Defeated Creek Day Use Area
Defeated, Tennessee · on Defeated Creek · Cordell Hull Recreation Area
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $5 per vehicle
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Defeated Creek Day Use Area
Defeated Creek Day Use Area is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-managed recreation area on Cordell Hull Lake, a 12,000-acre Cumberland River reservoir about 7 miles from Carthage, Tennessee. Its swimming hole is one of the lake's three officially designated swim beaches, set alongside a campground, marina, boat ramp, and picnic/day-use facilities. Swimming is a sanctioned activity here, one of the area's recognized places to swim, though the beach has been subject to periodic bacteria-related closures.
The area sits along the shoreline of Cordell Hull Lake within the Cordell Hull Recreation Area, a Cumberland River reservoir spanning 72 miles upstream with 381 miles of shoreline through the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee. The day-use area adjoins the Defeated Creek campground and marina, with hiking/mountain biking trails (including the 6-mile Bearwaller Gap Trail) starting near the campground.
Swimming at Defeated Creek Day Use Area
Swimming takes place at a designated, roped-off lake swim beach rather than a river or creek current, suiting families and casual swimmers. Camper reviews describe it as a 'private beach area' good for a relaxed lakeside weekend, with swimming, fishing, and paddling accessible directly from waterfront campsites. A park ranger described the lake water as 'pretty cold' during a spring inspection.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Carthage, Tennessee: take SR-25 west about 4 miles, turn north on SR-80, then east on SR-85 to reach the Defeated Creek Recreation Area.
Parking: On-site vehicle parking at the day-use area/campground; a day-use fee applies (see fees).
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up beach: the swim area sits directly within the Defeated Creek day-use/campground area next to on-site parking, a boat ramp, and the adjacent marina. No hike is needed to reach the water; sources don't give a specific lot-to-sand walk time, but layout described in recreation.gov and USACE materials indicates it's immediately adjacent to parking. (The 6-mile Bearwaller Gap hiking/mountain-biking trail starts near the campground but is a separate recreational trail, not the access route to the beach.)
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Designated, roped-off sand swim beach on flat reservoir water (no current), with an adjacent playground, volleyball/tennis courts, and picnic shelters right at the day-use area, per recreation.gov's campground listing. A USACE ranger described the lake as 'pretty cold' in spring, and the Corps' own safety messaging cautions that open-water swimming is more tiring than pool swimming and warns against overexertion, so supervision is still advised even though there's no current.
Parking
Paid, $5 per vehicle
On-site day-use parking lot at the beach/campground area. A $5-per-vehicle day-use fee applies at Cordell Hull Lake's three designated swim areas (Defeated Creek, Wartrace Creek, Roaring River) per the USACE Great Lakes and Ohio River Division recreation page.
Restrooms
Yes
A restroom facility sits at the beach itself within the Defeated Creek Recreation Area; USACE closed and fully rebuilt it (removal and replacement) from Sept 11, 2023 through Oct 31, 2023, with restrooms at the two nearby picnic shelters serving as the backup during that closure, per a DVIDS/USACE news release. Type (vault vs. flush) not specified in sources.
Water clarity
Mostly clear
No source specifically evaluates Defeated Creek beach's clarity, but general Cordell Hull Lake reports point to reasonably clear water: an angler in October 2024 noted the water 'was way cleaner and had a much higher water clarity than it seemed to the naked eye,' and area swimmers comparing clean lakes for floating name Cordell Hull (alongside Dale Hollow) as a clear-water option in the Nashville area. Treat this as a lake-wide signal, not a beach-specific measurement.
On the water
Restrictions: The roped-off swim beach itself is ringed by 'restricted area' buoys and a floating orange pipeline to keep boats out of the swimming zone, per the USACE Great Lakes and Ohio River Division's Cordell Hull Lake page. Outside that zone, the 12,000-acre reservoir is open to motorized and non-motorized craft; Defeated Creek Marina and the adjacent campground have a public boat ramp used as a free kayak/canoe/paddleboard launch (rated beginner-friendly, calm flat water, no significant current) per thepaddlinghub.com.
thepaddlinghub.com lists both 'Defeated Creek Marina' and 'Defeated Creek Campground' as separate free, beginner-level paddling put-ins on Cordell Hull Lake near Pleasant Shade, TN, good for kayaking, canoeing, and kayak fishing, best spring through fall.
