Bumpus Mills

Barkley Lake — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: GRAND RIVERS, TN, TN

Price: From $28 per night

Price range: $28–$30 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (81 reviews)

Season: May through October

From fishing to boating and hiking, campers and day visitors at Bumpus Mills enjoy hours of fun on the upstream section of Lake Barkley. Many bird species reside here, including golden and bald eagles. Don’t forget to pack binoculars and a camera to take advantage of the excellent opportunities for birding and wildlife photography.Due east is Fort Donelson National Battlefield, which marks the site of the first Union victory of the Civil War.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Showers, Dump Station, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/bumpus-mills to be notified when sites open up.

Bumpus Mills offers fishing, boating, and hiking on the upstream section of Lake Barkley with opportunities to see golden and bald eagles. The recreation area is ideal for multiple activities including swimming and picnicking.

Wildlife alert: White-tailed Deer, Mourning Dove, Bufflehead, Eastern Box Turtle, Eastern Hognose Snake, and Black Kingsnake present in area.

Insider tips for Bumpus Mills: Book early - this is a federal campground with high demand Bring binoculars and camera for excellent birding opportunities including eagles Electric hookups available on select sites only

Skip Bumpus Mills if: You need water or sewer hookups - not available at most sites. You plan to camp outside May through October - seasonal operations only. You prefer spontaneous trips without advance reservations.

Best time to visit Bumpus Mills: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only..

Nearby campgrounds: Linton (CADIZ, KY), Dyers Creek (DOVER, TN), Dover (GRAND RIVERS, TN), Cadiz (GRAND RIVERS, KY).

Cell Phone Coverage at Bumpus Mills

Cell signal at Bumpus Mills (GRAND RIVERS, TN): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Barkley Lake — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Bumpus Mills

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GRAND RIVERS, TN, TN★ 4.3 (81 reviews)From $28/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

From fishing to boating and hiking, campers and day visitors at Bumpus Mills enjoy hours of fun on the upstream section of Lake Barkley. Many bird species reside here, including golden and bald eagles. Don’t forget to pack binoculars and a camera to take advantage of the excellent opportunities for birding and wildlife photography.Due east is Fort Donelson National Battlefield, which marks the site of the first Union victory of the Civil War.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV75 ft
Hookups15 electric sites
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDump StationBoat Launch
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
Family & Pets
ShowersFishing

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need water or sewer hookups - not available at most sites✕ You plan to camp outside May through October - seasonal operations only✕ You prefer spontaneous trips without advance reservations

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early - this is a federal campground with high demand

Bring binoculars and camera for excellent birding opportunities including eagles

Electric hookups available on select sites only

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: White-tailed Deer, Mourning Dove, Bufflehead, Eastern Box Turtle, Eastern Hognose Snake, and Black Kingsnake present in area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
Getting there →

Physical Address: 764 Forest Trail, Bumpus Mills, TN 37028 From Nashville, Tenn: Take I-24 west to Clarksville, TN. Follow Highway 79 South for 20 mi. to Highway 120. Follow Highway 120 for 10 mi. to Bumpus Mills, turn left onto Tobaccoport Road (Hwy. 1830) for 2.8 mi., turn left onto Oak Hill Road for . 9 mi., turn left onto Forest Trail then turn right into the campground. From I-24 East Cadiz KY: Take 68 west for 6.2mi., turn left on to HWY. 139 south for 15.3mi., continue on to TN. HWY 120 f

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Barkley Lake fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Barkley Lake before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Bumpus Mills cost per night?+
Bumpus Mills costs $28–$30 per night. Hookup options: Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What season is Bumpus Mills open?+
Bumpus Mills is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Bumpus Mills have hookups?+
Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What is the maximum RV length at Bumpus Mills?+
Bumpus Mills can accommodate RVs up to 75 feet.
How do I make reservations at Bumpus Mills?+
Bumpus Mills is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Bumpus Mills?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Bumpus Mills is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Bumpus Mills open, and what are check-in times?+
Bumpus Mills is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$28 /night★ 4.3 (81)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Bumpus Mills cost per night?+
What season is Bumpus Mills open?+
Does Bumpus Mills have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Linton

CADIZ, KY

From $35/night

Dyers Creek

DOVER, TN

From $35/night

Dover

GRAND RIVERS, TN

From $35/night

Cadiz

GRAND RIVERS, KY

From $35/night

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