Wildlife Viewing

The Woodlands Nature Watch Area is a roughly 6,800 acre area that encompasses some of the best wildlife viewing in Land Between the Lakes. Once the core of one of the first national wildlife refuges, the area hosts thick, forested upland ridges that gently drop down into beaver marshes and bottomlands teeming with wildlife. Nestled between Honker and Hematite Lakes is Woodlands Nature Station, where you can jump on a trail or find a great place to explore paddling.

• Location: Northeast section of LBL between Road 133-135
• Best Time to View: year-round, dawn and dusk for best viewing
• Access: Hiking, Paddling, Vehicles, Accessible trail is available.
• Highlights: Hematite Lake Trail, Honker Lake & Trail, Empire Point, Woodlands Nature Station
• Commonly Seen: Birds of prey, songbirds, wading birds, waterfowl, beavers, exotic fallow deer, wildflowers, reptiles and amphibians

Step back in time and explore The Barrens, an ecosystem once commonly found in Land Between the Lakes comprised of an intermix of tallgrass prairie and oak woodlands. It is a land shaped by movements of its dominant residents, the elk and the American bison, which died out in the early 1800’s. Search for the wallows and rubs (or the animals themselves), but don’t forget to slow down for the vivid songbirds, butterflies, wild turkey, and egrets who call this diverse habitat home.

• Commonly Seen: Elk, Bison, wild turkey, egrets, songbirds like blue grosbeaks, indigo buntings, summer tanagers, prairie warblers
• Location: One mile north on the Trace from Highway 68/80
• Best Time to View: Year-round, one hour prior to dusk and one hour after dawn, May during bison calving, Sept.-Nov. for elk rut.
• Access: Enclosed vehicles only

A well-known “must stop” secret for birders, Long Creek Wildlife Refuge is a grassy wetland with several managed pools that attract a myriad of migrating songbirds, wading birds, raptors, and waterfowl year-round.

• Location: North of Highway 68/80 near the Lake Barkley Bridge and Energy Lake Road
• Best Time to View: Spring and Fall Migration, Winter
• Access: Vehicle only
• Commonly Seen: Eagles, neotropical migrants, beavers, winter waterfowl
• Note: Long Creek restricts some access during Nov. 1-Mar.16

This open grassland gives an expansive view of the large herds of bison that dominate the prairie.  Watch the social interactions as these national symbols act as they have for thousands of years. Look for butterflies, summer/fall wildflowers, and grassland songbirds amongst the herds.

• Location: One mile south of the Kentucky/Tennessee border, across from the Homeplace
• Best Time to View: Year-round, May is calving season, August is the bison rut
• Access: Vehicle only
• Commonly Seen: American bison, bluebirds, hawks, sparrows, summer butterflies

Crooked Creek winds around the hills and hollows of Land Between the Lakes, eventually emptying into the 300-acre Energy Lake.  While known for great fishing, the lake is most known for incredible paddling. At the back of the lake, the creek combines with the large Ferguson Spring, creating a giant beaver marsh with a labyrinth of shifting pathways, flooded forests, islands, and hidden wildlife.

• Location: Energy Lake Road, Road 136
• Best Time to View: April -October
• Access: Vehicle, Paddling
• Highlights: Crooked Creek (western section of lake), main lake for sunsets, stargazing, dam for fishing, winter birding
• Commonly Seen: Bald eagle, osprey, beavers, summer songbirds, wildflowers
• Note: Western section of lake closes Nov. 1-Mar. 16 as a wildlife refuge

These large northwestern bays offer some of the best winter birding in Land Between the Lakes.  You can glimpse eagles in courtship, loons fishing, large diverse rafts of ducks and grebes, and maybe even the occasional otter dashing along frozen inlets.

