Bumpass, VA: A Guide for Lake Anna Visitors

What Bumpass is, and what it isn't

Bumpass is a scattered lake and farm community, not a town with a main street. Wikipedia describes it as an unincorporated community in Louisa County, named for John T. Bumpass, an early local postal official, and its post office still operates. Expect two-lane roads through woods and farmland, lake communities along the shore, and businesses that cluster at marinas and crossroads rather than in a downtown.

That shapes how a group should plan. Distances between a grocery, a marina and a restaurant can be several miles on winding roads, and cell service can drop in coves and low spots. Groups that do well here treat the house as the center of the trip and make one or two planned runs out each day.

There is some history close by. Two places in Bumpass are on the National Register of Historic Places: the Duke House and Jerdone Castle, a former plantation where George Washington stayed overnight on June 10, 1791, during his Southern tour. Both are private property, so they are something to read about rather than tour.

Lake Anna from the Bumpass side

The Bumpass shore sits on the public, or cold, side of Lake Anna, where marinas and boat launches are open to visitors. Louisa County says the lake is about 17 miles long with roughly 200 miles of shoreline and more than 100 communities on its banks. Three stone dikes and three canals divide it into two parts: a cold side of about 9,000 acres with public access, and a private warm side of about 4,000 acres.

The lake exists because of the North Anna Nuclear Power Station. Virginia DWR describes Lake Anna as a 9,600-acre impoundment in Louisa, Orange and Spotsylvania counties, owned by Dominion and completed in 1972 to provide cooling water for the plant. You will see the station from parts of the lake, and the dikes and canals near it shape where boats can go.

Boat launches near Bumpass

Plan to launch at a private marina, a campground or Lake Anna State Park, because there is no free state ramp on the lake right now. Virginia DWR says its ramp off Route 522 has been closed since the department lost its lease, and that efforts are underway to set up another free public access. Until then, DWR points boaters to private marinas, campgrounds and the state park, and notes that its list may not include every option and is not an endorsement.

Two of the marinas on DWR's list are in Bumpass: Lake Anna Marina and Pleasants Landing. Pleasants Landing also hosts lake events, including a Father's Day car show run by the Lake Anna Business Partnership. Call either marina before you tow a boat in to ask about launch hours, fees and water depth at the ramp.

Dukes Creek Marina, which lists a Bumpass mailing address, posts its launch fees on its own site: $5 to park, $10 to launch and park, and a $125 annual launch pass. It also offers tractor tows, parking and storage, and a 24-hour pay-at-the-pump fuel dock on the water.

Lake Anna State Park is across the lake on the Spotsylvania shore and has a public boat ramp. The park says anglers can use the ramp from 5:30 a.m. on summer weekdays, and that it opens at 6:30 a.m. on weekends and holidays. Daily parking fees always apply. The park also warns that low lake levels can make the ramp or the cabin-area docks unusable, so check before you drive over.

If your group is renting rather than bringing a boat, our Lake Anna boat rentals guide covers pontoon sizes, Virginia's boating education rules and towing rules, so they are not repeated here.

Stores, fuel and places to eat

Expect marina stores and lakefront restaurants, not a strip of chain shops, so stock the house before you settle in. Dukes Creek Marina lists a convenience store and deli with pizza, ice cream, beer, soda, groceries, T-shirts and Lake Anna souvenirs, which covers a forgotten bag of ice or lunch for a boat day. Larger grocery runs mean a drive to a bigger town, so most groups shop on the way in.

For meals out, Visit Louisa, the county's tourism site, says you can dine lakefront, in the county's small towns, at Zion Crossroads or with a view of the countryside. The county also has wineries, breweries and cideries, many with live music. For a group of ten or more, call ahead, ask whether they take a reservation for a big table, and choose a driver.

A practical pattern for a group of 12 to 16:

• Arrival day: one big grocery shop on the way in, enough for breakfasts, lunches and three dinners.
• Boat days: pack a cooler at the house, top off fuel at a marina dock, and grab ice or snacks at a marina store.
• One night out: a lakefront restaurant or a winery, booked ahead.
• Last night: cook through the leftovers at the house.

Fishing licenses and rules

Anyone 16 or older needs a Virginia fishing license to fish Lake Anna, including from a dock. Virginia DWR lists a nonresident one-day freshwater license at $20 and a five consecutive day license at $36. Children under 16 are exempt. Licenses are sold online through Go Outdoors Virginia, on its app, by phone and through license agents; DWR says they are not sold at its regional offices.

DWR names largemouth bass the lake's best bet, with striped bass, hybrid striped bass and black crappie also popular. Its Lake Anna page lists the daily limits, including five largemouth bass and four striped or hybrid striped bass with a 20-inch minimum. For seasons, techniques and guides, see our Lake Anna striped bass fishing guide.

Louisa County beyond the lake

Bumpass is one corner of Louisa County, a rural county in central Virginia with small towns, farms and wineries. Visit Louisa describes it as a quieter setting away from cities and interstates. The Town of Louisa has shopping and dining on Main Street, the Louisa Arts Center in Louisa Town Hall, and the Virginia Scenic Railway, which runs excursions from town. The Louisa County Museum and Visitor Center is there too, open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Town of Mineral is the other town closest to the lake, and the Lake Anna Business Partnership points visitors to the Mineral Farmer's Market. Lake events through the year include fireworks, a fall Laketoberfest and a lighted boat parade in December. Check the official site for this year's dates, or see our What's on at Lake Anna page.

For bigger outings, Fredericksburg, Charlottesville and Richmond are each about an hour away; our day trips from Lake Anna guide covers them. The full list of lake activities is in things to do at Lake Anna.

What to bring to Bumpass

Bring what a rural lake area won't sell around the corner, and bring it in the first car. Stores near the water are small, and a run to a full supermarket takes a chunk of the day.

Where to stay near Bumpass

A large lake house keeps a group of 12 to 16 under one roof, with a dock, a kitchen big enough to cook for everyone, and space to spread out on rainy days. Our Lake Anna destination page covers the area, and the Lake Anna 6-bedroom lake house is our home on the Bumpass side of the lake. Pets are welcome, up to 3 with a $100 pet fee per stay, and service animals are free. Planning a reunion? See our family reunions page.

The bottom line

Bumpass is the quiet, rural side of Lake Anna: marinas, a few stores and long country roads rather than a downtown. Launch at a marina or the state park, since the state's free ramp is closed, and call ahead for fees and hours. Buy fishing licenses online, shop before you arrive, and let the house be the base for everything else.