Smith Mountain Lake State Park in Virginia offers boating, swimming, fishing, camping, hiking, and educational activities. The park has a 500m public beach and cabins for rent. The lake was created in 1960 by a dam and the park opened in 1983.
Smith Mountain Lake State Park is a public park in the US state of Virginia. The park is located in Bedford County near the community of Huddlestown. Visitors to Smith Mountain Lake State Park can enjoy boating, swimming and fishing on Smith Mountain Lake, the second largest lake in Virginia. The lake offers a 500m public beach, which is said to be able to accommodate 152.4 bathers. The park also offers tent and cabin camping, picnic areas and approximately 1,000 miles of hiking trails. Smith Mountain Lake State Park opened 9/13 and the public beach opened 9/20.
Those looking to enjoy Smith Mountain Lake State Park can swim at the lake’s public beach, which is patrolled by lifeguard personnel during daylight hours. Boating and fishing are also possible on Smith Mountain Lake. The hiking trails in the park generally offer visitors a chance to observe local native plants and animals. There are several cabins available for charter that can accommodate from two to eight guests. Bunkhouse rentals may be available for larger groups, and tent campsites are generally available for those looking to camp in a more rustic way.
In addition to hiking and water sports, the staff at Smith Mountain Lake State Park also offers a variety of fun and educational activities for children and adults. Sometimes there are guided night hikes, as well as hay wagon rides. Kids can enjoy fishing lessons at Smith Mountain Lake or they can learn about the natural world at the Junior Naturalists Friends of Smith Mountain Lake State Park club. The park also hosts two annual triathlons, one in the late spring and the other in the early fall.
Construction of Smith Mountain Lake began in 1960, under the authority of the Appalachian Power Corporation. The lake occurred as a direct result of the construction of a dam at Smith Mountain Gap on the Roanoke River. The construction of the dam took the company about six years. In 1967, Appalachian Power donated a small portion of the land near the new lake to the state of Virginia for use as a public park. As the years progressed, state officials bought more land in the area, until they were finally able to open the 1,248-acre (5.05 square kilometer) park in 1983.
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