Salt Lick Creek

Cordell Hull Lake — lakeside, fishing

Location: Gainesboro, TN, TN

Price: From $20 per night

Price range: $20–$50 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (714 reviews)

Season: May through October

Salt Lick Creek Campground is located on Cordell Hull Lake on the Cumberland River System, just 10 miles from Gainesboro, TN. The lake itself was named after one of America’s outstanding statesmen and one of Tennessee’s finest volunteers. Hull was born in a log cabin in the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Showers, Dump Station, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Boat Launch

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

Salt Lick Creek offers 145 well-maintained sites on Cordell Hull Lake with a 4.6/5 Google rating. Campers praise wide spacing, a attentive park host, and peaceful early mornings on the lake.

Wildlife alert: Copperheads reported by campers; Bald Eagles, Eastern Screech-Owls, Eastern Box Turtles, and Pond Sliders documented in the area.

Insider tips for Salt Lick Creek: Book early—this is a popular federal campground. Only select sites have electric hookups; most sites have no water/sewer hookups. Inspect picnic table placement at your site before settling in.

Skip Salt Lick Creek if: You need full hookups—water and sewer not available.. You prefer year-round camping—seasonal operations May through October only.. You want guaranteed level tent sites—some sites have slope issues..

Best time to visit Salt Lick Creek: May-October — Official operating season per verified campground data..

Nearby campgrounds: Wartrace Ck Rec Area (Gainesboro, TN), Defeated Creek Park (CARTHAGE, TN), Tailwater Rec Area (CARTHAGE, TN), Roaring River Park (Gainesboro, TN).

Cell Phone Coverage at Salt Lick Creek

Cell signal at Salt Lick Creek (Gainesboro, 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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Cordell Hull Lake — lakeside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Salt Lick Creek

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Gainesboro, TN, TN★ 4.5 (714 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Salt Lick Creek Campground is located on Cordell Hull Lake on the Cumberland River System, just 10 miles from Gainesboro, TN. The lake itself was named after one of America’s outstanding statesmen and one of Tennessee’s finest volunteers. Hull was born in a log cabin in the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains.

Best for:AnglersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites: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 RV106 ft
Hookups151 electric sites
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesShowersFishing
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsDump StationBoat Launch

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 full hookups—water and sewer not available.✕ You prefer year-round camping—seasonal operations May through October only.✕ You want guaranteed level tent sites—some sites have slope issues.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground.

Only select sites have electric hookups; most sites have no water/sewer hookups.

Inspect picnic table placement at your site before settling in.

Best: May-October

Official operating season per verified campground data.

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: Copperheads reported by campers; Bald Eagles, Eastern Screech-Owls, Eastern Box Turtles, and Pond Sliders documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
931-678-4718· Cordell Hull Lake
Getting there →

From Carthage, go 4 miles west on SR-25, then north on SR-80, then east on SR-85 to Gladice. Turn right on Smith Bend Road and follow signs.

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 — Cordell Hull Lake fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Cordell Hull 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 Salt Lick Creek cost per night?+
Salt Lick Creek costs $20–$50 per night. Hookup options: Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What season is Salt Lick Creek open?+
Salt Lick Creek is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Salt Lick Creek have hookups?+
Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What is the maximum RV length at Salt Lick Creek?+
Salt Lick Creek can accommodate RVs up to 99 feet.
How do I make reservations at Salt Lick Creek?+
Salt Lick Creek 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 Salt Lick Creek?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Salt Lick Creek is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Salt Lick Creek open, and what are check-in times?+
Salt Lick Creek is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●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.

$20 /night★ 4.5 (714)
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 Salt Lick Creek cost per night?+
What season is Salt Lick Creek open?+
Does Salt Lick Creek have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Wartrace Ck Rec Area

Gainesboro, TN

From $50/night

Defeated Creek Park

CARTHAGE, TN

From $30/night

Tailwater Rec Area

CARTHAGE, TN

From $50/night

Roaring River Park

Gainesboro, TN

From $50/night

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Salt Lick Creek — Cordell Hull Lake | CamperWatch