Can you reserve a site at Dam Site Shelter?

Yes, Dam Site Shelter is reservable through Recreation.gov.

Are pets allowed at Dam Site Shelter?

Yes, pets are allowed at Dam Site Shelter.

Dam Site Shelter, North Carolina — 1 site, fees and cancellation alerts

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.

The facts

1 bookable site
1 site for day use only
1 accessible site
Up to 80 people per site
Loops: Dam Site Shelter

Site types

1 Group Shelter Nonelectric

Amenities

Picnic tables
Grills
Shade
Pets allowed
Water hookups — not available

Not recorded upstream: electric hookups, sewer hookups, campfires allowed, fire pits.

Book on Recreation.gov

1 campsite at Dam Site Shelter

Check-in 6:00 AM · Check-out 10:00 PM

Accessible only

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Surface	Water	Max rig	People
Dam Site Park	Dam Site Shelter	Group Shelter Nonelectric	—	Paved	Lakefront	—	80	♿ 🐾

Getting 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.

36.13056, -81.22889 · 36°7'50.0"N 81°13'44.0"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

Typically 88°F in Jul, down to 49°F in Jan.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	49	53	61	71	78	85	88	86	81	72	61	52
Low °F	27	29	36	44	54	62	66	65	59	46	36	30
Precip in	4.5	3.4	4.5	4.8	4.7	4.3	4.3	5.6	4.4	3.9	3.5	4.6

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 0.1 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Common questions about Dam Site Shelter

Can you reserve a site at Dam Site Shelter?: Yes, Dam Site Shelter is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does Dam Site Shelter have?: 1 site.
Are pets allowed at Dam Site Shelter?: Yes, pets are allowed at Dam Site Shelter.
Does Dam Site Shelter have hookups?: No hookups are recorded here.

Camping near Dam Site Shelter

W. Kerr Scott Visitor Assistance Center Conference Room 0.1 mi · Campground · we watch it
Fish Dam Creek Park 0.5 mi · Campground · we watch it
Berry Mountain Park Shelter 0.9 mi · Campground · we watch it
Bandits Roost 1.4 mi · Campground · we watch it
Fort Hamby Park 2.4 mi · Campground · we watch it
Keowee Park Shelter 3.5 mi · Campground · we watch it
Boomer Park Shelter 3.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
Warrior Creek 3.8 mi · Campground · we watch it
Basin Cove Backcountry Camping 18.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
Doughton Park Campground 21 mi · Campground · we watch it
W. Kerr Scott Dam & Reservoir Visitor Center 0.1 mi · Visitor Center
Green Park Inn 24.2 mi · Facility

Contact

Phone 336-921-3390
Book Recreation.gov

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-05-02.

Dam Site Shelter