The Best Summersville Lake Access for an Adventurous Summer Day
Disclaimer: Cliff jumping is incredibly dangerous and I, for one, do not do it. However, I do love to swim at the cliff access area due to its serene beauty and I know some people do like to cliff jump, and I’d prefer people do so safely. Be safe, be smart, and always know your limits.
Summersville Lake in Summersville, West Virginia is one of the largest, most serene man-made lakes in the country. For those who want more than simple tourist-packed beach access, however, there are more adventurous rock climbing and lake-access spots that can’t be beat.
Looks like we did go chasing waterfalls this time around. Get it?
The best lake access in Summersville, WV (that isn’t on the beach)
If you’re like my husband and our friends (or if you just grew up in WV like we did), you know the best time at the lake can be had when one is trekking through the woods, climbing rocks, and splashing in the water away from the busy beachfront (and just hanging out with the salamanders and other WV wildlife all around).
That said, we have a favorite spot we’ve gone to since we were all kids, mostly, and it’s right off of I-19. Once you pass the bridge over Summersville Lake (coming from the Fayetteville way on I-19), there is immediately a gravel parking lot to your right that you can pull into. We always park in this lot, as the lake access you can get to a short hike from there is beyond serene.
Once parked, you follow the blue-marked hiking trail through the woods and up the hill to the cliff edges. From the cliff edges, it takes a bit of skill to alpine and climb down the rocks to the bottom where one can access the lake, so do so at your own discretion and ability (and do so SAFELY). Once you go through all that hiking and climbing, however, the view you open up on to is well worth it:
Locals have known this spot forever and I’ve gone since I was a teenager with groups of friends every summer. Be safe, though, if you choose this spot as its a bit challenging to get to and has some inherent risks incurred with all the rocks, etc. If you do go, however, enjoy the views and have a great summer in wild, wonderful WV!
Xoxo, MM.