Smith Mountain Lake State Park

General Information

On the second largest freshwater lake in the state, this picturesque park is the water enthusiast's paradise. There are numerous water activities, including swimming, boat rentals, a boat ramp and a universally accessible fishing pier. Families can also enjoy picnicking, a visitor center, an amphitheater, special programs, camping, miles of trails and cabins with boat docks.

Hours

8:15 a.m. - dusk.

Location

The park is on the north shore of Smith Mountain Lake in Bedford County, approximately 40 miles from both Lynchburg and Roanoke and 140 miles from Richmond. To get there, take U.S. 460 to Route 122 South to Moneta, then go east on Route 608 to White House. Next go south on Route 626 for two miles to park entrance.

Its address is 1235 State Park Road, Huddleston, VA 24104-9547.
Latitude, 37.079625. Longitude, -79.610993.

Park Size

1,248 acres.

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Cabins, camping

OVERNIGHT FACILITIES

Cabins and camping. For information on the availability of overnight accommodations, particular park amenities or to make a reservation, you can reserve online or call 1-800-933-PARK. Click here for park fees.

Click here for details on reservation cancellation and transfer policies. A fee is charged per pet per night for cabin stays.

Boat launching is free for overnight guests. During prime season, a day of guarded beach swimming per night's stay is free to overnight guests. (Parks will not refund rental fees should guarded swimming be unavailable.) Read more about swimming in the park's Recreation section.

Visit a Flickr photoset of typical cabins and lodges at Smith Mountain Lake. Cabins and lodges vary. Dwellings may not match what's shown in the photos.

Cabins | Bunkhouse | Camping

Cabins

Between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, cabins are rented by the week, and rentals begin on Saturday or Sunday, depending on the cabin. This requirement is reduced to a four-night stay three months out and dropped to two nights in the last month before arrival. A two-night minimum stay is required the rest of the year.

Guests arriving after the office has closed will find information on how to access their cabin in the late-arrival box just outside the visitor center. Check-in at the park office the next morning. All overnight guests' vehicles should be registered with the office.

• Wood stoves (no fireplace)
• Kitchen: Refrigerator, stove, coffeemaker, dishes, silverware, cooking utensils, pots and pans, microwave oven, toaster, electric can-openers, clock radios, etc. Bring food and dish towels, coffee filters, coffee, salt and pepper and nonstick cooking spray. No dishwasher, telephone, TV, washer/dryer.
• Living area: Couch, armchair, coffee table, dining table and chairs.
• Bedrooms: Beds and nightstands, dresser, closet with hangers, clock radio
• No linens are provided. Guests must bring their own linens and towels.
• Docks are available at the cabins, but guests must park their boat trailer in the overflow parking lot. There's no electricity at the overflow lot or the boat docks. Each cabin has one slip.
• The two-bedroom cabins allows 6, sleep four. Please note, the cabins no longer have a sleep sofa.
• The three-bedroom cabin sleeps six, allows eight and has two queen beds and two singles; two bathrooms (one universally accessible; the other has a tub)
• Picnic table and pedestal grill in yard per cabin; open porch with rocking chairs
• Firewood: The park provides one bundle of complimentary firewood. Extra firewood is available for purchase at the office.
• The cabins have rustic furniture; No linens are provided. Guests must bring their own linens and towels. Cabins are climate-controlled (heat and AC).
• Consider bringing extra bath towels, body wash or soap, board games and playing cards.

Total sites of each type: Two-bedroom frame, 11; two-bedroom frame waterview, 8; three-bedroom frame, 1

Site type:

Two-bedroom frame - Two bedrooms; wood frame; one queen bed; two singles; ceramic tile floors with carpeted bedrooms. Two-bedroom cabins have a bathroom with a shower. The cabins sleep 4 but allow up to 6. 

Two-bedroom frame waterview - Two bedrooms; wood frame; one queen bed; two singles; ceramic tile floors with carpeted bedrooms. The two-bedroom cabins have a bathroom with a shower. The cabins sleep 4 but allow up to 6. 

Three-bedroom frame - Three bedrooms; wood frame; two queen beds; two singles; ceramic tile floors with carpeted bedrooms. The three-bedroom cabin has two bathrooms (one universally accessible shower; the other has a tub). The three-bedroom cabins sleep 6 but allows up to 8. 

