Overview Cook Day Use Area is a lakeside oasis in the hills of middle Tennessee, providing visitors with countless recreational activities on the lake and in the surrounding woods and grasslands. Recreation The lake provides a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities for millions of visitors each year. Because of its temperate climate and relatively long recreation season, visitors have numerous activities to choose from, including fishing, hunting, picnicking, boating, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding and wildlife viewing. Fishing opportunities abound at J. Percy Priest Lake, with a wide variety of species available, including largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, striped bass, Cherokee bass and white bass. Other species such as catfish, bluegill, bream and trout provide excellent opportunities for younger anglers. A large sandy swimming beach provides guests of Cook Day Use Area with convenient access to swimming and comfortable sunbathing. The Three Hickories Nature Trail is a 1.6 mile nature trail located in a wooded area within Cook Recreation Area.
Source: rec_gov · last verified 2026-05-14