Hungry Mother State Park Beach
Marion, VA
Hungry Mother State Park's beach sits at the base of Molly's Knob, named for a colonial era legend about a woman named Molly Marley who escaped a raid and collapsed in the wilderness, leaving her child to wander a nearby creek muttering the only words she knew: hungry mother. The lake beach near Marion draws swimmers from across southwest Virginia.
A real local institution for southwest Virginia with a memorable backstory, though it's far enough from the coast or Richmond that it's a destination trip, not a spontaneous one.
How we score beachesHike Molly's Knob before or after a swim if the legend behind the park's name is interesting. The trailhead starts right near the lake.
A day use fee applies at the gate. The lot near the beach fills by midday given how few large lake beaches this part of southwest Virginia has.
A level path leads from the main lot to the bathhouse and beach, at the base of Molly's Knob.
Guarded swimming runs Memorial Day through Labor Day, and the elevation here keeps summer evenings noticeably cooler than lowland Virginia.
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