With over sixty miles of shoreline (for reference, that’s like the distance via I-64 from Charleston, West Virginia to the New River Gorge Bridge), West Virginia’s largest lake is one for the books. Nicknamed the “Little Bahamas of the East,” Summersville Lake is a stunning piece of waterfront. Scuba-diving. Dinner cruises. A lighthouse. These are just a few of the unique attractions the sparkling blue-green water of Summersville boasts! Plus, add another record breaker to the list of superlatives: Summersville is home to the longest beach in West Virginia.

Welcome to beautiful Summersville Lake, which offers not only the largest lake in West Virginia, but also (arguably) the longest beach.
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"Arguably," because it depends a little on water level. Granted, there's always beach to be found at Summersville Lake, even when the water is high.
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Public access beaches like Battle Run Public Beach, for example, or private campground beaches like Battle Run Campground or Mountain Lake Campground.
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Pictured is Battle Run Public Beach.

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But it's when the water level is a little low in the lake (like when it's draining to its winter level) that the massive amount of sandy shoreline really pops - dozens and dozens of miles of pristine white beach.
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Much of it is accessible only by boat, meaning that if you can find a way to get there, you're pretty likely to have a huge stretch of soft, warm sand all to yourself.
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Good thing that boating is a common pastime on Summersville Lake, and options abound: kayak, paddleboard, motorboat, raft, canoe.
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So don’t worry if you can’t make it to the ocean this summer; sink your toes in the sand at the longest beach in West Virginia at Summersville Lake instead. Find out more about what’s offered at this iconic West Virginia waterbody (like that scuba diving or that lighthouse or the dinner cruise or those campgrounds we mentioned) on the Summersville, West Virginia city website.

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