Lake Gaston, located at the southern border of central Virginia and the northern border of central North Carolina between Interstate 85 and Interstate 95, covers some 20,000 acres and is 34 miles long. At its widest point, it is approximately 1.5 miles and has over 350 miles of shoreline. Normal height of the water is 200 feet above sea level and is mostly stable with fluctuation of only one foot, plus or minus. View Lake Gaston on MapQuest.

Formed in 1963, Lake Gaston is an impoundment on the Roanoke River between Kerr Dam, built and owned by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1950s, and Roanoke Rapids Lake, a smaller lake built in 1955 for hydroelectric power. The Lake is bounded by two counties in Virginia (Mecklenburg and Brunswick) and three counties in North Carolina (Warren, Halifax and Northampton).

Popular pastimes on Lake Gaston include fishing, swimming, boating, skiing, and just cruising from early Spring to late Fall - the weather is mild and comfortable the better part of the year. The Lake is well stocked with bass, crappie, sunfish, catfish and many other species. Hunting is also a favorite pastime.

Recently, there has been a steady growth in the number of homes being built in the many subdivisions around the lake, whether as retirement homes, second homes or full time residences.