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Boat Launch · Grainger County

Greenlee Campground May Springs, Cherokee Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane, restrooms, rentals. 7 miles from Jefferson City.

Get driving directionsAll Grainger County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Greenlee Campground May Springs

Captains who run Cherokee Lake, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.

Capt. Skylar Hamilton · Dandridge

Skylar Hamilton Guide Service

Bassskylarhamiltonfishing.com

Capt. Nathan Mountain · Dandridge / Gatlinburg

Nathan Mountain Outdoors

Largemouth, smallmouth, crappie, bluegill, troutCall 423-726-0240nathanmountainoutdoors.com

Capt. Jim Durham · Multi-base TN/KY

StriperFun Guide Service

Cherokee Lake stripersCall 931-403-2501striperfun.com

Every Tennessee guide by water

What to bring

Tackle for Greenlee Campground May Springs

Three picks from the largemouth bass checklist that work for the fish here. Affiliate links: buying through them pays this site a small commission at no extra cost to you.

RodUgly Stik GX2 7 ft medium-heavy casting rodStiff enough to set a hook in grass, tough enough to live in a truck bed.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
ReelAbu Garcia Black Max baitcasting reelAn inexpensive baitcaster that casts cleanly once the brakes are set.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
Soft plasticZoom Trick WormThe Tennessee standard on a Texas rig or weightless along docks and grass edges.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
Full largemouth bass checklist (11 items)All gear checklists

Spending more? The bigger purchases, compared side by side:

Smallmouth Bass checklistCrappie checklistBluegill and Panfish checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Greenlee Campground May Springs

Greenlee Campground May Springs is a public boat launch on Cherokee Lake in Grainger County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Follow HWY 375 (Lakeshore Rd) approx 5 miles from HWY 92, right on Wa-Ni Village Rd, right onto May Springs Rd

Greenlee Campground May Springs is 6.6 miles north of Jefferson City, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Grainger County Park, a few hundred yards to the south-west on the same water. For bait, Gilmore Boat Dock in Rutledge is about 5 miles away.

Coordinates 36.21510, -83.46300

Open in Google MapsSee nearby spots on the mapFishing near Jefferson City
Aerial view of Greenlee Campground May Springs
Greenlee Campground May Springs from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Greenlee Campground May Springs

Pay to enter: launch fee charged 3.5 out of 5 Facilities 3.5 of 5, scored from what TWRA records: ramp, docks, pier, restrooms, parking, lighting and hours.

Everything below comes from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s own public access record for Greenlee Campground May Springs. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Boat ramp

You can launch a trailered boat here. 1 lane.

Restrooms

Toilets on site, which is rarer than you would think.

Rentals

Boats or craft for hire at the access point itself.

Not recorded here: fishing pier, canoe and kayak, camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Greenlee Campground May Springs

Cherokee Lake holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.

largemouth basssmallmouth basscrappiebluegillstriped basswhite basswalleyesaugeyecatfish

TWRA notes fish densities here are greater than in most Tennessee reservoirs because of high fertility; the Hawkins end fishes more like a river than a lake.

Everything on Cherokee LakeFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Greenlee Campground May Springs

What you can keep from Cherokee Lake at Greenlee Campground May Springs. TWRA sets 6 rules just for Cherokee Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Largemouth bass5 combined with smallmouth15 in minimumReservoir rules run from Cherokee Dam upstream to John Sevier Dam
Smallmouth bass1 (Jun 1–Oct 15); 5 (Oct 16–May 31)18 in minimum Jun 1–Oct 15; 15 in minimum Oct 16–May 31Within the 5 largemouth/smallmouth combined limit
Spotted bass15No length limitSpotted/Alabama bass, separate from the largemouth/smallmouth limit
Walleye10 walleye/sauger/saugeye combined15 in minimumCherokee Lake rule
Sauger10 walleye/sauger/saugeye combined15 in minimumCherokee Lake rule
Paddlefish1No length limitSeason Apr 1–15. Culling prohibited. Holston River from Hwy 344 (Malinda Ferry Rd) bridge up to John Sevier Dam closed to snagging Mar 1–31 and Apr 16–May 31
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo minimumStatewide
Striped bass2 striped and hybrid combined15 in minimumStatewide
White bass15No minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

Other rules on Cherokee Lake

  • Jul 1–Sep 15: marked zone just above Cherokee Dam closed to fishing from boats (bank fishing and southeast-shore coves stay open)

From the 2026–27 Tennessee Fishing Guide (TWRA), in effect 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, checked 25 September 2026. Rules change, so check the guide before you keep a fish.

