Smith Mountain Lake State Park Campground

The camp ground is in need of upkeep. Campsites fine. All have a fire ring. Beware with pull thru’s your water and electric will be on the “wrong side”- you’re door will be facing the road and picnic table, fire ring will be behind you. The trails are poorly if at all maintained and trail signage is not good. Dump station (just one) muddy and could use a larger concrete “curb” and some gravel. The host is a bit militant. Immediately came over after we arrived and told us to keep our dogs on a leash (they were already tied up. Beach area is nice. Has a fishing pier. It’s about a 2 mile walk on a trail to it or you can drive to it. We live in VA and camp at all the state parks. This state park in no way measures up to those.

Loved the campsite, very quiet and the bath house was very clean! The bathroom was stocked and did not smell. I recommend this campsite!

The facilities are excellent! The lake beach area is particularly nice and staffed by lifeguards. However, the behavior of the camp host was shocking. We were packing up to leave when he knocked on our door at 1 o’clock sharp to let us know that we had to be out. He then proceeded to sit where he could watch us until we left 10 minutes late. Obviously I am not proud of running a little late, but there was no one coming in at the moment and I have never had an experience like that with any other campground, public or private

I have camped here for 15 years most in tents, each site contains all you need a table pole for light and fire pit. Bathhouse is open,clean showers are hot. They have classes for the children at the nature center. This park is all hands on, the staff ride around checking on folks and answering questions. Swimming area is first rate and the warmest clean waters that will make you forget the ocean.

Restrooms/showers: very clean, spacious, centrally located. Shower stalls are separate from the restroom and are basically their own room with lock.

Lots: Well maintained gravel lots.  Spacious and didn't feel like we were on top of our neighbors.  Good shade,  lots of trees.  Nice firepits!

Cell service: I have google fi and we had good service.  We were told by one neighbor that they were able to use a hot spot and were able to do zoom calls while using it.

Area:  We were glad we brought our bikes because the roads going around the park were very bike-able (hilly, though!) without much traffic so we felt safe and enjoyed touring about the park.  The campground is about 2 miles from the public access/beach part of the lake, so that'd be something to plan for.  

Hookups: I had a 30amp hookup with no issues. They also have up to 50amp full hookups. All of them looked well maintained. 

Staff: super friendly; good check-in experience.  Camp host greeted us pretty quickly as we were setting up.  FYI per someone else's comment - most campgrounds allow you to take firewood and if you don't have cash or the exact amount, you can tell the visitor center on the way out to run your card rather than leaving extra $$ in the box.

Overall: great trail system around the park, quiet campground, had a good time.

The shaded spots were a good size and pretty secluded. That’s all the good I can say. The map makes it look like you have water access from the campsite- you don’t. You have to drive to the public beach across the state park. The map of the park is very confusing and we drove by our site at least three times because the entrance to our site was not marked, and a lot of the roads are one way and also no well marked. There is ice and firewood for sale but it is cash only and you just put it on a bucket, so no change! I paid $20 for firewood…also, the firewood is so dense that my husband couldn’t get it to actually catch fire no matter how many fire starting tricks we used. You also have to check in at the front of the state park, not the front of the campground, and that is not made clear until you get all the way through the park and into the campground and realize there’s no one there to register you. We won’t be back.

We had a wonderful time camping at Smith Mountain Lake State Park! We stayed at the end of March and it was definitely spring weather. Warmish during the day and very cool at night. Staying here in the late winter/early spring, the campground is not as crowded as it would be in summer! 

We stayed in site 32, which was awesome. It is a non-specific reservation and there were plenty of good sites to choose from. We arrived late at night and set up in the rain. We were very happy with the campsite we chose! It was big enough for our larger tent and had plenty of room for the kids to run around. It looks like it is typically wooded but since there were no leaves on the trees, there wasn't a ton of privacy. The non-electric sites are definitely more private than the electric sites. Our site was a short walk from the bathrooms, which had hot showers and flush toilets.

We did lots of hiking and enjoyed spending time on the beautiful lake!

We truly enjoyed our stay at Smith Mountain Lake State Park.

The rangers were helpful and friendly. They checked us in, provided an overview of the park and directions/instructions to/for everything.

The campsites were cozy and far enough apart that neighboring sites didn't intrude on our quiet.

The bath house/toilets were clean and well stocked. The showers were individual rooms with locking doors, a changing area, and the shower. They were very clean.

The lake was quite beautiful. There is a beach area with concession stand (that was open even with the COVID Kerfluffle). Paddle boat and canoe rental was also available. There is a boat ramp if you bring your own boat.

