North Bend Park VA

This was our first time camping at a Corp of Engineers park and boy we feel we have found a jewel here in VA and it is close to my Aunt Ruthie and Uncle Cliff.  North Bend Park is located at John H. Kerr Reservoir. The 50,000 acre lake extends 39 miles up the wooded, cove-studded shoreline of the Roanoke River. With over 55,000 acres of public lands, you can enjoy swimming, fishing, camping, boating, or just relaxing. John H. Kerr Reservoir is the perfect destination to enjoy nature's beauty. North Bend Park offers 249 campsites on or near the lake. There are about 138 sites with water and electric hookups and 106 primitive sites. There is a paved jogging/bicycle trail that runs through North Bend Park as well as a fishing pier with Universal Access.

The John H. Kerr Dam sits at the eastern edge of Kerr Lake, or as the locals it, Buggs Island Lake.

This lake is the largest lake in the state of Virginia and is a very well kept secret. It straddles the state line and is called Lake Gaston on the North Carolina side. Everyone but people who live here refer to the Virginia side as Kerr Lake. Locals call it Buggs Island Lake. Are you confused on the names yet? Technically, as the maps show, Kerr Lake and Lake Gaston are two different bodies of water tied together by the Roanoke River inbetween them. There's a dam on the Lake Gaston end as well (but who cares about North Carolina?)

The powerhouse at the dam generates an average of 426,749,000 kilowatt hours of power per year.

In building the dam, the 50,000 acre Kerr Lake was the result, with 800 miles of coastline.

Our campsite is tucked into the woods with a slight view of the lake.  The sites are not right on top of each other with woods in between, fire rings and tables, the roads are paved as well as the jogging paths (wish we had our bikes) and they are huge.  $24 for water and electric.  Our site was 135 but unfortunately it can't be reserved.  Most sites are reservable but some are not.  Almost half of the sites are good for big rigs with room to spare.  We will defiantly be back here and are very impressed with the Corp of Engineers. 

This was my view every morning while I had my coffee listening to the birds and watching the squirrels.  There is a path leading to the lake where we could launch the kayaks. 

Mark cooking up a tasty breakfast.

                                                                   all is good.