Created by the New Madrid earthquake, Reelfoot Lake has been called one of the most unusual lakes in the state. Depths averaging only 5.2 feet and scores of knobby-kneed cypress trees towering out of the water combine to make the lake a fishing paradise of over 50 species.
The fourteen mile long lake is five miles wide and covers 15,000 acres with wetlands covering lake edges at some points. The climate here allows for year-round fishing and hunting. Birdwatchers are drawn to the area by more than 250 species plus the bald eagles that winter at the lake until mid-March. More than 100 eagles generally wait out the cold weather at Reelfoot Lake; eagle tours are available.
For unique accommodations, try Airpark Inn, resting on lake pilings among the cypress trees. Space is limited so call ahead. The complex also includes a hotel and restaurant. Camping is available at the inn or at the south end of the lake.
Lake activities include waterskiing, boating, canoeing, tennis, swimming, golfing and of course, fishing. Bikers will enjoy the 185 mile Mississippi River Trail which runs from the lake to Memphis.
Reelfoot Lake State Park is located at Tiptonville off Rt. 78 in the extreme northwestern tip of Tennessee, about 135 miles north of Memphis near the Kentucky border.
