What a great little hidden gem! I almost did not want to add it on here, but here goes…read more.. Six months ago, I discovered this place as a nice getaway with a place to take my little one and experience sand. His first steps on a "beach" were taken here. The sand is clean and free of shells or debris. There are several picnic areas with tables scattered along the water and some with shade provided by the trees. When they reopen, you can get a tour inside to see how the dam was built and works. We didn't get to do that yet. It was a spontaneous trip and later in the day, so next time. On the grounds, they do have a few historic parts displayed such as the retired lock (see photo). It was really neat to see. They have a covered pavilion where you can gather to eat at the picnic tables with family and friends. As the weather is warm today, I thought of this place. Unfortunately, this time we are in dealing with the world pandemic and social distancing ... we have to wait. Everything we saw appeared clean and everywhere was open, but it wasn't crowded since school had started already. So, add this to your list of places to check out. Today's high of 80 degrees would be the perfect day to go! :-(

Beautiful area walking hiking trails nearby the park is well kept and monitored. Go to their…read morewelcome office and buy your pass for all the national parks!

Such a beautiful lake to go watch the sunset/sunrise at!! It's a Tennessee staple, but it's sad…read morethat people are so dangerous around here!! You definitely have to be careful of which area you're in by the lake!

Surprised to see the main entrance already closed for the winter. We took a small trail that was…read moreall paved, which was nice, but not very long. It had very little parking available & no bathrooms at this site so that was very disappointing.

Great family fun! My 4 yr old caught a 10lb catfish! Owners are so nice and welcoming and even…read moretaught me a thing or 2 on how to fish for catfish. Will be back!

This is an awesome family place, see it for yourself, kids love it, tournament fisherman love it,…read morethere are several new things to see and it has new management , visit the Facebook page ( big whiskers catfish farm) and see the happy customers .fish average weights are from 5 to 70 pounds, it's a ball

Stayed at Montgomery Bell Lodge in Tennessee and it's worth the trip. Clean, modern lodge tucked…read moreright inside the state park, overlooking the lake. Rooms are simple but solid -- everything you need after a long hike or day on the water. Restaurant downstairs is convenient, food's better than you'd expect for park dining, and you can grab coffee before heading out. Best part? You walk right out the door into trails, woods, and lake views without ever touching your truck. Not luxury, but not trying to be. Lodge and loaded with what matters: comfort, location, and that Tennessee outdoors feel.

Tranquility. That defines this beautiful green park as well as the small lake…read more Easy to get to, lots of parking and pavilions and dense with forested areas. Lots of picnic tables and places for kids to have fun! The small relatively clear Southern lake had a couple of fishing boats working the shores. The lake is chock full of bass. Fingerling bass line the shore line and 1-3 pounders were seen in the water everywhere. The trails take you up along the ridges and other areas walk you along the dam and lakeshore. The afternoon sun is filtered through the trees giving a warm greenish yellow backdrop. The shady areas are beyond restful and recharged me for another day!

Brian Carper was our guide when we took our Grandkids fishing on his Pontoon Boat. He taught the…read morekids with a lot of patience, so that we had a great catch and a wonderful Fish Fry this Friday night. I recommend Brian Carper for a great family adventure. Also Brian Fernandez

We hired Brian Carper a few years ago for a bass fishing trip. We were specifically targeting…read morelargemouth bass with top water lures. Brian spent the whole day running the trolling motor AND fishing all of the good water before my guest and I got the leftovers. 0 out of 10, complete waste of time and money. He caught fish. We didn't.

Visited with my husband and 3 kids (ages 4, 3, and 20 months) on a holiday weekend around 9 a.m…read more There are two entrances -- we used the one off Franklin Rd. This parking lot is smaller, but we were surprised to find a spot easily. When we left around 10:45, there was a line of about 6 cars waiting, though cars seemed to move through fairly quickly. There is a nice bathroom at the top of the parking lot. From this entrance, you can also access the trail along the lake, though strollers and dogs are not allowed on that trail. We chose the lower paved trail instead (part of the mulch trail loop). It's wide -- almost road-sized -- and newly paved the entire way. It took about 15 minutes to reach the lake, and there's plenty more paved trail beyond that. We saw frogs, ducks, turtles, deer, an owl, and even a bald eagle. My kids stayed engaged the whole time. The trail was flat and easy for stroller pushing, and my older kids rode scooters without any issues. There were lots of families, dogs, and walkers out, but it never felt overcrowded. Overall, this is a great near-the-city option for getting young kids into nature without dealing with steep terrain. The other entrance off Granny White has the visitor center and a bit more parking.

First time hiking this place and it was really nice. Not too difficult but doing it during semi hot…read moretemperatures can get you a good workout. I think the hike around the lake was around 2-3 miles.

This park is very pretty with decent trails . Some of the trails at the top of the hill get very…read morenarrow .

The place certainly lives up to the name. An anonymous parking lot gives no hint of a lake nearby…read more It'll be a decent walk into the woods before you catch any glimpse of it. The lake was surrounded mostly by steep cliffs. I couldn't tell you how water flows in or out of it. Some trails lead up the cliffs, which gets you some semi-obstructed views of the lake and the military cemetery nearby. It was not a huge park, but it's free and a pleasant place to walk.

Stayed here for one night camping in hammocks. We actually got an tv spot because we were on the…read moreHarleys and it was a good place to park and also the bathhouse. Extremely clean park and the facilities were excellent. Will stay again if in the area.

First thing, They really need to offer sewer for campers…read more Second, bathrooms and bath house need much updating. Majority of the time the commodes were completely clogged. They have a great pool potentially. It's just empty sitting there. Went to the nature center, supposed to open at 10:00 but nobody there. The playground area needs so much help!! Overgrown weeds, needs mulch. This campground has potential but needs some major updating!!

My favorite spot in the Nashville area for fireworks! Absolutely gorgeous sunset view while waiting…read morefor everything to start, and huge open area so no one is sitting on top of each other. Only complaint to knock it to 4 vs 5 stars is the parking. One way in, one way out. Meaning buckle up buttercups... because you'll be sitting a loooong time in your car waiting to get out. Make sure that gas tank is full beforehand! Definitely a go to spot, they just need to work on better logistics.

Pretty , would be nice for family pictures . Sunset is pretty , overlooks a barn . Came up here to…read moresee the sunset and eat my shrimp dinner

Want to play a little game? Count how many wild life you find while on the trail. I found a turtle…read more There much to love about this park. It's very well maintained. If you want exercise without distraction I'd suggest heading to the park by 6:30 as it can get quite packed. I nearly lost a limb from a biker going max speed. Only downside is that highway near it is loud. 9/10 turtles

Bleachers have a sun shade which is great for travel baseball tournaments. Concessions were…read morereasonable and tasty.