Lakes in Tennessee: Pick One by What You Want to Do

The best lakes in Tennessee depend on what you want from the day. For big-water boating, start with Kentucky Lake or Norris Lake. For fishing, go to Dale Hollow Lake or Reelfoot Lake. For swimming near Nashville, use the beaches at J. Percy Priest Lake. For a quiet cabin weekend, book Center Hill Lake. Most of these lakes are reservoirs run by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A few are run by Tennessee State Parks or the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

Here is the fact to bring to the dock: nearly every lake on this list has a dam and a completion date. Reelfoot Lake has an earthquake instead. TWRA says Reelfoot was formed by the earthquakes of 1811-1812, which made the Mississippi River run backward into a shallow basin.

How we chose these lakes in Tennessee

We picked 11 lakes that cover all three Grand Divisions and all the main agencies that run Tennessee's lakes. We checked every lake against its manager's official page, and we left out any figure we couldn't confirm there. The lakes are grouped by what you want to do, so you can skip straight to your section. Every lake here is public water inside Tennessee. Dale Hollow Lake and Kentucky Lake also reach into Kentucky, and we say so where it matters.

Which Tennessee lakes are best for boating?

Kentucky Lake, Norris Lake and Douglas Lake have the most room to run a boat in Tennessee. All three are TVA reservoirs.

Kentucky Lake (TVA), West Tennessee

Kentucky Lake is the big one. TVA calls it the largest reservoir in the eastern U.S. It has about 160,300 acres of water and 2,064 miles of shoreline, and it runs 184 miles across Kentucky and Tennessee. Kentucky Dam, which holds it back, is in Kentucky, 22 miles above where the Tennessee River meets the Ohio. The Tennessee end is where you launch.

What to do: Base yourself at Paris Landing State Park, 16055 Highway 79 North in Buchanan, Tennessee, on the lake's western shore. It has a full-service marina and The Lodge at Paris Landing. Fill the rest of the trip from Paris, a short drive away. Why: no other lake in this guide lets you cruise this far before you run out of water.

Norris Lake (TVA), East Tennessee

Norris Dam was the first dam TVA built. Construction started in 1933 and finished in 1936. The lake behind it, north of Knoxville, has 809 miles of shoreline and 33,840 acres of water. Its long, branching coves are what make it so good for exploring by boat.

What to do: Rent a pontoon from one of the lake's marinas and spend a day poking into coves. Norris Dam State Park, next to the dam, rents cabins, including historic ones built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Why: you get a big lake and a key piece of TVA history on the same trip.

Douglas Lake (TVA), near Sevierville and Dandridge

TVA's Douglas Lake sits on the French Broad River against the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. It has about 28,420 acres of water and 513 miles of shoreline. TVA started Douglas Dam in February 1942 and finished it on a wartime crash schedule in 12 months and 17 days.

What to do: Launch from the TVA Douglas Dam Headwater campground, which has several boat ramps. Then head into Sevierville for dinner. TVA campgrounds typically run from March 15 to November 15, so check before a late-season trip. Why: TWRA calls Douglas the top crappie lake in East Tennessee, so a boat day can easily turn into a fishing day.

Where should you fish in Tennessee?

Dale Hollow Lake is the place for trophy smallmouth bass, and Reelfoot Lake is the place for shallow-water fishing among cypress trees. TWRA's small fishing lakes are the easiest places to start.

Dale Hollow Lake (Army Corps), near Celina

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed Dale Hollow Dam on the Obey River, about 3 miles east of Celina, Tennessee, in 1943 for flood control and power. The lake sits on the Tennessee-Kentucky line and has 27,700 acres of water and 620 miles of shoreline. The world-record smallmouth bass came from Dale Hollow Lake in 1955: 11 pounds, 15 ounces, according to Kentucky's wildlife agency, which says the fish was taken on the Kentucky side of the lake.

What to do: Camp at a Corps campground on the Tennessee side, such as Lillydale or Obey River Park, both of which have beaches, and fish the deep, clear water. Why: the smallmouth world record has stood here since 1955.

Reelfoot Lake (TWRA, Tennessee State Parks and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), near Tiptonville

TWRA calls Reelfoot Lake in Northwest Tennessee the largest natural lake in the state, at 10,427 acres. It is also very shallow. TWRA says about 68 percent of the lake is 3 feet deep or less. Several agencies share it: Reelfoot Lake State Park, Reelfoot Lake State Natural Area, TWRA's Reelfoot Wildlife Management Area, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge.

What to do: Fish around the stumps and cypress. Come in winter for the bald eagles: Reelfoot Lake State Park typically runs naturalist-led eagle tours in January and February, and they often sell out, so book ahead. Stay in nearby Union City. Why: no other lake on this list was made by an earthquake. Note: TWRA requires a Reelfoot Preservation Permit on top of a fishing license, except for anglers under 16, residents 65 and older, and sportsman or lifetime license holders.

Bill Dance Lake (TWRA), Fayette County

TWRA manages a set of Family Fishing Lakes, smaller lakes made for easy days on the water. Bill Dance Lake is a 177-acre TWRA lake inside the 474-acre Herb Parsons Wildlife Refuge in Fayette County, Tennessee, east of Memphis. It has a boat ramp, a fishing pier, picnic areas and restrooms.

What to do: Take kids or a first-time angler for a morning of pier or small-boat fishing. Most adults need a TWRA lake fishing permit on top of a fishing license at TWRA lakes. Why: you skip the big-lake boat traffic and still have a real chance of catching something.

