Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 136980770).
The red circle marks Cordell Hull Reservoir.
Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Tennessee: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).
Official TWRA pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.
Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.
Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 136980770), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: TWRA boating and fishing access sites and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
We found 14 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Cordell Hull Reservoir, 5 of them within 5 miles. 5 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
Full hookups at 62 sites · RVs welcome · Dogs allowed
Full hookups at 30 sites · RVs welcome · Dogs allowed
RVs welcome · Tent sites
Electric hookups · RVs welcome · Dogs allowed
All campgrounds & RV parks in Tennessee
Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.
Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.
The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Cordell Hull Reservoir, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:
Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (36.3670, -85.6844). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Cordell Hull Reservoir. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Chicago), and accurate to within a few minutes.
20 public access sites listed, 20 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.
| Site | Town | Owner | Type | Parking | Fee | Uses | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boat ramp | — | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 36.3038, -85.9268 |
| Boat ramp | Gainesboro | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 36.3768, -85.6323 |
| Boat ramp | — | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 36.2946, -85.9436 |
| Boat ramp | — | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 36.2555, -85.8006 |
| Buffalo Ramp | Gainesboro | USACE | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | No fee | Boating | 36.3106, -85.8751 |
| Defeated Creek Campground Boat Ramp | — | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 36.3006, -85.9071 |
| Defeated Creek Marina Boat Ramp | — | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 36.3038, -85.9078 |
| Defeated Creek Recreation Area Boat Ramp | — | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 36.3139, -85.9070 |
| High School Ramp | Gainesboro | USACE | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | No fee | Boating | 36.3799, -85.6657 |
| Hollemans Bend Boat Ramp | Gainesboro | USACE | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | No fee | Boating | 36.3166, -85.7927 |
| Horseshoe Bend Ramp | Gainesboro | USACE | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | No fee | Boating | 36.2963, -85.9433 |
| Indian Creek Campground | Gainesboro | USACE | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | Fee | Boating | 36.2416, -85.7976 |
| Martins Creek Boat Ramp | Gainesboro | USACE | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | No fee | Boating | 36.2509, -85.7810 |
| Roaring River Park | Gainesboro | USACE | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | No fee | Boating | 36.3743, -85.6414 |
| Salt Lick Park | Gainesboro | USACE | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | Fee | Boating | 36.3227, -85.7852 |
| Smith's Bend Boat Ramp | Gainesboro | USACE | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | No fee | Boating | 36.3237, -85.7827 |
| Sullivans Bend Boat Ramp | Gainesboro | USACE | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | No fee | Boating | 36.2956, -85.8688 |
| Sullivans Bend Ramp 2 | Gainesboro | USACE | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | No fee | Boating | 36.2987, -85.8715 |
| Wartrace Park | Gainesboro | USACE | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | Fee | Boating | 36.3602, -85.7724 |
| Whites Bend Boat Ramp | Gainesboro | USACE | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | No fee | Boating | 36.3499, -85.7347 |
TWRA boating and fishing access sites and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)
Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.
Reported on or near Cordell Hull Reservoir
USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database
USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.
Cordell Hull Reservoir covers about 11,632 acres in Gainesboro, Tennessee (Jackson County).
Yes. 20 public trailer launches are listed: Whites Bend Boat Ramp, Smith's Bend Boat Ramp and Martins Creek Boat Ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.
Yes. We list 14 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 5 of them within 5 miles.
Cordell Hull Reservoir touches Gainesboro in Jackson County, Smith County and Clay County, Tennessee.
Know Cordell Hull Reservoir? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).
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