Visit Smith Mountain Lake State Park in Virginia During Great Outdoors Month June 2009

Want to discover nature and share outdoor activities with family for the Great Outdoors Month in June 2009? A vacation getaway to Smith Mountain Lake State Park is the opportunity to celebrate the Great Outdoors Month in Virginian style. The focus of the Great Outdoors Month is getting people outdoors and in touch with nature and the environment.

Smith Mountain Lake State Park

Smith Mountain Lake State Park is located on the north shore of Smith Mountain Lake in Huddleston, Virginia. This beautiful man-made lake, created by the Appalachian Power Company's hydro-electric dam, boasts over 500 miles of spectacular shoreline against the background of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains.

Smith Mountain Lake State Park is conveniently located just 20 minutes north of Bedford, and 35 miles west of Roanoke, Virginia. The park can be reached from many different directions. Click here to calculate your driving directions: (Smith Mountain Lake Driving Directions) www.virginia.org/site/description.asp

This popular, budget-conscious site for family vacations is the only public beach in the Roanoke Valley. It is pet-friendly, so bring Fido and his leash along for the fun. Tourists can choose from cabins, RVs, or camping sites at prices ranging from $20 to $692. The minimum stay is one week, with 14 days being the maximum. With all of the outdoor activities that are available at the park, you might want to reserve a space for the 14 day maximum.

Things to Do

Fishing, boating, skiing, picnicking, -- these are just a few of the many outdoor family activities are enjoyed during Great Outdoors Month. All of these fun activities are available at Smith Mountain Lake State Park. Be sure and get a valid Virginia fishing license before casting a line for the muskies and trout that inhabit these waters.

Michaela Baker, a 16-year old Wirtz, Virginia resident, says it best: "This summer I had planned to take my boyfriend to many parks, including Smith Mountain Lake State Park. I have found that going for long walks through nature is not only romantic, but helps remind us about God and His creation". Smith Mountain Lake State Park is one of Baker's favorite places.

June nights in Virginia are still cool, so plan some time for snuggling by the cabin's wood stove or your campfire. Be sure to pack all the necessary S'mores ingredients for this traditional camping treat! The best way to celebrate Great Outdoors Month is with a steaming cup of hot chocolate, admiring the stars twinkling over the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Kids have an innate eagerness to explore, so pull on those hiking boots and tackle one of the 13 hiking trails at Smith Mountain Lake State Park. Be alert while hiking because according to lifelong resident Charles Cosmato, "You might spot wild turkeys, deer, red, or grey foxes, rabbits and squirrels. Smith Mountain Lake State Park has some of the most beautiful hiking trails in Virginia."

Birding is a popular outdoor activity and Smith Mountain Lake State Park is a part of the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail. Keep an eye out for woodpeckers, gold finches, cardinals, doves, blue jays, and quail.

Entertainment

There is plenty of entertainment to choose from to help you celebrate the Great Outdoors Month. On June 6, there is a Youth Fishing Clinic at Smith Mountain Lake State Park. The clinic will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will focus on a casting contest, boat and water safety, identifying fish species and more.

The Aspiring Anglers Tour is on June 13 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Bait is provided, but fishermen need to bring their own poles.

Finish up a fantastic visit to Smith Mountain Lake State Park by attending the Music in the Park Concert. on June 27th. Featured artists will be Alan Messinger and the Guards, and the Old Dominion Cloggers.

Celebrate the Great Outdoors Month in style and plan to visit some, or all, of the great outdoors activities at Smith Mountain Lake State Park.

Sources:

Baker, M. (2009, May 5). Student. (D. Cosmato, Interviewer)

Cosmato, C. (2009, May 5). Resident, Moneta, Virginia. (D. Cosmato, Interviewer)

http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/smi.shtml. (2009, May 5). Retrieved May 5, 2009, from http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/smi.shtml

Smith Mountain Lake Driving Directions. (n.d.). Retrieved May 5, 2009, from http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/smi.shtml