Carr Creek Lake Shelters

Carr Creek Lake Shelters are located on Carr Creek Lake, on the same side of Kentucky Highway 160 as Littcarr Campground. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in cooperation with the Commonwealth of Kentucky, manages the land and water here for wildlife, fisheries and recreation. Eight picnic shelters are open for use from April through September: Dogwood, Holly, Laurel, Pin Oak, Poplar, Sycamore, White Pine and Willow. Each is accessible and equipped with electricity, grills, picnic tables and lighting, and each can accommodate up to 200 people; however, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the number of people at each site is being limited to 10. Restrooms are located near all shelters. Willow, Pin Oak, White Pine and Dogwood are at the Littcarr Recreation Area, offering access to a boat ramp, playground, horseshoe pit and shoreline fishing. Sycamore and Poplar are in the Dam/Tailwater Area, with a horseshoe pit, large playground and volleyball courts nearby. Laurel and Holly are at the marina, where guests have access to a boat ramp, playground, horseshoe pits and an accessible fishing pier. The 710-acre lake and surrounding area offer a wide variety of outdoor recreation. Boating and water skiing are popular, and for the sportsman, fishing is an ever-present activity — crappie, bass, bluegill and walleye are plentiful, and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife release trout in the tailwater throughout the summer months. Hikers can find a short nature trail, less than a mile long, in the Dam/Tailwater area; for a bit more adventure, the 6-mile Sugar Branch Trail begins at the dam and ends at Sugar Lake Road. Carr Creek Lake lies in the mountainous region of southeastern Kentucky, about 16 miles from Hazard and 18 miles from Whitesburg. The dam is 8.8 miles above the mouth of Carr Fork, a tributary of the North Fork of the Kentucky River.