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
This is the single biggest practical difference between the north shore and the Franklin County side. Bedford County requires short-term rentals to register and hold a permit, but they are permitted. If rental income is part of your math, this matters more than the view does.
Smith Mountain Lake State Park
The park sits on the north shore 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 north shore shortens every trip. Bedford is about twenty minutes; Lynchburg is around forty-five.
One thing to watch here
Bedford County's short-term rental permitting changed in recent years and continues to be revisited. If your plan depends on renting the house out, confirm the current ordinance and the specific parcel's zoning before you write an offer — not after.
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 & North Shore
A starting point, not a complete list — there are more than 320 waterfront subdivisions across the lake.
| Community | Where | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| The Waterfront Country ClubGolf · Waterfront | Moneta, Bedford Co. | Roughly 750 acres with a 7,000-yard championship course and a 22,000 sq ft clubhouse. Deeded covered slips with electric lifts. |
| 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
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 knowOff-Water & Water Access
Lake life at a fraction of the price — if you understand exactly what "water access" does and does not include.
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 knowGolf Communities
Four distinct clubs, four very different memberships. Choosing the course is really choosing the community.
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 & North Shore?
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