The city of Roanoke Rapids is located approximately 8 miles from the Virginia border, adjacent to Interstate 95. The Roanoke River and Roanoke Rapids Lake borders the north side of town. There is convenient access to the Outer Banks or the Mountains via Highway 158, which runs through the city.
Lake Gaston is the middle of three lakes formed for the purpose of hydroelectric power. With Kerr Dam at the west end and Gaston Dam at the east end, the water level is controlled and varies less than two feet under normal conditions. Lake Gaston is 34 miles long, with approximately 350 miles of shoreline, bordering Brunswick and Mecklenburg Counties in Virginia, and Northampton, Halifax and Warren Counties in North Carolina.
