Land for Sale in Hardin County, TN

Hardin County is in southwest Tennessee, on the Mississippi state line, with 26,831 residents in the 2020 census over 596 square miles. The Tennessee River divides it into two nearly equal parts, and Pickwick Dam and Pickwick Landing State Park are on the river here. Savannah is the county seat. For buyers of land near the water, the rule that matters most is not the county's: it is the Tennessee Valley Authority's permit requirement for docks, shoreline work and other construction along the river and its reservoirs.

Hardin County at a glance

County seat: Savannah. Cities: Adamsville (mostly in McNairy County), Crump and Savannah; towns: Milledgeville and Saltillo.
Census-designated places: Childers Hill, Counce, Morris Chapel, Nixon, Olivet, Shiloh and Walnut Grove.
2020 population 26,831 (26,026 in 2010); 596 square miles, 19 of them water.
The Tennessee River crosses the county; Pickwick Landing State Park, Shiloh National Military Park and several wildlife management areas are inside it.
US 64 and Tennessee State Routes 57, 69 and 128 serve the county.

The Hardin County land market

Hardin County mixes river and lake property near Pickwick, rural acreage and timberland, and small lots in and around Savannah, Counce and Saltillo. Waterfront and water-access land near Pickwick Dam is a different product from inland acreage, mostly because of the shoreline rules below, so compare like with like when you look at asking prices.

TVA Section 26a: what you need before building on the shoreline

Section 26a of the Tennessee Valley Authority Act requires TVA's approval before anyone constructs, operates or maintains a dam, appurtenant works or other obstruction affecting navigation, flood control or public lands along or in the Tennessee River or its tributaries. TVA's regulation (18 CFR 1304.1) lists boat docks, piers, boathouses, floats, boat launching ramps, fills, shoreline stabilization projects and floating cabins among the examples, and says the rules also apply to certain activities on TVA-owned land alongside TVA reservoirs and to land subject to TVA flowage easements. For a buyer, that means a lot that touches the water does not automatically come with the right to build a dock.

Who can apply, and what a permit does not do

Under 18 CFR 1304.2, if a facility is to be built on private land the applicant must own the land or hold an adequate lease or easement in it, and where TVA land or an intervening strip separates the lot from the water, TVA may permit a facility only if the owner of that strip does not object. The regulation also says a TVA permit conveys no property interest and that the applicant is responsible for locating the facility on qualifying land. Ask the seller for any existing TVA permit, and ask TVA before you pay for a lot on the strength of a dock that is not there yet.

Dock size and height on Pickwick

TVA's regulation (18 CFR 1304.204) says docks and walkways may not extend more than 150 feet from the shoreline or more than one-third of the distance to the opposite shoreline, whichever is less, and that all fixed piers and docks on Pickwick, Wilson, Wheeler, Guntersville and Nickajack Reservoirs must have deck elevations at least 18 inches above full summer pool level. These are the federal rules; check TVA for the current permit process and any local requirements.

Shiloh, state park land and the rest of the county

Shiloh National Military Park, Pickwick Landing State Park and the Dry Creek and White Oak wildlife management areas and Walker Branch State Natural Area are in Hardin County, so some parcels back up to public land. That helps privacy and recreation, and it is another reason to confirm legal access to any rural parcel before you buy.

Before you buy land in Hardin County

For any waterfront or water-access lot: whether TVA land, a flowage easement or an intervening strip lies between the lot and the water, and whether a dock permit exists or can be obtained.
Recorded legal access and who maintains the road.
FEMA flood zone and flood insurance cost, especially near the river.
Septic suitability or sewer and water service from a utility.
Property tax status, and whether the land is enrolled in the greenbelt program.
Mineral and timber rights and recorded easements.

How to verify legal access to land Land due diligence checklist

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a TVA permit to build a dock in Hardin County, Tennessee?

Section 26a of the TVA Act requires TVA approval for docks, piers and other obstructions along or in the Tennessee River and its tributaries. Not every waterfront lot has the land rights to qualify, so ask TVA before you buy.

How high must a dock be on Pickwick Lake?

Under 18 CFR 1304.204, fixed piers and docks on Pickwick must have deck elevations at least 18 inches above full summer pool level.