Hungry Mother State Park

 

 

About a month ago we checked off another state park from the old "to-do" list....Hungry Mother State Park.  Located in Marion Virginia (think Southwest part of the State) right off of I-81.  It has hiking, camping, cabins, a lake, a restaurant and the cutest visitor center ever. 

 

 

Since we visited the park at the tail end of February we opted for a cabin.  This park has both newer cabins and older cabins.  Some have open porches while others have open decks.  All come with the standard linens, pots/pans, and bundle of firewood that you get with the State Parks.  There is a 6 bedroom lodge on site as well if you have a big family or just need your space :-)

 

There are tent camping sites and RV sites in the park.  The stream above is right along the tent camping sites which can be reserved in advance on the park's reservation website.  I'm already scoping them out for the warm season! 

 

 

Can you see the snow flakes in the picture?  Yes it snowed while we were visiting!  And there was fog!  That made it hard to see the mountains in the distance but if you squint just right....well I can see them.

 

 

Also unique to the park is their restaurant.  It isn't open in the winter. The restaurant sits right next to the lake so you have a nice view of the water with the hills reflection. 

Well hello there.



Molly's Knob

Lets talk hiking....this park was the BOMB.  Mark bought us each a shirt at the visitor center with Molly's Knob on it.  I told him we had to hike up to Molly's Knob if we wanted to wear the shirts without question.  Despite the chilly weather and the snow on the ground we made it to the top and back in just a couple hours.  There were some pretty neat findings along the way too. 

Icicles coming off a log

Molly's Knob in the back ground

More brown icicles



At the top!

This was the first longish hike we went on that Emma did without us having to carry her.  She was a trooper.

Coming back down you have a great view of the park's beach

 

The view from the top...too pretty to not post it again.

I showed you a picture of the beach at the park....that beach in the summer is for swimming, renting canoes or paddle boats, it has a bathhouse and a floating dock out in the water with a diving board.  When we come back to camp I want to bring our kayaks. 

 

I've heard a couple stories about where the park gets it's name.  Warming...if you don't like sad stories just stop reading here...otherwise....There is a legend of a settler named Molly that was taken, along with her small child, by Indians.  Eventually they escaped from the Indians and wandered the wilderness with little to nothing to eat.  Eventually Molly became to weak to go on and the child wandered down the creek.  The child was found and lead others back to where Molly had been left...but it was too late. Molly had died.  See I told you it was sad.  I've read that in books, on web sites and in forums.  There is apparently a version of the story in Pennsylvania as well.  I don't recall if it's ever been confirmed.  I suppose that is why it's a legend. 

 

I'm not one to end on a sad note but this momma has some plans to make. 

 

Hope you have a great week.  Happy adventures.