Every Lake
Claytor Lake
The New River's lake, twenty-one miles long behind Appalachian Power's old dam.
- 12 ft · first step
- 24 ft
- 35 ft
- 47 ft
- 59 ft
- 71 ft · bottom
About Claytor Lake
Claytor Lake was formed when Appalachian Power built Claytor Dam on the New River, with construction finishing in 1939 and the lake fully filled by the spring of 1940. It runs about 21 miles and covers roughly 4,470 acres between Radford and Pulaski in southwest Virginia, with Claytor Lake State Park on its southern shore. The dam is named for William Graham Claytor Sr., the power-company executive who oversaw its construction, and it still generates 75 megawatts. The New River Trail crosses the lake on an old rail bridge, and the lake holds Virginia state records for striped and spotted bass.
- 12 shore towns named, with a star on each
- 545 roads engraved around the shore, 4 of them labeled
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Claytor Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Claytor Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 12 ft, 24 ft, 35 ft, 47 ft, 59 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 71 ft. The lake covers about 6.0 square miles, and 545 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Claytor Lake map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Claytor Lake for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Claytor Lake.
Claytor Lake map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Claytor Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Claytor Lake is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 71 ft
- 6.0 square miles of water
- 545 shore roads engraved, 4 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