Statewide limits and licenses

21 public boat launches in Grainger County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Cherokee Lake around Greenlee Campground May Springs

What the water at Greenlee Campground May Springs actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

Cherokee Lake, TennesseeCherokee LakeOpen the Cherokee Lake page →TVA Web Team / CC BY 2.0Norris Lake, TennesseeNorris LakeOpen the Norris Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Holston River, TennesseeHolston RiverOpen the Holston River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Cherokee Lake, TennesseeCherokee LakeOpen the Cherokee Lake page →Dwight Burdette / CC BY 3.0Norris Lake, TennesseeNorris LakeOpen the Norris Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Holston River, TennesseeHolston RiverOpen the Holston River page →Dacoshi / CC BY-SA 3.0

Next one along

More Cherokee Lake access near Greenlee Campground May Springs

The closest other public access points on Cherokee Lake, measured straight line from Greenlee Campground May Springs. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAGrainger County Parka few hundred yards south-west12586 Lakeshore Dr, Rutledge, TN 378611 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →36.21340, -83.46780Launch fee3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · Private LandWA-NI Village Boat Dock0.8 miles north-eastTurn onto Wa-Ni Village Road1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →36.22190, -83.45160Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAGreenlee Campground2.2 miles north-east1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →36.23450, -83.43210Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVALambdin Branch2.3 miles north-east10394 Lakeshore Dr, Rutledge, TN 378611 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.24070, -83.43700Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaCedar Hill Boat Dock2.4 miles south-eastDirections and detail →36.19535, -83.42771Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesAttention · TVATVA Lowe Drive2.4 miles south-eastTurn off of Cedar Hill Rd onto Lowe Drivecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.19181, -83.43105
All 47 access points on Cherokee Lake

Greenlee Campground May Springs water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Greenlee Campground May Springs

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Greenlee Campground May Springs, including Holston River and Norris Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Cherokee Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVACherokee Dam TailwatersHolston River · 4.0 miles south-westUS 11E or US 11W to Cherokee Dam1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.16746, -83.50401Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · Private LandIndian Cave ParkHolston River · 8.6 miles south-westTurn onto Indian Cave Rd off Indian Ridge, follow about 1 mile to end.canoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →36.15928, -83.60077Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyBridgeportNorris Lake · 10.0 miles northWest of Puncheon Creek on Bullen Valley Rd1 ramp, 3 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.35222, -83.51956Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVABeech Grove (Winter Access Only)Norris Lake · 11 miles northBullen Valley Rd, Washburn, TN1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.36800, -83.46374Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TDOTIndian Creek BridgeNorris Lake · 11 miles northHwy 25 E at Indian CreekDirections and detail →36.37626, -83.44384Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRANance’s FerryHolston River · 12 miles south-west1491 Nance Ferry Rd, Blaine, TN 377091 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.12776, -83.63887

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Greenlee Campground May Springs

The closest shops to Greenlee Campground May Springs that this site has checked. Gilmore Boat Dock in Rutledge is nearest, about 5 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Rutledge · about 5 milesGilmore Boat DockLakeside operation with a dock store, bait and often boat rental.Directions and phone →Rutledge · about 5 milesGreenlee Campground & MarineTackle and bait for Grainger County water. Call ahead out of season, winter hours are short.Directions and phone →Rutledge · about 5 milesGreenlee of May SpringsTackle and bait for Grainger County water. Call ahead out of season, winter hours are short.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Grainger County

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Common questions

Questions about Greenlee Campground May Springs

Can you launch a boat at Greenlee Campground May Springs?

Yes. TWRA records Greenlee Campground May Springs as having a boat ramp. It has 1 lane. There is a launch fee here, so bring money.

Do you need a fishing licence at Greenlee Campground May Springs?

Yes. Anyone 13 or older needs a Tennessee fishing licence to fish here, and a trout supplemental on top of it if you plan to keep trout. It is the same rule at every public access point in the state.

What fish are in the water at Greenlee Campground May Springs?

Cherokee Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, striped bass, white bass, walleye, saugeye and catfish. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Greenlee Campground May Springs?

Gilmore Boat Dock in Rutledge is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 5 miles from Greenlee Campground May Springs. Greenlee Campground & Marine in Rutledge is next, about 5 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Greenlee Campground May Springs?

Yes, TWRA records restrooms at this access point.

Who runs Greenlee Campground May Springs?

Greenlee Campground May Springs is listed under the Tennessee Valley Authority in TWRA’s public access database. The owner is worth knowing because it usually decides whether there is a fee, whether the gate is locked overnight, and who to ring when a ramp is closed for repair.

Where to next

Around Greenlee Campground May Springs

Greenlee Campground May Springs is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Cherokee Lake47 public access points across 4 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Grainger CountyEvery public spot in Grainger County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listGrainger County spot listAll 31 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near RutledgeShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near Jefferson CityEverything within about 30 miles of Jefferson City, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Greenlee Campground May Springs, and who knows it

Guides and charters on this site are listed by the water they run, so you can ring the captain who fishes Cherokee Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits