Douglas Lake, Tennessee, USA

Also known as:  Douglas Reservoir

Douglas Lake, also known as Douglas Reservoir, stretches out over more than 28,000 acres and 500 shoreline miles in eastern Tennessee. Douglas Lake is conveniently located near the intersections of Interstates 81 and 40, approximately 25 miles east of Knoxville. Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Douglas Reservoir is close to the tourist communities of Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg. Most of the lake’s…
Keep scrolling to read more.

Welcome to the ultimate guide to Douglas Lake! Article topics include:

Looking for Douglas Lake cabins or other accommodations? Save time and use this interactive map to find, compare and book at the best rates. Or explore more of our favorite travel partners.


All About Douglas Lake, TN

Lake Locations: USA - US South Region - Tennessee - East Tennessee -

Douglas Lake, also known as Douglas Reservoir, stretches out over more than 28,000 acres and 500 shoreline miles in eastern Tennessee. Douglas Lake is conveniently located near the intersections of Interstates 81 and 40, approximately 25 miles east of Knoxville. Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Douglas Reservoir is close to the tourist communities of Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg. Most of the lake’s shoreline is privately owned farmland and residential development.

Douglas Lake was created by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) during World War II to provide needed hydroelectric power for the war effort. Construction of Douglas Dam on the French Broad River began in 1942, and was completed in record time just 12 months later. Douglas Reservoir also provides flood control across the Tennessee Valley. The reservoir stores melted snow and spring rains for release during the dry summer months for power generation and maintenance of navigable water levels on the Tennessee River. The lower water levels during winter provide storage for next spring’s rains. Water levels on Douglas Lake can vary 40 to 50 feet from low winter pool to high summer pool.

Although built for flood control and power generation, today Douglas Lake is a major recreation destination attracting two million visitors a year. Twelve public boat ramps provide lake access. Fishing, boating, water sports, swimming, and bird watching are popular lake activities. As water levels drop during the summer and fall, shore birds, wading birds, and other waterfowl flock to Douglas Lake to rest and feed along the shoreline’s shallow water. Birdwatchers enjoy the migration from late July to early October.

Anglers flock to Douglas Lake for fishing of largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and catfish (channel, blue, and flathead). Late winter and early spring also provide excellent fishing for sauger, walleye, and white bass when they make their spawning runs to the reservoir’s headwaters. Although most game fish sustain a healthy population, occasional stocking of smallmouth bass, white crappie, and sauger supplement their numbers.

The TVA operates the Douglas Dam Headwater Campground and the Douglas Dam Tailwater Campground. Both self-service campgrounds include more than 60 campsites with water and electric hookups, restrooms with heated showers, boat ramp, picnic tables, and wildlife viewing area. The Headwater Campground also offers a swimming beach and the Trotter Bluff Small Wild Area, a 3/4 mile walking trail through 30 acres of hardwood forest with limestone sinkholes, views of Douglas Dam, and abundant wildflowers during the spring. The Tailwater Campground offers children’s play equipment, river fishing with fishing pier, a bait and tackle shop, and a group pavilion that can be booked for special events. The TVA welcomes visitors to the Douglas Dam and power station.

For some off-water fun, take a day trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, America’s most visited national park. View awe-inspiring mountain vistas by car or on foot. The park has over 800 miles of hiking trails, ranging from short jaunts to strenuous treks. And with 1,500 black bears living in the Park, visitors hope to get a view of these magnificent animals. As the sun sets over the Smokies, return to Douglas Lake to prepare for the next day’s adventures.

Things to Do at Douglas Lake

These are some activities in the Douglas Lake, TN area visitors can enjoy:

  • Vacation Rentals
  • Fishing
  • Boating
  • Swimming
  • Beach
  • Camping
  • Campground
  • Picnicking
  • Hiking
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • Birding
  • National Park

What Kind of Fish Are in Douglas Lake?

Douglas Lake has been known to have the following fish species:

  • Bass
  • Black Bass
  • Bluegill
  • Catfish
  • Crappie
  • Largemouth Bass
  • Perch
  • Sauger
  • Smallmouth Bass
  • Sunfish
  • Walleye
  • White Bass
  • White Crappie
divider

Find Places to Stay at Douglas Lake

If you’re considering a Douglas Lake lake house rental or hotel, we’ve made it super easy to find the best rates and compare vacation accommodations at a glance. Save time using this interactive map below.

Note: These are affiliate links and we may earn a small commission if you click and make a purchase. Read our full disclosure policy here.

More Sites to Book a Douglas Lake Vacation

Our interactive Douglas Lake lodging map above is an easy tool for comparing VRBO rental homes and nearby hotels with Booking.com, but there could be times when you need to expand your search for different types of accommodations. Here are some other lake lodging partners we recommend:

Check TripAdvisor
Check Expedia
Find a Campspot
All Travel Resources

Douglas Lake Statistics & Helpful Links

divider

Lake Type: Artificial Reservoir, Dammed

Water Level Control: Tennessee Valley Authority

Surface Area: 28,420 acres

Shoreline Length: 513 miles

Normal Elevation (Full Pond): 990 feet

Minimum Elevation (Min Pond): 940 feet

Maximum Elevation (Max Pond): 1,000 feet

Maximum Depth: 129 feet

Water Volume: 1,419,700 acre-feet

Completion Year: 1943

Drainage Area: 4,541 sq. miles

Trophic State: Mesotrophic

We strive to keep information on LakeLubbers as accurate as possible. If you’ve found something here that needs updating, please touch base by filling out our Content Correction form.

Shop Douglas Lake Gifts

Custom Lake Tumblers

Captain / First Mate Custom 20 oz Tumbler

SHOP NOW
Custom Lake T Shirt

Personalized My Boat My Rules Unisex T-Shirt

SHOP NOW
Custom Lake Coffee Mug - On Lake Time

On Lake Time Custom Coffee Mug – 11oz or 15oz

SHOP NOW
VIEW ALL CUSTOM LAKE PRODUCTS

More Douglas Lake news from LakeLubbers.com

  • Advertise your vacation rental property or local business: DETAILS HERE
  • The Douglas Lake forum has been discontinued: HERE’S WHY
  • New Douglas Lake photos coming soon!
  • You’re invited to join our lake-lovin’ community on Facebook and Instagram!
  • Share this Douglas Lake article with your fellow LakeLubbers: