TRAVELS WITH THE WNP

Land Between the Lakes

by Trish Milburn

When I was growing up in Western Kentucky, one of my favorite destinations was Land Between the Lakes, a strip of land between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake that was created as a 170,000-acre national recreation area following the damming of the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers to form the two lakes. Even though I live in a different state now, I still love to go back to LBL to visit my favorite spots.

Depending on what activities you enjoy and how much time you have, you can cater a trip to LBL that will provide an enjoyable day-long respite or a week-long vacation. If you want to cover the entire nearly 50-mile length of LBL, you can either begin your trip at the southern entrance near Dover, Tenn., or the northern entrance near Grand Rivers, Ky.

There are numerous side roads along The Trace, the main north-south corridor, that lead to campgrounds, lake access areas and day use areas on both lakes. As a result of the creation of the lakes, several communities had to be moved, and all residents of what until then had been called Between the Rivers were moved out to make way for LBL. Though there were hard feelings at the time, the area now provides a myriad of recreation opportunities to thousands of visitors each year. And evidence of the past still remains at such sites as the Great Western Iron Furnace ruins and numerous family cemeteries scattered throughout LBL.

Being bordered by two recreational lakes makes LBL a favorite with fishermen and campers. Anglers can take advantage of one of the largest man-made bodies of water and some of the best sport fishing in the South.

Campgrounds allow campers to choose between tent or full-service RV camping. Colson Hollow Group Camp accommodates groups up to 200, and Wranglers Campground caters to horseback riders with stalls, a tack shop and farrier, guided trail rides and nearly 100 miles of horse trails and backroads. The Brandon Spring Resident Center is a year-round dormitory-style group facility that can house 128.

LBL is criss-crossed with dozens of trails that provide hours of hiking and mountain biking opportunities. These trails range from shorter treks near other attractions to the 69-mile North/South Trail. Though some attractions are closed during the winter months, trails are open year-round so you can enjoy seeing the LBL backcountry in all seasons. If you don’t have time to cover all of LBL but still want to get in some good hiking, check out the more than 32 miles of the Fort Henry Trail system near the South Welcome Station.

Four major attractions are definite stops for those wanting to get the full LBL experience. These can be visited alone or as part of a more extensive LBL vacation.

Woodlands Nature Station allows visitors to get close-up looks at wildlife such as endangered red wolves, a bobcat, a bald eagle, turtles, a groundhog, four types of owls, a red-tailed hawk, white-tailed and fallow deer, wild turkey and coyotes. Open March-November, Woodlands also hosts guided canoe trips on nearby Honker and Hematite lakes and nature hikes on trails surrounding the lakes and the nature center

Though much of LBL is wooded, the 700-acre Elk and Bison Prairie is a restoration of Kentucky’s native grassland. As the name implies, a 3.5-mile drive through this exhibit takes you by two species that many identify with the American West — about 50 elk, which were transplanted from Alberta, Canada, and nearly 40 bison moved from the herd that has been a popular attraction across from The Homeplace since 1969. Though these massive animals are most identified with the Great Plains, Daniel Boone and other longhunters observed them in Kentucky in the 1770s. Small herds such as this one and the larger ones in a few national parks such as Yellowstone are all that remain of what was once a 60-70 million animal population.

While visiting the prairie’s exhibits, watching birds such as indigo buntings and Savannah sparrows, and noting native grasses such as little bluestem and Indian grass and wildflowers such as prairie phlox and partridge pea, keep in mind that the elk and bison are large, wild animals. Do not approach or feed them. Elk can weigh up to 800 pounds, bison 2,000, and sport dangerous antlers and horns. Even though bison appear to lumber leisurely, they can run up to 35 miles per hour.

A short distance south of the Elk and Bison Prairie is the Golden Pond Visitor Center, Planetarium and Observatory. Displays document the history of the Land Between the Lakes area and give more information on the Elk and Bison Prairie. A video titled “Restoring the Land for Tomorrow” stars Karen Grassle, “Ma Ingalls” from Little House on the Prairie.

The main family attraction in the Tennessee portion of LBL (and my favorite part of LBL) is The Homeplace a living history farm staffed with interpreters dressed in 19th century clothing and performing tasks along gender lines as they would have been done around 1850. Sixteen original and restored log structures make up the farm along with gardens filled with heirloom vegetables, planted fields and farm animals, particularly rare breeds such as Tamworth hogs, Dominique chickens and Cotswold sheep.

No matter your age, Land Between the Lakes is like the backyard tempting you to leave responsibility behind for just a little while and play in the great outdoors.

To read last month's Travel article, click here

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