Tennessee's First State Park Offers Camping And Fishing Between Knoxville And Birmingham

In 1937, Tennessee created its first state park, Harrison Bay. At the time, the New Deal program prompted the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to construct a series of hydroelectric dams along the Tennessee River. One of those was the Chickamauga Dam, which when completed in 1940, flooded more than 36,000 acres, including the stretch of water from which Harrison Bay State Park gets its name.

Today, the park offers visitors a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities, with camping and fishing being at the top of the list. Harrison Bay encompasses 1,200 acres, including 40 miles of shoreline along Chickamauga Lake. In fact, the state park is situated on the widest portion of the roughly 60-mile-long lake. Within Harrison Bay, visitors will find amenities ranging from a camp store to a full-service marina, as well as miles of hiking trails and a Jack Nickalaus-designed golf course.

Located about 100 miles from Knoxville's bustling downtown, Harrison Bay is about halfway between Knoxville and Birmingham. The park is even closer to Chattanooga, the nation's first national park city, which is only 17 miles away. In Chattanooga, those visiting Harrison Bay State Park also have the opportunity to explore attractions such as Booker T. Washington State Park and Greenway Farm.

Those looking to overnight in Harrison Bay State Park have a couple of options. Within the park, there are 128 campsites featuring full water and electric hookups scattered between four camping areas. RVs as long as 65 feet can fit in these sites. Additionally, visitors are allowed to put tents in these sites — even next to an RV. However, there can only be one tent at each campsite. Every camping area has a bath house and playground. There is only one dump station in the park, but it is centrally located to all the camping areas.

There are also 27 tent-only campsites available within Harrison Bay. All of these are in Area D and have no water or electric hookups. There is, however, water available from a spigot in the camping area. The tent-only sites have both a fire ring and grill. Additionally, the campsite pads are graveled and shaded. 

The park also has a camp store onsite for those needing supplies, and Wi-Fi is available within the camping areas. Campers should also be aware that Harrison Bay State Park, as well as all other Tennessee state parks, encourages visitors to only use wood collected or purchased in the park for campfires. This is to prevent accidental introduction of invasive pests. If firewood is brought in from outside the park, it should be heat-treated wood, which is also available for purchase at the camp store inside the park.

Recognized as a Bill Dance Signature Lake (meaning the waters are regularly stocked and continually managed to maintain a dynamic fishery), Chickamauga Lake is a known fishing hotspot. In addition to the park's namesake cove, Harrison Bay gives anglers easy access to Chickamauga. While producing trophy-class largemouth bass is this lake's primary purpose, it's also routinely stocked with crappie and walleye. Bluegill, shellcrackers, catfish, and a host of other species can also be found here.

One of the reasons the park is so popular with anglers is that Harrison Bay is considered one of the best spots along the entire length of Chickamauga Lake. It's particularly productive during spring for largemouth bass, as they utilize the shallow, grassy flats of the bay for spawning activities. During spring, crappie, bluegill, redear, and other panfish will also be found in the shallows. The remainder of the year, they can be caught around deeper structures such as the fishing pier or submerged trees. Chickamauga Lake is also considered one of the best lakes for catfish in Tennessee, with Harrison Bay being a prime spot to catch them.

When it comes to accessing the lake from the park, anglers have several options. One is to launch their boat at the park's 24-hour boat ramp within the marina. The marina also offers on-the-water fuel and transient boat slip rentals, which is convenient for those camping in the park. Canoes and kayaks are also an option. These can be rented in the park, or you can bring your own to put in at either of two local launch sites. Of course, anglers can also utilize the park's accessible fishing pier and enjoy a substantial amount of bank fishing opportunities.