Cherokee Lake

East Tennessee's Favorite Lake

Over 28,000 acres of clear water, incredible fishing, and some of the best boating in the Southeast. Here’s everything you need to know.
Cherokee Lake

About the Lake

Cherokee Lake is a reservoir on the Holston River in East Tennessee, managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Stretching across parts of Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, and Hawkins counties, the lake offers more than 28,000 surface acres of water and over 400 miles of shoreline. It’s one of the most popular recreational lakes in the region, drawing boaters, anglers, and families from the Knoxville metro area and beyond.

The lake is surrounded by rolling hills and wooded shoreline, with a mix of quiet coves and open water. It’s deep enough for serious fishing and big enough to spend all day exploring without feeling crowded.

Cherokee Lake

Fishing on Cherokee Lake

Cherokee Lake is known as one of the top fishing lakes in East Tennessee. Anglers come from across the region for the excellent striper, crappie, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and walleye fishing.
Popular species: Striped bass (striper) Crappie Largemouth bass Smallmouth bass Walleye Catfish Bluegill and sunfish
The lake offers a mix of deep channel fishing, shallow cove fishing, and everything in between. Spring and fall are peak seasons for crappie and bass, while summer brings the striper fishing that Cherokee Lake is famous for.
Cherokee Lake

Boating on Cherokee Lake

Whether you own a boat or you’re renting for the day, Cherokee Lake is a great place to be on the water. The lake has multiple public launch ramps, marinas, and access points across its four-county footprint. Speed limits vary by area, with no-wake zones near docks and residential shoreline.

Huff’s Marina at German Creek offers a paved boat ramp with trailer parking, marine fuel on the water, and covered and uncovered boat slips for seasonal or annual docking. If you don’t have a boat, we rent pontoons by the day.

Huff's German Creek Marina

Getting Here

Huff’s Marina is located at 155 Muskogee Ln in Bean Station, Tennessee, just 4 miles off Highway 25-E. The marina is an easy drive from Knoxville (about 50 minutes), Morristown (about 15 minutes), and the Tri-Cities area.