Located just an hour outside of Nashville, Edgar Evins State Park stands out as a quintessential location for those looking for a family vacation, weekend getaway, or relaxing stay along one of Tennessee’s most beautiful reservoirs. The 6,000 acre park sits alongside Center Hill Lake and Caney Fork River and is touted as an ideal destination for kayaking, canoeing, boating and hiking. Visitors can relax while staying in the park’s popular cabins or campground and can take advantage of the park’s water and land related activities that are bound to offer something for everyone looking to spend some time outdoors.
Lodging
Cabins
The park offers cabin rentals for their one-bedroom, suite-style lodging. The cabins are a popular destination for families and folks looking to escape the fast-paced hustle of urban life without sacrificing the luxuries that come with having a roof over one’s head. Each suite can accommodate up to 6 adults and have a bedroom, living area, kitchen, and bathroom. The cabins are fully equipped with housekeeping amenities, central air, grills, and access to the park’s private swimming pool during summer months.
Reservations for cabins can be made on the park’s website. It is recommended to book your cabin stay well in advance of your arrival at the park as reservations fill up quickly.
Camping
Edgar Evins has one campground with 60 sites that look out onto Center Hill Lake. Sites are complete with electrical and water hookups and are located on wooden platforms that hold picnic tables, grills, and fire rings. There are 9 primitive sites outside of the main campground area. All sites share 3 bathhouses.
Boating
Center Hill Lake is the perfect location to escape the heat of a summer’s day and hosts opportunities for state park visitors to spend their day cooling off on the water. There are three boat launches within the state park’s boundaries where boaters can launch their motorized and non-motorized boats for a day on the lake. The Edgar Evins marina is a hub for boat services and supplies and offers boat slips and rentals. The marina also hosts a restaurant, open seasonally, for hungry boaters looking to grab a bite to eat after their aquatic endeavors.
Fishing
The park’s 18,000 acre reservoir is well-known for its bass fishing; several professional tournaments are held on Center Hill Lake throughout the year. The rocky shorelines of the lake provide a perfect place for fishermen looking for their next catch.
The colder waters of nearby Caney Fork River also provide good fishing for rainbow, brook and brown trout.
Hiking
Edgar Evins offers 12 miles of trails around the state park, ranging from easy to strenuous. The variety of trails and their terrain– winding through mixed wood forests, alongside the lake, and through fields of wildflowers– provides great options for family hikes as well as longer treks.
Those looking to take their family on a quick hike should consider the Storybook Trail. This half-mile-long, easy hike features pages of a storybook alongside the trail to inspire young readers and nature enthusiasts to engage in the environment around them. The trial’s location on a hillside bordering Center Hill Lake makes for great views.
For the more adventurous hikers, Merritt Ridge Trail offers a 5.3 mile strenuous route. Climbing atop Merritt Ridge, the trail gives hikers great lake views and opportunities to spot flora and fauna, including a range of wildflowers, alongside the route.
More trail information and descriptions of other trails can be found on the state park’s website
