At 24 acres, the man-made, spring-fed Sherando Lake, constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the mid 1930s, is the lower and larger of two lakes nestled in the heart of the Sherando Lake Recreation Area. A separate, smaller lake is located a few hundred yards southwest of the main lake, which is covered by the same eBird hotspot. Particularly during the summer months, Sherando is popular amongst campers, hikers, fishermen, picnickers, and swimmers as an easily accessible mountain escape from the many suburban areas within a reasonable drive of the park. A typical birding route here consists of driving Sherando Lake Road to the campgrounds and checking the two lakes, but slowly driving or walking the side road along the North Fork Back Creek that ends at the dam on the north end of the lake, where there is a small parking lot and a restroom, is worthwhile if you have more time. While at the larger lake, consider hiking the well-traveled trail that runs around the perimeter of the larger lake; migrant and resident songbirds alike often concentrate at vegetation bordering large bodies of water.
The position of Sherando Lake in a small valley between two ridgelines suggests that this hotspot is well poised for excellent birding on spring and fall mornings following productive pushes of nighttime migrants like warblers, thrushes, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, tanagers, and sparrows. Furthermore, it seems plausible that late fall storms may occasionally drop a scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Tundra Swan or Bonaparte’s Gull here for short periods of time. During the summer, woodland species like Eastern Whip-poor-will; Yellow-billed Cuckoo; Wood Thrush; Blue-headed and Yellow-throated Vireos; Worm-eating, Hooded, Pine, and Black-and-white Warblers; and Louisiana Waterthrush are all distinct possibilities, while winter may yield Yellow-bellied Sapsucker or interesting waterfowl such as Common Loon, Pied-billed Grebe, and both Red-breasted and Hooded Mergansers.
Facilities: Sherando is an excellent location for a weekend getaway. The campground has dozens of family and group campsites that are available by reservation only. The camping areas are flush with amenities that make car camping easy, including drinking water, flush toilets, showers, and a trailer dump station. In addition to camping, swimming from Sherando’s sandy beach is quite popular particularly given the nearby bathhouse with warm showers and a shaded grassy area that make cleaning off and setting up a picnic easy.
Accessibility: An entrance fee is required for day use. Please see the website for current rates.
Owner/Manager: U.S. Forest Service
eBird Hotspot: Sherando Lake
—Vic Laubach & Nick Newberry, August 2020