THE PERFECT PLACE W to get away from it all
BY PATRICK SMITH
Visit Land Between the Lakes
12 | May/June 2017
hen it comes to premiere recreation sites, the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area is sometimes overlooked. While the Great Smoky Mountains National Park draws more than 11.3 million visitors annually on the opposite end of the state, the Land Between the Lakes sees 1.3 million. That’s not a paltry number by any means, but perhaps there lies one of the park’s greatest strengths — it’s the perfect place to get away from it all. Located more than 100 miles from any major metropolitan area and nestled in the rolling hills of Kentucky and Tennessee, the Land Between the Lakes is 170,000 acres of unmatched beauty and 300 miles of undeveloped shoreline. “I think the Land Between the Lakes is one of the best-kept secrets in our area,” says John Pollpeter, lead naturalist for the park. “It really surprises people when they get here. They’re like, ‘Oh, wow! There’s all this here?’ You can head to the backwoods and not see civilization for days, or you can go out on the water and find those isolated bays where it feels like you’ve got the whole lake to yourself. You can find solitude here that you won’t get anywhere else.” There’s practically an endless list of things visitors can do and see at the Land Between the Lakes: fishing, boating, hunting, horseback riding, bird-watching, wildlife-viewing, camping, canoeing, hiking, mountain biking, ATV trails, sightseeing, stargazing and much more. If it’s been a few years since you visited the park, it’s time to head back and take stock of one of the area’s best sites. For visitors trying to decide what they can do when they visit, Pollpeter suggests starting at one of the five major environmental education facilities at Land Between the Lakes. The Woodlands Nature Station — Get an up-close view of a coyote, red wolf, great horned owl and many more animals in the Backyard Exhibit Area. Plus, visitors can take part in guided hikes and even rent canoes and kayaks during the summer months.
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