Land Between The Lakes Outdoor Handbook: Your Complete Guide for Hiking, Camping, Fishing, and Nature Study in Western Tennessee and Kentucky

by Johnny Molloy

Overview

Land Between The Lakes Outdoor Handbook, by Johnny Molloy, is the only comprehensive guide to the magnificent Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area on the Kentucky-Tennessee state line. The handbook is divided into two sections: water activities and land activities. The water section guides visitors to important fishing spots and lakes, as well as outlines one of the longest paddle trails in the Midwest: the 85-mile-long Land Between The Lakes Paddle Route. Descriptions of all lake accesses and swimming beaches are also included.

The land section offers detailed descriptions of more than 300 miles of hiking trails (including the 60-mile-long North-South Trail). Finally, the guide offers an extensive reference section, detailing alternate lodging possibilities, outfitters, and conveniences located in nearby towns.

This new edition is completely updated and features new trails and new photos.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634040648
Publisher:	Menasha Ridge Press
Publication date:	04/19/2016
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	216
Sales rank:	1,021,241
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Johnny Molloy is a writer and adventurer based in Tennessee. His outdoor passion ignited on a backpacking trip in Great Smoky Mountains National Park while attending the University of Tennessee. That first foray unleashed a love of the outdoors that led Johnny to spend over 3,500 nights backpacking, canoe camping, and tent camping throughout the country over the past three decades. Friends enjoyed his outdoor adventure stories; one even suggested he write a book. He pursued his friend’s idea and soon parlayed his love of the outdoors into an occupation. The results of his efforts are more than 50 books and guides. His writings include hiking guidebooks, camping guidebooks, paddling guidebooks, comprehensive guidebooks about a specific area, and true outdoor adventure books all over the eastern United States. Though primarily involved with book publications, Molloy writes for various magazines, for websites, and is an outdoors columnist and feature writer for his local paper, the Johnson City Press. He continues writing and traveling extensively throughout the United States, endeavoring in a variety of outdoor pursuits. For the latest on Johnny, please visit his website.

Read an Excerpt

Central Hardwoods Scenic Trail

THE CENTRAL HARDWOODS SCENIC TRAIL is a fantastic addition to an already well-developed trail system at LBL. This trail makes an east–west track across the entirety of the LBL peninsula, running roughly parallel to US 68/KY 80. The trail is open to hikers and bicyclers but is primarily used by the two-wheeled set. The grades are gentle, making it doable by hikers and bicyclers of all capabilities. Streams are bridged or crossed via culvert. The route is more similar to a rail-trail than it is a mountain biking trail, though elevation changes are common, and the path is steeper than a rail-trail. In fact, elevation changes stretch a little over 200 feet between the lakes and the ridgetops around Golden Pond. The trail builders did a spectacular job grading the path to make the elevation changes doable by your average bicycler. Covering 11 miles one way from the Fenton trailhead near Kentucky Lake to the Cumberland trailhead near Lake Barkley, the Central Hardwoods Scenic Trail winds through woods, along ridges, and across drainages. The trail surface is mostly compact gravel, save for the east end, which is paved. Multiple trailheads make doing varied stretches of the path a breeze. The path is often started at the Golden Pond Visitor Center, though its official beginning is Fenton and runs east to Lake Barkley. Camping is not allowed on the trail. A trail map is available at Golden Pond Visitor Center and online.

CENTRAL HARDWOODS SCENIC TRAIL: Fenton to Cumberland

• TYPE: Bicycle and foot
• DIFFICULTY: Moderate
• LENGTH: 11 miles
• USE: High
• CONDITION: Good
• HIGHLIGHTS: Lake views, wildflowers, fall colors
• CONNECTIONS: North–South Trail

THE CENTRAL HARDWOODS TRAIL leaves east from a road just beyond the Fenton Picnic Shelter. A kiosk displays a trail map and information. Join the compacted gravel track as it rises from fields to pass an interpretive sign describing a former fishing camp Fisherman’s One Stop—that once occupied the locale a century back. Rise into a forest of oak, cedar, hickory, maple, and sassafras. The path quickly joins and leaves a roadbed. Though heading uphill, the grade is gentle as you rise, curving in and out of coves, passing more former settler roads. By 1.0 mile, you have gained 200 feet. From here, the trail more or less levels off, gently undulating into hollows and rising slightly onto hills. Almost the whole trail is shaded in this segment. Pass occasional repose benches. Watch for sharp turns and occasional gravel washouts. At 1.6 miles, bridge a pair of streambeds, then join a doubletrack, an old road. Pass the Lee Cemetery on your left. Skirt forest and field, then come to the English Hill Trailhead at 2.0 miles. This signed trailhead is accessed by a short spur off US 68/KY 80.

The next segment of the Central Hardwoods Scenic Trail goes from English Hill to Golden Pond Visitor Center. Leave English Hill and head east, skirting the upper reaches of the Turkey Creek watershed. White oaks are prevalent here. At 2.6 miles, emerge onto an open area very near US 68/KY 80. Return to woods, crossing bridges at 2.7, 3.2, and 3.3 miles. The path winds and turns, crossing three more trail bridges at 3.5 and 3.6 miles. All those streams flow into Turkey Creek. Pass the intersection with the North–South Trail, cross one last bridge, then curve right to cross the main road of LBL, Woodlands Trace. Shortly arrive at the rear of Golden Pond Visitor Center at 4.0 miles. The segment from Golden Pond Visitor Center to Meredith trailhead starts out by following an old asphalt path east and downhill, splitting left, then emerging at a dead end paved road. Head briefly left along the road, then right. These turns are signed. Join the customary compacted gravel track. Pass by some fields before entering a pine grove at 5.0 miles. At 5.6 miles, make a sharp curve left then bridge a tributary of Elbow Creek. Just ahead, cross a second bridge. Hollows drop off sharply in this area. At 6.1 miles, come to a trail intersection. Here a spur path leads left to the Meredith trailhead, reached off US 68/KY 80 via Forest Road 68/80-C.

The next segment from Meredith to Sunset trailhead involves a 200-foot descent, though it is gentle and well graded. From Meredith head east to crisscross old roads in a deciduous forest. Stay with the clearly identified compact gravel track. Pass under a power line at 6.7 miles. The descent continues and you enter an area of mixed field and forest, the site of the town of Golden Pond. At 7.7 miles, a spur leads left to an interpretive site concerning landowner plots at Golden Pond. Continue downhill in trees and grasses then reach a trail intersection at 8.0 miles. Here, a paved path leaves left 0.1 mile to tunnel under US 68/KY 80 and reach the Sunset trailhead and the end of this segment. The other way is the now-paved continuation of the Central Hardwoods Scenic Trail.

From Sunset, the paved path crosses FR 160, then comes along cultivated flats of Elbow Creek. Elevation changes are negligible beyond here, and the Central Hardwoods Scenic Trail seems more a rail-trail or urban greenway as it roughly parallels the highway next to it. There is little shade from here on out as well.

Bridge Elbow Creek at 8.3 and 8.8 miles. The travel is easy, but this segment is more suited for bicyclers than hikers. The Long Creek embayment of Lake Barkley comes into view by 9.0 miles. Share a causeway with US 68/KY 80 and open onto the embayment. Bridge Long Creek then come to the Devils Elbow trailhead at 10.0 miles. The actual parking area is below you, at the boat ramp.

The final segment of the Central Hardwoods Scenic Trail stretches from Devils Elbow to Lake Barkley. Leave Devils Elbow, running alongside the highway. Crest over a small hill, running parallel to US 68/KY 80 then open onto Lake Barkley and reach Lake Barkley at 11.0 miles, ending the Central Hardwoods Scenic Trail.

ACCESS: West Access: From the entrance of the Golden Pond Visitor Center, drive north to US 68/KY 80. Head west on US 68/KY 80 2.5 miles to the campground, on your left, just before the bridge over Kentucky Lake. Follow the access road toward the Fenton Picnic Shelter. Continue a little past the shelter to dead-end at the trailhead. East Access: The east access is on US 68/KY 80 just before the bridge over Lake Barkley.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction 1

