ALL NORTH CAROLINA STATE PARKS: GENERAL STATUS OF FACILITIES AND GUIDELINES WHEN VISITING PARKS
Posted on: Wednesday, May 27, 2020 - 2:15pm |
History
Kerr Lake is flooded from the heavy rain that fell in the Roanoake River Basin a little over a week ago. It reached 315.26' on 5/28/2020, which is about 13' above normal, and is now falling slowly. All Kerr Lake areas have campsites that are impacted. Reservation holders on closed sites are being notified by the reservation company and will get a full refund. The bridges on Anderson Creek Rd., Jacksontown Rd. are also flooded and closed.
The facilities below are closed due to flooding. ALL BOAT RAMPS ON THE NORTH CAROLINA PORTION OF KERR LAKE ARE FLOODED AND CLOSED. All swim beaches, picnic areas, community buildings, picnic shelters and group areas are still closed due to Covid-19.
At this time, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boat ramp at Island Creek and Boat Ramp #1 at Occoneechee State Park in Clarksville Va. are open.
Henderson Point
All facilities are closed
Hibernia
All facilities are closed
Nutbush
Nutbush Area 1 Campground is closed
Nutbush Area 3 Campground: 51-61, 85-88, 92-95, 100-102, 105-109 and H-2 are closed
Area 1 Boat Ramp
Area 2 Boat Ramp
Area 3 Boat Ramp
JC Cooper Campground
1-79, 85-87
J. C. Cooper Campground Boat Ramp
Bullocksville
All facilities are closed
County Line
All facilities are closed
Kimball Point
All facilities are closed
This alert will be updated as conditions change. Hourly lake level information can be found at: http://epec.saw.usace.army.mil/roa05.htm.
Last updated on: Monday, June 1, 2020North Carolina State Parks began phase 2 of reopening on 5/22. However, the number of the Kerr Lake SRA accesses reopened had to be reduced due to flooding and all campgrounds that are open have some campsites that are flooded and closed. In addition, many boat ramps are likely to flood over Memorial Day Weekend.
PHASE TWO (May 22) Reopen the following: County Line campsites 1-71; Hibernia campground areas 1 and 2, trail and campground boat ramp; JC Cooper campground areas 1 and 2; Kimball Point area 1 and 2 and boat ramp; Nutbush Bridge campground area 1 and area 3 and the area 3 boat ramp. All camping by reservation only. No first-come, first-serve camping. Shower houses will be available but smaller restrooms may be closed. Cleaning the shower houses will take longer than normal due to disinfecting procedures. Trash cans will not be available at the campsites, so campers will have to take their own trash to the dumpsters.
The Bullocksville campground, boat ramp, and trail were scheduled to open but remain closed due to flooding.
The Henderson Point campground was scheduled to open but remains closed due to flooding.
See the “Flooding at Kerr Lake” alert for more information on the flood.
During phase two, there will be no day-use facilities open including: picnic areas, shelters, community buildings, and swim beaches, and areas with these facilities will be closed to the public. Group camping areas and the park office will also remain closed.
PHASE THREE (tentative date undetermined) reopen all facilities that have been closed to this point.
Last updated on: Friday, May 22, 2020
Contact
252-438-7791
kerr.lake@ncparks.gov
Addresses and hours
Click each access below to view its address and its operating schedule and hours for day-use, boat ramp and/or campground facilities.
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Address
6254 Satterwhite Point Road
Henderson, NC 27537
GPS: 36.4411, -78.3688
Day-use area
- open year-round
- November to February:
8:00am to 6:00pm
- March to April:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- May to August:
8:00am to 9:00pm
- September to October:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- Closed Christmas Day
Visitor center
- Open daily:
8:00am to 5:00pm
- Closed Christmas Day
►
Address
20 Shoreline Lane
Henderson, NC 27537
GPS: 36.4411, -78.3688
Campground
- open year-round with 24-hour gate access
- Closed Christmas Day
►
Address
3050 Bullocksville Park Rd
Manson, NC 27553
GPS: 36.4577, -78.3631
Day-use area
- open year-round
- November to February:
8:00am to 6:00pm
- March to April:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- May to August:
8:00am to 9:00pm
- September to October:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- Closed Christmas Day
Boat ramp
- open year-round and follow day-use hours listed above
Campground
- Operating season schedule
- March to April:
7:00am to 9:00pm
- May to September:
7:00am to 10:00pm
- Please note: Campground gates open and lock promptly at the posted times. No entry or exit is permitted before or after posted gate hours, except for law enforcement or medical emergencies.
