Bristol, Virginia · About 30 minutes to the South Holston River
Cabins Near the South Holston River in Bristol, VA
One private cabin · 3 bedrooms · 3 full baths · Sleeps 6
Book a guided float or wade trip on the South Holston, then come back to a whole log cabin on 50 private acres, with a hot shower for everyone and the fire pit ready.
From $400 a night · 2-night minimum for fishing trips · Entire cabin · Or email buckrockfarm@gmail.com
Your fishing trip
Where to Stay When You Fish the South Holston River
Buck Rock Farm is a private 3-bedroom, 3-bath log cabin on 50 acres in Bristol, Virginia, about 30 minutes from the South Holston River. The cabin sleeps up to six, and nobody else comes onto the property while you're here.
We're not on the river, and we'd rather say so up front. What you get instead is room.
A lot of South Holston trips start with two motel rooms off I-81, one shower for four people, and wet waders in the back of the truck. This cabin has three full baths, a laundry, a covered porch where waders can dry overnight, and a kitchen big enough to cook for six.
Bristol is close, too. State Street is about 5.5 miles from the farm, so dinner out after a day on the water is easy.
Or email buckrockfarm@gmail.com
Guides
Book a Guided Float or Wade Trip
A guide is the easiest way to fish the South Holston. Guides know the river, they plan the day around TVA's generation schedule, and on a float trip they bring the boat. You just show up with your license.
Float trips
Cover more river from the guide's boat.
Wade trips
These happen when the units are off and the water is low.
First-timers
You get the most out of a guided day, since someone shows you how the river and the schedule work.
Not sure who to call? Ask us for guide recommendations when you send your dates.
Ask Us for Guide RecommendationsGetting to the river
How Far Is the Cabin From the South Holston River?
The drive from the farm to the river is about 30 minutes. Your guide will usually tell you where to meet. These are the access points most trips start from.
We keep the street address off the website and send directions once your dates are confirmed.
- South Holston Dam
- TVA Osceola Island Recreation Area, at the weir below the dam
- South Holston River Fly Shop, Emmett Road
- Bluff City, TN
- J. Forrest Thomas Access Area on TN-44, TWRA's access for the lower river
- The Watauga River at Wilbur Dam in Elizabethton, if you want to fish a second tailwater
Water levels
Plan Your Fishing Days Around the TVA Generation Schedule
The South Holston is a tailwater, so the water level depends on how much TVA is releasing from South Holston Dam. Check the schedule the night before you fish.
TVA posts the South Holston generation schedule on its Lake Levels page. Next-day schedules are usually up by 6 p.m.
When the units are off, the weir below the dam holds a minimum flow of about 90 cubic feet per second. TWRA's biologists sample the river at about 2,400 cfs, which is one unit running at the dam.
Safety first. TVA warns that release schedules can change without notice and that large amounts of water can come through at any time. If the river starts rising, get out and head for higher ground.
If the schedule doesn't give you a wading window, a guided float is the way to go. With 500 Mbps WiFi at the cabin, checking tomorrow's schedule over dinner takes a minute.
Licenses and rules
Tennessee Fishing Licenses and South Holston Trout Rules
The cabin is in Virginia, but the river below South Holston Dam is in Tennessee. You need a Tennessee fishing license that covers trout, even on a guided trip. These are TWRA's current prices, before processing fees.
| License | Who it's for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 3-Day Fishing, All Species including trout | Nonresidents, age 16 and over | $40 |
| 10-Day Fishing, All Species including trout | Nonresidents, age 16 and over | $61 |
| Annual Fishing, All Species including trout | Nonresidents, age 16 and over | $98 |
| 1-Day Fishing, All Species | Tennessee residents, ages 16 to 64 | $11 |
| Annual Hunt/Fish Combination plus Annual Trout Supplemental | Tennessee residents, ages 16 to 64 | $33 plus $21 |
Who needs one
Kids 12 and under don't need a license. You can buy one online through Go Outdoors Tennessee.
Coming from Virginia? The South Holston Reservoir license only covers the lake. It doesn't cover the river below the dam, and Virginia DWR says it isn't valid for keeping trout.
Fees and rules change, so check TWRA's trout regulations and license page before your trip.
River rules from the dam down to Boone Reservoir
- Every trout from 16 to 22 inches goes back in the water.
- You can keep seven trout a day, and only one of them can be over 22 inches.
