Cages Bend
Old Hickory Lake — lakeside, fishing
Location: GALLATIN, TN, TN
Price: From $30 per night
Price range: $30–$35 per night
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (497 reviews)
Season: May through October
Cages Bend Campground is located on the shores of Old Hickory Lake, offering campers the opportunity to enjoy activities with a beautiful scenic backdrop. Water recreation is the major attraction for lake-goers, but with white-tailed deer, migratory song birds and waterfowl abundant in the area, birding and wildlife photography is popular as well.Old Hickory Lake is a 22,500 acre reservoir just northeast of the Nashville metropolitan area. Fed by the Cumberland River, it stretches for 97 miles,
Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: AT&T. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.
Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Showers, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Boat Launch
Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/cages-bend to be notified when sites open up.
Cages Bend Campground is located on the shores of Old Hickory Lake, offering water recreation activities including swimming, sailing, and fishing for catfish and crappie. The area features abundant white-tailed deer, migratory songbirds, and waterfowl for wildlife viewing and photography.
Wildlife alert: Osprey, Cedar Waxwing, Chipping Sparrow, and White-rumped Sandpiper present. Painted Turtle and Ouachita Map Turtle also documented in area.
Insider tips for Cages Bend: Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand Bring a self-contained RV as most sites have no hookups Bank and boat fishing available for catfish and crappie
Skip Cages Bend if: You need RV hookups - most sites have no electric or water hookups. You plan to camp outside May through October - campground is seasonal.
Best time to visit Cages Bend: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.
Nearby campgrounds: Lone Branch (MT. JULIET, TN), Avondale (Hendersonville, TN), Cedar Creek (Tn) (Hendersonville, TN), Nat Caldwell Park (GALLATIN, TN).
Cell Phone Coverage at Cages Bend
Cell signal at Cages Bend (GALLATIN, TN): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: AT&T.
- Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage
- AT&T 4G LTE: 100% coverage · AT&T 5G: 100%
- T-Mobile 4G LTE: 100% coverage
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.
Cages Bend Campground is located on the shores of Old Hickory Lake, offering campers the opportunity to enjoy activities with a beautiful scenic backdrop. Water recreation is the major attraction for lake-goers, but with white-tailed deer, migratory song birds and waterfowl abundant in the area, birding and wildlife photography is popular as well.Old Hickory Lake is a 22,500 acre reservoir just northeast of the Nashville metropolitan area. Fed by the Cumberland River, it stretches for 97 miles, offering an ideal home for several birds and animals in its woodland habitat.Downtown Nashville, known as "the music city," is just over a thirty minute drive from the campground.
Verified facts
RIDB / Recreation.gov official databaseAmenities
RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verifiedStraight talk
CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reportsKnown issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.
Insider tips & when to go
CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entryBook early as this is a federal campground with high demand
Bring a self-contained RV as most sites have no hookups
Bank and boat fishing available for catfish and crappie
Campground operates seasonally May through October only
Things to do nearby
RIDB /activities /recareas + intelConditions today
LiveCell signal
FCC BDC · quarterly datasetFCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: AT&T.
Wildlife nearby
iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 kmLocation
Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Getting there →
From Nashville, TN, travel North on I-65 and take TN-386/Vietnam Veterans Blvd. Continue to exit 12, Big Station Camp Blvd. Turn right onto Big Station Camp Bldvd. Continue staight across Nashville Pike onto Cages Bend Road. Take Cages Bend Road to Benders Ferry Road. The recreation area will be ahead on the left.
Campground entrance
Google Maps APICommunity
#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)Pro tips
- Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Old Hickory Lake fills fast in peak season.
- Check current road conditions at Old Hickory Lake before arrival — seasonal closures common.
Frequently asked questions
RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakableHow much does Cages Bend cost per night?+
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●Data sources on this page
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