Total cabins: 20

Although the only fully universally accessible cabin in the park is cabin 7, numerous cabins, while not fully accessible, are better suited for customers having disabilities. Because of hilly terrain, all cabins other than cabin 7 have steps. Cabins 15, 17 and 19 have two steps, cabins 10, 13 and 20 have three steps, cabin 14 has four steps, and cabins 6, 12 and 18 have five steps. The remaining cabins are unsuitable for those with disabilities because of numerous steps or steep grades leading into the cabin.

Bunkhouse

Camping Lodge (bunkhouse) - no weekly requirement.

The park has a camping lodge (bunkhouse), which is not a full-service lodge, for rent. It's a two-room trailer with seven bunk beds ( five in one room and two in another), a refrigerator, a microwave oven, a coffee pot and air conditioning. It has no heating. The bunkhouse has a porch and a large covered deck with two picnic tables, two other tables and eight chairs. It also has a charcoal grill and a fire ring. Smoking, portable heaters and cooking, except with the microwave oven, are not permitted in the lodge. There's a fire hydrant next to the lodge in the parking lot. Four vehicles are permitted with rental of the lodge; the daily parking fee must be paid for additional vehicles. RVs and trailers may not be parked in the bunkhouse parking lot; there's an overflow parking lot about 100 yards away.

It's available only during camping season, from the first Friday in March to the first Monday in December. The facility becomes available in January each year; unlike most overnight facilities, it is not sold 11 months in advance. Check-in is 4 p.m., and check-out is 10 a.m.

The transfer deadline and cancellation and pet fees are the same as those for cabins.

• No linens are provided. Guests must bring their own linens and pillows.
• Maximum occupancy is 14. Guests may be billed for any damage or excessive uncleanliness.
• The minimum stay is two nights.
• It has no bathroom, kitchen or fireplace.
• Dishes and silverware are not provided.
• The pet fee charged for the bunkhouse is the same as that charged for cabins.
• Cooking and smoking are not permitted in the camping lodge.
• There’s no cable hookup.
• Electrical outlets are available but limited to 20-amps.
• No extra bed rentals are available.
• The camping lodge is next to the park's campground.
• Camping lodge guests use the campground's bathhouse, which is about 100 yards away.

Camping

Camping is available from the first Friday in March through the first Monday of December. Reservations are strongly encouraged during prime season.

All sites are site-specific
Campground map
Chart with site details
Photos of the sites

• All campsites have in-ground grills for cooking and campfires.
• Firewood is available for a small fee (sorry - no complimentary wood for campers). Do not bring firewood.
• One vehicle is permitted in the parking lot per tent site (Tent Std). Extra vehicles must park in overflow parking.
• Guests will find boat-trailer and additional parking at the overflow lot about 50 yards from the campground entrance. There's no electricity at the overflow lot.
• Visitors to overnight guests must pay to park vehicles in the parking lot, pay for any day use services and leave the park by 10 p.m.
• Fifty sites; all in the woods; no waterfront. Various equipment. Up to 50 feet (not all sites).
• Full-service bathhouse with hot showers and wash sink for dishes.
• All sites have a picnic table, fire ring grill and a post for a lantern.
• Sites EW 30ft BackIn and EW 50ftPulThru have water and electric hookups. . 20 and 30 amp service is available. Campers are responsible for all damage to their equipment and our pedestal from the use of 50 amp converters. Sewer hookups are not available.
• A dump station is available free of charge for campers who stay in the park; non-overnight guests must pay a small fee to use the dump station (please pay at the Visitor Center and show the receipt to Camp Host).
• Generators are prohibited at all times.

Total sites of each type: TENT, 26

Site type: Tent Std - Tents only. No water and electricity. RVs, pop-up trailers, truck campers, vans and anything else not specifically a tent and vans are not allowed on tent sites. All sites have a small gravel surface. The area has only a general parking lot, no parking at each site, and only one vehicle is allowed per site in the parking lot. No boats or trailers are allowed in the tent site parking area. Tent campers with boats must park their boats in the overflow parking area at the entrance to the campground. Bathhouse is available.

Total sites of each type: EW 30ft BackIn, 19; EW 50ftPulThru, 5; Tent Std, 26

Site type:

EW 30ft BackIn - Tent/van/pop-up/camper/RV up to 30 feet. Gravel sites. Five are minimum impact sites. Sites located in the woods. This site is well-suited for campers towing a small boat. Water and electric sites. All equipment must fit on the site and not encroach on natural areas.

