Army Corps of Engineers · Cordell Hull Lake · Carthage, TN

Defeated Creek Park

Defeated Creek Park Campground sits along the banks of Cordell Hull Lake on the Cumberland River System, just seven miles from Carthage, Tennessee. The lake was named after Cordell Hull, a politician that was born in the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains. Hull is best known for being the longest running secretary of state in American history, serving for 11 years.

Reservable · Recreation.gov 158 sites 99 ft max Full hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: electric hookups in Tennessee · full hookups in Tennessee · reservable in Tennessee · big rigs in Tennessee · pets allowed in Tennessee · group sites in Tennessee

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗

Photos courtesy of USACE · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard with electric		146
group shelter electric		3
group standard electric		2
Host/management		7

Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

Towing a trailerRear or front mounted accessoriesi

Tow vehicle length, ftTrailer length, ft

The longest site here provides 120 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

151 sites in 4 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Fits, ft	Surface	Shade	Power	Water / sewer	Waterfront	People / vehicles	Fires
A001	DCRP	Group Shelter Electric			Paved		20 amp	Yes / –		50 / 20	Yes
C001	DCRP	Group Shelter Electric	Back-in				20 amp	Yes / –		50 / 1
P001	DCRP	Group Shelter Electric	Back-in				20 amp	Yes / –		50 / 1
002	HILL	Electric	Back-in	20	Gravel	Partial	50 amp	Yes / –	Lakefront	8 / 2	Yes
003	HILL	Electric	Pull-through	40	Gravel	None	30 amp	Yes / –		8 / 2	Yes
023	HILL	Electric	Pull-through	40	Gravel	Partial	50 amp	Yes / –		8 / 2	Yes
024	HILL	Electric	Back-in	20	Gravel	Partial	50 amp	Yes / –		8 / 2	Yes
025	HILL	Electric	Pull-through		Gravel	Partial	30 amp	Yes / –		8 / 2	Yes
026	HILL	Electric	Back-in	20	Gravel	Partial	50 amp	Yes / –		8 / 2	Yes
027	HILL	Electric	Pull-through	40	Gravel	Partial	50 amp	Yes / –		8 / 2	Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 6:00 AM, checkout 9:00 PM.

Campground map of Defeated Creek Park — Campground map published by Army Corps of Engineers on Recreation.gov, credited to USACE. Open the image for full size.

Amenities & rules

Hookups	Electric, water, sewer
Max vehicle length	99 ft
Equipment	RVs & trailers, Tents
Pets	Allowed
Campfires	Allowed, subject to restrictions

The campground offers 155 sites for tents and RVs, all with electric hookups. Two large group day-use shelters are also available on a first come first serve basis or for reservation in the day use area, both shelters have water and electric hookups. A boat ramp, playground, beach, and tennis and volleyball courts are all provided, making the area perfect for families or larger parties. A marina is located adjacent to the campground.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →

The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Carthage, 4 miles from the campground at 515 feet, station USC00401480 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 53 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 2 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Carthage, Tennessee, take SR-25 west for 4 miles. Turn north on SR-80, then east on SR-85. Follow signs to campground.

Nearest town	Carthage, Tennessee
Coordinates	36.2997° N, 85.9089° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump station	Dump station ↗	6.7 mi
RV sales & service	Blue Compass ↗	28.1 mi
Outdoor gear	Sportsman's Warehouse ↗	42.3 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Must-See Campground Review: Defeated Creek, TN!

Worth a stop

The historic town of Granville, Tennessee, is 25 miles from the campground. Visitors enjoy celebrating the town's Heritage Day annually in May. Events include the Uncle Jimmy Thompson Bluegrass Festival, antique car and tractor shows and Civil War living history presentations.

0.3 mi
Defeated Creek Marina ↗Boat launch
6.7 mi
Granville Marina ↗Boat launch

Other campgrounds nearby

Center Hill Lake Primitive Camping Areas

Historic landmarks nearby

On Register Atlas →

National Historic Landmark · 24 mi

Castalian Springs

Natural features

Cordell Hull Lake is situated among rolling hills covered in a mix of shady maple, hickory, oak, beech and chestnut trees. Summer temperatures range from the 60s to the 90s. Wildlife is abundant around the lake. Whitetail deer, wild turkey, quail, squirrels, rabbits and a wide variety of waterfowl are commonly seen throughout the area.

Recreation

The 12,000-acre lake stretches 72 miles upstream and boasts 381 miles of shoreline, offering countless recreational activities for visitors. Anglers enjoy fishing for white bass, rockfish, largemouth bass, catfish, shad and crappie. Boating, sailing, water skiing and jet skiing are popular activities on the water, and boat ramps and a marina provide easy lake access. Miles of hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking trails surround the lake. The 6-mile Bearwaller Gap Trail has a trailhead within the campground. Other trails in the area include the Turkey Creek Nature Trail and Bear Wheels Trail.

Guidebooks for Tennessee

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Best Tent Camping: Tennessee
Johnny Molloy, 2015
Find at Bookshop.org
Campgrounds in and Around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Grueen Huffman, 2010
Find at Bookshop.org
Hiking Tennessee
Kelley Roark, 2016
Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Defeated Creek Park?

Sites at Defeated Creek Park are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Defeated Creek Park?

Check-in 6:00 AM, checkout 9:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Defeated Creek Park have?

158 sites, including 146 standard sites with power, 3 group shelter electric, and 2 group standard electric.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Defeated Creek Park?

Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Does Defeated Creek Park have hookups?

Yes, electric, water, and sewer hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Defeated Creek Park?

Yes, pets are allowed at Defeated Creek Park. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Defeated Creek Park?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Defeated Creek Park?

The 12,000-acre lake stretches 72 miles upstream and boasts 381 miles of shoreline, offering countless recreational activities for visitors. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Defeated Creek Park?

Carthage, Tennessee. The historic town of Granville, Tennessee, is 25 miles from the campground.

Source: Getting there

What if Defeated Creek Park is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Salt Lick Creek (5.8 mi), Center Hill Lake Primitive Camping Areas (14.3 mi), and Long Branch (14.5 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby