Kerr Lake State Recreation Area

Kerr Lake State Recreation Area, covering 50,000 acres on the North Carolina-Virginia state line just off Interstate 85, was completed in 1956 on lands inhabited by the Occoneechee Indians as late as the 1670s. Named for John A. Kerr and operated by the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, it is one of the most popular fishing and camping sites in the Mid-Atlantic region. It boasts seven recreation areas, two fishing piers (including Henderson point, open 24 hours a day), several boat ramps (with five open 24 hours a day) and two commercial year-round marinas. Visitors enjoy boating year-round, as well as sailing most of the ...

Kerr Lake State Recreation Area, covering 50,000 acres on the North Carolina-Virginia state line just off Interstate 85, was completed in 1956 on lands inhabited by the Occoneechee Indians as late as the 1670s. Named for John A. Kerr and operated by the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, it is one of the most popular fishing and camping sites in the Mid-Atlantic region. It boasts seven recreation areas, two fishing piers (including Henderson point, open 24 hours a day), several boat ramps (with five open 24 hours a day) and two commercial year-round marinas. Visitors enjoy boating year-round, as well as sailing most of the time. Striped bass, largemouth bass, white perch, crappie, and catfish make their home in the lake. The recreation area's more than 300 wooded and tent campsites, including many on the water, are equipped with picnic tables, fire pit/rings or grills, and tent pads, with RV hookups available at many sites. Playgrounds, public phones, hot showers, restrooms, and dump stations are nearby. Campsites at Bullocksville and County Line are open from Easter through late September; Hibernia through late October; and Nutbush and Satterwhite Point year-round. Group camping is permitted. Lake swimming is popular, but no lifeguards are provided. Satterwhite Point - with its visitor center, exhibit hall, nature trail, overlook, amphitheater, and designated swimming area - welcomes many visitors.

About the Expert

Carol Timblin has contributed to numerous guidebooks and authored four editions of Houghton Mifflin's Best Places to Stay in the South.