Nashville, Tennessee Lakes
The Greater Nashville area is home to a myriad of water features, such as ponds large and small, but the distinction of "lake" goes to only a few near Nashville. If you are looking for waterfront homes for sale, please head to our Nashville lakefront real estate page.
Below you will find information on many of the Nashville area's lakes.
Nashville Lake Searches
Old Hickory Lake
Old Hickory Lake is actually the result of the Army Corp of Engineers damming the river in the 1960's to create the now pristine lake and lakefront property. The dam falls under the Tennessee Valley Authority and in conjunction with the Corp they control the level of the lake.
The lake covers many communities across three counties: Sumner County has lakefront homes in Hendersonville and Gallatin. Wilson County has waterfront homes in Mt. Juliet and Lebanon, while Davidson County has homes in Old Hickory and Nashville.
Fishing and boating are very popular recreational pastimes on the lake. Old Hickory Lake has been the site of several major national and regional championship bass tournaments. These have included the Wal-Mart FLW, Everstart, Bassmaster Megabucks, BASS Tennessee Eastern Invitational, Super Bass Classic National Championship and Bass Pro Shops Crappiemasters National Championship.
The lake offers many public ramps for access to the lake which can be found in nearby communities.
Old Hickory Lake has eight commercial marinas offering services for visitors. Anchor High and Cherokee also have restaurants which have proved to be very popular with the locals.
- Anchor High Marina
128 River Road – Hendersonville, TN 615-824-2175
(http://www.anchorhighmarina.net) - Drakes Creek Marina
441 Sanders Ferry Road – Hendersonville 615-822-3886
(http://www.drakescreekmarine.com) - Creekwood Marina
Hendersonville – 615-824-7963
- Gallatin Marina
727 Marina Rd – Gallatin, TN 615-452-9876
- Old Hickory Marina
2001 Riverside Drive – Old Hickory, TN 615-847-4022
- Shady Cove Resort
1115 Shady Cove – Castalian Springs, TN 615-42-8010
- Cedar Creek Marina
9120 Saundersville Rd – Mt. Juliet, TN 615-758-5174
- Cherokee Resort
Cherokee Dock Rd – Lebanon, TN 615-444-2783
Percy Priest Lake
Percy Priest Lake is just 15 minutes from downtown Nashville with easy access from I-40. There are 14,200 acres of water with 265 miles of shoreline. This is a nature preserve, so private docks are not permitted on this lake.
Fishing, hunting, camping, picnicking, boating, water skiing, jet skiing, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding, and swimming: these are all typical sports and activities that can be enjoyed at Percy Priest Lake. In addition, there are some very scenic routes around the lake and bridges that cross the lake that are well worth experiencing.
There are several campgrounds near Percy Priest Lake:
- Anderson Road Campground — Open 5/1 to 9/2 — (615) 361-1980
- Seven Points Campground — Open 4/1 to 10/31 — (615) 889-5198
- Poole Knobs Campground — Open 5/1 to 9/30 — (615) 459-6948
- Cook Campground — Open 5/1 to 9/2 — (615) 889-1096
Radnor Lake
This nature preserve is like an oasis due to its proximity to downtown Nashville. It provides a tranquil respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. There are extensive walking trails throughout the park giving the public access to local wildlife and nature.
Radnor Lake is actually Tennessee's first official "Natural Area," located in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee. With over 1,200 acres, Radnor Lake State Natural Area is the largest pocket of wilderness in the U.S. within close proximity of a major city.
The 85-acre Radnor Lake is located in the Oak Hill area of Davidson County.
The park is known to support the existence of at least 125 species of trees and shrubs, just over 400 varieties of plants and wildflowers, well over 200 different birds, numerous species of fish, and a varied collection of wild animals. These include deer, snakes, lizards, turtles, coyotes, bobcats, beavers, mink, muskrats, otters, skunks, raccoons and more!
Radnor Lake Park is open during daylight hours and closes at dusk.