(TN) Percy Priest Hoodie

J. Percy Priest Lake in Tennessee is a well-loved reservoir just east of Nashville, known for its lively recreation scene, scenic coves, and strong community feel. The lake was created in the 1960s when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the J. Percy Priest Dam on the Stones River as part of a major flood-control and water-management project. What began as a practical effort to protect the growing Nashville area quickly became one of Middle Tennessee’s favorite places to escape, relax, and enjoy the outdoors.

Over the years, Percy Priest has grown into a major hub for boating, fishing, swimming, and camping. With its long, narrow shape and miles of shoreline, it offers plenty of quiet spots, hidden inlets, and open water perfect for everything from bass fishing to tubing. Marinas, parks, and trails popped up around the lake, creating a lakeside culture that blends adventure with a laid-back, Southern atmosphere.

For the people who live around Percy Priest, the lake is part of everyday life. It’s where families spend weekends, where kids learn to fish, where sunrise paddlers start their mornings, and where neighbors gather on the water when the weather warms up. Many locals take real pride in how central the lake is to the community—both as a place to unwind and a piece of Middle Tennessee history shaped by their parents’ and grandparents’ generations.

To residents, Percy Priest is more than a reservoir. It’s a shared backdrop for memories, a place that stays busy with life year-round, and one of the natural spaces that makes living near Nashville feel special.