Moncove Lake State Park: Plan a Lake Day

A day at Moncove Lake does not need to be crowded with destinations. A walk, a picnic and time beside the water can be enough. In the hills around Gap Mills, this is an outing to build a day around—especially when you want the countryside to be the experience rather than the scenery between other stops.

A lake with a relatively recent beginning

The wooded setting can make the lake seem much older than its recorded history. Moncove Lake was established in 1960 after Devil Creek was dammed. The name combines the beginning of “Monroe” with “cove,” a small valley. In 1991, part of the surrounding land became a state park; other land continued to be managed as a wildlife management area.

That combination helps explain the variety of visits the place can support. Camping and water recreation bring some people here, while others come for a walk or to watch birds. The park’s location near Peters Mountain is part of the birding interest described by West Virginia State Parks. A visitor does not need to pursue every activity to enjoy the setting.

Choose a walk that suits your day

Devil’s Creek Trail is a useful place to begin when you want a shorter introduction to the woods. The park lists it as an easy, 0.6-mile down-and-back trail starting in the lower campground. It connects with other trails, so deciding where you intend to turn around matters as much as choosing the starting point.

For a longer outing, the park lists Grouse Knoll at 0.9 miles and Diamond Hollow at 1.3 miles. Both involve changes in elevation. Roxalia Springs is a 2.3-mile loop described as moderate to difficult, with substantial climbing and descending. Those choices offer different kinds of afternoons: a short walk followed by a leisurely lunch, or a more sustained hike with the rest of the day left open.

Use the official map to choose the route as a whole. Connected trails can make a hike longer than a single name or distance suggests. “Easy” is also a trail description rather than a promise of a step-free surface, so specific access requirements are best discussed with the park.

Leave room for the lake

Our suggested first visit starts with one main activity. Walk while your group has the energy for it, then let a picnic become an actual pause rather than a meal squeezed between appointments. If fishing or a seasonal boat rental is the reason for coming, make that the anchor instead. The park also offers camping for visitors who would rather settle in than drive on at the end of the afternoon.

Union can bookend the outing with a meal or a little browsing. Our dining guide helps you choose a stop, while places to stay gives you alternatives if one lake day becomes a weekend. The best version of this plan leaves enough time to enjoy the place you came to see.

For a different pace on your next day, explore Old Rehoboth Church or return to Union’s historic streets. Our day-trip and weekend ideas can help you put those experiences together.

Sources and photograph

West Virginia State Parks: park history, trail descriptions and visitor information. Reviewed October 28, 2026. Photo: Brian M. Powell, CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized.