In the mountains of Giles County, in Pembroke, Virginia a famous and mysterious lake that completely dried up 12 years ago is coming back to life.
This summer, the waters started rising again in Mountain Lake, which dried out in 2008. By the end of August 2020, the waters rose to about one-third full. The water levels are still seeing a slight increase in November.
Although there are lakes with dramatic changes in water levels, no other lake in the world behaves exactly like Mountain Lake.
Mountain Lake Lodge
In the shadow of the Appalachian Mountains sits the Mountain Lake Lodge. The sprawling updated inn is located in Pembroke, VA. It is an iconic and charming lodge.
This was the location where the 1987 movie “Dirty Dancing” was filmed. It was a high grossing film. It starred Patrick Swayze (Johnny) and Jennifer Grey (Baby Houseman). Tourists still flock to the resort to enjoy various landmarks featured in the film. In 2020, the lodge had record numbers of visitors.
A disappearing lake phenomenon
This lake is unique. The water empties out and then refills every hundred years or so. It disappears completely every 400 years. The strange occurrence was first recorded between 1751 and 1768.
