North Bend Lake

The Little Kanawha Conservation District helped the Natural Resources Conservation Service develop North Bend Lake, a 305-acre lake. North Bend Lake is a 13.0 km long body of water with an average permanent pool width of 94 m. It is part of the North Bend State Park and is situated along the North Fork of the Hughes River in Ritchie County, close to Cairo, West Virginia.

One of North Bend State Park's top draws is North Bend Lake. Instead of a wide lake, it is narrow and feels like a wide river. Because boats are only permitted to have tiny mmotors and because there are still plenty of shallow sections with tree stumps as shelter, it is ideal for canoeing and fishing.

North Bend Lake is one of the best lakes to visit in West Virginia. The Chumash people lived there for many years. When the Spanish arrived in the late 18th century, they gave the region the name Potrero Valley after passing through what is now Hidden Valley.

Location: North Bend State Park, Ritchie County, West Virginia