Where can you swim in a Tennessee lake?

The easiest lake swimming in Tennessee is at the Corps beaches on J. Percy Priest Lake near Nashville and at the Forest Service swimming areas on Watauga Lake.

J. Percy Priest Lake (Army Corps), Nashville

The Corps completed J. Percy Priest Dam on the Stones River in 1967. Its visitor center, at 3737 Bell Road in Nashville, is about 15 minutes from downtown. The Corps runs beaches at its Anderson Road, Cook and Seven Points recreation areas, and these are typically fee areas.

What to do: Spend a summer afternoon at one of those beaches, or go to Long Hunter State Park in Hermitage. Long Hunter's swim beach is at Bryant Grove. Swimming is not allowed in Couchville Lake, the small lake inside the park, but its paved loop trail is good for a flat walk. Why: real lake swimming about 15 minutes from downtown Nashville is hard to beat on a hot day.

Watauga Lake (TVA), near Elizabethton

TVA says Watauga Lake is the highest reservoir in the Tennessee River system, at more than 1,900 feet above sea level. The Cherokee National Forest surrounds it. The U.S. Forest Service puts the lake at about 6,400 acres.

What to do: In summer, swim at the Forest Service's designated areas at Shook Branch or Watauga Point, or launch a kayak at Rat Branch. Some Forest Service sites close off-season, so check the official page first. Why: the water is clear and cool, the mountains rise straight up from it, and the shore is national forest rather than condos.

Which Tennessee lakes suit a quiet cabin weekend?

For a slow weekend, book a lakeside cabin at Edgar Evins State Park on Center Hill Lake, or go to a no-gas-motor lake like Fall Creek Falls. For a lake you enjoy entirely on foot, go to Radnor Lake.

Center Hill Lake (Army Corps), near Smithville and Cookeville

World War II stopped work on Center Hill Dam in 1943, and the Corps finished it and began filling the lake in 1948. It is about 60 miles east of Nashville off Interstate 40. Edgar Evins State Park, on the lake, rents furnished cabin suites along the shoreline. Cabin guests get their own courtesy dock, and the park has a large marina that rents boats.

What to do: Rent a pontoon for a few hours, then spend the evening on your cabin's porch. Burgess Falls is on the lake too, if you want a waterfall stop near Cookeville. Why: you get to be on the water all weekend without towing a boat.

Fall Creek Falls Lake (Tennessee State Parks), Cumberland Plateau

Fall Creek Falls State Park allows no gasoline motors on its lake, so it stays quiet. The park typically rents canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, pedal boats and jon boats from spring through October; jon boat anglers bring their own trolling motor and battery.

What to do: Paddle at sunrise, fish from a jon boat, then hike to the waterfalls the park is named for. Why: it's a lake weekend where the loudest sound is your paddle.

Radnor Lake (Tennessee State Parks), Nashville

Radnor Lake is an 85-acre lake that the Louisville & Nashville Railroad built in 1914 to water its steam engines. It is now a protected State Natural Area inside Nashville. Swimming, wading and fishing are not allowed, and visitors stay on the trails.

What to do: Walk the lakeside trails early in the morning and watch for wildlife. Why: it's the calmest way to enjoy a lake in Tennessee, and you don't even need a cabin.

What should you check before a lake day in Tennessee?

Check licenses, permits and seasons before you hitch up the boat.

• License: Anyone 13 or older needs a Tennessee fishing license from TWRA. Children under 13 can fish without one.
• Extra permits: Check whether your lake needs one. Reelfoot Lake needs a preservation permit for most adults, and TWRA lakes need a lake fishing permit for most adults.
• Free fishing day: TWRA typically holds a free fishing day each June, when nobody needs a license.
• Season: TVA and Corps campgrounds often close from late fall to early spring. Check the official page before you tow.
• Wildlife closures: Some Reelfoot refuge waters close to paddlers in winter to protect wildlife.
• Booking: State park cabins and lodges are booked through Tennessee State Parks. Browse more stays in our travel and lodging listings.
• Pairing: Pair a lake with a drive. Our road trips and outdoors pages make good next steps.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Are most lakes in Tennessee man-made?

Yes. Most of Tennessee's big lakes, including Kentucky, Norris, Douglas, Dale Hollow, Center Hill and J. Percy Priest, are reservoirs behind dams built by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Reelfoot Lake is the exception: TWRA says the 1811-1812 earthquakes formed it.

What is the largest natural lake in Tennessee?

Reelfoot Lake in Northwest Tennessee is the state's largest natural lake. TWRA puts it at 10,427 acres.

Which Tennessee lake is best for swimming near Nashville?

J. Percy Priest Lake is the easiest choice. The Army Corps runs beaches at its Anderson Road, Cook and Seven Points recreation areas, and Long Hunter State Park has a swim beach at Bryant Grove.

Where was the world-record smallmouth bass caught?

The world-record smallmouth bass came from Dale Hollow Lake in 1955 and weighed 11 pounds, 15 ounces, according to Kentucky's wildlife agency, which says it was caught on the Kentucky side of the lake, which straddles the state line near Celina, Tennessee.

Do I need a fishing license for Tennessee lakes?

Yes, if you are 13 or older. Children under 13 can fish without a license. Most adults also need an extra permit at Reelfoot Lake and at TWRA's own lakes.

Which Tennessee lake has cabins on the water?

Edgar Evins State Park rents furnished cabin suites along the Center Hill Lake shoreline, with a courtesy dock just for cabin guests. Norris Dam State Park also rents cabins near Norris Lake.