This Little-Known Lake Is Perfect For Fishing, Paddleboarding, And Bird Watching In North Carolina

For some much-needed decompressing, visit this little-known lake in North Carolina. Belews Lake is a reservoir in the counties of Rockingham, Stokes, Forsyth, and Guilford near Pine Hall and Stokesdale. Reachable from U.S. Route 158, N.C. Highway 65 and other small routes, the lovely lake offers beautiful landscapes and exciting water activities. Swimming is allowed, but it must be from a boat, not from the shore. It is also a very active lake all year round with enthusiastic anglers participating in tournaments even through the winter months.

The pretty Belews Lake, offset here by the enchanting fall colors, is a 3,900-acre reservoir sitting in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

Since 1973 it has provided cooling water for Duke Energy Corp.'s Belews Creek Steam Station, a coal-burning power plant.

It offers a surface area of 3,864 acres and an 88-mile shoreline for sunbathing, fishing, and other explorations.

The birds are plentiful, including goldfinches, woodpeckers, and herons.

And looking up you may also find one of these gliding by.

Take a tour by boat, and if you don't have one - no worries, you can rent one.

The two marinas that serve the lake are Humphrey's Ridge Marina and Campground and Carolina Marina (pictured).

For more information, visit the Carolina Marina and the Humphrey’s Ridge Marina and Campground Facebook pages.

Triad Eco Adventures offers PaddleFit lessons at Bewels Lake.

For more information, visit the Triad Eco Adventures website.

The improvement in your skills in just one lesson is surprising.

And as the sun sinks below the horizon, plan for more adventures tomorrow at Belews Lake.

Have you visited this little-known lake in North Carolina? If so, please share your experience in the comments below. Belews Lake Park is in the works with updates available on the Forsyth County Parks website.

While you're there, drive 30 miles to Greensboro, one of America's best-hidden gems, and rent a cool, mid-century home through Vrbo.