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Who this area suits
Is this your part of the lake?
Second-home buyers who want rental income, families who want the State Park beach twenty minutes away, and anyone who likes the older lake-cottage character over new subdivisions.
Boater's shorthand: Roanoke channel, roughly R20–R45.
Vacation feel, not suburb feel
Bedford County's shoreline is the older, more informal side of the lake — cottages, chalets, and cabins mixed in with newer builds. There are roughly 120 waterfront subdivisions here and more than 3,100 waterfront property owners.
Short-term rentals are allowed
The biggest practical difference from the Franklin side. Bedford requires registration and a permit, but short-term rentals are allowed. If rental income is in your math, this matters more than the view.
Smith Mountain Lake State Park
The park sits on the Bedford side, near Huddleston, with the lake's only public swimming beach, boat ramps, cabins, and trails. Being near it is a real amenity for families and a real consideration for traffic on summer weekends.
Closest side to Bedford and Lynchburg
If your people are east of the lake, the Bedford side shortens every trip. Bedford is about twenty minutes; Lynchburg is around forty-five.
A note on names
Locals use "North Shore" for one specific spot across the water in Franklin County: the peninsula off Route 616 with Bernard's Landing and the Smith Mountain Lake Community Park. This page is the Bedford County side, which people usually call by town — Moneta, Goodview, Huddleston.
One thing to watch here
Bedford's short-term rental rules keep being revisited. If your plan depends on renting, confirm the current ordinance and the parcel's zoning before you write an offer.
The practical facts
- County
- Bedford County
- Towns
- Moneta, Goodview, parts of Huddleston
- Bedford
- 20 min
- Roanoke
- 45 min
- Lynchburg
- 45 min
- Roanoke-Blacksburg airport
- 55 min
Schools
Bedford County Public Schools — Staunton River and Jefferson Forest High School attendance zones, depending on where you land.
Communities in and around Moneta & Bedford Shore
A starting point, not a complete list — there are more than 320 waterfront subdivisions across the lake.
| Community | Where | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Harbor RidgeTownhomes · Deeded Slips | Goodview, Bedford Co. | Waterfront common area and pool, with one to two deeded slips per property and short-term rental eligibility in Bedford County. |
| The Cottages of Contentment IslandTownhomes | Moneta, Bedford Co. | Sixty-two waterfront townhomes up to 5,000 square feet. |
| Hickory CoveWaterfront | Moneta, Bedford Co. | Main-channel eastern-shore views across roughly 55 original homes plus new construction. |
| High PointWater Access | Moneta, Bedford Co. | Single-family homes and buildable lots with community boat-ramp access. |
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
Waterfront homes for sale at Smith Mountain Lake: deeded shoreline where the dock is yours. The most sought-after — and most technical — purchase at this lake.
What to knowOff-Water & Water Access
Lake life for a fraction of the price — if you know exactly what "water access" includes.
What to knowCondos & Townhomes
Lock the door and go. The lake's lowest-maintenance path to the water — and often the easiest one to rent out.
What to knowLuxury & Estates
Above $1.5M the market gets thin, quiet, and relationship-driven. The right agent here isn't the right agent at $400K.
What to knowOther parts of the lake
Huddleston & the East End
Deep water, wide views, and the quietest stretch of main channel — the lake between the bridges and the dam.
Explore this areaWestlake & 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 areaHardy, 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 areaThinking about Moneta & Bedford Shore?
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