Are you looking for the best place to spend time by a lake in Tennessee? Tims Ford Lake in the Tims Ford State Park is an excellent spot to visit if you want to go boating, kayaking, or just spend time in nature or by a beautiful lake. The lake has picturesque views and is a great place to rent a pontoon boat, or even do some hiking in the state park. We’re excited to share out guide to visiting Tims Ford Lake in Tennessee with you and hope you enjoy it!
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About Tims Ford Lake
Tims Ford Lake is located in Tims Ford State Park which is 3,546 acres of natural land. It is located in the south-central part of Tennessee in Winchester. The lake is on the Elk River and is 34 miles long. Northeast of the lake is the Tims Ford Dam. The lake is known as one of the top bass fishing and recreational lakes in this area of Tennessee.
Things to Do in The Park
Go Boating
In Tims Ford State Park, off of Tims Ford Lake, the Lake View Marina offers pontoon boat rentals. If you have your own boat you can launch your own boat from the dock for free. You can also grab snacks and bait at the marina and a fish-cleaning area so you can take home whatever you catch on the lake.
Go Kayaking
The Lake View Marina also has some kayaks and canoes available for visitors to rent. They only have a small amount so make sure you get there early if you want to rent one.
Golf
A popular activity in the park is golfing. The golf course, Bear Trace at Tims Ford, has 18 holes and Tims Ford Lake is visible for a majority of the holes.
Camp in Tents or Cabins
The Tims Ford State Park has 20 cabins available around Tims Ford Lake. The cabins are fully furnished with appliances, utensils, linens, etc. You can also go camping via tent on the campground by the lake. The campgrounds available are the Turkey Creek Campground and the Fairview Campground. Campers using tents can also camp on any of the six islands that are on Tims Ford Lake.
Hike
In the state park, there are three trails. You’ll find a total of 6.5 miles of hiking trails that are unpaved. There are also an additional 22 miles of biking trails that can also be used by hikers. The start of two out of the three trails is at the visitor center. The third hiking trail wraps around the park and goes along the shoreline of the lake. Click here to see all of the hiking trails available in the park!
Fishing
Another fun activity to do at Tims Ford Lake is going fishing! In the lake you’ll find largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass. The lake gets stocked annually with striped and hybrid striped bass which visitors can catch year-round.
Swim
If you want to go swimming while visiting the state park there is an Olympic-sized L-shape pool separate from the lake. At this pool, you’ll find lifeguards, a 12-foot diving pool, a children’s wading pool, and bathrooms. It is $5 per person or $3 per person for cabin and campground guests to go swimming at the pool. For swimming in Tims Ford Lake, there is no designated swimming area in the lake or along the shoreline which means there are no lifeguards and you are swimming in the lake at your own risk.
Where to Stay
The state park is located in Winchester, Tennessee. There are a variety of hotels in and around Winchester where you can stay.
Cabin/Tent
As previously mentioned, you can stay along the shore of Tims Ford Lake right in the state park. There are cabins and campgrounds available to visitors. Click here for more info on the cabins!
Best Western Inn
The Best Western Inn is pet friendly, has a pool, free wifi, air conditioning, and includes breakfast. It’s about a 15-minute walk from the hotel to Tims Ford Lake.
Grand Lux Inn
The Grand Lux Inn is about a 20-minute drive from the lake. It has free wifi, air conditioning, breakfast included, and other amenities.
Hampton Inn Tullahoma
This Hampton Inn is about 15 miles from Tims Ford Lake. The hotel has an outdoor pool, hot tub, free wifi, gym, and breakfast is included.
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites is also located in Tullahoma, about 15 miles from the lake. This Holiday Inn has a variety of amenities, such as free wifi, a pool, a gym, and breakfast is included.
Click here to view more hotels in this area
How to Get There
If you are wanting to fly in, the closest airports are going to be Tullahoma Regional Airport and Myers Smith Airport. From there you can use a rental car to get to Tims Ford Lake. From the Tullahoma Regional Airport it is about a 23-minute drive via Awalt road and TN-130 N. From the Myers Smith Airport it is about a 25-minute drive via Pleasant Grove Road.
Wrapping Up
Tims Ford Lake located in Tims Ford State Park is an excellent vacation destination for those who want to get outside and have fun. There are a number of fun activities you can do in and around the lake. Such as going boating, kayaking, hiking, camping, and more. You can stay in a cabin or on a campground in the state park itself or sleep in a hotel nearby. Overall, it’s an awesome lake to visit in Tennessee and we hope you enjoyed our guide for visiting Tims Ford Lake! Happy travels!