Move to Smith
Mountain Lake

Home/Areas/Huddleston & the East End

Bedford County

Huddleston & the East End

Deep water, wide views, and the quietest stretch of main channel — the lake between the bridges and the dam.

Who this area suits

Is this your part of the lake?

Boaters who want depth and elbow room, buyers chasing the biggest water views on the lake, and people who genuinely want quiet.

Boater's shorthand: Roanoke channel, roughly R1–R20.

The widest, deepest water

The lake is at its broadest between the bridges and Smith Mountain Dam. Full pond is 795 feet above sea level and the old river gorge runs deep here, which is why this end holds water depth well even in a drawdown year.

Fewer services, more space

You are twenty-plus minutes from the Westlake shops and the Carilion clinic. Some buyers find that a dealbreaker and some find it the entire point. Be honest with yourself about which one you are.

Sunset and sunrise orientation matters

On a wide main-channel lot, which way your dock faces changes the house completely. West-facing gets the evening light on the water; east-facing gets cooler afternoons and morning glass. This is the kind of thing a lake agent walks you through and a general agent does not think to mention.

Boat access to everything

Locals navigate by channel marker. From the east end you can reach waterfront restaurants and both bridges by boat easily — the Roanoke channel is marked R1 near the dam and runs west to R80 near the Hardy Bridge.

One thing to watch here

Very wide water is beautiful and it is also rougher. On a busy Saturday a fully exposed main-channel dock takes real chop. Ask specifically about wind fetch and dock protection.

The practical facts

County
Bedford County
Towns
Huddleston, Scruggs, Penhook (across the water)
Bedford
25 min
Roanoke
50 min
Lynchburg
50 min
Westlake shopping
20 min

Schools

Bedford County Public Schools, Staunton River zone for most of the east end.

Communities in and around Huddleston & East End

A starting point, not a complete list — there are more than 320 waterfront subdivisions across the lake.

CommunityWhereWhat it is
Mariners LandingGolf · Resort · CondosHuddleston, Bedford Co.A large resort community on Craddock Creek with a Robert Trent Jones Sr. course, several restaurants, indoor and outdoor pools, a beach and a spa. Short-term rentals permitted; slips leased.
Vista PointeCondosMoneta, Bedford Co.Forty-eight condominiums on a peninsula with 360-degree water views.
Stripers LandingCondos · RentalMoneta, Bedford Co.Waterfront condominiums where short-term rentals are permitted.

Browse the full community directory →

What are you looking for here?

The agent who is right for a waterfront estate in this area is not the agent who is right for a condo. Pick what fits.

Waterfront Homes

True deeded waterfront where the dock is yours. The most sought-after — and the most technically complicated — thing to buy at this lake.

What to know

Luxury & Estates

Above roughly $1.5 million the market gets thin, quiet, and relationship-driven. The right agent here is a different person than the right agent at $400K.

What to know

Lots & New Construction

Building at the lake is the highest-variance path there is. It can be the best value on the water or an expensive lesson.

What to know

Other parts of the lake

Bedford Co.

Moneta & the North Shore

The classic lake side. Cottages and chalets tucked into wooded coves, the State Park, and the county where short-term rentals are permitted.

Explore this area
Franklin Co.

Westlake & Hales Ford

The center of gravity. Groceries, the clinic, Bridgewater Plaza, and the bridge everyone crosses — plus the lake's densest cluster of condos and townhomes.

Explore this area
Franklin Co.

Hardy, Wirtz & the West End

The commuter's end of the lake. Closest to Roanoke, narrower protected water, and the best odds of keeping a real job while living on a lake.

Explore this area