A gray 4x4 Sprinter with a roof rack on a two-track through a wildflower meadow, cloud sitting on the mountains behind.

Army Corps of Engineers campground

Long Branch (Center Hill Lake)

Army Corps of Engineers campground in Center Hill Lake, DeKalb County, Tennessee. 512 feet. 8.2 miles from Gordonsville.

Managed by
Army Corps of Engineers Center Hill Lake
Elevation
512 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
55 52 standard electric, 3 rv electric
Longest rig
80 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric, Water, Sewer
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
DeKalb County

Overview

Long Branch Campground is located below Center Hill Dam on the scenic Caney Fork River in central Tennessee's Highland Rim.

Above the dam, the lake stretches 64 miles up the river, where visitors come to enjoy boating, fishing and water sports. The 415 miles of forested shoreline provide excellent hiking, hunting and camping opportunities.

2025 Events: The annual Halloween event will be held Saturday, October 25, 2025.

Recreation

Fishermen come to Long Branch to experience trophy trout fishing on the river, which is stocked with rainbow and brown trout. Fly fishers and spin fishers alike enjoy this beautiful river and its abundant fish. Canoeing and kayaking on the Caney Fork River has become a favorite pastime for campers and sightseers alike. The Buffalo Valley Nature Trail is located just across the river from the campground. It provides access to the Caney Fork and is a very popular area for trout fishermen. The area has great wildlife viewing opportunities. Boating, water skiing and canoeing are popular activities above the dam on Center Hill Lake.

Facilities

The campground offers 60 campsites with water and 50-amp electric hookups. A large, day-use group picnic shelter is also available, with water and electric hookup. Amenities like flush toilets, showers and drinking water are provided, creating a comfortable camping experience for guests. A boat ramp, fish cleaning station and playground are all conveniently located within the campground.

Natural Features

Long Branch is surrounded by the lush mixed hardwood forests of the hilly Highland Rim region. Whitetail deer, wild turkey, squirrels and rabbits roam the wooded hills in the area.

Nearby Attractions

The Center Hill Lake Resource Managers Office is located across the river next to the Buffalo Valley Recreation Area. Edgar Evins State Park sits on the lake shore about 5 minutes from Long Branch. An observation tower at the Visitor Center offers a spectacular view of Center Hill Lake and the surrounding hillsides.

The description, directions and fees are the Army Corps of Engineers’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • canoeing
  • fishing
  • kayaking

The land around Long Branch (Center Hill Lake)

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated July 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.