Rentals nearby
Pontoon boat rentals, boat slips (covered/uncovered/transient); onsite boat store with ethanol-free fuel, live bait, and camping basics; Creekview Cafe restaurant
160 Marina Lane, Carthage, TN 37030 - directly adjacent to Defeated Creek Day Use Area/campground (about 0.8 mi per land-unit facility data), roughly 1 hour east of Nashville via I-40 exit 258
Fishing kayaks, open kayaks, enclosed kayaks, junior kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards; paddles and life jackets included
Prices: Half-day (4 hr) / full-day (8 hr): fishing kayak $40/$60, open or enclosed kayak $30/$50, junior kayak $20/$40, paddleboard $30/$50
7316 Granville Highway, Granville, TN 38564 - on Cordell Hull Lake, roughly 4-5 miles from Defeated Creek Day Use Area (near the 'Granville Marina' facility listed 4.6 mi away) · Concierge/store: Sun-Wed 8am-5pm, Thu-Sat 8am-8pm (per wildwoodresorttn.com)
What regulars say
Visitor reports are thin specifically for this beach, but lake-wide word on Cordell Hull is positive: area swimmers comparing clean lakes for floating name Cordell Hull Lake (with Dale Hollow) as a clear-water pick within driving range of Nashville, and a 2024 angler's report called the water 'way cleaner...than it seemed to the naked eye.' Campers describe the Defeated Creek waterfront generally as a relaxed, family-friendly 'private beach area' good for swimming, fishing, and paddling right from the campsites, and a USACE park ranger noted the lake water runs 'pretty cold' even in spring.
Backstory
The swim beach is one of three USACE-designated swim areas on Cordell Hull Lake (with Wartrace Creek and Roaring River). It was closed in April 2022 due to elevated bacteria levels, with the Corps directing swimmers to nearby Wartrace Day Use Beach until water quality testing confirmed it was safe to reopen.
Defeated Creek Day Use Area: FAQ
Does Defeated Creek Day Use Area charge a fee?
A $5 per vehicle day-use fee is charged at Cordell Hull Lake's designated swim areas, according to the USACE Great Lakes and Ohio River Division recreation page; campground sites run roughly $25-$100/night.
Is Defeated Creek Day Use Area kid friendly?
Designated, roped-off sand swim beach on flat reservoir water (no current), with an adjacent playground, volleyball/tennis courts, and picnic shelters right at the day-use area, per recreation.gov's campground listing. A USACE ranger described the lake as 'pretty cold' in spring, and the Corps' own safety messaging cautions that open-water swimming is more tiring than pool swimming and warns against overexertion, so supervision is still advised even though there's no current.
Do I need to hike to reach Defeated Creek Day Use Area?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Defeated Creek Day Use Area?
On-site day-use parking lot at the beach/campground area. A $5-per-vehicle day-use fee applies at Cordell Hull Lake's three designated swim areas (Defeated Creek, Wartrace Creek, Roaring River) per the USACE Great Lakes and Ohio River Division recreation page.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Defeated Creek Day Use Area?
thepaddlinghub.com lists both 'Defeated Creek Marina' and 'Defeated Creek Campground' as separate free, beginner-level paddling put-ins on Cordell Hull Lake near Pleasant Shade, TN, good for kayaking, canoeing, and kayak fishing, best spring through fall.
When is the best time to visit Defeated Creek Day Use Area?
Spring through early November, matching the campground's mid-March to early-November operating season; swimming is most popular in summer.
What are the rules at Defeated Creek Day Use Area?
Pets are prohibited at restrooms, beaches, and day-use areas per USACE/campground rules. Swim beach access can be closed by USACE without notice when water quality (bacteria) testing fails.
What water body is Defeated Creek Day Use Area on?
Defeated Creek Day Use Area is on Defeated Creek, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
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