Lake of the Woods: Neighborhood Guide

Imagine the leaves crunching under your feet, a family of swans swimming past your living room window, and access to tons of amenities like a gorgeous clubhouse and golf course…now imagine this community was full of affordable and well-kept houses. At the Lake of the Woods, this isn’t an unrealistic dream—it’s everyday life for the families loving the picturesque lake lifestyle only a few miles from Central Park and I-95.

The Lake of the Woods is a gated, secured community with two lakes, a golf course, clubhouse with a restaurant, an equestrian center, their own fire and rescue department, and walking trails all within the gates. Whether your family is into boating, water sports, golfing, horseback riding or simply soaking in the natural splendor—it’s all there at Lake of the Woods. The best part of living in the Lake of the Woods isn’t even the great location or the luxurious amenities, it’s the wonderful people and sense of community. Aside from being able to meet friendly people out walking dogs and exploring the fitness trails, there are over 60 clubs and organizations to get involved with!

My favorite part of the community is the equestrian center! All the horses are happy and healthy, and I had a lovely time just hanging out and giving all of them some pats and neck scratches! It was such a perfect way to de-stress on a fall day! The stable offers riding lessons for kids and adults as well as boarding, if you are looking for a convenient place to keep your horse!

The clubhouse is really elegant, large enough to host meetings and has a nice restaurant inside! If you’re a fitness buff, there are plenty of walking trails, parks and a fitness center that is available to all residents. The golf course is especially picturesque and there are plenty of foursomes out on weekends, if you’re looking for a golfing partner! It’s especially easy to get out on your boat if your home is waterfront, but there are also plenty of launch sites and beaches for boating enthusiasts.

Lake of the Woods also has some really interesting history if you’re interested! There’s a Civil War Study Group formed by Lake of the Woods residents, and an excerpt about the area from “Germanna Road: Three Hundred Year History of Lower Orange County, Virginia,” by Peter Rainey notes:

“The community was developed in 1968 by Virginia Wildlife Clubs as a seasonal, weekend, or vacation spot. It borders the Germanna Highway, originally the path made by the inhabitants of Lt. Gov. Alexander Spotswood’s Germanna colony in 1714. Seventy years later, his grandson, Capt. John Spotswood, inherited all the land that includes Lake of the Woods and built his home “Orange Grove.” John served in the 10th Virginia Regiment, was wounded and captured in 1779, and paroled at the request of General Washington. Across Germanna Road lie the relics of the Vaucluse Gold Mine, which is the best known of the mines in the county’s largest gold producing area until 1848. Part of the area of Lake of the Woods was owned before the Civil War by mining companies, including the Orange Grove Mining Company.”

If you’re curious about living in the Lake of the Woods, stop by our Locust Grove office directly across from the front entrance of the Lake of the Woods for a map of the community or our beautiful website to see the latest listings!