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Soggy Bottom SUP Tour: Day 4

Bluestone Lake

Summersville  Lake Area information:

Launch sites: Battle Run launch,  Airport Road launch,  we used a non marked launch site right across from the Summersville Lake office, this site is one of the best on the tour, I named the site Mallard Cove launch, when we arrived four mallards swam up and hung out with us during our visit
Paddleboard rental nearby or Bring Your Own Board:  Adventures on the Gorge
Nearby lodging: Adventures on the Gorge (camping to deluxe cabins)
Dining options: Fat Eddies (fast food & ice cream), Smokey’s on the Gorge (casual/fine dining) Tutors Biscuit World (great breakfast) Dairy Queen (fast food) Pints & Pies (great pizza & brews)
Other nearby area activities: Almost limitless, the Gorge and Summerville area is an adventure sports Mecca, from whitewater to scuba diving, from canopy tours/ziplines to horseback riding, this area has it all for the adventure sports junkie.

Second stop – Bluestone Lake
We arrived at Bluestone mid afternoon and accessed the lake via the public access area off of US Route 20; the lake is long narrow lake surround by mountains. The water was a little cloudy for the rains earlier in the week and the water temperature was 70 degrees. We headed up the lake under the Route 20 bridge; about one mile from the bridge is the Bluestone Lake State Park which offers camping and a boat launch site. We headed back down under the bridge past the marina and then across the lake towards the Eastern Shore campsites, we were treated to a fly by of a Osprey and a couple geese.  The campsites across the lake would be a great paddleboard camping adventure; these primitive sites would be prefect for packing up a pack and tent, and then paddle across the lake for an overnight. Camping permits can be purchased at the campground office. The town of Hinton is located just below the dam and the New and Greenbrier River merge just above the town.  Some of trees were starting to change color which reminded us that fall is just around the corner.  Bluestone Lake is a US Army Corps of Engineers Lake.

Bluestone Lake Information

Launch sites: Two launch sites in the state park and marina area; we used the public access area off Route 20, free
Paddleboard rental nearby or Bring Your Own Board:  BYOB – bring your own board
Nearby lodging: Hinton (local motels), Bluestone State Park (camping) Eastern Shore Campground (primitive sites across the lake)
Dining options: Kirks (causal dining) Dairy Queen (best in West Virginia, great hot dogs and located waterfront on the New, great views) various other fast food also in Hinton, Green Valley Bar & Grill (casual dining on the Greenbrier River Route 3/12)
Other nearby area activities: Hiking, Kayaking, Fishing, Pipestem State Park (9 miles)

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