Top 5 Lakes around Mount Juliet

Mount Juliet is uniquely situated between two prominent lakes: Percy Priest Lake and Old Hickory Lake. Both offer extensive shorelines and a wide range of recreational activities.

Percy Priest Lake is excellent for boating, kayaking, tubing, and fishing, with species like smallmouth bass and crappie. You can also find numerous public use areas for picnics and camping. J. Percy Priest Lake itself spans over 14,000 acres and features clear water, beaches, and picnic areas.

Yes, both Percy Priest Lake and Old Hickory Lake offer many family-friendly options. Long Hunter State Park on Percy Priest Lake provides over 30 miles of shoreline for boating, fishing, and swimming, along with educational programs. Nashville Shores, a water park, is also located on Percy Priest Lake. Old Hickory Lake has swim beaches, camping, and various water sports suitable for families.

Long Hunter State Park, located on Percy Priest Lake, offers hiking trails and a backcountry campsite. The Bryant Grove Trail winds through woodlands alongside J. Percy Priest Lake to Couchville Lake, offering a flat and easy walk. Old Hickory Lake also features hiking and cycling trails like the Old Hickory Trail and Shutes Branch Mountain Bike Trail. For more options, you can explore easy hikes around Mount Juliet.

Percy Priest Lake boasts 213 miles of shoreline and 18,854 acres of surrounding public land, with 10,000 acres dedicated to wildlife management, offering beautiful natural scenery and opportunities for wildlife viewing. The Shoreline of J. Percy Priest Lake is a great spot for photos and wildlife viewing.

Old Hickory Lake is known for its consistent water levels and 440 miles of scenic shoreline. It's a vibrant destination for boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, jet skiing, and swimming. It's also renowned for world-class fishing, with species like striped bass and largemouth bass, and has numerous marinas with lakeside dining.

Absolutely. Percy Priest Lake is a popular fishing spot for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, striped bass, crappie, and bluegill, with spring fishing tournaments held there. Old Hickory Lake is renowned for its world-class fishing, home to striped bass, crappie, largemouth bass, and sauger. A 25-pound world record walleye was caught here in 1960.

Yes, both lakes have amenities. Percy Priest Lake has several marinas like Fate Sanders Marina and Nashville Shores, which offer services. Old Hickory Lake has over 40 access sites and numerous marinas, such as Cedar Creek Marina, that offer boat rentals, fuel docks, and even lakeside restaurants like Sam's Sports Grill at Blue Turtle Bay Marina and The Rudder at Anchor High Marina.

The lakes offer activities year-round. Spring and fall are ideal for hiking and enjoying the natural scenery, while summer is perfect for water sports like swimming, boating, and kayaking. Fishing is popular in spring and throughout the warmer months.

Many areas around the lakes are dog-friendly. For example, J. Percy Priest Lake and Bryant Grove Trail are noted as dog-friendly. Always check specific park regulations, such as those for Long Hunter State Park, regarding leashes and restricted areas.

There are various cycling opportunities around Mount Juliet's lakes. You can find routes like the Stones River Greenway and others that offer scenic rides. For detailed routes and difficulty levels, check out cycling around Mount Juliet.

Yes, both lakes offer camping. Percy Priest Lake has campgrounds like Anderson Road, Seven Points, and Poole Knobs. Long Hunter State Park also offers a group camp and a backcountry campsite. Old Hickory Lake provides diverse camping opportunities across its nine campgrounds, including Cedar Creek, Lone Branch, and Shutes Branch, ranging from developed sites to primitive options.