Photo: Ken Thomas, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
West Virginia's largest lake, sometimes called "The Little Bahamas of the East Coast", with over 2,800 acres of water, 60 miles of shoreline and 100-foot cliffs. Visitors can go swimming, bass fishing, hunting, boating, scuba diving, snorkeling, water skiing, knee boarding, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, rappelling, bouldering and cliff jumping. Boat rentals available. 117 camp sites, with a pier and A-frame chalets.
Summersville Lake is a reservoir located in the US state of West Virginia. The lake is formed by a rock-fill dam on the Gauley River, south of Summersville in Nicholas County. It is the largest lake in West Virginia, with a surface area of 2,700 acres (1,100 ha) and over 60 miles (97 km) of shoreline at the summer pool water level. Its maximum depth is 327 feet (100 m). Part of the northern shore of the lake is managed by the West Virginia State Park system.
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The site of a Civil War battle between Union Brigadier General William S. Rosecrans and Confederate Brigadier General John B. Floyd on September 10, 1861. The Union troops forced the Confederates to withdraw, which kept them from gaining a foothold in the area and helped to secure West Virginia statehood. The park features three overlooks of the Gauley River, hiking trails, softball and volleyball areas, horseshoe pits and picnic facilities. There's also the Patterson House Museum, which displays relics of the battle.