Tent Sites
Michele P
VerifiedJuly 13, 2026 Stayed at: Falling Water - Site 11, Loop: Falling Water - Site 11
Small site. Good for a couple small tents.
Helpful
Featured amenities
Pet Friendly
About Center Hill Lake Primitive Camping Areas
Center Hill Lake Primitive Camping is a unique camping experience at designated areas across Center Hill's 415 mi of shoreline. Primitive camping offers a unique rustic lake front camping experience. Remote locations along the shoreline offer campers a peaceful nature experience. Most designated tent sites are accessible only by boat; while a few can be reached by road.
Campers are advised that these areas are remote, primitive sites. Cellular service may be non-existant or limited. Water or electric including restroom facilities of any kind are not availabile. Campers desiring on-site attendant, security, and law enforcement services are encouraged to use developed campgrounds where such services are provided. These services are not provided for primitive camping.
Available sites
13 total sitesActivities & Attractions
Nearby
Boating
Spring
Summer
Fall
Fishing
Year-round
Hiking
Year-round
Swimming
Summer
Year-round
Fishing
Nearby
Hiking
Nearby
Spring
Boating
Nearby
Summer
Boating
Nearby
Swimming
Nearby
Fall
Boating
Nearby
Seasonal information
2026
(Current year)
2026 Season availability
Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Open year round
This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.
365 Days
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Pet friendly
Pets and Policies
- Pet friendly
Missing information?
Rates, Sites & Availability
Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.
13 Sites Available
⛺
Big Hurricane - Site 1, Loop: Big Hurricane - Site 1
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
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Crowder Cove - Site 5, Loop: Crowder Cove - Site 5
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
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Davies Island East - Site 6, Loop: Davies Island East - Site 6
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
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Davies Island North - Site 8, Loop: Davies Island North - Site 8
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
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Davies Island West -Site 7, Loop: Davies Island West -Site 7
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
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Eagle Creek -Site 9, Loop: Eagle Creek -Site 9
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
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East Shore - Site 10, Loop: East Shore - Site 10
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
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Falling Water - Site 11, Loop: Falling Water - Site 11
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
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Pedigo Point - Site 14, Loop: Pedigo Point - Site 14
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
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Pine Creek -Site 15, Loop: Pine Creek -Site 15
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
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South Shore -Site 17, Loop: South Shore -Site 17
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
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Squirrel Tail - Site 19, Loop: Squirrel Tail - Site 19
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
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White County Access -Site 20, Loop: White County Access -Site 20
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
No sites found matching your criteria.
No available sites
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Site Details
Select a site to view details
13 Sites Available
Site
Price
⛺
Big Hurricane - Site 1, Loop: Big Hurricane - Site 1
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺
Crowder Cove - Site 5, Loop: Crowder Cove - Site 5
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺
Davies Island East - Site 6, Loop: Davies Island East - Site 6
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺
Davies Island North - Site 8, Loop: Davies Island North - Site 8
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺
Davies Island West -Site 7, Loop: Davies Island West -Site 7
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺
Eagle Creek -Site 9, Loop: Eagle Creek -Site 9
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺
East Shore - Site 10, Loop: East Shore - Site 10
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺
Falling Water - Site 11, Loop: Falling Water - Site 11
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺
Pedigo Point - Site 14, Loop: Pedigo Point - Site 14
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺
Pine Creek -Site 15, Loop: Pine Creek -Site 15
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺
South Shore -Site 17, Loop: South Shore -Site 17
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺
Squirrel Tail - Site 19, Loop: Squirrel Tail - Site 19
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺
White County Access -Site 20, Loop: White County Access -Site 20
Tent
Pet Friendly · Campfire · Yes shade
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews
36 reviews
Summary
Center Hill Lake Primitive Camping Areas offers beautiful views, especially from the Smith County Access Camp, making it a great spot for kayaking and exploring. However, some campsites are difficult to find and suffer from litter and overgrowth, impacting the overall experience. While many enjoy the secluded nature of the sites, improvements in maintenance and clearer signage could enhance future visits.
Based on guest feedback
3.5
Overall rating
Based on 36 reviews
5 stars
36.1% (13)
4 stars
25.0% (9)
3 stars
8.3% (3)
2 stars
11.1% (4)
1 star
19.4% (7)
Showing 36 reviews
Verified Only
Sort by: Oldest First
Kristi H
VerifiedJuly 15, 2026 Stayed at: South Shore -Site 17, Loop: South Shore -Site 17
Nice campsite. Lots of trash and broken glass left behind previous campers. We loaded out three 55 gallon bags of trash before we could set up camp.
Helpful
Paul F
VerifiedAugust 14, 2026 Stayed at: White County Access -Site 20, Loop: White County Access -Site 20
Enjoyed our stay at the smith county access camp. It is a beautiful area with the shore facing spectacular bluffs across the water. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a secluded primitive camping spot.
Helpful
Laurence S
VerifiedSeptember 14, 2026 Stayed at: Falling Water - Site 11, Loop: Falling Water - Site 11
Another fantastic getaway to this campsite. We had a large group that enjoyed paddling to Burgess and Fancher. We also hiked Burgess, Fall Creek and Rock Island.
The site is unlevel, hard and cramped but works and is an awesome location. We had a near miss with a juvenile copperhead but that’s a risk anywhere. Very little phone service there.
Helpful
Dewayne M
VerifiedOctober 4, 2026 Stayed at: Falling Water - Site 11, Loop: Falling Water - Site 11
The campsite itself was great. We were able to set up a nice camp and enjoyed ourselves. The issue was the map on the website showing its location. It's marked in the wrong spot on the map. We just happened to find it after realizing it was not where we expected it to be. It is not at the mouth of Cane Creek as shown on the map. It's actually on the right on top of a small hill before you get to the stand of dead trees in the lake.
Helpful
Joshua D
VerifiedOctober 6, 2026 Stayed at: White County Access -Site 20, Loop: White County Access -Site 20
great time, nice and quiet.
Helpful
Location & Directions for Center Hill Lake Primitive Camping Areas
158 Resource Lane, Lancaster, TN 38569 United States
Elevation: 166 ft
Getting There
Directions to primitive camp sites start at the nearest USACE facility.
The GPS coordinate "Center Hill Lake Primitive Camping Areas" is for Center Hill Dam. 36°05'52.3"N 85°49'32.4"W or 36.097869, -85.825653
Highway access
The campground is located near US Highway 70, offering access to the area. Interstate 40 is approximately 20 miles to the north, providing additional access.
Nearby Campgrounds
Nearby destinations
Last updated: October 22, 2026
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Explore Lancaster, TN
Nearby city: Murfreesboro, TN
Approx. 36 mi away (straight-line distance)
Elevation: 531 ft
Lancaster, TN
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Managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers