Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area
Wilkesboro, North Carolina · on W Kerr Scott Reservoir · W. Kerr Scott Reservoir
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Yes, see below
- SEASON
- Memorial Day through Labor Day (official swim season and water quality testing window).
About Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area
Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area is an official, seasonal swim beach on W. Kerr Scott Reservoir near Wilkesboro, North Carolina, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is one of three designated public swim beaches on the 1,475-acre reservoir and is water-quality tested weekly in season by the Yadkin Riverkeeper.
The site sits within Berry Mountain Park in the Yadkin River valley, in the eastern Blue Ridge Mountains foothills near Wilkesboro, NC, on the shoreline of the 1,475-acre W. Kerr Scott Reservoir.
Swimming at Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area
A designated, sandy swim beach on a large Army Corps reservoir suited to family/casual lake swimming rather than a wild swimming hole; the beach is one of three official swim areas on the lake and is monitored weekly for E. coli during the swim season.
How to get to this swimming hole
Parking: Designated parking is provided for trail and beach users at Berry Mountain Park; recreation.gov notes parking outside designated areas is discouraged and illegally parked vehicles may be fined or towed, and that a day use pass does not guarantee parking availability.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up, designated swim beach with adjacent lot parking, not a hike-in swimming hole. Recreation.gov's day-use description references "trail parking" at Berry Mountain Park and visitors separately mention hiking and biking as available activities at the reservoir generally, but no source describes a required hike, named trail, or distance to reach the swim beach itself.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
One visitor describes the swim area as having a large flat rock to walk off of and a sandy bottom, which suggests an easy, gently-sloping entry good for kids. However, no official source confirms a lifeguard on duty at the beach, and the swim area sits on a large multi-use reservoir with boat, jet-ski, and pontoon traffic elsewhere on the lake, so close supervision is advised.
Parking
Paid
Designated parking area at Berry Mountain Park for swim beach and shelter users; a valid day use pass (fee amount not published on official pages reviewed) is required, parking outside the designated lot is discouraged, and vehicles parked improperly can be fined or towed. A day use pass does not guarantee an open spot in the lot.
Restrooms
Yes
Portable toilets ("port-a-jons") are provided at the Berry Mountain day use/swim beach area per Recreation.gov; the broader Berry Mountain Park Shelter facility nearby also has flush toilets and showers.
Water clarity
Mostly clear
A bass-fishing guide describes Kerr Scott Reservoir as having water visibility of five feet or more and calls it a 'clear, deep flood control lake' with rocky structure. One visitor to the reservoir's swim area describes a sandy bottom and flat entry rock, consistent with clear, non-silty shallows. No swimmer reports specific to Berry Mountain or Kerr Scott Lake could be located despite targeted searches; this rating reflects reservoir-wide fishing and paddling sources rather than beach-specific first-hand testimony, so treat as directionally reliable but not beach-confirmed.
Hours
Seasonal: open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Gates lock at 8:00pm and reopen at 9:00am daily during the season; a purchased day use pass is valid until 11:59pm of the date listed.
On the water
Recreation.gov's Berry Mountain Park Shelter page confirms 'excellent boating, canoeing, kayaking and swimming opportunities' on the 1,475-acre reservoir generally. Local outfitters rent kayaks/canoes/paddleboards/pontoons/jet skis for use on the lake. No official source specifies whether motorized craft are excluded from the roped swim area itself (common at Corps beaches but not documented here), so no specific restriction is stated.
