Boating, fishing, and camping are popular activities for many people living in Clarksville. Bird watchers, hikers, nature watchers, and horseback riders also frequent the lakes around Clarksville. Not everyone has the opportunity to live in a lakefront home in Clarksville next to the Cumberland River, but living close to the water is the next best thing. Here are five of the best lakes near Clarksville, Tennessee.

Cheatham Lake

Cheatham Lake is about a 50-minute drive south of Clarksville. It's an impoundment of the Cumberland River, offering about 320 miles of shoreline for swimming, canoeing, and camping at a state-run campground.

The Cheatham Dam is about 22 miles upstream on the Cumberland River, and the lake technically runs to the Old Hickory Lock at the other end of the city of Nashville. The closest access points are the Lock A Recreation Area, the Pardue Pond Wildlife Refuge, and the Dyson Ditch Wildlife Refuge. There's also a marina in Ashland City, between Clarksville and Nashville.

Boating and fishing are extremely popular at Cheatham Lake. There are no fishing piers, but bank fishing is allowed on most public lands surrounding the lake. Anglers catch largemouth bass, catfish, walleye, rainbow trout, sauger, and other fish species.

There are 16 public access boat ramps, which don't require fees to use. The Cheatham Dam Right Bank Recreation Area is the only portion of the lake where users must pay some small fees, listed here:

• $4 daily use fee; $30 annual pass
• Fees apply to each vehicle or boat entering area
• Tennessee fishing license required for angling

Lake Barkley

Lake Barkley is another body of water created by damming the Cumberland River, just like Cheatham Lake. This lake is on the other side of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area from Kentucky Lake and contains 58,000 acres of surface area.

The Lake Barkley State Resort Park is about an hour's drive northwest of Clarksville. The Lake Barkley Marina is just west of the resort park, and the Lake Barkley Campground and Lake Barkley State Park Beach are just east of the resort.

Staying in this area for a camping trip or vacation allows access to the marina for fishing and boating. Numerous hiking trails follow the lake, where visitors can watch for birds and other wildlife. The resort also has an 18-hole championship golf course.

Fishing in Lake Barkley provides opportunities to catch bass, bluegill, sunfish, catfish, and shell crackers.

Kentucky Lake

Kentucky Lake is the largest body of water between the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes. At just over 160,000 surface acres, it's also the seventh-largest manmade lake in the United States.

Head west from Clarksville on Highway 79 to Dover, then take the Woodlands Trace National Scenic Byway northwest to reach the lake. The trip is about 45 miles, but it takes an hour to traverse the winding roads leading to the lake. The lake's east shore is in Tennessee, and the west is in Kentucky.

Boating and fishing are favorite activities here, and it's also a popular vacation spot with multiple resorts and marinas on the Kentucky side. The lake is 184 miles long, so it's difficult to recommend any one spot for Clarksville residents to visit.

Anglers enjoy the lake because many miles of bank fishing are available in the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. Fish species include bass, crappie, bluegill, and red-ear sunfish, all of which are abundant. Hotels, motels, campgrounds, vacation rentals, and even some condo timeshares can all be found around and near Kentucky Lake.

Percy Priest Lake

Percy Priest Lake, also known as the J. Percy Priest Reservoir, is on the far eastern side of Nashville from Clarksville. The lake has 14,200 acres of surface area, so there are numerous marinas, campgrounds, and other ways to enjoy the water.

Percy Priest is about an hour away from Clarksville via I-24 and then I-40. Exit 219 leads to the northern dam overlook and a fishing area with a parking lot right next to the water, and across the dam is Percy Priest Lake Park, another good spot for fishing or running next to the lake.

Camping season at Percy Priest Lake runs from April through October. Campsites in Nashville, the city of LaVergne, and the Hermitage neighborhood cost between $14 and $24 per night and have varying amenities. Five separate marinas offer everything from boat ramps and fuel to live bait and showers. Some marinas even have restaurants where live music plays on the weekends.

Fish species that draw anglers to this lake include largemouth and smallmouth bass, white bass, striped bass, and bluegill.

Old Hickory Lake

Old Hickory Lake is northeast of Nashville and about 66 miles southeast of Clarksville. This lake is another manmade reservoir created by damming the Cumberland River. It has a surface area of about 22,500 acres and extends for nearly 100 river miles.

Old Hickory Lake is great for fishing, boating, jet skiing, paddle boarding, and swimming. There are four marinas around the lake: two in the city of Hendersonville, one in the city of Mount Juliet, and one in the city of Gallatin.

Six parks near the lake offer bank fishing, picnicking, and hiking. Four public campsites offer trailer hookups, swimming, hiking, canoeing, and wildlife viewing. There are also four designated swimming areas. Three charge a nominal fee, but the one at Lock 3 is free.

Scuba diving is allowed at Old Hickory Lake. There also is an archery trail and range where bowhunters and archery enthusiasts can test their skills on a hike.

Enjoy the Water near Clarksville

The city of Clarksville provides quick access to some of the most beautiful and peaceful bodies of water in Tennessee and Kentucky. Boaters, fishermen, and "outdoorsy" types love living in this water-privileged community near the Cumberland River.

If Clarksville is your top choice for a new home, contact The Ashton Real Estate Group of RE/MAX Advantage with Nashville's MLS at (615) 603-3602 to speak to a Clarksville real estate agent and get started finding your Clarksville dream home.

Read Our Lake Guides For Each City Below