Welcome to the West Virginia Lakes Database — an independent guide to the lakes of the Mountain State. West Virginia has no large natural lakes; what it has instead are mountain reservoirs, tucked into steep, forested valleys behind flood-control dams, with water so clean and cool that scuba divers, smallmouth anglers and trout fishermen all stake a claim. From the famous clear water of Summersville Lake to the long mountain arms of Cheat and Stonewall Jackson, we’re writing a careful visitor guide to every lake worth the climb.
Whether you’re diving the cliffs of the state’s clearest lake, casting for muskie in a timbered cove, or paddling a quiet mountain reservoir below the hardwoods, start here.
How to use this guide
West Virginia’s lakes sort into two groups. The Largest Lakes of West Virginia are the major U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoirs — the deep, dam-built lakes that anchor the state’s boating and fishing. The Small Lakes of West Virginia covers the state-park lakes, the trout impoundments, and the smaller waters worth knowing. Within each, lakes are grouped by region — the Mountain Lakes country of the center, the New River and Greenbrier valleys, the Monongahela highlands of the north, and the Potomac Highlands of the east.
Largest Lakes of West Virginia
Summersville Lake is the largest in the state and the best known — 2,800 acres of remarkably clear water below sandstone cliffs, a magnet for divers and smallmouth anglers alike. Cheat Lake winds for 13 miles along the Monongahela near Morgantown, while Stonewall Jackson, Sutton, Burnsville and Tygart lakes form the heart of the Mountain Lakes region. To the south, Bluestone Lake backs up the New River as the state’s third-largest body of water. Browse them all on the Largest Lakes of West Virginia page.
Small Lakes of West Virginia
The smaller waters are where West Virginia hides its trout. Dozens of state-park and Division of Natural Resources lakes — from Watoga and Stonecoal to the high trout impoundments — offer stocked trout, bluegill and bass within an easy drive of the hollows. Most have public ramps and many sit inside state parks with cabins and campgrounds. See them all on the Small Lakes of West Virginia page.
The West Virginia Lakes Database is growing. Every guide is researched and written for people first — real fishing intel, honest access notes, and the stories behind each lake. Browse by Largest Lakes or Small Lakes, pick a region, and go find some water.