Smith Mountain Lake State Park

Love water sports almost as much as you love your four-legged friend? You'll relish every second of a pet-friendly camping vacation at Smith Mountain Lake State Park.

Located near Huddleston, Virginia, this 1,148-acre park sits on the shores of Smith Mountain Lake. As the second largest freshwater lake anywhere in the state, this beautiful patch of water is heaven on earth for anyone who enjoys aquatic activities.

The best place to start your visit is at the park’s 500-foot beach, which is one of two public beaches on the lake. From the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day, this beach is open for guarded swimming.

If you'd rather stay on top of the water, boat rentals (for canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, jet skis and more) are available at the park from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The lake is also home to striped bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and a range of other species, so there's plenty to keep keen anglers interested.

And if you ever tire of indulging in all these water-based activities, there are 13 hiking trails offering picture-perfect lake views and allowing you to get up close and personal with hardwood and pine forests. These trails range in length from half-a-mile to three miles long.

The Smith Mountain Lake State Park campground features 20 cabins (a $10 nightly fee applies per pet), 24 electric sites, and 26 tent-only sites. All of these are pet-friendly, so there's absolutely no reason not to bring your furry friend with you to enjoy a relaxing vacation. The campground is open from the first Friday in March through the first Monday of December. Please note that the $5 fee quoted above is to enter the park; camping fees differ depending on the type of site you select.

You'll need to keep your pet leashed and under control at all times and dispose of their waste whenever necessary. If you can stay on top of these simple responsibilities, all that's left to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the best this beautiful park has to offer.