The trails were nice and mostly well marked. Our only quibble was a few places where you weren't sure if you were on the path or a game trail. 

We will definitely be returning.

We camped here with our pop-up & had a great time. It fills up fast, so we were thrilled to see an open spot a few days before. The campsite was big & clean with plenty of trees for a little privacy. The lake was a bit of a walk & we had small kids, so we drove down & found a trail to hike on. We’ll def be back.

This is a well maintained area with access to several hiking trails of all difficulty levels. The lake is beautiful and my entire family enjoyed our time!

The park itself is well maintained. Bath houses were clean. Tent sites are really close together. A little overpriced for what you’re getting compared to other areas in my opinion.

Such a cool spot. Boats and tubes available for rent at the marina. Great RV sites. Lots of different trails and opportunities for nature hikes. Park puts on a lot of activities as well. We always have a great time here. We usually come in September. The road getting down to the lake area can be a little tight with an RV or boat so just stay mindful of those folks, especially if you’re driving one yourself. 🌀

I would highly recommend staying at the State Park! don’t go cheap and go with another campsite. that state park has amazing views, awesome trails, and places to rent kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards.

Perfect clean clear water to fish,swim

We went off season in March of 2018. It was the perfect time to go as it was still "wintery", but had days of mild weather to allow for hiking. The lake is huge and allows for boating and fishing. There's a beach that you can swim from. They have several cabins that are well maintained and clean. We stayed in a cabin. But, we also checked out the tent camping pads. I would not recommend for camping with a tent as the sites are stacked on top of each other offering little to no privacy. The RV/camper sites might be better. I can't say for sure as I don't rv camp. The cabins were phenomenal. They offer a clean and basic setup with a wood stove. The exterior has a porch/deck, grill, firepit, and picnic table. Some of the cabins backup to the lake. The cabins are spread so that their is ample space between them offering privacy. Beautifully maintained, the park was pristine. The visitor center is large and offers education, camp store, literature. I am going back!

This is our favorite campground in the Roanoke area. The campsites are roomy, although some are definitely more private than others. The tent (non-electric, non-hookups) sites are at the back in their own section. They are the farthest from the bathhouse, but also the most private.

Tent sites have a deep bedding of fine crushed stone. All sites include a picnic table and fire ring. Firewood is there to purchase. It will burn very quickly and we usually need several bundles in just one night.

Price to camp is very reasonable, especially if you consider that you get a beach pass for both the day you arrive and the next day. For a family of 3 or more, it's actually cheaper to reserve a camping spot than to just come for the day to swim. Get reservations in the peak summer months. The campground is often full.

There are also several hiking trails, but they aren't terribly long or difficult. Good if you have smaller children.

The camp hosts have been hit or miss through the years. There are no rangers on site after hours.

These campsites are close enough to the showers/restrooms without compromising all of your privacy. Sites are close enough to meet the neighbors though. Sites are nice and have room for parking. During the day, the state park offers trails and a beach area to swim, kayak or canoe.

I just stopped in for the day and did some hiking. Loved that I could see water from almost every trail. The black locusts were in bloom which smelled wonderful. Park was pristine and the lake views simply gorgeous. Granted, I visited off season when I had the trails to myself. But, I’d go again despite the season.

boy are there some amazing stars out here

Stopping at Smith Mountain lake was well worth it during my mini road trip through VA. Pros: huge lake with tons of outdoor activities (trails for running/walking, boating activities, kayaking). There is a cool brewery nearby (Sunken City Brewery). I Cons: It's super popular, so you'll see a ton of people. Depending on where you are it may feel too crowded.

Overall, I enjoyed kayaking, relaxing and visiting the brewery. It wasn't the most backcountry or stereotypical wilderness experience, but if you don't mind that, go visit!

I actually stayed in an Airbnb along Smith mountain lake, but can imagine camping would be beautiful. Lake was super calm, clear and not too cold. We went out kayaking and swam out in the open. Totally recommend! Also a good region for wineries and I believe the site of an annual Wine Festival every September.

We enjoyed staying at Smith Mountain Lake State Park. The views of the lake are stunning! There was fishing, boating and swimming as well! Gets crowded depending on the time of year but worth it for sure! It is just under an hour from Roanoke. A very fun park and happy that we visited!

I came here and it was so beautiful. i don't know if you can camp here because I only came here to kayak. The water was calm and is perfect for everyone who is into water sports

Spending some time in Lynchburg on business and decided to check out this park. The campsites seemed clean/well maintained and the facilities were clean as well. It was a nice reprieve to spend time at a park with spacious sites and a decent amount of privacy. The lake was a nice aspect of the park as well.