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LakeQuality

Updated July 2026

Wakesurfing in Virginia

2 Virginia lakes rated for wakesurf suitability on measured depth and surface area. Each one also carries an A–F water-quality grade, so you can pick water that is both rideable and clean.
  • 2 rated lakes
  • 2 Excellent

Virginia wake-sport rules

Virginia has no statewide wakesurfing-specific law; a bill to impose a 200-foot setback at Smith Mountain Lake was defeated. At Smith Mountain Lake, wake surfers must currently stay 50 feet from shorelines, docks or boats, and regulatory markers (including no-wakesurfing buoys) are processed through the DWR/USCG application route. DWR has denied at least one proposed no-wakesurf zone. Limits are waterbody-specific.

Full Virginia rules →

Excellent
2
Good
0
Fair
0
Limited
0
Not suitable
0

Rated lakes

LakeSuitabilityMax depthSurface areaPublic access
Lake AnnaExcellent—13,000 ac—
Lake ChesdinExcellent—3,100 ac—

Also in Virginia

5 more Virginia water bodies appear in the wakesurf inventory but are not yet in the LakeQuality graded dataset, so they have no detail page. They are listed here for completeness and are queued for the next data pull.

  • Claytor Lake
  • Kerr Lake (buggs Island Lake)
  • Leesville Lake
  • Philpott Lake
  • Smith Mountain Lake

Where to stay near Virginia lakes

Top-rated places to stay near Virginia lakes

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