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A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Army Corps of Engineers campground

Ragland Bottom

Army Corps of Engineers campground in Center Hill Lake, DeKalb County, Tennessee. 723 feet. 5.8 miles from Smithville.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Army Corps of Engineers Center Hill Lake
Elevation
723 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
54 20 standard electric, 16 tent only non-electric, 10 tent only electric
Longest rig
80 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric, Water, Sewer
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
DeKalb County

Overview

Ragland Bottom Campground is located on the shores of the scenic Center Hill Lake on central Tennessee's Highland Rim.

The lake stretches 64 miles up the Caney Fork 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

Boating, waterskiing, canoeing and fishing are popular activities on the water.

Anglers will find bream, walleye, smallmouth bass, crappie, catfish and white bass. Below the dam, the Caney Fork River is one of the most productive trout fisheries in the state.

Nine miles of hiking trails meander around the lake. The Red Post Trail is a short, but steep, two-mile trail that loops above the campground. Hikers who brave the moderately difficult climb are rewarded with beautiful overlooks of the lake and nearby Sligo Bridge and Marina.

Facilities

This waterfront campground offers 40 sites with water and electric hookups, as well as 16 primitive tent sites. A large group day-use picnic area is available as well, with water and 15-amp electric hookups. Amenities like flush toilets, showers and drinking water are provided, creating a comfortable camping experience for guests. A boat ramp, volleyball court, basketball goal, playground and hiking trail are all conveniently located within the campground. The adjacent day-use area has a group picnic shelter, boat ramp, and swimming beach.

Natural Features

Center Hill Lake is surrounded by lush mixed hardwood forests in the hilly Highland Rim region. Beautiful dogwoods bloom in the campground in springtime. Whitetail deer, wild turkey, squirrels and rabbits roam the wooded hills around the lake.

Nearby Attractions

Burgess Falls State Park is a 25-minute drive from the campground. Here, the Falling Water River drops approximately 250 feet, creating numerous breathtaking waterfalls. Hiking trails and overlooks help visitors enjoy the scenery. The large Native Butterfly Garden is a popular attraction within the park.

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
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • swimming
  • water access
  • water skiing

The land around Ragland Bottom

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

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.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated March 11, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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