Tennessee's Lighthouse Tour: A Full Day from the Little Lake House

This isn't a tour of working maritime lighthouses. Tennessee's beacons have different origin stories — a pump station turned landmark, a riverfront curiosity on the Caney Fork, a historic Cumberland River river light you can spot from a greenway trail, and a lakeside venue with a tower that lights up the water at night. What they share is a certain feeling: the inexplicable pull of a tower by the water. Tennessee has that in abundance.

The route below is organized as a loop from Smithville — starting nearest and working outward before swinging back through Nashville for the most satisfying finish. Total drive time is roughly 3.5 hours of moving; budget a full day if you want to linger at each stop, eat lunch in Carthage, and end with sunset at the Nashville riverfront. It's a very good day.

Start here. Carthage is less than an hour from Smithville and the drive up through Smith County on US-70 is as scenic a stretch of Middle Tennessee highway as you'll find — rolling pastures, the Highland Rim ridge dropping to the river valley, and the kind of small-town pace that reminds you why you came to this corner of Tennessee in the first place.

The lighthouse itself sits on the north side of the Cumberland River at the Carthage access ramp, about a mile southeast of downtown Carthage — right where the Caney Fork River meets the Cumberland. That confluence is historically significant: Carthage grew up as a steamboat port because of it, and goods from this very stretch of river were once shipped downstream to Nashville for over a century.

What once delivered water to the town of roughly 2,000 people in Smith County now serves as a gentle reminder of what was and perhaps could be. The tower began its life as a municipal water pump house, likely built in the 1940s or 50s. When it went out of use, the town built around it rather than tearing it down — and what emerged has the look, if not the function, of a real lighthouse.

A round masonry tower standing about 36 feet tall, with a spiral staircase leading up to the gallery — it looks the part completely. The site is open to the public, and the riverbank nearby is a popular spot for anglers and paddlers. The only thing missing, as a local Chamber of Commerce director once put it, is a light. "As everything is now, was back then, it's driven by money and costs. So I'm sure that was the reason they didn't go the rest of the way."

From Carthage, head west on TN-25 toward Hendersonville. You're following the Cumberland River downstream — the same river that once carried Carthage tobacco and hemp to Nashville's markets. Old Hickory Lake, which you'll reach near Hendersonville, is a different part of the same Cumberland River waterway system, created when the Army Corps of Engineers built Old Hickory Dam in 1954.

Lighthouse on the Lake in Hendersonville sits right on Old Hickory Lake, giving total vacation vibes. This unique lakeside venue, complete with a white lighthouse, opened its doors in September 2020, and it's seriously pretty with its red top and perfect reflection in the water.

You'll find it close to the Creekwood Marina, so if you're out boating or enjoying the lakefront, it's easy to pass by and take in the view. Its waterfront setting makes it a dreamy spot for sunset strolls or lakeside picnics. Note that this is an event venue, so the interior isn't always open for walk-ins — but the tower and waterfront setting are visible and photographable from the exterior.

This is the genuine article. The Omohundro Waterworks Light sits right on the Cumberland River in Nashville, just a quick drive from downtown. It was built in 1892 as part of the water intake system and helped guide boats to the Omohundro Water Treatment Plant.

The water treatment plant itself — now on the National Register of Historic Places — is a Gothic Revival structure built in 1888 and designed in a style that still surprises first-time visitors. The lighthouse is the beacon that marked its river approach. This unusual beacon isn't very tall at just 39 feet, but it's super unique and looks more like a fire hydrant than a classic lighthouse. You can spot it from the Shelby Bottoms Greenway trail, so bring your bike or walking shoes and snap a photo of this unique river light that most people don't even know exists.

For anyone who grew up near the coast knowing what a real working lighthouse looks like, the Omohundro Light scratches that itch more than anything else on this tour. It guided actual river traffic. It's on the actual water. It's been standing since 1892. That's the real thing.

Here's the move that makes this itinerary complete. You've been chasing beacons all day across Middle Tennessee. You're heading back toward Smithville and Center Hill Lake. And there is, in fact, a restaurant called the Lighthouse sitting right on the water — floating on Center Hill Lake itself, about 25 minutes from the Little Lake House. It's the perfect ending to the day.

The Lighthouse Restaurant sits at Cookeville Boat Dock. Drive down or boat up and enjoy a meal with a beautiful view from the floating restaurant. The menu includes something for every taste — catfish, bison burgers, homemade pie, ice-cold sweet tea, and fresh salads.

With a charming floating-restaurant setup, guests can enjoy scenic waterside views while savoring classic American dishes. The relaxed, friendly atmosphere makes it a standout spot for casual meals, whether you're docking by boat or arriving by car. It's a local favorite for its inviting ambiance, satisfying comfort food, and stunning sunset vantage points over the lake.

The restaurant is open seasonally — Thursday through Saturday noon to 8pm, Sunday 1 to 8pm — so plan your timing accordingly if you're aiming to end the day here. A catfish dinner on a floating dock on Center Hill Lake after a full day of lighthouse chasing through Middle Tennessee is, objectively, a very good decision.

Tennessee doesn't have a coastline, but it has the Cumberland, the Caney Fork, Old Hickory Lake, and Center Hill Lake — and the people who settled along those waters understood that you mark the channels, you light the way home, and you build something that lasts. Four lighthouses in a single day, and you'll end up exactly where you started: right here on Center Hill Lake, where the water has been doing its quiet work since 1948.