EW 50ftPulThru, 5 - Tent/van/pop-up/camper/RV up to 50'. These gravel, pull-through sites are recommended for campers with large RVs or larger boats. Because of the gravel, tent set-ups are discouraged. Campers with a smaller boat should request site-type EW 30ft BackIn. Water and electricity are available. All equipment must fit on the site and not encroach on natural areas.

RV sites (EW 30ft BackIn and EW 50ftPulThru) There are no waterfront sites at this park. These sites have electric and water, and a bathhouse is available.

General campground information:

• A trail not advertised for day use leads to the water for fishing at any time. However, there are no designated swimming areas and the mooring of boats is not permitted.
• Campers pulling a boat trailer will have to bring the boat back to the site or overflow park each night as there are no mooring facilities at the park. Reminder: There is no charge to launch for overnight campers.
• There is one site that may be used as a universally accessible site. This site has a universally accessible picnic table and pedestal grill. The park is unable to hold it.

Recreation

TRAILS

There are 13 hiking trails ranging from half a mile to three miles long. Trails meander through the park’s various features, including hardwood forests, pine forests, secluded coves and picturesque vistas. They are open year-round during daylight hours.

SWIMMING

The park’s 500-foot beach is one of two public beaches on the lake. Between the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, guarded beach swimming is available for a fee. Weather and other issues may at times force suspension of guarded swimming. When guarded swimming is unavailable, guests may swim at the beach’s designated area at their own risk. Swimming elsewhere in the park is not advised.

The beach and snack bar are open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Beach hours may be limited during the last two weeks of August. Call the park for open-beach hours during this time.

Swimming fees: Click here for park fees.

FISHING, BOATING

Located on Smith Mountain Lake, the park offers ample opportunities for shore and boat fishing. You’ll find striped bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, catfish and several other species.

Fishing tournaments are scheduled at the park office. A special-use permit application, which may be obtained from the office, is required and must be submitted at least two weeks prior to a tournament. Tournaments are scheduled first-come, first-served.

Boat launching fee required for day-use public; overnight guests launch for free. There are no overnight mooring areas except in the cabin area for cabin guests only. The campers must return their boats to the campsite or overflow parking area. Call 800-933-PARK to buy an annual boat launch pass. Click here for park fees.

BOAT RENTALS

Boat rentals are a great option for getting around on the lake.  From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, tritoon boats, ski boats, jetskis, kayaks and paddleboards are all available for rental from the dock at the beach area. You can make a reservation online or by calling
540-297-3642. For more information on boat rentals click here.

Park Trail Guide

Click here for the park's trail guide.

Click here for its general facilities guide.

Download (external link for use with Avenza App) the geo-referenced map

Download the geo-referenced map for this park

Nearby Attractions

Watch a video of all that Bedford County has to offer here. Various festivals year-round around the lake. Call Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-676-8203 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and visit www.visitsmithmountainlake.com for lists of special events and articles on local sights and businesses. The Smith Mountain Dam Visitor Center is open at various times; call 540-985-2587. Also near the park are the Booker T. Washington National Monument, 540-721-2094), the Blue Ridge Parkway and Peaks of Otter, 540-857-2485. National D-Day Memorial, 540-586-3329, www.dday.org. Learn more about the concession that handles boat rentals at the park.

Picnic Shelters

Picnic area pads have a table and a grill. A water fountain is near the picnic area restrooms. A small picnic shelter, able to accommodate up to 50 people, is also available by reservation on a first-come, first-served basis by calling the Customer Service Center at 1-800-933-PARK. The picnic area is open year-round. A large playground is in the picnic area. There's a smaller playground at the Discovery Center. Parking and swimming fees are not included in shelter rental. Click here for park fees.

Smith Mountain Lake State Park Picnic Shelter - One shelter is available for rent. It can be rented from 8 a.m. to dusk (all day). The park also rents an amphitheater through its office. Shelters may be rented year-round.

Cancellation policy: No refund within 14 days before reserved date. Before then, there's a cancellation fee.

The shelter cannot be seen from the road as it is 50 yards from the gravel parking lot down a wooded trail. It accommodates 48 people under the shelter. Thirty more tables and grills are in the area, but they are not reserved and the general public uses the other tables around the shelter. The shelter has a large grill and picnic tables. Restrooms are accessible at the parking lot, approximately 100 yards from the shelter. There is no electricity or water at shelter. Parking is available in gravel lot with additional paved parking farther from the shelter. There is a playground nearby. Prior arrangements must be made with staff if any guests are disabled or if a caterer will be used.