- From November 1 through January 31, two spawning areas are closed to all fishing: Hickory Tree Bridge upstream to where Bottom Creek comes in, and from the lower end of Boy's Island (the first island below Weaver Pike Bridge) up to the top of the first island above Webb Road Bridge.
Or email buckrockfarm@gmail.com
The river
Why Anglers Drive to the South Holston
TWRA's management plan for the river explains why people make the trip.
About 13.7 miles of tailwater run from South Holston Dam to Boone Reservoir.
TWRA stopped stocking brown trout in 2003. Browns have made up 80 to 90 percent of TWRA's survey catch every year since 2009.
TWRA stocks 47,000 adult rainbow trout a year, from March through September.
In TWRA's 2019 angler survey, 52 percent of the people fishing the river came from outside Tennessee, mostly from North Carolina and Virginia.
That last number is why lodging matters. Most of the people on the water drove in.
The cabin
Back at the Cabin After a Day on the Water
The cabin is a 3-bedroom, 3-bath log home built in 2022, with a king, a queen and two doubles, plus a sleeper sofa in the game room. Four anglers each get a bed of their own. Six works if two share.
- Three full baths, so nobody waits for a hot shower
- A covered porch outside the cabin where waders and boots can dry overnight
- Laundry for wet layers and fishing shirts
- A full kitchen, a grill on the porch and an 8-foot picnic table
- A fire pit all year and a stone fireplace in fall and winter
- 500 Mbps WiFi for the TVA schedule and the weather
- Parking for up to three vehicles
Keyless entry means you can roll in after an evening on the water without meeting anyone. See the cabin in the photo gallery.
About your catch. The cabin doesn't have a fish-cleaning station. Catch-and-release is the simplest plan, and every trout from 16 to 22 inches has to go back anyway. If you keep a few, bring a cooler and take them home with you.
Inside
Take a Look Inside
A bedroom, a bath and the great room. More photos are in the full gallery.
The king bedroom
A rustic headboard, windows out to the porch, and a comfortable king bed.
Three full baths
Granite and black fixtures. With three full baths, nobody waits for a shower after a day on the river.
The great room
Leather sofas, a stone fireplace, and the log staircase up to the loft.
For the People in Your Group Who Don't Fish
Not everyone in the group has to fish. Bristol gives them plenty to do while you're on the river.
Shopping and lunch
The Pinnacle is about 5 miles from the farm, and State Street in downtown Bristol is about 5.5.
A show or a night out
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol is 3 miles down the road. See cabins near Hard Rock Casino Bristol.
A private range lesson
Bryan, an NRA-certified instructor and Chief Range Safety Officer, teaches first-timers on the farm's private range. Book it ahead when you send your dates.
Trails right outside the door
The farm has 2.75 miles of private hiking and mountain bike trails, and Steele Creek Park is about 6 miles away.
Planning a trip where nobody fishes? Our girlfriend getaway cabin page covers a weekend in Bristol.
A sample weekend
A Friday to Sunday South Holston Trip
Friday
Arrive in the afternoon, claim your bedrooms, and buy your Tennessee licenses online if you haven't yet. After 6 p.m., check TVA's schedule for Saturday and confirm the meeting time and spot with your guide. Then grill on the porch and light the fire pit.
Saturday
Coffee early and on the road to meet your guide, about 30 minutes away. Anyone who isn't fishing can sleep in, book a range lesson with Bryan, or spend the day on State Street. Meet back at the cabin, hang the waders on the covered porch, and head into Bristol for dinner.
Sunday
One more morning on the water if the schedule works. If it doesn't, walk the farm's trails, take a slow breakfast on the deck, and head home.
Quiz: What Kind of South Holston Trip Are You Planning?
Answer three questions and see which trip fits your group.
Mostly A: The Wading Weekend
Book a guided wade trip, or plan your own days around the times TVA has no units running. Check the schedule after 6 p.m. each night. Waders dry on the covered porch, and the laundry handles the wet layers.
Ask Us for Guide RecommendationsMostly B: The Float Weekend
Book a guided float trip. Your guide brings the boat and picks the stretch of river based on the generation schedule. Line one up before you lock in your dates, and ask us for guide recommendations when you send them.
Ask Us for Guide RecommendationsMostly C: The Split Weekend
The anglers leave at first light to meet their guide. Everyone else books a range lesson with Bryan, walks the farm's trails, or spends the day at The Pinnacle and on State Street. Everybody meets back at the cabin for dinner on the deck.
