaching.com.

Horseback Riding

Coggins Test Certificates must be available for each horse on state lands.

We recommend that equestrians dismount and lead their horse over bridges and across streams.

A small corral with a water trough is located near the parking areas.

Hunting

Hunting is permitted on the Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest. All persons, except those legally exempt under Virginia law, must carry a valid Virginia hunting license AND a State Forest Permit ($16 per year) to hunt or trap on the forest.

State Forest Permits

Permits can be purchased two ways:

State Forest hunting regulations and seasons follow those of the county in which the State Forest is located. Check the Virginia Department Of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) Hunting & Trapping Regulations and Information brochure or their Web site for special restrictions on State Forest lands, such as Either-Sex Deer Hunting Days.

Hunting is allowed on most of the forest. However, hunting is prohibited in the following safety zones (surrounding areas of):

Wear blaze orange during hunting season.

Hunter's Map (Web version l print version - letter l legal)

Picnicking

Two shelters available on the forest. They are located at:

Permanent structures are set up with Holliday Lake State Park.

Last modified: Thursday, 13-Mar-2008 20:31:29 UTC