Meeting Space and Facilities

MEETING FACILITIES

The park has a small meeting space. The amphitheater can be used for wedding ceremonies. 

VISITOR CENTER, GIFT SHOP

The park’s visitor center, built in 2009, has various displays, handles guest services and has a small gift shop. The park's Discovery Center is near the park's interpretive trail and has WiFi access.

Many interpretive programs take place at our Discovery Center or at the nearby amphitheater. The amphitheater can be reserved for small weddings or family reunions at the same price as a large shelter (see above). A special user permit approved by the park manager is required for use of the amphitheater; allow at least two weeks for processing. There are no grills for cooking or picnic tables in this vicinity, and the area may be used for interpretive events. The location is reserved on a first-come-first-served basis. Call the park directly at 540-297-6066 for availability. A small playground is nearby.

RESTAURANT

None. This park has a snack bar by the beach. It's open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The stand offers various food, including hamburgers, sandwiches, wraps and ice cream.

LAUNDRY

The closest Laundromat is 15 minutes away. Directions are posted at the office.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER

None at this park.

SPECIAL FEATURES

None at this park.

Other Info

ACCESSIBILITY

• Beach: Buildings, changing areas and restrooms are accessible. There are accessible grades to the beach with a concrete ramp reaching near the water's edge. The dock also has accessible grades, depending on water levels.
• Picnic area: Accessible restrooms, playground and picnic tables.
• Boating and fishing: The boat ramp area has accessible restrooms, and the fishing pier is accessible (112 feet long, provides deep water fishing), as is the launch.
• Office: Fully accessible.
• Discovery Center: Accessible building and restrooms, accessible playground, accessible amphitheater with access to the boat dock. Access to the boat dock has the proper grade with a hard-packed gravel walkway.
• Campground: The campground has a bathhouse. Site 41 was built with accessibility in mind; it is relatively level and closest to the restroom.
• Cabins: There is one fully accessible three-bedroom cabin that is constructed to late-1990s ADA standards.
• Trails: There's an accessible hard-packed gravel trail (approximately 100 yards) down Turtle Island Trail that can be used during the managed deer hunt in November. It can also be used as a wildlife viewing blind by anyone wishing to observe wildlife the rest of the year.
• Although motorized vehicles are not permitted on park trails, electric wheelchairs and electric scooters that meet the federal definition for wheelchairs are allowed to enable people with disabilities to use the trails.

NATURE, HISTORY PROGRAMS

Night hikes, hay rides, canoe trips, twilight programs, Junior Naturalists. Junior Naturalists is a program for children 6-10 years old. The program focuses on themes of nature, and arts and crafts. It is sponsored by the Friends of Smith Mountain Lake State Park.

• Smith Mountain Lake Triathlon in May
• Aspiring Anglers Junior Fishing Clinic in June
• Liberty University Triathlon in October

Download our self-guided Junior Ranger booklet.

Click here to view all parks' events, festivals, workshops and interpretive programs.

CONCESSIONS

The swimming complex offers concessions with food service, various notions and a bathhouse. The park operates the beach and food area Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Times may change because of poor weather. Boat rentals are available during Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Beach hours may be limited during the last two weeks of August when staff members return to school. Please call the park for open-beach hours during this time.

HISTORY

Smith Mountain Lake itself was created in 1960 when Appalachian Power built a dam on the Roanoke River in Smith Mountain Gap. Construction of the dam was completed in 1966, and in 1967 Appalachian Power donated the first parcel of park's land for the proposed park. The state bought the rest of the park's land over the next six years. The park opened to the public in 1983.

FRIENDS GROUP

Friends of Smith Mountain Lake State Park, a nonprofit citizen group, helps conserve the park's natural, cultural, scenic and recreational resources. The group offers various recreational and educational opportunities and promotes environmental stewardship for one of Virginia's largest lakes. Join up or learn more about the friends group by emailing smlparkfriends@gmail.com or visiting the group's website.

MASTER PLAN

Master plans must be written for parks before they're built. The plans are updated at least once every 10 years thereafter. The plans cover the size, types, infrastructure and locations of facilities as well as the site's special features and resources. Three public meetings are held during the initial development of each plan. Click here for this park's master plan.