News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Center Hill Lake has made its primitive campsite booking available 24/7, with more sites available.
Park Ranger Ashley Webster said patrons used to be required to call the park’s resource office but now can visit recreation.gov for bookings. Webster said 11 camping sites in seven areas will be available in 2021.
“I know there’s nothing like packing your bag, packing your food, the cooler, loading them up into the boat,” Webster said. “Group coordination, and just that journey to your campsite to be able to primitively camp without water or electric or restroom facilities.”
Webster said they are in the process of posting signage for campers and setting up fire rings. She said most primitive camp sites are accessible by boat only.
Webster said that campers can make reservations online, however they can still book over the phone by calling 1-877-444-6777 from 9:00 AM until 11:00 PM.
“We don’t want folks to go through and expand the areas or find another area near by,” Webster said. “We want them to only impact that area that we’ve cleared off so we can protect the natural resources.”
Webster said the plan is to establish 17 camping areas, with 19 total campsites. She said the hope is to have all those areas open by next year’s camping season.
“When the lake was drawn down for the construction of the RCC dam, the saddle dam, many of our sites were unreachable,” Webster said. “So they weren’t maintained anymore, a lot of them are grown up. We are in the process of, hopefully by this time next year having all 19 sites, 17 areas open.”
The following locations across the lake are open to primitive camping areas to date:
Cane Hollow Recreation Area (3 sites)
Davies Island North
Davies Island East
Davies Island West
East Shore
White County Access
Big Hurricane
South Shore
Pedigo Point – Also known as Clay Point
Rules at developed campgrounds also apply at primitive campsites. Sites can be booked for 14 days in a 30-day consecutive period. The Center Hill Lake Resource Manager’s Office is seeking volunteer groups with access to a vessel that would like to assist with maintaining camping areas. If interested call 931-858-3125.
