Charleston, West Virginia’s capital, sits on the Kanawha River rather than a lake – but a whole ring of reservoirs and wildlife-management lakes lies within an easy drive for fishing, boating, swimming and camping. This guide rounds up the best lakes near Charleston, WV, from quiet bass lakes 40 minutes out to the big scuba-and-boating reservoirs about an hour away. Each links to our full lake guide. This page is part of our West Virginia Lakes Database.
Best lakes near Charleston, ranked by drive time
- Upper Mud River Lake (~40 min SW, Lincoln County). A 306-acre lake with a swimming beach, largemouth bass, muskie, crappie and catfish – one of the closest full-service lakes to the city.
- Woodrum Lake (~40 min N, Jackson County). A quiet 240-acre WMA lake near Romance, good for bass, muskie and panfish, with a 10-hp limit that keeps it peaceful.
- Plum Orchard Lake (~45 min SE, Fayette County). One of West Virginia’s best trophy-bass lakes, with four boat ramps and 42 rustic campsites near Pax.
- Beech Fork Lake (~50 min W, near Huntington). A 720-acre Corps reservoir with a big state-park campground, bass, crappie and catfish.
- Sutton Lake (~1 hr NE, off I-79). A 1,440-acre central-state reservoir with muskie, bass and lakeside camping.
- Summersville Lake (~1 hr E, Nicholas County). The largest and deepest lake in the state – clear water for scuba, plus bass, walleye and cliff scenery.
- Burnsville Lake (~1.25 hr N, off I-79). A 968-acre reservoir with muskie, bass, catfish and a state-park campground.
What to do on the lakes near Charleston
Within about an hour of Charleston you can chase trophy largemouth bass at Plum Orchard, muskie at Woodrum or Sutton, swim at Upper Mud River’s beach, or make the run to Summersville Lake for scuba diving and big-water boating. For a quick after-work trip, Upper Mud River and Woodrum lakes are the closest; for a weekend, Summersville and Sutton offer camping and marinas. A West Virginia fishing license is required at all of them.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a lake in Charleston, WV?
Charleston sits on the Kanawha River rather than a lake, but several reservoirs and WMA lakes – including Upper Mud River, Woodrum and Plum Orchard – are within about 40-45 minutes of the city.
What is the closest lake to Charleston for fishing?
Upper Mud River Lake (Lincoln County) and Woodrum Lake (Jackson County) are the closest, each about 40 minutes from Charleston.
What is the best lake near Charleston for boating and swimming?
Summersville Lake (about an hour east) is the top pick for big-water boating and scuba, while Upper Mud River Lake has the closest swimming beach.
Related: see the largest lakes in West Virginia, the best lakes in West Virginia, or head back to the West Virginia Lakes Database.
