The bannister River is a tributary of the Dan River, about 65 mi (105 km) long, in southern Virginia in the United States. Via the Dan, it is part of the watershed of the Roanoke River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean. It rises on Brier Mountain in western Pittsylvania County and flows generally eastwardly into Halifax County, past the town of Halifax. It joins the Dan River 6 mi (9.7 km) east of the town of South Boston.