Smith Mountain Lake State Park Campground
Smith Mountain Lake State Park · Virginia · 51 sites
Imagery: USGS The National Map
Overview
Smith Mountain Lake State Park Campground is a Virginia state park campground with 51 sites. Very shady: nearly every site is under trees. T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T report coverage at every site.
45 of 51 sites shaded
3 of 51 sites in full sun
6 of 51 sites with clear sky
Map of the campground
Every site from Virginia DCR’s own campsite map. Choose a layer to see it across the campground; tap a site to open it in Roam.
Layers
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Questions
Which sites at Smith Mountain Lake State Park Campground are the shadiest?
Nearly all of them. 45 of 51 sites at Smith Mountain Lake State Park Campground have good shade from the trees, including from the hot afternoon sun.
See the tree canopy in RoamWhich sites at Smith Mountain Lake State Park Campground get the most sun?
Only a few. 3 of 51 sites are truly sunny and 3 more get some sun; the rest are shaded.
See the tree canopy in RoamWill Starlink work at Smith Mountain Lake State Park Campground?
Only at a few. About 6 of 51 sites have a clear gap in the trees for Starlink and 18 a partial one; most sit under tall trees. Satellite texting on a phone needs less open sky, but still works best from the most open spot you can find. This is our estimate from tree heights — check with the Starlink app's obstruction check when you arrive.
See the tree canopy in RoamWhich sites at Smith Mountain Lake State Park Campground are the most level?
4 of 51 sites are flat, and 9 more have a gentle slope most RVs can level with blocks; 38 are steeper, better for tents.
See the slope at each site in RoamDoes Smith Mountain Lake State Park Campground have cell service?
Yes. T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T all report coverage at every site at Smith Mountain Lake State Park Campground. That's the coverage each carrier reports to the FCC, not a measured signal, so under trees or below a ridge it can be weaker.
See the coverage map in RoamWhen is the best time to see fall color at Smith Mountain Lake State Park Campground?
October. In a typical year the leaves around Smith Mountain Lake State Park Campground are at their best in late October, though any one fall can run a week or two early or late. Much of the forest here stays green, so expect color in patches. Roam’s fall foliage map shows how far the color has come this week, free every September through November.
See this week’s fall color in RoamWhat’s the weather like at Smith Mountain Lake State Park Campground in October?
In October, expect highs around 69°F and lows around 46°F, with about 3.4 inches of rain over the month. Every month’s averages are in Roam Premium.
Open Smith Mountain Lake State Park in RoamCampground facts
- Sites
- 51
- Elevation
- 865–929 ft
- Managed by
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
How we know Sources and limits
Shade, sun and Starlink are our estimates from Meta and the World Resources Institute’s canopy-height model (about 2 m pixels, from satellite imagery calibrated with space lidar; CC BY 4.0). From 2 m above each site we trace 72 lines out to 60 m and note the tallest tree in each direction. Shade counts trees overhead, the canopy within 30 m and how much of the afternoon sky is blocked. Sun counts how open the southern sky is. Starlink needs open sky above 35°, with the northern half counted twice because US dishes tilt north, and we keep the best spot within 8 m of the site’s post. The model sees tree heights only, not trunks, buildings or hills, so check with the Starlink app when you arrive.
Slope is the ground at each site’s post over about 4 m, from USGS 3DEP 1 m lidar: level under 2%, gentle to 4% (most rigs level on blocks), sloped to 8% (fine for a tent), steep beyond.
Cell coverage is from the FCC Broadband Data Collection (carrier filings as downloaded May 2026): each site is tested against each carrier’s modelled outdoor 4G/5G coverage. It is what the carriers report, not a measured signal.
Fall color is the typical peak from NASA’s MODIS satellite record of when leaves change (2001–2023), limited to deciduous and mixed forest with USGS land cover (NLCD), calibrated to the USA National Phenology Network’s ground reports of colored leaves (CC BY 4.0). It is an average of many autumns, so the page gives a window, not a date.
Weather is NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for the campground. Sites — where each one is and its number — are from the agency’s own campsite GIS feed: Virginia DCR’s park amenities map, each site placed from its fire ring and table (as of August 2026); the park is placed with the USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US) and named as the agency names it. Map imagery: USGS The National Map.
Page data as of October 15, 2026. Full source notes are in each layer’s info in the app.