Dam Site Shelter

About Dam Site Shelter

Overview Dam Site Park Shelter is located directly below W. Kerr Scott Dam's visitor center, and features a beautiful view of the dam & reservoir.Recreation The 1,475-acre reservoir offers excellent boating, canoeing, kayaking and swimming opportunities. Anglers will find channel catfish, large and smallmouth bass, bluegill, threadfin shad, spotted bass, striped bass, and hybrid striped bass. Miles of multi-use trails surround the lake, including the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, which has a trailhead a short walk from the shelter. An additional 25 miles of multi-use trails can be found at the Warrior Creek and Dark Mountain areas.Facilities The shelter offers eight, 8-foot picnic tables and two, 10-foot ADA-accessible picnic tables. Electric hook-ups are available. Along with scenic views, you can enjoy other park amenities which include a boat ramp, horseshoe pit, grill, vault toilets, a museum and Environmental Education Center located at our Visitor Assistance Center, and access to the Overmountain Victory Trail and Native Tree Trail. Natural Features The gentle Yadkin River flows through its scenic namesake valley in the foothills of the eastern Blue Ridge Mountains. Forests of mixed hardwoods, including sycamore, poplar, oak and hickory, cover the region. Wildlife is abundant in the valley. White-tailed deer, black bear, eastern cottontails and more can be found among the hills. Birds in the area include wild turkey, woodpeckers, Carolina chickadees, red-eyed vireo, ovenbirds, mallards and wood ducks.Charges & Cancellations All reservations, changes, and cancellations must be made by the guest using Recreation.gov, by calling 877-444-6777, or using the Recreation.gov moblie app. All refund request will need to be submitted via recreation.gov.

How to Get There

From Charlotte, North Carolina, take I-77 North (approximately 60 miles) before merging onto Highway 421 North towards Wilkesboro/Boone. Continue to Exit 286B (approximately 20 miles), turn left onto Highway 268, continue for approximately 4 miles and turn right on Reservoir Road. Turn left into the Visitor Assistance Center parking lot after .25 miles and the shelter will be directly behind the VAC. From Winston-Salem, North Carolina, take Highway 421 North (approximately 55 miles) to Exit 286B, turn left onto Highway 268, continue for approximately 4 miles and turn right on Reservoir Road. Turn left into the Visitor Assistance Center parking lot after .25 miles and the shelter will be directly behind the VAC. From Wilkesboro, North Carolina, head west on Main Street/Hwy 268/Hwy 18 (approximately 4 miles) and turn right on Reservoir Road. Turn left into the Visitor Assistance Center parking lot after .25 miles and the shelter will be directly behind the VAC.

What to Pack for Your Stay

Tuned to the live forecast for this park.

Plan Your Visit to Dam Site Shelter

Heading to Dam Site Shelter? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)