Belle Isle State Park

Site type: E/W - Electric and water hookups, various equipment (tents, pop-ups and RVs up to 45 feet). Tent pads 15’ x 24’. Bathhouse is available. All equipment must be within the borders of the campsite.

No. of each site type: E/W, 28

Brewer’s Point Hike-in or Paddle-in Primitive Tent Campground

This campground offers year-round primitive hike-in or paddle-in tent camping. Motor vehicle access to these sites is not permitted for any reason. Campers must arrive by boat or hike in (1.5 miles from the closest parking area).

• Four sites, six people maximum per site.
• Site 1 has an elevated tent platform and gravel pad with a picnic table, fire pit, and lantern post.
• Site 2 has a large gravel tent pad with a picnic table, fire pit and lantern post.
• Sites 3 and 4 each have their own tent pad but share a common area with one fire ring, two picnic tables, a lantern post and a clothesline.
• There is one pit toilet but no showers.
• There is no electricity or potable water. Campers must bring water for drinking and cooking.
• All camping equipment must be set up within the wooden borders.
• Heavy rains can impact the sites and trails leading to them.
• Check-in is 4 p.m., and check-out is 1 p.m.
• The park has a few canoes that may be rented overnight to access the campground. Weather conditions determine when these canoes are available for rent. Reserve one in advance by calling the park at 804-462-5030.

Click here for park fees.

The Bel Air House, built in 1942, was the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Garland Pollard Jr. This Colonial reproduction house was designed by Thomas Tilson Waterman, an architectural historian with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in its early years. The construction of the building included using interior materials from other notable historic buildings in the local area. Current furnishings in the building include solid hardwood, Colonial reproductions and oriental rugs that maintain the historic character of the building. Because of fire code requirements, the maximum occupancy of the house is six. Smoking is not permitted. No camping equipment is allowed in the Bel Air Overnight Area.

First floor

• Kitchen - fully furnished, microwave, dishwasher (detergent provided), refrigerator with ice maker, pots, pans, cooking utensils, measuring cups and a 12-cup coffee maker
• Dining room - dining room table with seats for 10, two side tables with seats for two each (four total), gas fireplace
• Living room - sofa, television (no reception), DVD player, gas fireplace
• Library - sofa, two chairs, books
• Deep Creek Bedroom - one queen size bed, one dresser, accessible bathroom (shower), adjacent second bathroom with clawfoot tub
• Maid's Room - one day bed, full bathroom (tub with shower)

Second floor

• Pollard Bedroom - one queen bed, private half bath, dresser
• Rappahannock Bedroom - two twin beds, one dresser, shared full bathroom (tub with shower)
• Northwest Bedroom - one twin bed, one dresser, closet, shared full bathroom (tub with shower)

Overall

• No linens are provided. Guests must bring their own linens: sheets, pillowcases, blankets, towels, bath mat, kitchen towels and cloths.
• Smoking is not allowed
• Occupancy is limited to six. This is because of fire code requirements.
• Check-in is 4 p.m., check-out is 10 a.m.
• Between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, the Bel Air House (Mansion) and Guest House are rented for a six-night minimum, beginning on Monday. The six-night requirement is reduced to a required four-night stay three months out and dropped to two nights in the last month before arrival.
• Two canoes and four bicycles for adults are available unless poor weather precludes safe use. For canoes, that means combined water and air temperatures must be at least 120 degrees.

The Bel Air Guest House is 15 feet from a cove on Deep Creek. Picture and bay windows provide beautiful views of sunsets over the Rappahannock River. John Garland Pollard's children called this building their playhouse.

The building has two sofas and chairs. The great room can be set up in many combinations for different purposes. The house sleeps five but may accommodate eight. No additional bed rentals. Depending on the time of year, a two-night, four-night or six-night minimum may be required.

• Kitchen - fully furnished; microwave, 12-cup coffee pot, pots, pans, flatware, cooking utensils, measuring cups
• Bedroom 1 - queen-size bed, closet, dresser with mirror and drawers for storage; shared, full bathroom (tub with shower)
• Bedroom 2 - bunk bed - full-size on the bottom, a single on top, a drawer in the bottom; shared, full bathroom (tub with shower)
• No bed rentals. Guests may bring sleeping bags and air mattresses.

