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Virginia › Mecklenburg County › Clarksville › John H. Kerr Reservoir

John H. Kerr Reservoir

Clarksville, Virginia — Mecklenburg County.

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44,895Surface acres (whole lake)
19Public access sites

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 150404345, 2 mapped parts); shared with North Carolina, acreage is the whole lake.

Location & fast facts

Where John H. Kerr Reservoir is in Virginia

The red circle marks John H. Kerr Reservoir.

Fast facts

About John H. Kerr Reservoir

  • Counties: Mecklenburg, Halifax
  • City or town on the shore: Clarksville
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Shared with: North Carolina. The surface acreage shown is the whole lake; about 75% of the mapped water is in Virginia.
  • Distance: about 84 mi from Richmond and 102 mi from Charlottesville, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Virginia: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Virginia

Official DWR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 19 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Camping. 15 campgrounds within 15 mi, 14 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Wandering hydrilla recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Lake map

John H. Kerr Reservoir shoreline, boat launches & beaches

North Bend Park (campground)Buffalo Park (campground)Longwood Park (campground)Rudds Creek Rec. Area (campground)Kerr Lake State Park, Hibernia Group Area (campground)Atlatl Campground (campground)Hibernia Campground - Area 2 (campground)Iron Bow Campground (campground)J C Cooper Campground (campground)Kerr Lake State Recreation Area (campground)Steele Creek Marina & Campground (campground)Host Sites (campground)Jean Short (campground)Presbyterian Point (campground)Boat ramp (Boat launch)1Boat ramp (Boat launch)2Boat ramp (Boat launch)3Boat ramp (Boat launch)4Boat ramp (Boat launch)5Boat ramp (Boat launch)6Boat ramp (Boat launch)7Boat ramp (Boat launch)8Boat ramp (Boat launch)9Boat ramp (Boat launch)10Boat ramp (Boat launch)11Boat ramp (Boat launch)12Boat ramp (Boat launch)13Boat ramp (Boat launch)14Boat ramp (Boat launch)15Boat ramp (Boat launch)16Boat ramp (Boat launch)17Boat ramp (Boat launch)18Main Boat Ramp (Boat launch)191 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launch Campground
  1. 1Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  2. 2Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  3. 3Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  4. 4Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  5. 5Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  6. 6Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  7. 7Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  8. 8Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  9. 9Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  10. 10Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  11. 11Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  12. 12Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  13. 13Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  14. 14Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  15. 15Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  16. 16Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  17. 17Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  18. 18Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  19. 19Main Boat Ramp
    Boat launch

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 150404345, plus 1 more mapped parts), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Campgrounds near John H. Kerr Reservoir

We found 15 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of John H. Kerr Reservoir, 14 of them within 5 miles. 14 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

9 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Virginia

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Nearest airports

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to John H. Kerr Reservoir, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (36.5589, -78.3200). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for John H. Kerr Reservoir. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at John H. Kerr Reservoir

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    19 public access sites listed, 19 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.5393, -78.3157
    Boat ramp—Virginia Department of Conservation and RecreationBoat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp—FeeBoating36.6336, -78.5353
    Boat ramp—Virginia Department of Conservation and RecreationBoat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp—FeeBoating36.6239, -78.5246
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.4148, -78.3946
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.5029, -78.3760
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.5903, -78.3091
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.5878, -78.3084
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.5890, -78.3290
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.4066, -78.3964
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.4150, -78.3989
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.5760, -78.4187
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.4461, -78.3695
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.6601, -78.6268
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp—FeeBoating36.6645, -78.5697
    Boat ramp—Virginia Department of Conservation and RecreationBoat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp—FeeBoating36.6325, -78.5350
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.5611, -78.4084
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.5626, -78.4176
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.6015, -78.3694
    Main Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.5880, -78.3140

    OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near John H. Kerr Reservoir

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about John H. Kerr Reservoir

    How big is John H. Kerr Reservoir?

    John H. Kerr Reservoir covers about 44,895 acres in Clarksville, Virginia (Mecklenburg County).

    Is there a public boat launch on John H. Kerr Reservoir?

    Yes. 19 public trailer launches are listed: Boat ramp, Boat ramp and Boat ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near John H. Kerr Reservoir?

    Yes. We list 15 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 14 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on John H. Kerr Reservoir?

    John H. Kerr Reservoir touches Clarksville in Mecklenburg County and Halifax County, Virginia.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know John H. Kerr Reservoir? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Virginia lakes & ponds · All waters in Clarksville