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Joel’s Journal: Land Between The Lakes
By Joel Raeber
When the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers were dammed in 1963 to create Kentucky and Barkley Lakes, the area between was designated the Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area and converted for recreational use.
There are several campgrounds within the park with Hillman Ferry the largest with more than 300 sites. Others include Piney and Energy Lake. There is also a Horse Camp at Wrangler’s Campground.
The campgrounds are well maintained, with level sites, water and electricity. Some of the sites are located on the lake (Kentucky Lake side) and others have lake views. There is a camp store for basic supplies, and there is even bicycle and canoe rental available.
Some sites can be reserved as far as six months in advance.
 Land Between The Lakes offers many recreational opportunities, from swimming, fishing, water skiing and boating on the lake, to hiking and biking along the trails, as well as history and nature watching.
The Home Place is a restored mid-19th Century farm and homestead located in the Tennessee portion of LBL. It is about 12 miles south of the Golden Pond Visitor Center. Visitors can walk among the buildings and see “homesteaders” doing traditional pioneer chores and other activities. The Home Place is part of an association of living history museums around the country. There is an additional fee for visiting.
Other activities include the Nature Station, with a variety of indoor and outdoor wildlife experiences. There are guided hiking or canoe excursions. The Elk & Bison Prairie is a restored habitat where visitors can view elk and bison in their natural habitat. There is a small fee for these areas, too.
 Because Land Between the Lakes is some distance from major cities, the Golden Pond Planetarium and Observatory offers a great opportunity to observe the stars. There are four telescopes for visitors to use. The planetarium is located inside the Golden Pond Visitor Center; the observatory is behind the planetarium.
Two Civil War forts, Fort Henry on the east bank of the Tennessee River and Fort Donelson on the west bank of Cumberland, are near the south end of LBL. In 1862, Union troops and a flotilla of ironclads and wooden gunboats, led by Ulysses S. Grant, captured the forts. Visitors can tour the forts and a nearby cemetery.
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If you have a favorite campground, RV park or other area you’d like to give your two cents on, email it to us
and get your 15 minutes of fame that Andy Warhol promised you. Photos are always appreciated.
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