Rentals nearby
Kayak and canoe rentals ($35/4 hrs, including fishing kayaks), standard pontoon boat (50-75HP, up to 10 persons), premium pontoon boat (115HP, includes towable tube); also wet slip rentals, trailered storage, and on-water fuel
Prices: Kayak/canoe: $35 for 4 hours; Standard pontoon: $250 for 4 hours; Premium pontoon: $300 for 4 hours
3756 Hwy 16S, Moravian Falls, NC 28654, on W. Kerr Scott Lake. This appears to be the same marina listed as 'Wilkes Skyline Marina' about 0.5 mi from the Berry Mountain swim beach in official nearby-facility data. · Monday-Saturday, 9:00am-6:00pm
Single kayak, tandem kayak/canoe/stand-up paddleboard rentals on W. Kerr Scott Lake (plus separate river tube and 'river tub' rentals with shuttle service on the Yadkin River)
Prices: Lake: single kayak $45, tandem kayak/canoe/SUP $75; must be off the lake by 6:00pm
Serves both the Yadkin River and W. Kerr Scott Lake near Wilkesboro, NC; exact launch address not published on the pages reviewed
Boat rentals (MasterCraft-type performance boats), jet skis/waverunners, boat tours and charters, and water toys (tubes, water trampolines, flyboards, stand-up paddleboards) at Kerr Scott Dam Reservoir
Kerr Scott Dam Reservoir, Wilkesboro, NC area; exact address not published on the page reviewed
What regulars say
Visitor reports on W. Kerr Scott Reservoir are strongly positive (ratings average about 4.5 of 5 across dozens of reviews, and visitors rank the reservoir among Wilkesboro's top attractions): one visitor describes the swim area's entry as 'a large flat rock to walk off and a sandy bottom,' suggesting easy, non-muddy access. A kayaker notes 'a small river feed off to the left of the boat ramp' that offers pleasant paddling with a favorable current return. Another visitor called the reservoir overall 'a gem of outdoor opportunities,' citing scenery, water sports, picnicking, hiking, and biking.
Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area: FAQ
Does Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area charge a fee?
A day use pass is required for the swim beach and picnic shelters (fee amount not stated on official pages reviewed); a separate entrance fee is also referenced for the park/shelter area.
Is Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area kid friendly?
One visitor describes the swim area as having a large flat rock to walk off of and a sandy bottom, which suggests an easy, gently-sloping entry good for kids. However, no official source confirms a lifeguard on duty at the beach, and the swim area sits on a large multi-use reservoir with boat, jet-ski, and pontoon traffic elsewhere on the lake, so close supervision is advised.
Do I need to hike to reach Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area?
Designated parking area at Berry Mountain Park for swim beach and shelter users; a valid day use pass (fee amount not published on official pages reviewed) is required, parking outside the designated lot is discouraged, and vehicles parked improperly can be fined or towed. A day use pass does not guarantee an open spot in the lot.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area?
Recreation.gov's Berry Mountain Park Shelter page confirms 'excellent boating, canoeing, kayaking and swimming opportunities' on the 1,475-acre reservoir generally. Local outfitters rent kayaks/canoes/paddleboards/pontoons/jet skis for use on the lake. No official source specifies whether motorized craft are excluded from the roped swim area itself (common at Corps beaches but not documented here), so no specific restriction is stated.
When is the best time to visit Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area?
Memorial Day through Labor Day (official swim season and water quality testing window).
What are the rules at Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area?
Day use pass required for all swim beach/shelter users; site is open seasonally (Memorial Day through Labor Day); gates lock at 8pm and reopen at 9am; alcoholic beverages are prohibited; parking restricted to designated areas.
What water body is Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area on?
Berry Mountain Day Use Swim Area is on W Kerr Scott Reservoir, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
More swimming holes near Wilkesboro
Fort Hamby Park
Wilkesboro, North Carolinareservoir
⛺🛶🚤
Elk Shoals
West Jefferson, North Carolinariver
🛶🛟
Lady on the Rock Swimming Hole
Cedar Rock, North Carolinacreek
⛺🛶
Lake Norman Picnic Ground
Statesville, North Carolinareservoir
🛶🏄
★ Top verifiedLake James State Park
Nebo, North Carolinalake
🛶🏄🚤
★ Top verifiedBackbone Rock
Shady Valley, Tennesseecreek
⛺