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Obey River Park is a spacious campground located on the shores of Dale Hollow Lake, in the hills of Tennessee. The campground provides the largest camping area at the lake, as well as the largest and most visited swimming beach.
Dale Hollow is renowned for its fishing opportunities. In addition to yielding the world record smallmouth bass and being known as a trophy smallmouth lake, the Obey River below Dale Hollow Dam is also known for excellent rainbow and brown trout fishing.
Boating and water skiing are also popular activities, and with 27,700 surface acres of water and 620 miles of shoreline, there is plenty of space for campers to explore the lake.
Obey River is the most popular campground and day-use area on Dale Hollow Lake. This is a vacation destination for camping, boating, skiing, fishing and beach-goers. The site is conveniently located next to a small community hosting restaurants, history and several marinas.
Obey River Park Campground features 123 single party campsites, four group camping (double party) sites and two large group picnic shelters. Electric hookups, drinking water, flush toilets and a dump station all create a comfortable camping experience.
A swimming beach, basketball court and playgrounds provide additional recreational opportunities.
**Camping is limited to a 14-day stay within a 30-consecutive day period.**
**Site Type Definitions:**
* An **RV Site** is a paved/concrete site for wheeled camping units such as motorhome, fifth wheel, pull trailer and pop-up campers. RV sites are not suitable for tents.
* A **Standard Site** is one with a fine gravel surface pad. It will accommodate wheeled units and tents.
* A **Tent Site** will accommodate tents only.
* **Group Standard Electric/Tent** are group camping sites (70 & 71, 105 & 106, 110 & 111, 113 & 114). One fee for both sites. ATB pass discounts do not apply. View cancellation policies as group site refund policies differ from standard sites.
* **Group Shelter Electric Sites** are the picnic shelters.
For site specifics such as site measurements, parking and if the site is level, be sure to review the Information text at the bottom of each specific site page.
All camping equipment and vehicles are to be located on the designated site pad or parking areas.
**General Site Notes:**
* 50 Amp Service Available (View specifics under each site listing)
* No Electric/Water Hookups: Sites 14A-19, 21-25, 27-39, 43, 46, 48-58, 110, 113, 114, 118, 119, 120
* Tent Only Sites: 14A-19, 30, 49-58, 110, 111, 113, 114, 120
* Paved Sites: 4-6, 9, 13, 74, 78-80, 82, 84, 86, 88, 96, 97, 105, 106, 117, 132
* Sites with Electric and Water Hookups Include: 1-13, 20, 40-42, 44, 45, 47, 59-93, 95-109, 111, 112, 115-117, 121-132
* Group camping sites: 70 & 71, 105 & 106, 110 & 111, 113 & 114; ATB pass discounts do not apply.
* Visitors to Campers will be charged $3 per vehicle per day
* Fees are subject to change
A **Wi-Fi hub** is provided in the vicinity of the registration center providing customers the opportunity to make calls, check weather, stay up-to-date on email, and use their mobile device for making future reservations or current reservation adjustments when the registration center is closed.
Obey River Park is adjacent to Sunset Marina. The park is operated by the Corps of Engineers and the marina by a private concessionaire. Visitors using the marina are subject to operating policies and any launch/parking fees associated with the marina.
Dale Hollow Dam and Lake was completed in 1943. Although the dam was built for flood control and power generation, it has now become a recreational oasis for more than 3 million visitors each year.
The dam is located on the Obey River, about 3 miles east of Celina, Tennessee. Surrounded by a thick expanse of forest, the clear blue lake creates a stunning scenic backdrop for a variety of water and land recreational activities.
In the late fall through early spring, the American Bald Eagle can be spotted flying overhead or perched on low-lying limbs. Dale Hollow hosts the second largest wintering eagle population in the states of Tennessee and Kentucky.
During migration seasons the call of the sandhill crane is often heard overhead. Lucky visitors might catch a glimpse of one up close, as they often land near the campground.
