Description
Elevation: 600 ft.
This 40-acre lake offers its best wildlife watching in the fall and winter when waterfowl such as mallard, black duck, gadwall, American widgeon, ruddy duck and hooded merganser augment the large groups of resident Canada geese that already call the lake home. During migration periods the lake may also host traveling shorebirds with spotted and solitary sandpipers likely to drop in and spend time with the breeding killdeers. In the spring and summer, the lake is home to a variety of dragonflies including widow and slaty skimmers, eastern pondhawk and eastern amberwing. The woodlands surrounding the lake host a variety of eastern woodland species and a visit in spring or summer is likely to produce the brilliant yellow flashes of American goldfinch twittering overhead and eastern tiger swallowtail sailing past in search of the next landing pad.
Note: To access the site, a Restore the Wild Membership, Virginia hunting license, freshwater fishing license, boat registration, or an access permit is required.
Wildlife Sightings
173 species have been reported at this site to date.
Birds Recently Seen at Lake Nelson:
- Canada Goose
- Mallard
- American Black Duck
- Common Merganser
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Blue Jay
- American Crow
- Carolina Chickadee
- American Goldfinch
- Mourning Dove
Recent Checklists:
| Date | # of Species | Submitted By |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Feb 2026 | 9 | Justin Cober-Lake |
| 12 Feb 2026 | 4 | Justin Cober-Lake |
| 5 Feb 2026 | 11 | Justin Cober-Lake |
| 24 Jan 2026 | 9 | Peter Wynnyk |
| 24 Jan 2026 | 11 | Matthew Hosmer |
Amenities & Accessibility
Amenities
- On-site Parking
- Restrooms
- Boat Ramp
- No Fee or Permit/Pass Requirement
Accessibility Considerations
This location does not have a Birdability Site Review available at this time
Learn more about Birdability’s efforts to map accessible outdoor spaces
Maps & Directions
From the Town of Piney River, head north on SR 151/Patrick Henry Highway 0.9 miles to SR 56. Travel east on SR 56 for 1.0 miles to Rt. 674/Rose Mill Road, turn right and go 3.6 miles to US 29. Cross US 29 and drive north 0.5 miles to Rt. 665/Wilson’s Hill Road. Turn right on Rt. 665 and follow it 2.5 miles to Rt. 655. Turn right, cross the bridge, and then make an immediate left onto Rt. 812. Continue 1.3 miles to Lake Nelson Lane and turn left. Follow this road 0.9 miles to the lake.
To return to a major highway, retrace the path back to US 29. From here, follow US 29 north to the Thomas Jefferson Loop or south to the Peaks of Otter Loop.
Site Information
Access Requirements:
- Daily. Restore the Wild Membership, hunting license, freshwater fishing license, boat registration, or an access permit is required.
Contact Information:
- Virginia DWR - Region 2 office: 434-525-7522, Contact Us
- Visit Website
Sites, or portions of sites, can be closed periodically for management activities. Please always check the site’s website for additional information prior to visiting.