activity. The majority of access to the lake is through private residential property. About a dozen private marinas provide various public access opportunities, which may be fee-based or free (through some have been recently converted to private, residential developments due to economic and regulatory pressure.) The fee-based state park (located on the Bedford County side, off Smith Mountain Parkway), the free Smith Mountain Community Park (located on the Franklin County side of the lake) and six government-managed boat launching ramps also provide public access. In popular culture The 2012 independent film Lake Effects features Smith Mountain Lake. It's a fictional tale of a family raised on and later returning to the lake. The dramatic comedy first aired on the Hallmark Movie Channel during May 2012. The lake was featured prominently in the 1991 movie comedy What About Bob?, directed by Frank Oz and starring Bill Murray, Richard Dreyfuss and Julie Hagerty. It served as the stand-in for Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. Smith Mountain Lake is a setting in "Mind Over Matter," an episode of the TV series The Outer Limits, which features actor Mark Hamill. References External links Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce SML Dam website (Appalachian Power) Graph of SML water levels, tracked by hour (donation-based website) Reservoirs in Virginia Bodies of water of Bedford County, Virginia Bodies of water of Franklin County, Virginia Bodies of water of Pittsylvania County, Virginia Tourist attractions in Bedford County, Virginia Tourist attractions in Franklin County, Virginia Tourist attractions in Pittsylvania County, Virginia 1963 establishments in Virginia Roanoke River