The annual winter pilgrimage of the majestic American Bald Eagle is bringing these fantastic creatures back to Northwest Tennessee from their summer homes in the upper Great Lakes and Canada. Make plans to come see the American Bald Eagle on the open water, marshes and cypress-laden sloughs of Reelfoot Lake
Reelfoot Lake State Park, located in the northwest corner of Tennessee, is one of the greatest hunting and fishing preserves in the nation. The lake encompasses 25,000 acres (15,000 of which are water) and harbors almost every kind of shore and wading bird, as well as the golden and American bald eagles. Other animals are also diverse and abundant here. Its many species of flowering and non-flowering plants attract botany enthusiasts from all over the country. Cypress dominates the margins of the lake, but many other trees and shrubs are also present.
Conference Center and Meeting Rooms
Reelfoot's 400-seat, air conditioned auditorium with kitchen facilities is perfect for banquets and conventions. It is available year-round, and rental cost is small. The adjacent Visitor Center houses interesting exhibits pertaining to the natural and cultural history of Reelfoot, including an earthquake simulator and a variety of audio-visual programs. Admission is free. Behind the Visitor Center is the cypress boardwalk nature trail.
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A paradise of more than 20,000 acres sprawled across the eastern top of the rugged Cumberland Plateau, Fall Creek Falls State Park is one of the most scenic and spectacular outdoor recreation areas in America. Laced with cascades, gorges, waterfalls, streams, and lush stands of virgin hardwood timber, the park beckons those who enjoy nature at her finest. While Fall Creek Falls, at 256 feet, is the highest waterfall in the eastern United States, other waterfalls in the park are Piney and Cane Creek Falls and Cane Creek Cascades.
The oak and hickory forest that covers most of the park gives way to tulip poplar and hemlock forest in the gorges. The plants and animals of the moist, protected gorges are not unlike the species found in southern Canada. Mountain laurel and rhododendron are abundant throughout the park, as are other plants and animals.
With its many amenities and panoramic natural setting, it is little wonder that Southern Living magazine readers voted Fall Creek Falls the best state park in the Southeastern United States.
The park is located in Bledsoe and Van Buren counties, 11 miles east of Spencer and 18 miles west of Pikeville. It may be entered from Highway 111 or Highway 30.
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