Openings · last 7 days
0
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-10286333
When Buffalo Park Picnic Shelter reopens
Buffalo Park Picnic Shelter's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
0
Openings · last 90 days
22
Only 22 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18 – Oct 31, 2026 · of 1 monitored site
Of the 44 tracked reservation dates (Sep 18 – Oct 31, 2026): 38 open for online reservation · 6 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative).
Where the open windows are
13.6% of tracked reservation dates are not currently open for online reservation. 38 of 44 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18 – Oct 31, 2026Not open online13.6%
Open reservation dates38 / 44
Reserved (of online inventory)0 / 38
Weekday openings21
Weekend openings17
Of the open reservation dates on mapped day-use units, 21 fall on weekdays and 17 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Oct 2026October holds the most room. 31 of 31 reservation dates are still open there.
Holiday windows — day use
Units open per date · of 1 shelter| Window | Date | Units open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked date.
Availability by shelter
Most open reservation dates · tracked window| Shelter | Open reservation dates |
|---|---|
| Buffalo Park Picnic Shelter | 38 |
This shelter currently has 38 reservation dates available.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateThu · Sep 24
Next open weekendFri · Sep 25
The next bookable date is Sep 24; the first open weekend starts Sep 25. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Reservation dates
38 available reservation dates across 1 shelter at Buffalo Park Picnic Shelter, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
All 1 shelter with current availability
| Shelter | Open reservation dates | Consecutive dates | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Park Picnic Shelter | 38 | 38 dates | Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 3, Oct 4, Oct 5 +26 more |
About Buffalo Park Picnic Shelter
Overview
Buffalo Park is a small day use and campground park, located on John H. Kerr Reservoir. The campground is open May 1 - September 30. The Day Use Park is open year-around. The shelter is reservable from April 1 - October 31.
Kerr Reservoir, also known as Buggs Island Lake, is a 50,000-acre lake that extends 39 miles up the wooded, cove-studded shoreline of the Roanoke River in Virginia and North Carolina. Kerr Reservoir was created with the construction of the John H. Kerr Dam in 1952. Its 800 miles of wooded shoreline stretch across six counties in two states and offer countless recreation opportunities for visitors.
Recreation
Public lands around the lake are open to hunting with appropriate state licenses. Game species include whitetail deer, wild turkey, bobwhite quail, mourning dove, gray squirrel, cottontail rabbit, fox and raccoon. Resident waterfowl species include wood duck, black duck, mallard and Canadian geese.
The Army Corps of Engineers manages 26 Wildlife Management Areas around the lake that provide year-round opportunities for hiking, wildlife viewing, birding and more.
Kerr Lake is widely known for fishing, with large-mouth bass, striped bass, crappie and catfish caught. Fishing and hunting are regulated by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries on the Virginia side of the lake.
Facilities
Visitors to Buffalo Park will enjoy the lakeside views and the quaint park. The day use section of the park has a swim beach, picnic shelter, and a boat ramp. There is also picnic tables and a life jacket loaner station for you to borrow and return life jackets.
Natural Features
Kerr Reservoir has approximately 48,000 acres of hardwood and pine forest and 50,000 acres of water. The picnic shelter in the park has a spectacular view of the lake, where the Roanoke (Staunton) River meets the Dan.
Nearby Attractions
Buffalo Springs Park is on the Virginia State and National Historic Sites, and is located approximately 7 miles from Buffalo Park. Once a world-renowned source of bottled lithia waters, the little park now offers a picnic pavilion and solitude. People still get their water from the fountain there.
Gas and groceries are available in Clarksville, Virginia, about 15 minutes away. Clarksville holds the distinction of being the only town on Kerr (Buggs Island) Lake.
1 monitored shelterDay use1 shadedPets OKMax party 50
Getting there
BirdingBoatingCanoeingDay Use AreaFishingPhotographySwimming
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-10286333 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-10286333 · Buffalo Park Picnic Shelter6 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Buffalo Park Picnic Shelter?
Reservations for Buffalo Park Picnic Shelter are made through Recreation.gov. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 38 of 44 tracked reservation dates are open (86.4%), though availability can change. Campsite Sniper has also detected 22 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick the shelter on the map to see its reservation calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this facility for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 16:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Buffalo Park Picnic Shelter?
Campsite Sniper detected 22 site-date openings here over the last 90 days, none in the last 7. A free alert watches around the clock and pings you the moment one appears.
Which month has the most availability at Buffalo Park Picnic Shelter?
October 2026, with 31 open reservation dates in the current snapshot of 31.
When is the next open date at Buffalo Park Picnic Shelter?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Thu, Sep 24 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 25. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
Let the app watch this shelter
Pick dates
Choose the reservation dates you want at Buffalo Park Picnic Shelter.
Watch
Campsite Sniper can monitor this facility and notify you if a selected date becomes available.
Get the ping
When a selected date becomes available, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.