Reelfoot Lake

Reelfoot Lake is one of the most unusual and hauntingly beautiful bodies of water in the United States, a vast, shallow cypress-studded lake in the far northwest corner of Tennessee, created by one of the most powerful sequences of earthquakes in American history. When the New Madrid earthquakes shook the region in the winter of 1811–1812, the land sank and the Mississippi River reputedly flowed backward to fill the new basin, drowning a bottomland forest and giving birth to the lake.

Today Reelfoot is a flooded forest of bald cypress, their knobby knees and draped limbs rising from the still water, a landscape unlike any other in the state. The lake is world-renowned for its wildlife — especially its wintering bald eagles, drawn by the thousands of years to the rich waters — and for its outstanding fishing, birding and waterfowl. Protected in large part by Reelfoot Lake State Park and a national wildlife refuge, this earthquake-born lake is a natural wonder and a haven for wildlife.

Winter is the celebrated season for bald-eagle watching, when hundreds of eagles winter at the lake and the park offers guided eagle tours — a spectacular draw. Spring and fall bring abundant migratory birds and waterfowl and fine birding, while spring crappie and warm-season fishing are excellent. Summer is lush and warm for boating and fishing among the cypress. Each season offers something, but winter eagles and spring birding and fishing are the highlights at this remarkable lake.

Reelfoot Lake is one of the great wildlife havens of the South. It is world-renowned for its wintering bald eagles, drawn by the hundreds, and hosts vast numbers of migratory waterfowl, herons, egrets, ospreys and other birds among the cypress. The rich, shallow waters teem with crappie, bluegill, bass and catfish, and the lake supports turtles, snakes and abundant aquatic life. The cypress flooded forest and the productive waters make Reelfoot an outstanding place for birding and wildlife watching.

Reelfoot is a shallow lake studded with cypress trees, stumps and submerged hazards — boat slowly and carefully, watch for obstructions and shallow areas, and wear a life jacket, as the cypress and stumps can be hard to see. Weather and wind can change conditions quickly on the open water. In summer, be mindful of sun, heat and biting insects, and watch for snakes in the wetlands. A guide or local knowledge helps for navigating the lake safely.

Reelfoot Lake is a paradise for anglers, birders and nature lovers. The shallow, cypress-filled lake offers outstanding fishing for crappie, bluegill, bass and catfish, while guided eagle-watching tours, pontoon and boat trips among the cypress, birding, waterfowl hunting in season, paddling, and scenic drives draw visitors year-round. Reelfoot Lake State Park provides boardwalks, trails, a visitor center, boat ramps and interpretive programs. The lake’s wildlife, scenery and fishing make it a premier outdoor destination in northwest Tennessee.

Reelfoot Lake was born of catastrophe — the great New Madrid earthquakes of the winter of 1811–1812, among the most powerful in U.S. history, which caused the land to sink and, by legend, the Mississippi River to flow backward and flood the basin, drowning the bottomland forest. The lake takes its name from local legend. Over the following two centuries it became renowned for its fishing and wildlife, and much of it is now protected as Reelfoot Lake State Park and a national wildlife refuge.

Reelfoot Lake occupies a shallow basin created when the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811–1812 caused the land of the Mississippi embayment to subside, flooding a bottomland forest. The lake lies in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, one of the most seismically active regions in the central United States, where deep sediments of the Mississippi Valley can amplify earthquakes. The drowned cypress forest, the shallow water and the soft, fertile sediments reflect the lake’s dramatic, earthquake-born origin.

Reelfoot Lake is a rare, earthquake-born cypress lake — a flooded bald-cypress and tupelo forest set in shallow, productive water, a remnant of the bottomland forests that once lined the Mississippi Valley. The drowned forest, the open water, the marshes and the surrounding wetlands form an exceptionally rich ecosystem that supports outstanding fish and bird life. Protected in part by a national wildlife refuge, Reelfoot is a vital stop on the Mississippi Flyway and a haven for wildlife, its ecology shaped by its unique origin.

Reelfoot Lake, born of the cataclysmic New Madrid earthquakes and famed for its drowned cypress forest, its wintering eagles and its fishing, holds a haunting and storied place in Tennessee’s natural heritage. Its dramatic origin legend, its world-class wildlife and its distinctive beauty have drawn anglers, hunters, birders and admirers for generations, making the lake a cherished and singular natural wonder of the northwest corner of the state.

Reelfoot Lake is in the far northwest corner of Tennessee near the town of Tiptonville, reached via TN-21 and TN-22, with Reelfoot Lake State Park offering a visitor center, boardwalks, boat ramps and access points around the lake. The park is free to enter; guided eagle tours and boat trips may have fees. A national wildlife refuge protects part of the lake, with seasonal access rules. Check Tennessee State Parks for the visitor center, eagle tours and current conditions before visiting.

Reelfoot Lake is protected by Reelfoot Lake State Park and the Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, which together safeguard the cypress forest, the open water and the wetlands and the outstanding wildlife they support. Visitors help by respecting wildlife and refuge closures (especially in waterfowl and eagle season), following boating and fishing rules, packing out everything, avoiding disturbance to the cypress and nesting birds, and protecting water quality. Conserving this earthquake-born lake sustains a vital haven on the Mississippi Flyway.

Reelfoot Lake State Park is free to enter; follow Tennessee State Parks and Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge rules, which include seasonal closures for waterfowl and eagles. Follow Tennessee fishing and boating regulations and licensing, and hunting regulations in season. Respect refuge boundaries and wildlife. Pets must be controlled. Pack out all trash. Guided eagle tours and boat trips may require reservations. Check Tennessee State Parks and the refuge for current rules and seasonal access.

The town of Tiptonville and the Mississippi River lie nearby, with the New Madrid Seismic Zone region, the river’s bottomlands and the farmland of northwest Tennessee surrounding the lake. The Kentucky line and the bootheel of Missouri are close by, and the lake’s state park and national wildlife refuge anchor a wildlife-watching, fishing and birding destination in a remote and remarkable corner of Tennessee on the Mississippi Flyway.

Visit in winter for the spectacular bald-eagle gathering — book a guided eagle tour through the state park — and in spring for outstanding crappie fishing and migratory birding. Take a pontoon or boat trip among the haunting cypress, but boat slowly and watch for submerged stumps, and wear a life jacket. Use the park’s boardwalks and visitor center, bring binoculars and insect protection, and respect refuge closures protecting the wildlife.