Ask About Your DatesMostly D: The First Fly Fishing Trip
Book a guided trip for the first day so someone shows you how the river and the generation schedule work. Buy a Tennessee 3-day license for each angler age 16 and over before you go.
Ask Us for Guide RecommendationsA little of everything
Split between letters? Use the Friday to Sunday plan above and borrow from each.
Is This the Right Cabin for Your Fishing Trip?
Buck Rock Farm fits some fishing trips better than others, so here's the plain version.
- We're not on the river, and there's no water to fish on the farm. If you want to walk off the porch and into the river, a riverfront rental fits better.
- If you want meals and a guide in one package, a full-service fishing lodge fits better. This is a private cabin with a kitchen, and we're happy to point you to guides.
- Six guests is the limit.
- Fishing trips have a two-night minimum.
- No pets, and no RVs or campers.
What Past Guests Say
★★★★★
Hands down the BEST location to get anywhere you need to be for Bristol TN or Bristol VA, or any of the top things to do in the area.
Chris and SteveFort Worth, Texas
★★★★★
The location was very convenient to restaurants and Bristol Motor Speedway but felt remote. The beds were very comfortable and would definitely stay here again if in the area.
AngieLinden, Virginia
★★★★★
Location is beautiful and peaceful. Comfy beds. Well-stocked kitchen. Several thoughtful touches. The wraparound deck and the view is our favorite part.
KelleyFairfax, Virginia
How Booking Works
- Send your dates and how many anglers are coming through the request form. Let us know if you'd like guide recommendations.
- We write back with availability, your rate, and a few guides to call.
- Once the dates are set, you get directions and arrival instructions.
Or email buckrockfarm@gmail.com
South Holston River Cabin FAQs
How far is Buck Rock Farm from the South Holston River?
About 30 minutes. Where you end up depends on your guide and the day's generation schedule. Common starting points include South Holston Dam, TVA's Osceola Island access at the weir, the South Holston River Fly Shop on Emmett Road, and Bluff City.
Is the cabin on the river?
No. Buck Rock Farm is a private 50-acre farm in Bristol, Virginia, about a half-hour drive from the river. There's no pond or creek on the property. You get 50 acres and a 3-bath cabin to yourselves, and the trade is a drive in the morning.
Can you recommend a fishing guide?
Yes. Ask us for guide recommendations when you send your dates, and we'll point you to guides who run float and wade trips on the South Holston.
Do I need my own boat?
No. Guided float trips include the boat, and a guide can also take you on a wade trip when the water is low.
Do I need a Tennessee or a Virginia fishing license?
Tennessee. The South Holston River below the dam is in Tennessee, so you need a Tennessee license that covers trout, including on a guided trip. The South Holston Reservoir license only covers the lake.
How much is a Tennessee fishing license for out-of-state anglers?
TWRA's nonresident licenses that include trout are $40 for 3 days, $61 for 10 days and $98 for a year, before processing fees. Kids 12 and under don't need one.
Where do I check the South Holston generation schedule?
On TVA's Lake Levels page under South Holston. Next-day schedules are usually posted by 6 p.m., and TVA says they can change without notice.
Is any of the South Holston closed to fishing in winter?
Yes. From November 1 through January 31, TWRA closes two brown trout spawning areas to all fishing. One runs from Hickory Tree Bridge up to Bottom Creek. The other runs from Boy's Island, below Weaver Pike Bridge, up to the first island above Webb Road Bridge. The rest of the river stays open.
Where do we dry our waders?
On the covered porch outside the cabin. Hang them up when you get back and they're ready for the morning.
Can we clean fish at the cabin?
There isn't a fish-cleaning station. Catch-and-release is the simplest plan. If you keep some, bring a cooler and take them home.
How many anglers can stay at the cabin?
Up to six. There's a king, a queen and two doubles across three bedrooms, plus a sleeper sofa in the game room, so four anglers each get their own bed.
Is there a minimum stay?
Yes. Fishing trips have a two-night minimum.
What can people who don't fish do while we're on the river?
Book a private range lesson with Bryan, walk the farm's 2.75 miles of trails, or head into Bristol. The Pinnacle is about 5 miles away, State Street about 5.5, and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol is 3.
How do I check dates and get a price?
Send your dates and how many people are coming through the request form. Rates start at $400 a night, and we'll reply with availability, your exact rate and guide recommendations if you want them.
Plan Your South Holston Fishing Trip
Tell us your dates, how many anglers are coming, and whether you'd like guide recommendations. We'll reply with availability and your rate.
Or email buckrockfarm@gmail.com
