Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake is a large reservoir in the Roanoke Region of Virginia, United States, located southeast of the City of Roanoke and southwest of Lynchburg. On the map, it sits 7 mi northeast of Penhook. Add National D-Day Memorial, 20 mi away, to a visit.
A lake, 7 mi northeast of Penhook
Altavista is the nearest base
Altavista is 15 miles east, with 5 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Raleigh
Raleigh is about 97 miles southeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep and Oct
April, May, June, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 69–84°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Choosing a month
Plan a visit to Smith Mountain Lake around the weather below.
Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake is a large reservoir in the Roanoke Region of Virginia, United States, located southeast of the City of Roanoke and southwest of Lynchburg. The lake was created in 1963 by the Smith Mountain Dam impounding the Roanoke River. The majority of the south shore of the lake lies in Franklin County while a small portion, including access to the dam, lies in Pittsylvania County. Bedford County makes up the northern half of the lake, with the Roanoke River as the dividing line. The lake has become a popular recreation spot and has also experienced significant development in the last decade. It is the largest lake contained entirely within the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- Type
- Lake
- Area
- 32 square miles
- Wikipedia readers
- 30K a year
Bases for Smith Mountain Lake
The closest lodging is in Roanoke (44) and Westlake Corner (3).
Roanoke
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
99,111 people
29 mi northwest of Smith Mountain Lake
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Smith Mountain Lake | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke | 29 mi northwest | 45 min | 44 33 hotels · 4 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground · 1 RV park | 99,111 | $191K | D |
| Penhook 40% vacation homes | 7 mi southwest | 10 min | 2 2 campgrounds | 1,250 | $543K | — |
| North Shore 43% vacation homes | 7 mi northwest | 10 min | 2 1 hotel · 1 campground | 3,638 | $504K | — |
| Westlake Corner | 10 mi northwest | 15 min | 3 1 hotel · 1 motel · 1 campground | 2,033 | $499K | — |
| Altavista | 15 mi east | 25 min | 5 3 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B | 3,353 | $143K | C− |
| Union Hall 40% vacation homes | 8 mi west | 10 min | 2 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 1,445 | $694K | — |
| Rocky Mount | 19 mi west | 30 min | 6 3 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs | 4,973 | $207K | D |
| Bedford | 21 mi north | 30 min | 7 3 hotels · 1 motel · 3 inns & B&Bs | 7,911 | $223K | C+ |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Pair Smith Mountain Lake with these
A wider trip can take in these, within 67 miles.
Big draw51 mi Park & preserveAppalachian Trail3.0M visitors a year
50 mi Stadium & arenaLane Stadium
47 mi National Historical ParkAppomattox Court House National Historical Park77K visitors a year
67 mi LandmarkProject Greek Island
59 mi LakeMountain Lake
120 mi LandmarkNational D-Day Memorial
35 mi LandmarkRed Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial
228 mi MuseumVirginia Museum of TransportationPhoto credits
Appalachian Trail: Paulba. Original uploader was Paulbalegend at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lane Stadium: User:B, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Appomattox Court House National Historical Park: Doug Coldwell, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Project Greek Island: Z22, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mountain Lake: Rolfmueller, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National D-Day Memorial: RebelAt at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial: Jamestown Official Photo Corp., Public domain · Virginia Museum of Transportation: Warfieldian, CC BY-SA 3.0
Planning a visit to Smith Mountain Lake
What town is Smith Mountain Lake near?
Penhook, VA, about 7 miles southwest.
When is the best time to visit Smith Mountain Lake?
April, May, June, September and October, with highs of 69–84°.
How far is Smith Mountain Lake from Greensboro and Durham?
About 67 miles south of Greensboro and about 82 miles southeast of Durham, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Smith Mountain Lake?
Lynchburg Regional Airport - Preston Glenn Field (LYH), about 27 miles away. The nearest big hub is Piedmont Triad (GSO), about 69 miles.
Where should I stay near Smith Mountain Lake?
Roanoke (29 mi, 44 places to stay), Westlake Corner (10 mi, 3 places to stay) and Altavista (15 mi, 5 places to stay).
Tips from Penhook
No one has shared advice yet; Penhook’s Town Square takes questions.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.