History of LBL 1

Recreation Overview 3

Land Between The Lakes Weather 4

About This Guidebook 5

Land Between The Lakes Trail Table 6

Favorite Sights and Scenes 8

Part 1 The Facilities 12

Visitor Centers 12

Golden Pond Visitor Center 12

North Welcome Station 14

South Welcome Station 15

Visitor Facilities 16

South Bison Range 16

Elk & Bison Prairie 17

The Homeplace 19

Golden Pond Planetarium 21

Woodlands Nature Station 22

Part 2 The Lakes 26

Boating 26

Motorboating 26

Canoeing and Kayaking 27

Sea Kayaking 28

Land Between The Lakes Paddle Route 28

Kentucky Lake 29

Lake Barkley 31

Fishing 32

Fishing Report 33

Lake Levels 34

Kentucky Lake 34

Lake Barkley 36

Other Fishing Lakes, Ponds, and Streams 38

Swim Beaches 43

Energy Lake 43

Moss Creek 44

Lake Access Areas 44

Boswell Landing 44

Demumbers Bay 45

Devils Elbow 46

Eddyville Ferry 47

Energy Dam 48

Ginger Bay 48

Grays Landing 49

Kuttawa Landing 49

Neville Bay 50

Nickell Branch 51

Pisgah Point 52

Redd Hollow 53

Sugar Bay 54

Taylor Bay 55

Twin Lakes 56

Part 3 The Trails 58

How to Use the Trail Information 58

Canal Loop Trails 59

Canal Loop Trail 59

North Paved Trail 63

Trail Connector A 64

Trail Connector B 64

Trail Connector C 65

Trail Connector D 66

Hillman Heritage Trail 66

Bohannon Loop 68

Vogle Loop 68

Brown Spring Loop 69

James Nickell Loop 69

Central Hardwoods Scenic Trail 70

Fenton to Cumberland 70

Energy Lake Trails 74

Loop 1 74

Loop 2 75

Fort Donelson National Battlefield Trails 76

Donelson Trail 77

Earthworks Trail 79

River Circle Trail 81

Spur Trail 82

Fort Henry Area Trails 83

Artillery Trail 83

Boswell Trail 84

Devils Backbone Trail 85

Peytona Trail 86

Picket Loop Trail 87

Piney Trail 89

Telegraph Trail 90

Telegraph/Picket Trail 93

Tennessee Ridge Trail 93

Volunteer Trail 94

Nature Station Trails 95

Center Furnace Trail 96

Hematite Trail 97

Honker Trail 99

Long Creek Trail 100

Nature Station Connector Trail 101

Token Trail Spring Spur Trail 103

Woodland Walk 103

North-South Trail 105

North-South Trail: South Welcome to Ginger Creek Road 108

North-South Trail: Ginger Creek Road to Golden Pond 110

North-South Trail: Golden Pond to Duncan Bay 113

North-South Trail: Duncan Bay to North Welcome 117

North-South Trail Log 121

North-South Spur Trails 123

Brier Rose Spring Spur Trail 124

Brown Spring Spur Trail 124

Brush Arbor Camp Spur Trail 124

Buzzard Wing Spring Spur Trail 125

Coffin Cove Spur Trail 126

Colson Overlook Spur Trail 126

Dead Beaver Spring Spur Trail 127

Fort Henry North-South Trail Connector 127

Ferry Landing Spur Trail 128

Golden Pond Spur Trail 129

Jenny Ridge Spur Trail 129

Laura Furnace Fork Spur Trail 129

Model Loop Trail 131

Mountain Laurel Spring Spur Trail 134

Nightriders Spring Spur Trail 135

Sugar Jack Spring Spur Trail 136

Turkey Spring/School House Hollow Spring Spur Trail 136

Walker Line Trail 137

Wranglers Trails 138

Suggested Loops 140

Hiking Loops 140

Tennessee 140

Kentucky 141

Mountain Biking Loops 143

Part 4 Seeing the Rest of the Park 146

Road Biking 146

Fort Henry Road Ride 146

Lick Creek Valley Ride 147

Lake to Lake Out-and-Back Ride 148

Silver Trail Ride 148

Woodlands Trace One-Way Ride 149

Scenic Drives 150

Woodlands Trace Scenic Drive 151

North Figure-Eight Scenic Drive 152

South Loop Forest Drive 153

Picnic Areas 154

South Bison Range 154

Cedar Pond 155

Colson Overlook 156

Hematite Lake 156

Jenny Ridge 157

Star Camp 158

Part 5 Places to Lay Your Head 159

Camping 159

Campgrounds 160

Birmingham Ferry/Smith Bay 160

Cravens Bay 161

Energy Lake 162

Fenton 164

Gatlin Point 165

Hillman Ferry 166

Piney 169

Special-Use Campgrounds 171

For Campers with Specific Interests 171

Turkey Bay OHV Area 171

Wranglers Campground 172

For Groups 175

Brandon Springs Group Center 175

Colson Hollow Group Campground 176

Nearby State Parks 176

Kenlake State Resort Park 176

Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park 177

Lake Barkley State Resort Park 178

Paris Landing State Resort Park 178

Appendixes 179

Resources 179

Index 181

About the Author 187