Cherokee Lake Information

Cherokee Lake covers 30,300 acres and 463 miles of shoreline. Its watershed covers 3,428 square feet and it is 54 miles long with a shoreline of nearly 400 miles and a surface area at summer water level of 30,300 acres. It collects the rainfall from a 3,428-square- mile watershed.

The backdrop of gently rolling hills and farmlands make for a heavenly country retreat. It lies in Hawkins, Grainger, Hamblen and Jefferson counties. Cherokee Dam on the Holston River was constructed by TVA in 1942 in order to generate electricity during World War II and continues to supply electricity to this day. The lake provides enough activities to attract millions of recreational visitors each year.


Cherokee Lake Activities

Activities at Cherokee Lake include boating, fishing, camping and swimming. Public access areas, county & municipal parks, commercial boat docks & resorts, Panther Creek State Park, state wildlife management area and campgrounds will have everyone ready to take a trip to the Cherokee Lake area. Game fish range from black bass, sauger, walleye, crappie and sunfish to the usual rough-fish species.

Cherokee Dam

Cherokee Dam is on the Holston River in east Tennessee, 52 miles upstream from the point at which the Holston and French Broad Rivers converge to form the Tennessee.

Cherokee Lake Reservoir

Cherokee Reservoir attracts millions of recreational visitors each year. Along its shorelines are public access areas, county and municipal parks, commercial boat docks and resorts, a state park, and a state wildlife management area. There are many tent and trailer sites for campers.

Cherokee Lake Fishing

Cherokee Lake is one of the largest lakes in the state of Tennessee. Jefferson County shorelines Cherokee Lake. There is no closed fishing season, however, the fish bite best from April through October. Cherokee has several boat docks, campgrounds, and parks to visit.

Cherokee Lake provides fishermen with the hefty catches of Largemouth (April-May), Smallmouth (March-May) crappie (Mid April -May, Oct.-Nov.), White Bass (Late Feb.-March), and Strippers (Late Fall in the headwaters, river) They move out in May and are taken in the lake fishing live bait and jigging near submerged islands. Catfish (June-Aug.) off rocky banks. Bream (April- Oct.)


Cherokee Lake Communities

Nearby communities include Morristown, Jefferson City, and Rogersville, Tennessee. White bass, smallmouth and largemouth bass, crappie, walleye, and striped bass are the primary sport fish in Cherokee Lake.

The TVA

The TVA provides a variety of recreational facilities at Cherokee Dam including a day use area with a swimming beach, picnic area and a year round boat launch ramp. The campground is open from April to September. There are no hookups for RV's but hot showers are available. For more information on recreational opportunities call 1-800-TVA-LAND.