View of Silverock from the docks.

If you’re in the market for a vacation home, now is a great time to buy. Mortgage rates are near 4%. If you’re looking to take advantage of these rates and purchase a second home, you should consider looking at Smith Lake.

At Silverock Cove, we’re biased of course. We love Smith Lake! Looking out of our office windows, we have great views of the woods and water. It’s fun seeing our friends in the summer and relaxing during lazy days on the lake in the Fall. If you haven’t been to Smith Lake, you need to make a trip to see us.

There are a number of reasons to invest in a lake home at Smith Lake:

• Smith Lake is the second cleanest lake in the United States–there is no safer place to swim and enjoy recreation on the water.
• Smith Lake is incredibly convenient. An hour from Birmingham and an hour and a half from Huntsville, you can make an impromptu overnight visit whenever you like. Many of our residents spend Sunday night and drive back home early for work on Monday morning.
• Smith Lake provides a number of recreation opportunities. Fishing, boating, wakeboarding–there are more than 500 miles of shoreline to explore. And there are great hiking and camping opportunities as well.
• The amenities at Silverock Cove–with a swimming pool, satellite TV and Internet, valet boat storage and a hiking trail–make lake living irresistible.

If you have any more questions about living at the lake, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at H2 Real Estate at 205-994-6504.

In 2008, wakeboarding national champion Greg Hodgin organized the first “Wake the World” wakeboarding event to provide a special day on the lake for local childrens’ homes in his home state of North Carolina. Since then, the event has expanded to Texas, Tennessee and Southern California.

On Monday, June 28th, Greg will be at Silverock Cove to teach kids from Big Oak Ranch how to get up on a wakeboard or a pair of skis. The group will be on the lake for most of the day, with swimming and team-building exercises as part of the event.

“When I heard about how successful the event had been in North Carolina and Texas, I thought it would be worthwhile to bring to Smith Lake,” says Heath Patton, who is helping to organize the event. Heath attended last year’s event in North Carolina to learn about how the event is organized and to give the kids the best possible experience on the water.

Many thanks to the volunteers who will be donating their time and use of their boat. More than 50 kids from Big Oak will be able to participate this year.

If you are interested in donating to Wake the World Alabama, Heath is currently taking donations through Riverchase United Methodist Church, just notate the check for Wake the World on the memo line.

Smith Lake dam is one of the largest earth and rock-filled dams in the Eastern US

We believe Smith Lake is one of Alabama’s great treasures. An area of natural beauty with an abundance of fish and other wildlife, it’s easy to get spoiled by all Smith Lake has to offer. With 500 miles of shoreline, Smith Lake is one of the cleanest water sources in the country. And Smith Lake is more than just a spot for recreation, it plays an important role in providing hydroelectricity and drinking water to the region.

The Black Warrior River system was a vital waterway in North-Central Alabama, especially with the abundance of coal in the area. To improve water routes and commerce on the river, Alabama Power erected the Smith Lake dam in 1961. The dam is one of the largest earth and rock-filled dams in the Eastern United States. In addition to improving conditions on the waterway, the dam’s powerhouse generates roughly 233,000 megawatts of electricity each year.

The building of the dam created the reservoir that we enjoy today: 21,200 acres and 500 miles of shoreline. The lake extends to three counties: Walker, Winston and Cullman. The lake adjoins the Sipsey Wilderness area and the Bankhead National Forest and is home to some of the best fishing in the South–with species ranging from Large Mouthed Bass, Striped Bass, Black Crappie, Bluegill and Channel Catfish. The lake has been a destination for fishing tournaments recently, including the BASSMASTERS series. Please note, a fishing license is required to fish Smith Lake.

The lake was named for Lewis Smith, former president of Alabama Power who spearheaded the dam project. Few residents were displaced as a result of the flood zone, but there was a town that was established in 1853 called Falls City, Alabama. It’s post office was disbanded in 1953 and it’s not known how many residents were displaced.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the building of Smith Lake dam. It’s nice to look back at how far the lake has come and how it has transformed the area.