A GORP Content Partner Adapted from Tennessee Wildlife Viewing Guide by Paul Hamel

Reelfoot Lake Birding and Wildlife Viewing in Tennessee's Western Plains Eagles, Herons, Shorebirds, River Otters, Deer and More!

Crown jewel of West Tennessee's natural areas, 33,000-acre Reelfoot Lake area offers spectacular year-round wildlife viewing in a setting of haunting beauty. Extensive bottomland forests, marshes, and bald cypress swamps rim this lake, formed during the violent New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812.

Habitats attract river otter, white-tailed deer, beaver, coyote, as well as the great blue heron, great and cattle egret, osprey, insects, and songbirds in profusion. Hundreds of bald eagles winter here, with peak numbers occurring December through February; look for them perching along lakeshore, or following commercial fishermen. A smaller number of eagles are year-round residents.

This lake also attracts hundreds of thousands of wintering ducks and geese of the Mississippi Flyway, including mallards, gadwall, American wigeons, and pintails. Shorebird species to watch for include the semipalmated plover, marbled godwit, and pectoral sandpiper--scan the mudflats in spring and early fall. Breeding colonies of great blue herons and great egrets become active in spring. This reputed "Turtle Capital of the World" also features thousands of sliders, stinkpots, and mud and map turtles.

Viewing Information: View from roads, foot trails, and by boat. The Reelfoot Lake area is managed cooperatively by USFWS (Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge); TWRA (Reelfoot Wildlife Management Area); and TDEC/BPR (Reelfoot Lake State Park). Access information available from each office.

Eagle viewing best December through February. Eagle tours offered daily at State Park December through February; pontoon boat tours offered spring through fall--check with visitor center for details. Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge offers staffed visitor center (open weekdays, also weekends mid-January through mid-April), driving tours through Grassy Island Unit, two observation towers, a self-guided hiking trail, checklists, and brochures. Wildlife Management Area accessed by system roads; maps are available.

White-tailed deer and wild turkeys may be seen year-round; shorebirds spring and fall; graceful Mississippi kites soar May through August. Birding excellent year-round. Migratory blackburnian warblers appear in May; watch for dickcissels in fields, Swainson's and cerulean warblers in forest in summer. Breeding moorhens and rarely-seen purple gallinules inhabit marshes in summer. Winter waterfowl best observed with spotting scope. Abundant amphibians, including green treefrogs.

Fees required for some activities on State Park, including guided tours and camping; viewing activities free on Refuge and WMA. Lake Isom National Wildlife Refuge administered by USFWS, located two miles south of Reelfoot Lake. USE CAUTION DURING HUNTING SEASONS IN APRIL, FALL, AND WINTER IN TWRA'S WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA AND THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES. Waterfowl hunting prohibited on National Wildlife Refuges. RESPECT POSTED SEASONAL SANCTUARY CLOSURES, TYPICALLY NOVEMBER - FEBRUARY.

Size: More than 33,000 acres
Closest Town: Tiptonville, Samburg
Ownership: TDEC (901/253-7756); TWRA (901/253-7343, 423-5725; 800/372-3928); USFWS (901/538-2481)
Facility and recreation icons: parking, restrooms, picnic, restaurant, lodging, camping, hiking, boat ramp, large boats, small boats, handicap, bicycling
Wildlife icons: songbirds, waterfowl, upland birds, wading birds, shorebirds, birds of prey, hoofed mammals, carnivores, small mammals, freshwater mammals, fish, wildlfowers, reptiles

Directions: From Union City, travel fourteen miles south on TN 22 to TN 157. Turn right one mile to USFWS headquarters/visitor center. From junction of TN 22 and TN 157, continue eight miles south, through Samburg, to TWRA headquarters on right. From Tiptonville, drive 2.6 miles east on TN 22 to state park visitor center on left.

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