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John H. Kerr Reservoir

Middleburg, North Carolina — Vance County.

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43,005Surface acres (whole lake)
13Public access sites
1.2 miShoreline trails

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

Location & fast facts

Where John H. Kerr Reservoir is in North Carolina

The red circle marks John H. Kerr Reservoir.

Fast facts

About John H. Kerr Reservoir

  • Counties: Vance, Warren
  • Nearest city: Middleburg (about 1.5 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Shared with: Virginia. The surface acreage shown is the whole lake; about 26% of the mapped water is in North Carolina.
  • Distance: about 471 mi from Jacksonville and 530 mi from Gainesville, straight-line (not driving distance)

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

Fishing in North Carolina

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

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 13 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Walking. 1.2 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 5 campgrounds within 15 mi, 5 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

Kerr Lake State Park, Hibernia Group Area (campground)Hibernia Campground - Area 2 (campground)J C Cooper Campground (campground)Kerr Lake State Recreation Area (campground)Steele Creek Marina & Campground (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)131 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail 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

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 150404345), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: NCWRC Boating Access Areas and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

1.2 miTrail within 100 m of shore
Under 5%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
South shoreWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 1.2 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the John H. Kerr Reservoir shoreline, mostly along the south shore.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Boat ramp, 100 ft from a shoreline trail (NC Wildlife Resources Commission boating access data).

The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.

Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near John H. Kerr Reservoir

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

All campgrounds & RV parks in North Carolina

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: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

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

    13 public access sites listed, 13 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——Boating36.4066, -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—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——Boating36.5367, -78.5952
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.5280, -78.3703

    NCWRC Boating Access Areas 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 43,005 acres in Middleburg, North Carolina (Vance County).

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

    Yes. 13 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 5 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles.

    What towns are on John H. Kerr Reservoir?

    John H. Kerr Reservoir touches Middleburg in Vance County and Warren County, North Carolina.

    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 North Carolina lakes & ponds · All waters in Middleburg