Marinas and On-Water Services Near Gallatin

For boaters near Gallatin, Gallatin Marina is the most directly local full-service option, with covered slips, dry storage, jet ports, fuel and a marina store. Drakes Creek Marina in Hendersonville is a strong choice for larger boats, dry-stack storage and haul-out work. Anchor High, Cedar Creek, Cherokee Marina and The Boathouse at Benders Ferry add options for slips, fuel, rentals or concierge storage. Call ahead for current availability, prices, hours and transient-slip policies.

If you keep a boat near Gallatin or are planning an Old Hickory Lake outing, the right marina depends on what you need: a local fuel stop, a covered slip, dry storage, a transient berth, a rental boat or mechanical and haul-out support. Gallatin Marina is the most directly local full-service option. Nearby marinas in Hendersonville, Mount Juliet and Lebanon expand the choices for storage, rentals and larger-vessel services.

This guide compares publicly advertised services from marina operators and public agencies. It does not rank businesses or claim first-hand experience. Availability, rates and operating hours can change, so call the marina before making a special trip.

Quick comparison of marinas near Gallatin

Marina or service area — Location — Publicly advertised strengths — Best fit for

Gallatin Marina — Gallatin — Covered wet slips, dry storage, jet ports, fuel station and marina store — Boaters who want the most local all-around option

Drakes Creek Marina — Hendersonville — Wet slips, dry stack, trailer storage, PWC slips, fuel dock and 45,000-pound travel lift — Larger boats, storage flexibility and haul-out needs

Anchor High Marina — Hendersonville — Covered wet slips, dry storage, ship store, diesel and ethanol-free gas — Annual dockage, storage and fuel

Cedar Creek Marina — Mount Juliet — Wet slips, fuel dock, ship’s store and boat rentals — Slip customers and visitors looking to rent a boat

Cherokee Marina — Lebanon — Covered slips, open transient slips, boat rentals, fuel and pump-out access — Overnight or short-term lake stays

The Boathouse at Benders Ferry — Mount Juliet — Enclosed dry storage, concierge launch service, customer fuel service and rentals — Owners who want staff-handled boat preparation

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s marina pump-out list includes several of these Old Hickory Lake facilities, including Anchor High, The Boathouse at Benders Ferry, Cedar Creek, Creekwood, Drakes Creek and Gallatin Marina.

Gallatin Marina: the most local all-around option

Gallatin Marina is located at 727 Marina Private Road in Gallatin. Its official website advertises covered wet slips, dry storage, 120 dry-storage spaces, 21 jet ports, a fuel station, a marina store and capacity for boats up to 30 feet in its listed dry-storage program.

That combination makes Gallatin Marina the clearest first call for a Gallatin-area owner who wants storage, fuel and basic lake-day supplies in one location. The marina also promotes SpeedyDock access for customers using dry storage, allowing boaters to request preparation before arrival.

The operator publishes seasonal hours rather than one fixed year-round schedule. Its 2026 schedule includes different hours for spring, summer, fall and holiday periods, with the marina closed for the season from December 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027, according to the operator’s current hours page.

Ask before booking:

• Is a covered slip, dry-storage space or jet port currently available?
• What are the boat-length, beam and weight limits for the space you want?
• Is fuel available during the marina’s full operating season and current office hours?
• Does the marina offer transient slips or only annual and seasonal storage?
• What launch-request notice is needed for dry storage?

Drakes Creek Marina: storage, larger vessels and haul-out service

Drakes Creek Marina is at 441 Sanders Ferry Road in Hendersonville. The marina advertises more than 150 covered and uncovered wet slips, 275 dry-stack racks, jet-ski slips, trailer storage, a fuel dock and a 45,000-pound travel lift.

For boat owners comparing repair and maintenance options near Gallatin, Drakes Creek is the strongest fit among the reviewed marinas for haul-out-related work. Its official FAQ says the travel lift can support haul-out for maintenance, winterization, bottom painting and repairs.

The marina also advertises short-term and annual wet-slip leases, dry-stack storage with app-controlled launches, fresh-water hookups, shore power, restrooms and parking. Its published wet-slip information says the facility can accommodate vessels up to 80 feet, while individual availability depends on the boat’s dimensions and the space requested.

Drakes Creek publishes seasonal office hours. The current schedule ranges from daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m. in April to daily 9 a.m.–7 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day, with reduced winter hours from November through March.

Anchor High Marina: covered slips, dry storage and fuel

Anchor High Marina is located at 128 River Road in Hendersonville. Its official site lists covered wet slips, dry storage, a ship store, electricity, water, cable, washer and dryer facilities, waste removal, diesel and ethanol-free gasoline.

Anchor High may suit boaters who are primarily comparing annual dockage and storage rather than one-day rentals. The site describes the facility as a sheltered yacht harbor and provides a marina phone number for dockage and service questions.

Because the operator does not publish a complete rate sheet or a current transient-slip policy on the reviewed page, confirm lease terms, vessel limits, fuel availability and service appointments directly.

