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W Kerr Scott Reservoir

Wilkesboro, North Carolina — Wilkes County.

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1,280Surface acres
4Public access sites
15.3 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 112780342).

Location & fast facts

Where W Kerr Scott Reservoir is in North Carolina

The red circle marks W Kerr Scott Reservoir.

Fast facts

About W Kerr Scott Reservoir

  • County: Wilkes
  • Nearest city: Wilkesboro (about 0.3 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 400 mi from Jacksonville and 428 mi from Tallahassee, 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. 4 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Walking. 15.3 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 12 campgrounds within 15 mi, 3 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • 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

W Kerr Scott Reservoir shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Warrior Creek Campground (campground)Bandit's Roost Campground (campground)W. Kerr Scott Visitor Assistance Center Conference Room Campground (campground)Fort Hamby Park (campground)Boat ramp (Boat launch)1Boat ramp (Boat launch)2Boat ramp (Boat launch)3Marley Ford Canoe Launch (Boat launch)41 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. 4Marley Ford Canoe Launch
    Boat launch

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 112780342), 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

15.3 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 25%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
East and west shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 15.3 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the W Kerr Scott Reservoir shoreline, mostly along the east and west shores.

Trails along the shore

Trailheads & parking

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 W Kerr Scott Reservoir

We found 12 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of W Kerr Scott Reservoir, 7 of them within 5 miles. 3 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

6 more within 15 miles

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: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · 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 (36.1114, -81.2829). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for W Kerr Scott 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 W Kerr Scott 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

    4 public access sites listed, 4 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.0954, -81.2781
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp—FeeBoating36.1302, -81.2292
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.1266, -81.2362
    Marley Ford Canoe Launch——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating36.1089, -81.3062

    NCWRC Boating Access Areas and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

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

    Contact & official info

    Questions about W Kerr Scott Reservoir

    How big is W Kerr Scott Reservoir?

    W Kerr Scott Reservoir covers about 1,280 acres in Wilkesboro, North Carolina (Wilkes County).

    Is there a public boat launch on W Kerr Scott Reservoir?

    Yes. 4 public trailer launches are listed: Boat ramp, Marley Ford Canoe Launch and Boat ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near W Kerr Scott Reservoir?

    Yes. We list 12 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 7 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on W Kerr Scott Reservoir?

    W Kerr Scott Reservoir touches Wilkesboro in Wilkes County, North Carolina.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know W Kerr Scott 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 Wilkesboro