►
Address
200 County Line Park Road
Manson, NC 27553
GPS: 36.5247, -78.3163
Boat ramp
- open year-round with 24-hour access
Campground
- Operating season schedule
- March to April:
7:00am to 9:00pm
- May to September:
7:00am to 10:00pm
- Please note: Campground gates open and lock promptly at the posted times. No entry or exit is permitted before or after posted gate hours, except for law enforcement or medical emergencies.
►
Address
1427 Reverend Henderson Rd
Henderson, NC 27537
GPS: 36.5312, -78.3461
Shelter 1
- open year-round
- November to February:
8:00am to 6:00pm
- March to April:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- May to August:
8:00am to 9:00pm
- September to October:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- Closed Christmas Day
Shelter 2 and 3 and
community building
- open late March to early October and follow day-use hours listed above
- year-round access for rentals
- Closed Christmas Day
Boat ramp
- open year-round with 24-hour access.
Campground
- Operating season schedule
- March to April:
7:00am to 9:00pm
- May to September:
7:00am to 10:00pm
- Please note: Campground gates open and lock promptly at the posted times. No entry or exit is permitted before or after posted gate hours, except for law enforcement or medical emergencies.
►
Address
2041 Hibernia Road
Henderson, NC 27537
GPS: 36.5047, -78.3761
Day-use area
- open late March to early October
- March to April:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- May to August:
8:00am to 9:00pm
- September to October:
8:00am to 8:00pm
Boat ramp
- open year-round with 24-hour access
Campground
- Operating season schedule
- March to April:
7:00am to 9:00pm
- May to September:
7:00am to 10:00pm
- October:
7:00am to 9:00pm
- November:
7:00am to 8:00pm
- Please note: Campground gates open and lock promptly at the posted times. No entry or exit is permitted before or after posted gate hours, except for law enforcement or medical emergencies.
►
Address
460 Kimball Point Road
Manson, NC 27553
GPS: 36.5367, -78.3099
Day-use area
- open late March to early October
- March to April:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- May to August:
8:00am to 9:00pm
- September to October:
8:00am to 8:00pm
Boat ramp
- open late March to early October and follow day-use hours listed above.
Campground
- Operating season schedule
- March to April:
7:00am to 9:00pm
- May to September:
7:00am to 10:00pm
- October:
7:00am to 9:00pm
- Please note: Campground gates open and lock promptly at the posted times. No entry or exit is permitted before or after posted gate hours, except for law enforcement or medical emergencies.
►
Addresses
North entrance
115 Jack Wade Farm Lane
Henderson, NC 27537
South entrance
135 Jack Wade Farm Lane
Henderson, NC 27537
GPS: 36.4100, -78.3991
Day-use area
- open late March to early October
- March to April:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- May to August:
8:00am to 9:00pm
- September to October:
8:00am to 8:00pm
Boat ramp
- open year-round with 24-hour access
Campground
- open year-round with 24-hour gate access
- Closed on Christmas Day
Operating season
History highlights
The Occoneechee Indians once lived in the Kerr Lake area until they were dispersed by Nathanial Bacon in 1676. Until that date, the Roanoke River was the main transportation and supply route for both Native Americans and early settlers. Constant, regular flooding of the river provided rich and productive farmland that sustained the area for generations.
The development of cities and homes along the river and the increased demand for flood control and electricity led to the construction of the John H. Kerr Reservoir, named after the North Carolina congressman instrumental in the reservoir's development. Construction of this reservoir that straddles Virginia and North Carolina began in 1946 and was completed in 1952.
The Kerr Reservoir Commission was then created to govern the North Carolina parks bordering the lake. The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation eventually took control of the seven recreation areas of the reservoir in 1975. In addition to water resource management, the reservoir provides fish and wildlife conservation, forest management and recreation.
Park Maps and Brochures:
