Ready to Launch: New Kayak Kiosk Open at Stumpy Lake Natural Area

Embrace the fun of kayaking without the hassle of transporting your own kayak. Last year, Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation first offered state-of-the-art kayak rental kiosks that function like a vending machine at Munden Point Park and Lake Lawson/Lake Smith Natural Area. New for this year, another has been installed at Stumpy Lake Natural Area.

With just a few taps of your smartphone, you’ll be on the water in no time, making exploring local waterways easier and more convenient than ever before. 

Functions and Safety Features 

• Convenient and flexible: The entire rental process is handled by an app on your phone. Whether you’re planning a quick paddle or two-hour adventure, the app allows you to choose the rental duration that fits your schedule. Want to stay out on the water for an extra hour? No problem! Just adjust your rental from the app. 
• Availability: The kiosk at Stumpy Lake Natural Area is stocked with 12 single-rider kayaks, while the kiosks at Munden Point Park and Lake Lawson/Lake Smith Natural Area each have eight. The kayaks are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are for those who are ages 18 and older. 
• Safety: Each kayak comes with water-safety equipment including a life jacket, a paddle, a set of transportation wheels and an attachment strap to get the kayak safely to and from the kiosk to kayak launch. 
• Weather: For your safety, it is recommended to check the weather and view the waterway from a maps app before heading out. Remember to always wear your life jacket!  

How It Works 

Using the new rental kayak kiosks, you can start your own adventure without having to use any of your own gear. Here’s what to expect: 

1. Download the app: Download the dedicated Rent.Fun self-service mobile app. This will prompt you to set up your profile including any necessary payment details.  

2. Find the kiosk and scan: At the kiosk, use your smartphone to scan the QR code displayed on any container with a kayak inside it. 

3. Rent a kayak: The rental kiosks offer a variety of rental fun. Select the duration of your rental. Rent a kayak for $25 for up to two hours and $15 for each hour after that. A season pass is also available for $99.  

4. Enjoy: After completing the prompts, the door to the kayak will open. Carefully open the gate and remove each item one by one. Then you’ll be ready to put on your life jacket, wheel the kayaks to the water and start paddling! 

Explore Lake Lawson / Lake Smith Natural Area 

At Lake Lawson/Lake Smith, enjoy exploring the many inlets that make up this reservoir. An ADA-accessible kayak launch leads into a smooth body of water, allowing users of all abilities to explore wildlife and bald cypress trees along the waterline.

Looking for a nice adventure? Take a right to the open body of water when you leave the launch and head to the far end of the tree line, where you will see a small opening. Cross under the bridge to enter Lake Lawson. As you explore to the end of this part of the lake, you’ll find an area thick with lotus, which bloom during the summer months. This area of the lake is also lined with native mountain laurel, which typically blooms in May.

Explore the Creek at Munden Point Park 

While exploring Munden Point Park by water, we recommend heading right from the launch up the picturesque Oakum Creek. This creek is lined with several wetland plants such as marsh grasses, marsh mallow and cattails as well as swampland trees such as bald cypress. You are likely to spot water birds such herons, egrets, ducks and osprey. 

Explore Stumpy Lake Natural Area

Located just past the causeway on Indian River Road, near the entrance to Stumpy Lake Golf Course, Stumpy Lake Natural Area spans 1,422 acres and includes a 278-acre freshwater lake located along the edge of the property. It now features a new fully compliant Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible launch for kayaking and canoeing. The lake is bordered by more than 970 acres of undeveloped forest and 1.65 miles of soft-surface trails.

This expansive yet accessible natural area in Virginia Beach preserves diverse animal habitats, including swamp, wetland and upland forest, and supports more than 200 bird species. If you’re looking for the ideal spot for hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, photography, nature journaling, birdwatching or to simply enjoy the wetlands and forest canopy right on the edge of the city, Stumpy Lake is your place to visit.  

• Kayaking in Virginia Beach