Cedar Creek Marina: slips, fuel and boat rentals

Cedar Creek Marina is on Old Hickory Lake in the Mount Juliet area. Its official website advertises wet slips, gated docks, a ship’s store, a fuel dock and boat rentals. The site says its wet slips accommodate vessels up to 80 feet and also promotes floating cabins and vacation-home rentals.

For visitors who do not own a boat, Cedar Creek is worth comparing with other rental providers because it combines boat rentals with direct lake access. Rental inventory, required identification, deposits, weather policies and return times should be confirmed before reserving.

Cedar Creek also appears on TWRA’s list of Old Hickory Lake marinas providing pump-out service.

Cherokee Marina: transient slips, rentals and lake-stay amenities

Cherokee Marina is at 450 Cherokee Dock Road in Lebanon. Its official site specifically advertises covered boat slips and open transient slips, with accommodations for boats up to 80 feet, including personal watercraft. It also lists power, Wi-Fi, mobile pump-outs, fuel, parking and dedicated trailer spaces.

That makes Cherokee one of the more useful comparisons for visitors planning an overnight or short-term stay on Old Hickory Lake. The marina also advertises boat rentals, an RV campground and an on-site restaurant, so it may work better for a destination-style lake trip than a simple fuel stop.

Confirm transient-slip availability, arrival instructions, electrical hookups, pump-out access and any minimum-stay or reservation requirements before traveling.

The Boathouse at Benders Ferry: concierge dry storage and rentals

The Boathouse at Benders Ferry is at 3621 Benders Ferry Road in Mount Juliet. Its official site focuses on enclosed dry storage and concierge access rather than traditional wet-slip service. It advertises 236 enclosed storage spaces for boats up to 32 feet, 50 personal-watercraft spaces and a 20,000-pound lift capacity.

The service model is designed for owners who want the marina team to retrieve, launch and prepare the boat before arrival. The operator also advertises customer fuel service when arranged and pontoon and boat rentals during regular business hours.

Rental reservations require valid identification, and the operator’s published policy includes a security deposit, cancellation terms, return-time rules and no-pet and no-grill restrictions for rentals.

Public launch points near Gallatin

A marina slip is not the same as a public boat launch. If you are bringing a trailer, compare public access areas separately and check current conditions before leaving.

Cages Bend: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lists Cages Bend at 1125 Benders Ferry Road in Gallatin. The recreation area includes a boat ramp, two fishing docks and trailer-oriented lake access.

Avondale: The Corps lists Avondale as a year-round day-use area with a boat launch and quick access to the main channel of Old Hickory Lake. The site is unstaffed, so visitors should review current notices and plan accordingly.

TWRA’s boating and fishing access map is a useful starting point for identifying public access areas, but the agency cautions that locations and public-use restrictions can change and that the map should be treated as a guide rather than a guarantee of current access.

How to choose a marina or on-water service

Choose by the service you need first

• Fuel and basic supplies: Start with Gallatin Marina, Anchor High, Drakes Creek or Cedar Creek, all of which publicly advertise fuel access.
• Covered or wet-slip storage: Compare Gallatin Marina, Anchor High, Drakes Creek, Cedar Creek and Cherokee Marina based on vessel size, power, water access, security and lease terms.
• Dry storage: Gallatin Marina, Drakes Creek and The Boathouse at Benders Ferry advertise dry-storage options, but their size limits and launch procedures differ.
• Transient slips: Cherokee Marina explicitly advertises open transient slips. Drakes Creek advertises short-term wet-slip leases. Ask other marinas directly rather than assuming they offer overnight dockage.
• Boat rentals: Cedar Creek, Cherokee Marina and The Boathouse at Benders Ferry publicly advertise boat rentals.
• Repairs or haul-out: Drakes Creek is the clearest reviewed option for a publicly advertised travel lift and haul-out-related maintenance services.

Questions to ask before booking

Have your boat’s length overall, beam, draft, weight and power requirements ready. Then ask about:

1. Current availability and the waitlist.
2. Lease length, deposit, cancellation terms and payment schedule.
3. Shore power, fresh water, security gates and restroom access.
4. Fuel type, fuel-dock hours and pump-out availability.
5. Launch notice requirements for dry storage.
6. Trailer parking and whether guest parking is allowed.
7. Storm, winterization and severe-weather procedures.
8. Repair authorization, haul-out capacity and outside contractors.
9. Transient-slip check-in, overnight rules and electrical service.
10. Accessibility for passengers with mobility needs.

Old Hickory Lake details to check before departure

Old Hickory Lake is classified by Tennessee as a no-discharge reservoir, meaning boat sewage must be retained and handled through an appropriate pump-out or other lawful facility rather than discharged into the lake.

Tennessee also requires a boating-safety certification card for Tennessee residents born after January 1, 1989, subject to the state’s adult-supervision exception. The card must be carried while operating a vessel.

Near Gallatin Marina, Tennessee boating regulations designate the area spanning the east fork of Station Camp Creek as a slow-no-wake zone, and motorboats may not tow people there.

Before launching or departing a marina, verify the day’s weather, lake conditions, fuel and pump-out access, launch availability and any temporary notices. The most useful next step is to call the marina that matches your primary need—storage, fuel, repairs, transient access or rentals—and ask for a current quote and operating details.