Dale Hollow Lake

Dale Hollow Lake is currently operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The lake is sometimes referred to as DHL and is a vacation destination that is located between the states of Tennessee and Kentucky. Not only is Dale Hollow Lake a tourist attraction, it is great for smallmouth bass and other fishing in general. In fact, it is stated that Dale Hollow Lake holds the record for the largest smallmouth bass at 11 lbs and 15 oz. Many tournaments are held at DHL each year. There are events that are offered all around the Dale Hollow Lake area throughout the year. For instance, there is a fireworks show called “Shake the Lake” that Mitchell Creek Marina hosts on a yearly basis around the 4^th of July.

How the Lake was Formed

Prior to 1942, there were towns scattered throughout the region that currently makes up DHL. Originally, Dale Hollow Lake is a man-made lake that was formed by damming the Obey River and Cumberland River. Part of what established this lake was due to the Flood Control Act of 1938 and River and Harbor Act of 1943. To help maintain water levels and water guidance was the installation of power generating units in the years of 1948, 1949, and 1953. The dam to help regulate Dale Hollow Lake was built in Clay County on the west side of the lake. After the towns were flooded to create the lake, it formed a shoreline with a length of 620 miles while the surface area of the lake is over 27,000 acres with almost 25,000 acres of surrounding land, 24,842 acres to be exact. The average depth of the lake is 50 feet with the maximum depth at 130 feet. The normal elevation for the lake is 651 feet with a minimum of 632 feet and 659 feet. Throughout the year the water levels rise as much as 20 feet and can lower as much as 10 feet. These are important to account for especially if you are boating in areas that have low water levels. Researching the area before you arrive can help ensure that your boating experience is the most enjoyable it can be for you.

Accessing the Lake

The lake is located on the state-line between Tennessee and Kentucky. The counties that DHL covers are Clay, Pickett, Overton, and Fentress for Tennessee and Clinton and Cumberland in Kentucky. The lake can be seen from many areas within these counties that have been used for great photo ops. To access the lake with a boat, there are many places that can make this possible. Some of the marinas and other lake access ramps are easier to get to than the others. Sunset Marina and Resort has probably the easiest access to the lake from the main highways. It is located off HWY 111 in Monroe, just south of Byrdstown, TN, at 202 Sunset Dock Rd, Monroe, TN 38573. You can turn left (if you are traveling north) or right (if you are traveling south) off HWY 111 and be at the lake ramp access with a few feet. There are other areas that have lake access with ease of launching but the road to get to this areas can be narrow and difficult to navigate. For instance, if you just wanted to launch your boat in DHL, Cove Creek offers a very easy area to launch, but the road to the launch site gets narrow and is many miles from a major highway. If you are looking for good roads, then look for the marinas that are closer to the main roads, more times than not, they are probably easier overall to get your boat into the lake.

Lake Activities

There are many activities that are available at Dale Hollow Lake. Some of those include swimming, boating, fishing, water skiing, hiking, biking, picnicking, and horseback riding. In addition, there are vacation rentals as well as houseboat rentals.

Marinas

Currently 14 marinas are stationed throughout Dale Hollow Lake. Each of those marinas offers a variety of services such as house boat rentals, cabin rentals, jet-ski rentals, campgrounds, RV parks, kayaking, swimming, and many other fun-filled activities. Some of the marinas have restaurants that provide great foods such as burgers, BBQ, ribs, pizza. If you are in the mood for dessert, there are ice cream parlors at many of the resorts and the surrounding areas.

List of Current Marinas:

Cedar Hill Marina
Map it: 705 Cedar Hill Rd, Celina, TN 38551
Call: (931) 243-3201

Dale Hollow Marina
Map it: 440 Dale Hollow Boat Dock Rd, Celina, TN 38551
Call: (931) 243-2211

Dale Hollow State Park Marina
Map it: 5970 State Park Rd, Burkesville, KY 42717
Call: (270) 433-6600

East Port Marina & Resort
Map it: 5652 Eastport Rd #6429, Alpine, TN 38543
Call: (931) 879-7511

Hendricks Creek Resort
Map it: 945 Hendricks Creek Rd, Burkesville, KY 42717
Call: (270) 433-7172

Horse Creek Marina & Resort
Map it: 703 Horse Creek Rd, Celina, TN 38551
Call: (931) 243-2125

Marina Rowena
Map it: 11565 KY-558, Albany, KY 42602
Call: (606) 206-7488

Mitchell Creek Marina & Resort
Map it: 1260 Livingston Boatdock Rd, Allons, TN 38541
Call: (931) 823-6666

Safe Harbor Eagle Cove
Map it: 5899 Eagles Cv Rd, Byrdstown, TN 38549
Call: (931) 864-3456

Safe Harbor Holly Creek
Map it: 7855 Holly Creek Rd, Celina, TN 38551
Call: (931) 243-2116

Star Point Resort
Map it: 4490 Star Point Rd, Byrdstown, TN 38549
Call: (931) 864-3115