Land Between the Lakes

Within an hour's drive of Clarksville are the 170,000 untamed acres of Land Between the Lakes. Visitors to the park will soon recognize that here, the wilderness rules. There are 300 miles of undeveloped shoreline, so no fancy lake houses perched where beavers or foxes might be scampering.

As part of a nationwide land reclamation project, President John F. Kennedy outlined his vision in 1963 regarding the use of LBL. It was to be used for low-impact recreation such as fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, boating, and environmental education. The overarching attempt was to show that an area that had limited timber, agricultural, and industrial resources could actually be retooled as a viable economic resource to the area due to tourism. Along with the Tennessee Valley Authority, Kennedy publicly endorsed that the land should be of pristine condition, which involved relocating the small population that lived there at the time. In fact, LBL's more than 250 cemeteries include many that are still maintained and used by the former residents of the region.

LBL is actually the largest inland peninsula in the U.S. It is flanked by Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. But if the larger lakes are not one's speed, numerous smaller lakes dot the region, allowing for fishing, canoeing, primitive camping, and wildlife watching.

LBL and the surrounding lakes have 22 lake access areas with boat ramps, five courtesy docks, four fishing piers and six beaches, according to its website. The recreation area contains 420 miles of road, more than 90 bridges and five dams. There is plenty of room to breath for the visitor to LBL.

LBL's diversity of wildlife includes fallow deer and white-tailed deer; the fallow deer wander wildly throughout the park. Visitors can also study elk and bison in their native habitats on a 750-acre habitat tract that has been restored to its native state. The bison herd home is the largest bison east of the Mississippi River.

Along with camping and hiking, visitors to LBL can enjoy the Woodlands Nature Station (a nature center), Homeplace (a living history farm recreated from the 19th century), and the Golden Pond Planetarium and Observatory. Other activities include the Turkey Bay Off Highway Vehicle Area, a public horse stable and Wranglers Campground, which is a horseback riding camp.

Camping is a great opportunity for visitors to LBL, for there are many different areas from which to choose. One can go to one of LBL's many developed campgrounds, or rough it by pitching a tent by a lake in the backcountry/self-service camping mode. The former suits the Winnebago crowd, while the latter suits those who prefer a more secluded vantage point. For backcountry camping, a permit is required; this can be purchased at the administrative office or at the welcome stations or visitors center. For more information on the various types of camping, call 270-924-2000.

The LBL recreation area also includes three sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Fort Henry was the site of a major Civil War battle, and Center Furnace and Great Western Iron Furnace are the remains of two iron furnaces used in the mid-19th century, when the area was a major iron production center.

The hiking trails of the park range from 14 to 65 miles long, with many suitable for backpacking and mountain biking; some even allow horses. Nature can be quietly observed from these trails. LBL is home to 1,300 species of plants, 240 species of birds and 53 species of mammals.