The John H. Kerr Reservoir, colloquially known as Buggs Island Lake in Virginia and Kerr Lake in North Carolina, is a large reservoir on the Roanoke River with fishing, camping, and vacationing opportunities. Locals refer to the region surrounding the lake as Lake Country.
Understand
[edit]Buggs Island Lake was created by the construction of the John H. Kerr Dam between 1947 and 1952. There are many outdoor recreation opportunities such as swimming, fishing, boating, and camping, along with vacation rentals. Numerous parks can be found on the lake, administered by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, the Virginia State Park system, and the North Carolina State Park System.
The town of Clarksville, Virginia is located on the western portion of the lake, offering shopping and dining opportunities. Groceries can be obtained at the Food Lion or Dollar General Market. Two hotels, Clarion Pointe and Quality Inn, overlook the lake, and there are several bed-and-breakfasts in town. Other nearby towns include the larger South Hill, Virginia and Henderson, North Carolina.
Nearby Towns
[edit]1 Clarksville, VA. Small town located on Buggs Island Lake. The town has shopping, dining, and lodging opportunities and two grocery stores (Food Lion and DG Market). 
2 Boydton, VA. Boydton is a (very) small town located between Clarksville and South Hill. Has a Dollar General and two restaurants. Nearby gas station Triangle Grocery sells tackle.
3 South Hill, VA. Neighboring town about a half hour from the dam. Has a Food Lion, Walmart Supercenter, and numerous shopping and dining opportunities.
4 Henderson, NC. Small city located 15 minutes south of the Kerr Lake State Recreation Area. Has numerous grocery stores, lodging, and dining opportunities, a cinema, a drive-in theater, and a Walmart Supercenter.
Get in
[edit]By car
[edit]US-58 runs north of the eastern portion of the lake, crossing it at Clarksville, allowing access from the east and west. US-15 and VA-49 also cross the lake at Clarksville, offering access from Durham and points west in central North Carolina. I-85 and US-1 run southeast of the lake for travelers headed in from the Raleigh-Durham and Richmond metro areas. US-158 runs to south of the lake and its easterly neighbor Lake Gaston, providing an alternate route to points east and west through North Carolina.
By bus
[edit]Buggs Island Lake is not easily accessible by bus, though Greyhound offers service to nearby South Hill, Virginia and Henderson, North Carolina.