8/4/2019 Reel Foot Lake

1/2

TheTennesseeDepartmento

fEnvironmentan

dConservationiscommitted

toprincipleso

fequa

lop

portunity,equa

laccessan

da

ffirmativeaction.Con-

tacttheTennesseeDepartmento

fEnvironmentan

dConservationEEO/AA

coordinatorat(888)86

7-2757ortheADACoordinatorat(615)532-0059

for

furt

herinformation

.Hearingimpaire

dca

llersmayusetheTennessee

Re

layServiceat(800)848-0298.

Tenne

sseeDepartmentofEnvironmentandCon-

servationauthorizationno.327152,25,000copies.

Thisp

ublicdocumentwaspromulgated

atacostof$.069percopy,December2009.

TENNESSEE

H

oOpao

Theparkisopen7daysaweek

FFhnomoCa

ReelfootLake

StatePark/2595StateRoute21E

Tiptonville,TN

38079/Office:(731)253-8003/VisitorsCenter(731)253-9652

OrCa

TennesseeSta

teParks/401ChurchSt.,7thFloor/Nashville,TN37243

Phone(888)867-2757www.tnstateparks.com

Tpks

20aabono

10sm

oeao

2meohRfoLs

n

Tohsoohpknun

thvsoanepv

cewhaoupccacmna-

aoeaoSaeHg

2a2

RfoL

REELREEReelfoot Lake State Parkeelfoot Lake Stat e Park

8/4/2019 Reel Foot Lake

2/2

Reelfoot Lake State Parkis located in the northwest corner of Tennessee andcontains 280 acres broken into 10 different segmentssituated along 22 miles of Reelfoot Lake shoreline. Thepark offers overnight accommodations at the Spillwayareas. The visitors center provides insight into the ori-gin of Reelfoot Lake and its complex ecosystem. Sea-sonal boat tours of the lake and guided tours to viewwintering bald eagles and waterfowl are highlights ofthe parks interpretive efforts.

Historical signif icanceSevere earthquakes created Reelfoot Lake, Ten-nessees largest natural lake, during the winter of 1811and 1812. This partially submerged forest provides ap-proximately 18,000 acres of wildlife habitat. Locatedon the Mississippi Flyway, the lake hosts thousandsof migrating waterfowl and the majestic bald eagle dur-ing the winter months. Although fishermen troll the wa-ters throughout the year, Reelfoot Lake is renownedfor its excellent spring catches of crappie, bream, bass,and catfish. Photographers, wildlife enthusiasts, andbird watchers flock to Reelfoot for its wildlife diversity,its abundant avian spring and fall migrations, and its un-matched views and sunsets.

Meeting RoomsReelfoot Lake State Park provides one meeting room.

Reelfoots 3,750 sq. ft. air conditioned Ellington Hall Au-ditorium with kitchen facilities can seat approximately400 people theater style or 240 people banquet style.This room is perfect for banquets, reunions, or meetings.It is available year round at nominal costs. Reservationsare accepted up to 12 months in advance.

MotelThe park provides a five-unit motel at the Spillway area. AllSpillway units can sleep 3 people and have a refrigerator, amicrowave, and a coffee maker. Three Spillway units providekitchenettes. Pet rooms are available. Credit cards are ac-cepted. Check out is 11:00 a.m. For reservations and infor-mation call (731) 253-9652.

MuseumReelfoot Lake State Parks R.C. Donaldson Memorial Mu-seum features natural and cultural exhibits of the area. Themuseum is open year-round except for the Christmas holi-day period. Admission is free. Call (731) 253-9652 for infor-mation.CampingReelfoot Lake State Park features two campground s. Thesouth campground offers 86 sites open from mid March untilmid November. The Airpark campground offers 14 sitesopen year round. Both campgrounds have bathhouses withshowers and dumping stations. All sites have water andelectric hook ups and tables and grills. All sites have 30 ampor 50 amp breakers. Most sites will accept camper lengthsup to 35 feet. Campsites are available on a first-come first-serve basis. Primitive campsites are available. Check-in sta-tions are present. Maximum stay is two weeks. Petsaccepted on leash.

HikingReelfoot Lake State Park and other state lands offer severaleasy to moderate trails providing access to this unique wet-land habitat. Allow one to two hours or less walking time pertrail. Trail information available at the visito r center. Trailsmay be wet due to rain and lake levels

FishingFishing is available year round. Bass, Crappie, Bream, andCatfish are most popular species sought. Appropriate Ten-nessee license and lake permit required. Some fish cleaningstations are available. Private bait and boat rental concessionsnearby. Piers, boardwalks, and bank fishing are available.

Nature CenterA part of Reelfoot Lake State Parks R.C. Donaldson Me-morial Museum, the nature center, houses various non-re-leasable raptors, some snakes, and other wildlife of the area.Open year-round except for the Christmas holiday period.Admission is free.

Picnic Pavilions and PlaygroundsReelfoot offers visitors approximately 200 picnic sites.Most of the sites have grills. All sites are adjacent to drinkingwater, toilet facilities, and playgrounds. There are five largepavilions for group use. All sites are available on a first-comefirst-serve basis. Pavilions may be reserved with a nominalfee.

BoatingReelfoot Lake is open to boating throughout the year. Sev-eral public ramps are located at various points on the lake.Many private operations offer boat rental. Since ReelfootLake contains a partially submerged forest, boaters shoulduse caution.

Planned ProgramsFrom early January through early-March, park naturalistsconduct daily eagle tours. Call for reservations. ReelfootLake scenic cruise boat tours are available daily Maythrough September. A guide is available to answer questionsand to interpret the natural and cultural wonders of the lake.Reservations are advised, especially for groups.

Gift ShopReelfoots gift shop featurebooks, and books on areaexcept for the Christmas h

Nearby AttractionsDixie Gun Works, UniReelfoot National WildEmmett Lewis Heritag

Other Nearby State Big Cypress Tree StaAnnual EventsBald Eagle and WaterJanuary and FebruaryScenic Boat tours, MaRound House ReunioEvent, 3rd Sunday in SArts and Crafts Festiv