• Location: Northern LBL, Road 114
• Best Time to View: Nov-February, January is the peak month
• Access: Vehicle, hiking
• Highlights: Smith Bay, Birmingham Ferry, Pisgah Bay boat access
• Commonly Seen: For winter viewing, bald eagles, loons, grebes, mergansers, dabbling ducks, diving ducks

Bear and Panther Creeks flow through tall hills and deep hollows, leading you to great views year-round. The area is best known for its Civil War history, but also by locals for its spring wildflowers and migrating songbirds.  It is also managed as a nature watch area with a number of rare plant communities and habitats that give this location a large diversity. Spend some time creek-wading  and be sure to pay attention to the colorful darters and sunfish that dash between your feet.

• Location: Across from South Welcome Station to Piney Campground
• Best Time to View: Spring and early Summer
• Access: Vehicle, Hiking
• Highlights: Beer Creek Loop, Panther Creek, Fort Henry, Shortleaf Pine Trail
• Commonly Seen: Spring wildflowers, Shortleaf pine, maple/beech, plant communities, Spring/summer migratory songbirds

Land Between the Lake’s 300-miles of undeveloped and forested shorelines, along with the proximity to the Mississippi Flyway, make it an ideal destination for catching a glimpse of bald eagles’ courtship flight, squadrons of pelicans, or loons lazily riding the waves.  Winter is the second-best time for wildlife viewing in LBL, as it brings a whole host of bird species to our unfrozen waters. 

• Best Places to View: Honker Lake, Kentucky Dam, Lake Barkley Dam, Smith/Pisgah Bay (Road 114), Empire Point, Boswell Landing, Fort Donelson National Battlefield
• Best Time to View: November -February. Peak is in January
• Viewing Tips: Good numbers of eagles are often found along the Northwestern bays of LBL, but you can find good views at locations with high waterfowl concentrations like Honker Lake and the two large dams’ tailwaters. On warm days, look for eagles out towards the points of the bays. On cold, windy days, search in the trees in the back of the bay.
• Note: Eagles are still federally protected. Eagle viewers must keep their distance from an eagle roost or eagle’s nest at all times.

The core of Land Between the Lakes once had large herds of elk & bison. These populations disappeared in the early 1800’s. In 1996, Land Between the Lakes restored the prairie barrens that once dominated its ridgetops. Small herds of bison can be found in two locations, and a herd of elk roams the Elk & Bison Prairie right off Highway 68/80.  The prairie offers a myriad of species to view, including colorful grassland songbirds, butterflies, and fall wildflowers.

• Best Places to View: Elk & Bison Prairie, South Bison Range
• Best Time to View: For elk, September -November during the rut. Also, in winter months, they can more easily be seen during the day. For bison, May during calving season, August during breeding season.
• Best time of Day: An hour prior to dusk, avoiding the heat of the day.
• Viewing Tips: Avoid the middle of the day, choose to go either in the early morning or early evening.  Take the driving loop slowly in the Elk & Bison Prairie, you may miss the light movement of an ear that would reveal a large bull elk. Often a second trip around the loop may give a better perspective and chance to see these two species. Binoculars are always a plus.  Wild turkeys, cattle egrets, and colorful songbirds can be quite easy to see and identify in both places.
• Note: Both the elk and bison are large wild animals, they are not tame. Do not get out of your vehicle when they are around.

Over 250 species of birds have been documented in Land Between the Lakes.  LBL is a lengthy corridor with diverse habitats, undeveloped shorelines, and undisturbed acreage. This gives the birder ample opportunity to spot something for the “life list”.

• Best Places to See in Spring/ Summer: Hematite Trail, Woodlands Nature Station, Twin Lakes, Long Creek wildlife refuge, Elk & Bison Prairie, Fort Henry Trails, back section of Energy Lake
• Best Places to See Fall/ Winter: Honker Lake, Kentucky & Lake Barkley Dam tailwaters, Smith/Pisgah Bay, Energy Lake Dam, Long Creek Wildlife Refuge, South Bison Range. Large numbers of hummingbirds can be seen every August at the Woodlands Nature Station and South Welcome Station.
• Best Time of Year: Late march to mid-June, Peak: late April/ early May. Late November-February, Peak: mid-December to mid-January. Hummingbird migration peaks mid-August.
• Viewing Tips: Warm weather birds are most active at dawn and dusk with good lighting. Winter birding can be more determined by weather.  Windy and foggy days should be avoided. Paddling a shoreline may give the birder his/her best opportunity to see some birds up close.
• Note: While birding, please do not approach nests, as nervous nestlings may bolt and fall out of the nest with tragic consequences.

