Ecology
Park Maps and Brochures:
Upcoming Events:
Kerr Lake is experiencing flooding from heavy rain that fell over the weekend and Wednesday night. As of today, 6/13/19, at 8:00 am, the lake was at 305.43’ msl and rising quickly. After additional rain fell overnight Wednesday, the US Army Corps of Engineers now projects that it will reach 307’+ by Saturday, 6/15/19. All areas have campsites that are impacted.
Reservation holders on closed sites are being contacted by the park office and/or the reservation company and can get a full refund or transfer their reservation to a different site if available or to a later date.
The campsites below are closed due to flooding. Sites have been added to this list since 6/11/19 and we will add more as conditions require.
Bullocksville: All sites are closed.
County Line Campsites: 8, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50, 54D 55, 56, 60, 62, 75, 76
Henderson Point:
Area 1 Campsites: 6, 7,8,9,20,21D, 23D, 26, 27, H2
Area 2 Campsites: 37, 38, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52D
Hibernia:
Area 1 Campsites: 6, 23, 25, 31, 41, 45, 46
Area 2 Campsites: 84, 85, 86, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 102, 103, 104, 105
Area 3 Campsites: Entire Area - Sites 113-152
Hibernia Group Area
J.C. Cooper Campground:
Area 1 Campsites: 1, 3, 5, 7, 19, 37, 39, 40, 41D
Area 2 Campsites: 50, 51, 52, 54, 56, 57, 58, 63, 64, 69, 70, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79
Area 3 Campsites: 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123
JC Cooper/Satterwhite Point Group Area
Kimball Point:
Area 1 Campsites: Entire Area - Sites 1-37D and H1
Area 2 Campsites: 50, 51, 52, 53, 55, 63, 66, 67, 68, 72, 73, 74, 75
Nutbush:
Area 1 Campsites: 9, 23, 24
Area 3 Campsites: 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 61, 88, 95, 102, 109
Area 4 Campsites: 63, 65, 66, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 77
Day areas are also impacted. The defined swim area at Satterwhite Point and most other popular swim beaches are flooded. Picnic facilities are greatly reduced as well. The playground at Satterwhite Point is closed for damage.
Several boat ramps are unusable due to flooding. These include ramps at Henderson Point Campground, JC Cooper, Nutbush Area 1, Nutbush Area 3 and Kimball Point. Other ramps are likely to be added to this list soon.
The bridges on Jacksontown Rd. and Nutbush Rd. are closed.
We will update this Alert as conditions change. Hourly lake level information can be found at: http://epec.saw.usace.army.mil/roa05.htm .
Get plant and animal checklists at the park office.
Much of the land that makes up Kerr Lake State Recreation Area is covered by forests in various stages of regrowth that follow the farming and timbering practices of the past. The forests found at Kerr Lake are typical of those found elsewhere in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Pine stands are dominated by loblolly pines. In hardwood forest areas, various oak and hickory species, tulip poplars, sweetgums, maples, American beech and dogwoods are commonly found.
In drainage areas and along the shoreline, willows, river birch and alder are found. Also found in these areas are buttonbush and rose mallow.
Many types of mammals live around Kerr Lake. Mammals such as white-tailed deer, raccoons, Virginia opossums, gray foxes, red foxes, cottontail rabbits and gray squirrels are common in the woods and along the shore. Beavers, muskrats and a few river otters make their homes at Kerr Lake as well. Many of these creatures are secretive and not often seen by park visitors.
There are several species of amphibians and reptiles in the area. Frogs, toads, turtles, lizards and snakes are all found here. Most snakes found at Kerr Lake State Recreation Area are harmless. Generally, snakes found in the water are non-venomous water snakes. There is one species, the copperhead, which is venomous and lives on parkland.
Bird species are too numerous to list completely, but representative species are typical of the Carolina Piedmont. Songbirds include indigo buntings, red-eyed vireos, northern cardinals, prairie warblers, eastern kingbirds and Carolina chickadees. Many birds of prey also reside here. Red-tailed hawks, red-shoulder hawks, ospreys and eagles are all seen soaring overhead. Barred owls, great-horned owls and screech owls are often heard under the cover of darkness. Wading birds such as great blue herons and egrets can be found along the shoreline as they hunt for fish in the shallows. Other "fishermen" found above and on the lake include the belted kingfisher and double crested cormorant. In the winter, the common loon and pied billed grebe can also be observed at the lake. Additionally, Canada geese and mallard ducks are frequently seen on the water and along the shore.
6254 Satterwhite Point Road
Henderson, NC 27537
252-438-7791
kerr.lake@ncparks.gov
GPS: 36.441100, -78.368800
November – February: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
March, April, September and October: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
May – August: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Closed Christmas Day
The day use areas at Bullocksville, Henderson Point Shelter 1 and Satterwhite Point are open year-round. All other day use areas are closed late October – late March. The Henderson Point day use area for shelter 2, shelter 3 and the community building is closed late October – late March but will be opened for groups who rent the community building or the shelters.
County Line, Henderson Point, Hibernia and Nutbush have 24-hour boat ramp facilities open year-round. All other day use areas are closed and locked at park closing time.
Park Hours - Campgrounds
J.C. Cooper Campground at Satterwhite Point and Nutbush are open for camping year-round and have 24 hours access. All other campground areas are closed and locked at park closing time.
Other Campground gate hours are as follows:
March, April and October: 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
May – September: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Closed Christmas Day
Park Office
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. seven days a week
Closed Christmas Day