Mountain Lake Lodge

The lake at 4,000 feet drains and refills without warning — it has done so multiple times over the past century, and no one has fully solved why. Mountain Lake is one of only two natural freshwater lakes in Virginia, and its disappearances give the place an unsettled quality, as if the landscape refuses to be fixed in place. The lodge sits on Salt Pond Mountain, an hour from Roanoke via US-460 through Blacksburg, and the property became famous in 1987 as the filming location for *Dirty Dancing*. The lake, the gazebo, and the lodge steps from the film are all still there. Whether the lake is full or empty when you arrive depends on the year, the season, and forces no one controls. The lodge operates seasonally — check dates before driving up.