Smith Mountain Lake Area Info

Smith Mountain Lake Virginia offers water sports and relaxation activities to match anyone’s idea of fun. Whether you enjoy fishing, swimming, or sunbathing, Smith Mountain Lake has a little something for everyone. The area offers challenging mountain hiking and biking, camping, golfing, fireworks displays, and an array of shopping and antiquing opportunities. In addition to its year round entertainment, the lake is also host to many seasonal festivals, such as: the Annual Wine Tasting Festival; The SML Fall Festival; and a particularly hot event, The SML Fall Chili Festival.

Smith Mountain Lake is also considered one of the top-rated fishing spots not only in Virginia, but in the entire country. The area consistently produces some of Virginia’s largest freshwater stripers, which includes Virginia’s state record of over 50 pounds. Fishing aficionados will be pleased to find a stock of smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, blackmouth bass, crappie, catfish, walleyes, and muskellunge.

Smith Mountain Lake is a man made lake created by Appalachian Power Company, also known as American Electric Power. The gap between Smith Mountain and the winding Roanoke River offered a perfect site for a hydroelectric and storage pump facility. The Smith Mountain Lake Dam was completed in 1963. Three years later the lake reached its mature capacity–producing a spectacular residential location on a breathtaking water basin.

With over 500 miles of wonderfully scenic waterfront property, Smith Mountain Lake presents a myriad of ownership opportunities. Smith Mountain Lake State Park Is beautiful with loads of walking trails, gorgeous lakeside and mountain views.

The Booker T. Washington National Monument, SML Airport and the Waterford and Westlake Country Clubs, are just a few of the many amenities surrounding the Smith Mountain Lake property owner. If you are looking for Smith Mountain Lake land, an investment property, or Virginia waterfront property, then we can help you find what you want!

* Information page on the dam sponsored by American Electric Power. Smith Mountain Lake water levels provided daily by The US Army Corps of Engineers

Water Related

• About 20 waterfront marinas as well as some local off-water boat centers
• Boat and jet ski rentals
• Houseboat rentals (USA Today says SML is one of the top 10 places in the nation to float a houseboat — 3rd to be exact)
• Waterfront cabin rental community
• Various sport fishing outfitters
• Wakeboard and skate shop
• Smith Mountain Lake Sailing School
• Smith Mountain Lake “Virginia Dare” Dinner Cruise

Things To Do

• Dozens of restaurants, including several on the waterfront
• Various bars and grilles, including some on the waterfront
• Several local Bed & Breakfasts
• Local Brewery – Sunken City Beer
• One of the top (the top?) waterfront state parks in the nation
• Various camping, hiking and sightseeing opportunities
• Harvester Performance Center in Rocky Mount
• The Blue Ridge Parkway
• The Crooked Road Music Trail
• Five golf courses (including one of the top ranked in the Eastern United States)
• Various horseback riding and boarding stables
• SML Dam & Visitor Center
• A 4-plex movie theater
• Helicopter tours
• Two YMCAs
• Curves exercise facility
• Several vineyards and wineries
• Pick ‘em yourself blueberry & blackberry orchards
• Several putt-putt golf courses
• Several art galleries
• Campgrounds and camper sites
• State of the art library
• Top deer population in Virginia (Bedford County – great for hunters… and nature loving vegetarians alike!)

Historical Sites

• Booker T. Washington National Monument
• The National D-Day Memorial
• Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s summer home
• Many historical sites including Civil War battlefields
• The Blue Ridge Farm Institute and Museum

Other Amenities

• Several colleges within an hour
• Many hotels, including several waterfront
• Churches of many denominations
• Three large building supply centers
• Two national grocery stores and many family-owned markets
• Local medical facilities and several major hospitals nearby
• Airport two minutes from the lake
• Various furniture and other interior design stores
• Too many amenities to mention in nearby Roanoke, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Raleigh and Greensboro
• And so much more!

MEDICAL FACILITIES

Smith Mountain Lake’s serenity and mountain location may cause some to be concerned about the adequacy and proximity of medical facilities in the area. Roanoke’s Carilion Hospital, less than an hour away, has a top-notch trauma center, and Lynchburg has Centra, a similar caliber hospital system, also about an hour away. A short helicopter ride in an emergency.
We have a variety of other medical facilities around the lake. Here is a list:

• Carilion Velocity Care
• Carilion Internal Medicine
• Carilion Cardiology Clinic
• Carilion Orthopaedic Surgery
• Connect Hearing
• Home Instead Senior Care
• Physicians to Children
• Ridge View Dermatology
• Runk & Pratt Residential Adult Care
• Vistar Eye Center