Each warm season brings Land Between the Lakes bouquets of wildflowers. Over 2,000 species of plants put down roots here, including some rare beauties.  Sunshine-filled forest floors pop out spring ephemerals, while summer roadside prairies covered with yellow, white, and purples attract great emergences of butterflies and bumblebees.  Fall flowers along the Woodland Trace act as a natural highway for thousands of migrating monarch butterflies.

• Best Places to See: Spring: Hematite Lake Trail, Fort Henry Trails, Redd Hollow, North/South Trail between Sugar Bay and Smith Bay. Summer: Hematite Lake Trail, Honker Lake, Energy Lake (best seen by paddling), Fall: Elk & Bison Prairie, Woodlands Trace (Mile marker 12-19).
• Best Time of Year: Peak spring ephemerals – such as dogwoods and red buds- bloom April 1-15th. Summer peak is around July 4^th. The American lotus blooms on Honker Lake at the beginning of July. Fall peak is mid-September to mid-October. Monarch migration also occurs at this time.
• Viewing Tips: Wildflower sites on the south end tend to bloom sooner than the ones on the north end, so plan accordingly.
• Note: Please do not pick the wildflowers, this often damages their growth and possibly kills them. We want them there for the next visitor to see and enjoy.

Traveling back roads will showcase the most vivid colors for any “leaf peeper” out there.  The diversity of trees and habitats will make it worth the trip.  Bottomland forests will reveal the greatest color varieties with orange sugar maples, red gums, and yellow paw paws dotting streamside strolls. Golden oaks, scarlet sumacs, and yellow hickories dominate the eyes driving back-road ridges. 

• Best Places to See: Woodlands Trace, Woodlands Nature Watch, Honker Lake Trail, Jenny Ridge Road (Road 145), Road 206 and Fort Henry Road, Bear Creek Loop of the Fort Henry Trails.
• Best Time of Year: Peak of fall colors usually falls between mid-October to mid-November.
• Viewing Tips: Pay attention to weather patterns in summer and early fall to determine when peak will be. A dry summer/ fall can mean an early peak. Warm and wet weather can push it back later.

An often forgotten and rare resource is “Dark Sky,” the ability to see the stars without interference of artificial light. Land Between the Lakes offers unique opportunities to see the skies at all times of the year.

• Best Places to See Dark Sky: Honker Dam, Golden Pond Observatory, Colson Hollow, Empire Point,
• Best Times to See Dark Sky: Both Summer and Winter months offer different opportunities with great views
• Best Places to See a Sunrise: Eggner’s Ferry Bridge, Bobcat Point,
• Best Places to See a Sunset: Eggner’s Ferry Bridge, Energy Lake, Kentucky Lake Scenic Loop, Ginger Bay
• Viewing Tips: Be sure to confirm sunrise and sunset times and arrive half an hour early.

With 300-miles of undeveloped shoreline, Land Between the Lakes has an immense water trails system.  You can find hidden treasures every mile, but certain locations carry a high diversity for the wildlife viewer.

• Best Places to Paddle for Wildlife: Honker Lake, the back section of Energy Lake, Taylor Bay, Kuttawa Landing, Ginger Bay, Gatlin Point, Fulton Bay
• Best Time of Year: Many of these locations are best in late spring and summer. Taylor Bay is an excellent fall paddle. 
• Viewing Tips: Quiet approaches with a kayak or canoe can give you the best results in viewing wildlife from water.  Migration peaks will give you the best opportunities.
• Note: Please pay attention to signage or dates on maps as many of these locations become wildlife refuges that are closed during that period to paddlers.  Do not approach nesting birds, as the chicks may get scared and jump out of the nest into the water below with tragic circumstances.