John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir
North Bend Park is located on John H. Visitors to North Bend Park will enjoy the lakeside views and wildlife watching. North Bend Park is forested and offers plenty of shade.
max Stay
14 nights
max Concurrent Stay
1 campsite(s) held
Concise planning notes based on the public Recreation.gov campground information.
Visitors to North Bend Park will enjoy the lakeside views and wildlife watching. More than 200 sites for tents or RVs, and amenities like hot showers, flush toilets and a dump station provide a comfortable camping experience. Each camping area has its own swim beach. North Bend Park also has a large day use area with picnic shelters and a swim beach, 3 boat launching ramps, an amphitheater, a disc golf course and a paved 1.5 mile bicycle trail.
North Bend Park is forested and offers plenty of shade. Wildlife viewing is popular just below Kerr Dam, where waterfowl and Bald Eagles can be observed year around. This area, called Tailrace Park, has a wheelchair accessible canoe/kayak launch into the river, and is part of the Virginia Blueways Trail.
Public lands around the lake are open to hunting with appropriate state licenses. Game species include whitetail deer, wild turkey, bobwhite quail, mourning dove, gray squirrel, cottontail rabbit, fox and raccoon. Resident waterfowl species include wood duck, black duck, mallard and Canadian geese. There are 26 Wildlife Management Areas around the lake that provide year-round opportunities for hiking, wildlife viewing, birding and more. Buggs Island, located immediately below the dam, attracts migrating bald eagles in the winter and osprey in the summer, as well as gulls, great blue herons, waterfowl and the occasional river otter. Several trails are available for hiking and biking. The 1.5-mile Liberty Nature Trail and 5.5-mile Robert Munford Trail both offer hikes within a short drive from the campground. The lake is widely known for fishing, with large-mouth bass, striped bass, crappie and flathead catfish available. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources regulate hunting and fishing on the Virginia side of Kerr Lake.
About a half-mile away, at the intersection of Mays Chapel Road and State Route 4, visitors will find the Joseph S.J. Tanner II Environmental Education Center. The center has interpretive programs and exhibits for the public from Memorial Day through Labor Day, on Saturdays and Sundays. Gas, groceries, firewood and restaurants are located within 2 miles and also within 20 minutes in Boydton and South Hill, Virginia.
Site markers come from Recreation.gov campsite coordinates.
A sample of official campsite metadata for scanning equipment fit before booking.
B
35 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
A
10 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
C
40 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
C
35 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
A
15 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
D
45 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
C
35 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
C
30 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
C
25 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
A
35 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
B
30 ft
vehicle
16
people
Yes
shade
D
45 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
C
45 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
B
40 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
B
35 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
B
35 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
A
10 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
D
45 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
B
35 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
D
45 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
A
35 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
B
50 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
D
35 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
C
40 ft
vehicle
8
people
Yes
shade
Other tracked campgrounds from the same park or area.
Active
Tracked page
1 site open
Scanned recently
Official link
Booking
Active
Tracked page
1 site open
Scanned 20h ago
Official link
Booking
Other tracked campgrounds within driving distance, nearest first.
John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir
John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir
Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
George Washington & Jefferson National Forest
Reservations are handled by Recreation.gov, not by Kestrel. Use the official reservation link on this page to book. Kestrel only watches availability and tells you when a site frees up.
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