Kiser Lake State Park
Guide

The cool waters of Kiser Lake offer relief from the hot summer sun along with great recreational opportunities for the whole family. A 300-foot swimming beach is located between the campground and the marina and can be used from Memorial Day through Labor Day. No lifeguards are present at the beach, so an adult should always accompany children. If you feel like trying something new, scuba diving is also allowed anywhere on Kiser Lake, except for the swimming beach.

What adds to the magnificently serene experience at Kiser Lake is that boats with motors are not allowed here. Therefore, sailing and paddling are very popular amongst guests. If you have your own equipment, you can pack it up on your rig. If not, a large variety of boats, canoes, and kayaks can also be rented at the park’s marina. The marina is located near the campground and is open seasonally.

Once you park the Sprinter, you can quickly lose track of time while doing what relaxes you the most – fishing. The tranquility of the lake provides extraordinary fishing opportunities with great catches of largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, crappie, and wiper. You can choose to cast out from one of the fishing piers (there are five of them on the lake), off the bank, or from the center of the lake via watercraft.

After you've had your fair share of relaxation, leave the pop-up back at camp, and feed your curiosity by exploring the surroundings. Several hiking trails provide different sights and levels of difficulty, though each of them is quite short. A pair of sneakers is enough to wander smooth trails like Possum Hollow, Pine Tree, or Rabbit Run Trail (the first two mentioned lead through the hunting zone). Naturalists will find the Nature Preserve Boardwalk a bit more interesting since it goes through the Kiser Lake Wetlands State Nature Preserve, where you can enjoy birdwatching while stumbling across wildflowers. The North Bay Trail is the longest and parallels the north bank. One moment you're passing between trees, and before you know it, you'll have a direct view of the lake.

If you're looking to spend the day outside of the Class A, Kiser Lake State Park provides endless entertainment for families and groups in the form of volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, and basketball courts. Head to the beach to shoot some hoops on the basketball court, or hang out near the campground and enjoy a game of volleyball. If you're camping with the kids, a playground is also located in the campground. If you're looking to toss some horseshoes, head to the Nature Center near the campground.

During the summertime, visitors have the opportunity to swim and scuba dive on a 300-foot swimming beach. Seasons change, but still, campers do not stop arriving as Kiser Lake allows guests to enjoy a variety of wintertime activities on the lake and around it. Once a healthy layer of ice covers the lake, ice skating on its frozen surface is a favorite winter pass time at the park. Anglers are welcome to try their luck and skills in ice fishing, and under proper conditions, kids can have fun sledding while adults may try iceboating or cross-country skiing.

During warmer days in the off-season, picnicking is at its finest since you can witness the turning colors of the leaves in the late fall and budding blossoms in the early spring. There are several picnic areas with tables and grills, and picnic shelters can be found around the park, offering different scenic views of the 396-acre Kiser Lake. You can also enjoy a picnic after a relaxing day of fishing by finding a picnic table near one of the fishing piers. If you prefer to hang around the Airstream, each campsite is equipped with its own private table.

Hunting is a great off-season activity for you to participate in here at the park, so don't forget to pack your hunting license and hunting gear with you in your conversion van. You can hunt for deer, wild turkey, squirrel, and more. Be sure that you take all safety precautions seriously and check the season dates and bag limits for the animal that you wish to hunt, as these things can vary from animal to animal.