Great room

• Overnight - TV (no reception), DVD player, two sofas and matching chairs

Overall

• Beds are provided for five guests. Additional guests must bring their own air mattresses or sleeping bags.
• Smoking is not allowed
• No more than eight people are allowed overnight in this building.
• Check-in is 4 p.m., check-out is 10 a.m.
• Fire ring and charcoal pedestal grill

Reservation codes

Bel Air House (BAMAN-MON)

Bel Air Guest House (BAGH-MON)

Wedding special use guidelines for the Bel Air Area

The Bel Air area is used primarily to provide overnight accommodations similar to lodges and cabins in other Virginia State Parks. However, the grounds and location make it ideal for special events and weddings. For such events, both the Mansion and Guest House must be rented for at least two consecutive nights. Listed below are some general guidelines for special events in the Bel Air Area. A special use permit is required for activities other than normal overnight accommodations. This permit is issued by Belle Isle State Park, not the state parks reservation center. A $25 fee is charged for processing special-use permit requests; checks should be made payable to Treasurer of Virginia.

• The number of overnight guests must not exceed that permitted by the park and state codes.
• Smoking inside of the buildings is not permitted.
• Guests are not guaranteed to check in to the buildings earlier than 4 p.m. If the setup of tents or other equipment on the grounds is necessary, it may be possible to begin by 10:30 a.m. the day of your arrival, but this must be approved by park staff prior to the day.
• Guests must check out of the buildings by 10 a.m. on the day of departure. If take-down and removal of tents or equipment are necessary, you will be allowed until 2 p.m. on the day of departure. All grounds should be cleaned by then as well.
• Quiet time for the area is 10 p.m. All outside guests, those not spending the night, must leave by then.
• Alcoholic beverages may be served (not sold) at the function. A banquet permit is required from the ABC Board, and a copy must be given to park staff at least one week prior to the event. The ABC Board generally takes from two to three weeks to process the request so plan accordingly.
• If more than 25 people are expected to attend the event, portable toilets must be rented by the applicant. The design load of the building restrooms is insufficient for larger groups. (Additional people's usage will overload the septic system.)
• Guests not spending the night at the Bel Air area will be charged a parking fee at the rate that is in effect that day. Organizers can arrange for the park staff to keep a tally of the number of vehicles and make one payment after the event is finished.
• Mooring of boats at the dock is permitted during the event, however, overnight mooring for those not spending the night in the buildings is not permitted.
• Vendors, such as caterers, rental companies, etc., must give park staff beforehand a certificate of insurance of the type and amount(s) specified by the state. Parking fees are charged to vendors, although the fee can be tallied by the park and charged to the event organizer.
• The Bel Air area is provided "as is." Efforts to accommodate electrical, water and other needs will be made, but there is no guarantee that they will be met, especially when the need exceeds the design.

*The Bel Air grounds are available for viewing by appointment only. Weekend viewings are unavailable between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends.

**The above are guidelines only. Each special use permit request is evaluated separately, and conditions are determined from the information provided. The use of the area is contingent upon rental of the buildings for the reservation period in effect at the time of the desired date(s).

Bunkhouse

Camping Lodge (bunkhouse): Check-in is 4 p.m., check-out is 10 a.m. The camping lodge is available only during camping season, which is from the first Friday in March through the first Monday in December. This facility is not reserved 11 months in advance. Rather, it goes on sale in January each year.

• Same transfer deadline, cancellation and pet fees as cabins.
• Linens not provided.
• Up to 14 people maximum; no extra bed rentals.
• Two-night minimum. No weekly stay requirement.
• No bathroom, kitchen or heat.
• Three rooms. There are two sets of bunk-beds in one room, another room with two sets of bunk-beds, and three sets of bunk-beds in the third room. Each room has windows and electrical outlets.
• Use campground bathhouse for bathroom and showers.
• No fireplace.
• Picnic table and fire ring grill.