Water trails are designated areas for those who love to paddle - kayaks, canoes, anything without a motor. In 2016, Land Between The Lakes worked with several organizations and agencies to develop water trails around Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley.
Here are the designated water trails in Land Between The Lakes:
Ginger Bay Water Trail
Location: Kentucky Lake at Ginger Bay
Camping Area
Experience Time: About 90
minutes
Wildlife Viewing: Good
This trail is located at the Ginger Bay Camping Area off FSR 212. This is a large bay off the main part of Kentucky Lake with rocky bluffs on parts of the shore. The wildlife viewing is good here with pelicans in the late fall and early spring, bald eagles year round as well as herons and egrets.
Fulton Bay Water Trail
Location: Lake Barkley at Honker Dam off
FSR 138
Experience Time: About 3 hours
Wildlife Viewing: Excellent
While this water trail is closed as a wildlife refuge from November 1 through March 15, the viewing of wildlife is outstanding here. You can see osprey, warblers, kingbirds, tanagers, ducks, herons, bald eagles, egrets and more during various parts of the year. The remains of Fulton Furnace are also located in this area. Fulton Bay is typically quiet and shallow with no road access, which makes the bay attractive to waterfowl.
Honker Lake Water Trail
Location: Lake Barkley at Honker Dam off
FSR 138
Experience Time: About an hour
Wildlife Viewing: Great
Similar to Fulton Bay, Honker Lake, which is an impoundment of Lake Barkley, is closed as a wildlife refuge from November 1 through March 15. This is a shallow lake with several lily pads boasting beautiful sunsets. Eagles, osprey, cormorants, beavers, deer, and other fauna can been seen here. Paddlers can run up Long Creek to near Hematite Dam.
Kuttawa Landing Rookery Water Trail
Location: Lake Barkley at Kuttawa Landing
Camping Area off FSR 127
Experience Time:
About 2 hours
Wildlife Viewing: Excellent
for birds
This trip is recommended for experience paddlers due to being in the main channel of the Cumberland River (Lake Barkley). Here is a four-acre rookery with heron, egret and cormorant with thousands of nesting birds. Best time to view is at dusk. Also seen on the tour is the "Castle on the Cumberland", the Kentucky State Penitentiary, on the other side of the lake in old Eddyville.
Taylor Bay Water Trail
Location: Lake Barkley at Taylor Bay
Camping Area off FSR 136
Experience Time:
A little over 2 hours
Wildlife Viewing:
Great
This is a long skinny bay tucked away from the main channel of Lake Barkley. There are several islands that lie at the mouth of the bay. Farther out, you'll find a couple of island rookeries. Black-crowned nigh herons and cormorants are common at the island rookeries. Bald eagles and nesting osprey can be spotted here, too. White pelicans migrate here in the fall.