The nearby towns of Byrdstown and Pall Mall, Tennessee, offer historic sites and tours. The Cordell Hull Birthplace and Memorial is located near Byrdstown, Tennessee. Hull, a great statesman, is most widely remembered as a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and the father of the United Nations. The Sergeant Alvin York Home Place, home of the World War I hero, is located in Pall Mall, Tennessee.
The Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery is about 35 miles from the campground. Operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the hatchery is the largest federal trout hatchery east of the Mississippi, producing 1.5 million trout annually. The hatchery is open to visitors daily.
Full rules and reservation policies for fees associated with changes and cancellations can be found at
* There is no fee to make a reservation.
* A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refund for a cancellation.
* A $10 service fee may be charged to changes made to an existing reservation (see full policies for when this is applicable).
* A customer who cancels a standard campsite reservation **the day before or on the day of arrival** will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation).
* Customers who cancel a group overnight campsite reservation **less than 14 days before the arrival date** will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee.
* Customers who cancel a group day-use facility reservation (picnic shelter) less than 14 days before the arrival date will forfeit the total day-use fee.
* No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night’s recreation fee for a campsite or forfeit the entire day-use fee for a day-use facility.
* Applicable fees, including service/cancellation fees and change fees, are non-refundable and subject to change.
* No refunds for recreation use fees may be made at the campground.
* Early departures must depart and drop their tag before the checkout time in order to receive a refund for the unused day.
From Byrdstown, Tennessee, take Highway 111 south for 3 miles. After crossing the bridge turn right and follow the signs into the campground and day-use area, located to the left of Sunset Marina (2040 Sunset Dock Road, Monroe, TN 38573). From Livingston, Tennessee, take Highway 111 north for 15 miles. Follow the signs and turn left into the campground and day-use area. It is recommended that visitors do not rely soley on GPS or Mapquest to reach the park.
Payment will be limited to online or credit card transactions only.
WORST camp host ever! They treat this place like their own property with their OWN rules….not those of USACE. Someone should report them to the Army Corps Inspector General ASAP! Sad…this is supposed to be OUR public land. We will NEVER stay here again!!…unless they fire the current camp host! Did I mention they are RUDE & DISRESPECTFUL?!
A great place for a family camping trip. Our family had a great time here. The only thing I saw that needs addressed are the bathrooms are in bad need of being updated (but they were clean). It was really peaceful of a night time and the weekend we camped the facility was packed with only a few tent spots open.
Obey campground is always one of the top spot. Sometimes can be a little hard getting a reservation there because the prices are so cheap and the sites are gorgeous. Many amenities especially for boaters. We’ve been able to get lakefront sites. Setting on the shore makes the experience that much better.
This campground features most sites right on the water. They are well kept, many are nicely shaded, and most have a fine gravel on them. Several are concrete. There are pictures of the sites online and you can see which ones are gravel and which are concrete.
There is a nice swim area, a place to put your boat in the water, and a playground for kids.
They also have a day area where you can pay a small fee and picnic, swim, put your boat in, etc., if you just want to visit for the day.
You can walk over to Sunset Marina, about a 5 minute walk from the front gate where you will find a complete general store and a nice restaurant. There are plenty of boat slips for rent as well.
Just 5 minutes away there is a Dairy Queen, a Dollar Store, a well stocked hardware store, and and a delicious ice cream/icee place on the side of the road! Just 10 minutes away there is a wonderful all you can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet.
Cons-- there are always needs for improvement anywhere, lol, and this campground needs to improve it's bathroom at the end near sites 105-120. I did not visit the other bathrooms.
The bathroom needs a little work in the shower area. Two of the shower faucets need to be replaced with better shower heads. The worst part of the shower experience -- there needs to be something attached to the walls that could hold your shampoo, soap, etc. There is nothing, absolutely nothing and you are just trying to get through the whole ordeal. The first shower head works well and the water comes out very strong. The other two, well, I wish they worked as well. Not a lot of expense needed to greatly improve a very important part of your stay.
The water in the pictures is from an early October visit. You can see that the water is lowered in the fall by 20 feet or more. There is still plenty of great fishing though, and the water was still nice enough for swimming.
