The Boils WMA

Site Directions – To Roaring River Road parking lot (main entrance): From Gainsboro, Tennessee, head north on TN-56 travel about 1.4 miles, then turn right onto Dodson Branch Hwy, follow this road for 2.4 miles, then turn right onto Roaring River Road you will drive 0.2 miles, crossing over the Roaring River, then turn right onto Roaring River Rd. and follow it for 4.3 miles.  The entrance to The Boils WMA Roaring River Road, parking lot will be on your right. You will drive down a relatively steep bank into the lot.  There is a WMA entrance sign in the parking lot. Roaring River Rd. parking lot (main entrance) – 36.34968,-85.56319

Other specific locations and access points:

Dodson Branch Hwy parking lot – to get to the Dodson Branch Rd. parking lot, instead of turning left onto Roaring River Rd. to go to the Roaring River Rd. parking lot, you will continue on Dodson Branch for another 4 miles. The parking lot will be on your right and is marked with a WMA sign. Dodson Branch Hwy parking lot – 36.34931,-85.56633

Dove field entrance – to get to the dove field, instead of turning left onto Roaring River Rd. to go to the Roaring River Rd. parking lot, you will continue on Dodson Branch for another 3.3 miles. The dove field will be on your left. Note that this is only open to park in during the dove season. Dove field entrance – 36.34997,-85.57721

The WMA is open year-round during daylight hours, note hunting seasons.   License fees may apply.  

TWRA Contact Information: Region 3 Office: 1-931-484-9571, Toll-Free: 1-833-402-4698, E-mail the office, TWRA Area Manager: Johnny Poston 1-615-342-9307

The Boils WMA is a small WMA located in Jackson County with several unique features. The WMA has beautiful access to the Roaring River for fishing, swimming, etc.  It has a very unique geologic feature at the Roaring River Rd. entrance, in the form of a spring that “boils” up from the ground into the river. There are multiple river bottom fields that are managed for dove hunting, and there are multiple access points for fishing.  There are a few upland areas that could provide deer and turkey hunting opportunities for a few users.

The Boils WMA, although small, provides an opportunity to see wildlife that may occur in river systems, agricultural fields, and upland deciduous forests.  For example, you might observe white-eyed vireos and brown thrashers in the forest edges, mourning doves and red-winged blackbirds in the agricultural fields, and generalists like white-tailed deer and wild turkeys throughout.  There could also be some waterfowl observation opportunities, such as wood ducks because the Cordell Hull Refuge is nearby.