Land Between the Lakes is a National Recreation Area in western Kentucky and Tennessee. The area is formed by Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake. Both run parallel to each other for more than 50 miles. Lake Barkley, 58,000 acres, was formed by the Barkley Dam impounding the Cumberland River in 1966. Kentucky Lake, 160,000 acres, was formed by the Kentucky Dam impounding the Tennessee River in 1944. The area is very popular for water sports, hunting, fishing, mountain biking, and hiking. From Cave City, Kentucky, it was about a 2.5 hour drive to Land between the Lakes.
Prizer Point KOA, Land Between the Lakes
We had full hookups. Their WIFI was fast enough to stream. Our views of Barkley Lake were stunning.
The property was huge and included a marina. There were plenty of areas to walk. We enjoyed a couple of nice sunsets.
A red headed woodpecker frequented the trees by our site.
Elk & Bison Prairie, Land Between the Lakes
It is a 700 acre preserve that was formed in 1996. Over 300 years ago, bison and elk inhabited the region. However, with over hunting and destruction of natural grasslands, the bison and elk ceased to exist in the area.
Small areas of grassland continued to grow. With proper fire management, these areas grew large enough for the Park service to reintroduce bison and elk. They have flourished since. We didn’t see the elk the day we visited.
There are over 270 cemeteries in the Land Between the Lakes area. The cemeteries are the only remnants of the communities that existed before the massive lakes were created many years ago.
Casey Jones Distillery, Cadiz Kentucky
We are much better at the subtleties of wine tasting compared to whiskey/bourbon. The high alcohol (118 proof) and strong oak aromas are something neither of us are accustomed to, but we enjoyed the challenge.
Casey Jones had 10 distillations to sample. The staff were very good at describing the taste profile of each of their products. After the sampling, we discovered that they had a funky lounge to enjoy a beverage, or a large outdoor patio overlooking a lake and pasture filled with cows. What a fun and beautiful setting.
