Land Between the Lakes TN / KY

[Heavy_Metal_Doc]

Anyone familiar with this recreation area, please advise me:

I'm beginning to plan a trip there. I see the regular RV accommodating CG's listed and also see dispersed / dry camping available, though the details of that are vague.

We use a large travel trailer and do like to dry to camp in the more secluded spots, when possible, but the info on-line makes it hard to tell if those spots are really just tent sites, or bigger. Looking for a site on shallow water good for kayaking / wildlife watching.

I'm also wondering about the season / weather : We would like to go in the spring, around March or April and I'm wondering how busy it will be, both in terms of people and wildlife, when things really start to green-up and not feel like winter in that area?

Thanks!

[KevinGeiwitz]

We stayed at Hillmans Ferry CG. The place is beautiful with things to do near by, the elk and buffalo are cool to see up close. I will say the site(Pull Thru) we were told it would fit our 30 foot trailer but I am not sure how its measured because it was very tight so go bigger when reserving.Tons of walking trails and the lake is nice.

[RoyB]

I believe they have Buffalo and Elk roaming free over the whole complex at Land Between The Lakes... Got to steer clear of those or get rammed haha... Have spent alot of time around those at the Wichita Mtns Wildlife Refuge north of Lawton OKLA... They get spooked pretty easy...

I have always wanted to go roam around the Land Between The Lakes in KY on my way back to my homeland in Southern Ill but never have done it...

Roy Ken

[KA4EBU]

Know where you are going to be before you get there. There is one N/S and one E/W highway. www.landbetweenthelakes.us has all the info. It is a beautiful place.

[coolmom42]

There are Self Service campgrounds, Backcountry areas, and dispersed camping.

THIS PAGE gives more information on all of them. There are also pictures.

Many of these self-service and back country areas are close to the water, and have been known to flood. There is a visitor's center at both the north and south entrances, and also near the middle, so you can stop and ask.

In your shoes, I would go to one of the developed campgrounds first. On a non-crowded weekend, you should have plenty of space. Piney is the largest and also has some of the nicest sites near the water.

ENERGY LAKE might suit you it is a smaller campground on a calm lake. The campground is not the most developed, which you also might like. But the selection of sites for a large trailer is limited.

Just so you understand.... the lakes of LBL are impoundments of the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. They are large navigable waterways with heavy barge traffic. I would not go near the main channel in a kayak.

The sites right on the big lakes are going to be windy and possibly not pleasant on a cool spring day. Getting a little off the water is not a bad thing. Keep that in mind.

You can get a detailed map

[Merrykalia]

I would call the park and try to speak with a ranger, who could probably give you the information you need. Just someone answering the phone may or may not know anything about camping, but I'm sure the ranger would.

[doxiemom11]

We drove thru that way and from what I remember, some of the roads that went off the main road were not ones we would drive down with our 36' class A . From the north there is a visitors center that may or may not have helpful info. Because of lack of info, we did nor stay there.

[downtheroad]

It's been many years since we were there. I think??? we stayed in Piney Campground. It was July and we were on a cross country camping loop. We are from the Northwest so I remember the heavy humidity and all the bugs at night, but I don't remember much else.
My wife said she remembers that we had a very sloping campsite and we had to really chock our wheels. She was afraid that we would roll into the lake.

Not much help, I know, but have a good trip anyway.