North Bend Park
John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir · Virginia · 234 sites
Photos: US Army Corps of Engineers via Recreation.gov
Overview
North Bend Park is a US Army Corps of Engineers campground in John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir, Virginia, with 234 sites in 5 loops. Very shady: nearly every site is under trees. Verizon reports coverage at every site; T-Mobile at 41 of 232, AT&T at 214 of 232.
219 of 232 sites shaded
5 of 232 sites in full sun
13 of 232 sites with clear sky
Map of the campground
Every site from the Recreation.gov listing. Choose a layer to see it across the campground; tap a site to open it in Roam.
Layers
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Questions
Which sites at North Bend Park are the shadiest?
Nearly all of them. 219 of 232 sites at North Bend Park have good shade from the trees, including from the hot afternoon sun.
See the tree canopy in RoamWhich sites at North Bend Park get the most sun?
Only a few. 5 of 232 sites are truly sunny and 11 more get some sun; the rest are shaded.
See the tree canopy in RoamWill Starlink work at North Bend Park?
Only at a few. About 13 of 232 sites have a clear gap in the trees for Starlink and 22 a partial one; most sit under tall trees. Satellite texting on a phone needs less open sky, but still works best from the most open spot you can find. This is our estimate from tree heights — check with the Starlink app's obstruction check when you arrive.
See the tree canopy in RoamWhich sites at North Bend Park are the most level?
34 of 232 sites are flat, and 45 more have a gentle slope most RVs can level with blocks; 153 are steeper, better for tents. Sites that take RVs or trailers fit rigs up to 50 ft.
See the slope at each site in RoamDoes North Bend Park have cell service?
Mostly. Verizon reports coverage at every site; T-Mobile at 41 of 232; AT&T at 214 of 232 (it's missing in B). That's the coverage each carrier reports to the FCC, not a measured signal, so under trees or below a ridge it can be weaker.
See the coverage map in RoamWhen is the best time to see fall color at North Bend Park?
October. In a typical year the leaves around North Bend Park are at their best in mid to late October, though any one fall can run a week or two early or late. Much of the forest here stays green, so expect color in patches. Roam’s fall foliage map shows how far the color has come this week, free every September through November.
See this week’s fall color in RoamWhat’s the weather like at North Bend Park in October?
In October, expect highs around 71°F and lows around 47°F, with about 3.5 inches of rain over the month. Every month’s averages are in Roam Premium.
Open North Bend Park in RoamCampground facts
- Sites
- 234 in 5 loops
- Kinds
- 217 for RVs or trailers · 15 tent-only · 2 group sites
- Hookups
- 133 with electric
- Longest rig
- 50 ft
- Accessible
- 2 sites
- Elevation
- 307–353 ft
- Amenities
- Lake access, Paved roads, Vault toilets, Water spigots
- Every site
- Pets allowed · Check-in 4 PM, check-out 2 PM
- Managed by
- US Army Corps of Engineers
- Booking
- Reserve on Recreation.gov
How we know Sources and limits
Shade, sun and Starlink are our estimates from Meta and the World Resources Institute’s canopy-height model (about 2 m pixels, from satellite imagery calibrated with space lidar; CC BY 4.0). From 2 m above each site we trace 72 lines out to 60 m and note the tallest tree in each direction. Shade counts trees overhead, the canopy within 30 m and how much of the afternoon sky is blocked. Sun counts how open the southern sky is. Starlink needs open sky above 35°, with the northern half counted twice because US dishes tilt north, and we keep the best spot within 8 m of the site’s post. The model sees tree heights only, not trunks, buildings or hills, so check with the Starlink app when you arrive.
Slope is the ground at each site’s post over about 4 m, from USGS 3DEP 1 m lidar: level under 2%, gentle to 4% (most rigs level on blocks), sloped to 8% (fine for a tent), steep beyond.
Cell coverage is from the FCC Broadband Data Collection (carrier filings as downloaded May 2026): each site is tested against each carrier’s modelled outdoor 4G/5G coverage. It is what the carriers report, not a measured signal.
Fall color is the typical peak from NASA’s MODIS satellite record of when leaves change (2001–2023), limited to deciduous and mixed forest with USGS land cover (NLCD), calibrated to the USA National Phenology Network’s ground reports of colored leaves (CC BY 4.0). It is an average of many autumns, so the page gives a window, not a date.
Weather is NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for the campground. Sites and facts are from Recreation.gov’s open data (July 2026). Map imagery: USGS The National Map. Photos: Recreation.gov.
From the campground’s Recreation.gov listing: “Visitors to North Bend Park will enjoy the lakeside views and wildlife watching. More than 200 sites for tents or RVs, and amenities like hot showers, flush toilets and a dump station provide a comfortable camping experience. Each camping area has its own swim beach. North Bend Park also has a large day use area with picnic shelters and a swim beach, 3 boat launching ramps, an amphitheater, a disc golf course and a paved 1.5 mile bicycle trail. North Bend Park is forested and offers plenty of shade. Wildlife viewing is popular just below Kerr Dam, where waterfowl and Bald Eagles can be observed year around. This area, called Tailrace Park, has a wheelchair accessible canoe/kayak launch into the river, and is part of the Virginia Blueways Trail.”
Page data as of October 15, 2026. Full source notes are in each layer’s info in the app.