Day Trip Idea: Belews Lake

I’ve lived in Winston-Salem the majority of my life, and I’m just now venturing out to Belews Lake. After visiting I’m not really sure why I never went before. It is such a scenic lake and is conveniently located!

Quick Facts on Belews Lake

Unlike many lakes, it connects four counties in North Carolina – Forsyth, Guilford, Stokes, and Rockingham counties. That is why it is commonly referenced as being located at the “four corners” junction. For those of us in the Triad, this makes it easy to get to from everywhere.

We live in Winston-Salem and it only took us about 30 minutes. Plus, it was a nice and picturesque drive through the more rural areas. While there are many routes to get to the lake, U.S. Route 158 and North Carolina Highway 65 are the main two access roads.

Like most lakes in the state, Belews Lake is a man-made lake and was built in 1973. It has 88 miles of shoreline and covers 3,863 acres. Depths go up to 130 feet by the dam, and is usually around 100 feet on northern parts of the lake.

One advantage of Belews Lake is its more temperate water temperature. As the lake serves as a cooling source for Belews Creek Steam Station, it keeps the water warmer than other lakes in the area. In the summer, some areas of the lake can reach 104 degrees. So, it is basically like enjoying a hot tub! We went in late September and the water temperature was still in the high 70’s.

Activities to Try at Belews Lake

Here are some commonly enjoyed activities at or near Belews Lake:

• Wake surfing
• Wake boarding
• Water skiing
• Boating
• Fishing – most popular fish here is bass, but other catches include catfish, crappie and panfish
• Jet Skiing
• Kayaking

I recently saw an article on how Forsyth County just received a grant to build a new park at Belews Lake as well. The county tentatively plans to put walking trails, picnic tables, and a fishing dock at the park. It will also offer plenty lake views. The site is located at Belews Creek Road and Craig Road. This will give the area yet another family-friendly spot to visit.

Water Sports Fun

We used H2O Sports Life to tryout water sports on Belews Lake. It is the only company on the lake to let you try out water sports publicly. Of course, if you have your own boat and equipment you can dock at one of the two marinas at the lake.

I highly recommend H2O Sports Life though! It’s run by a husband and wife team, Ray and Melinda Grooms. They were incredibly patient and kind throughout the entire process. Wake boarding takes a little time to learn, particularly the how to get up on the board part. Well, except my daughter who somehow managed to get up on the second try! It was such a fun and exciting experience for her, and so glad she got to try it out. I am also pretty sure my fiancée is now addicted to wake boarding and wake surfing! It is certainly one of those sports that once you try it and get the feel for it, then it comes naturally after that.

They dock at the Carolina Marina. I’m happy to share there are rest rooms, actually rest rooms not just a port-a-potty, at this marina. The other marina is Humphrey’s Ridge Marina, which is home to Humphrey Ridge Grill. It is highly recommended by locals for their delicious sandwiches, breakfast items, burgers, fries, and more.

One of the best things as a parent I enjoyed about using H2O Sports Life was they knew all the calmer areas of where to take beginners to learn water sports. This will be particularly important in the busier summer months, as you do not want to have to worry about your child getting pushed out of the way or trampled by other boaters!

We plan to go back next summer when the air temperature is a little warmer, but there are still activities you enjoy at the lake all through the fall! H2O Sports Life will be launching water sports camps next year to enjoy an entire day or even weekend out on the water. It seems like such a fun adventure to have as a family!

From our experience in just one afternoon, Belews Lake was the perfect family setting for water fun! We all walked away from it happy and greatly enjoyed our time there.

By Guest Blogger Suzy Fielders

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