Experience wildlife in Land Between The Lakes! This 170,000-acre preserve located between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley features some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in the nation's heartland. Natural habitat includes forests, wetlands, fields, creeks and prairies.
Elk & Bison Prairie
See elk and bison in in this 700-acre enclosed area where the animals roam free and wild. You can drive this 3.5-mile paved loop through the prairie and see these large animals from the comforts of your vehicle. Calves begin to show up in the early summer months. The best time to view the herd is after sunrise and before sunset. The cost to enter the Elk & Bison Prairie is just $5 per vehicle.
Woodlands Nature Station
Native animals to this area are held captive at the Woodlands Nature Station. These critters aren't able to survive in the wild on their own due to injury, rehabilitation or other unique circumstances. Visitors to the Nature Station are able to see these native animals up close. Several educational programs are available on a daily basis during the season, which runs from March through November. Experience the endangered red wolf, coyotes, fallow deer, owls, snakes, turtles... even a bobcat! There are several native animals on exhibit at Woodlands Nature Station.
Bald Eagles
There are native bald eagles who roam the shorelines of Land Between The Lakes. The best time to see them is during the winter months. LBL offers guided van tours as well as cruises on a large yacht in January and February. Outside of the season closure of wildlife refuges, typically November through mid-March, these areas are great to spot bald eagles. Most notable is Duncan Lake, a separate small lake in northwestern LBL.
Abundant Wildlife Everywhere!
While some of the aforementioned places are great to experience wildlife in LBL, you can see wildlife in just about every nook and cranny. Honker Lake, Hematite Lake, the northern shorelines of Lake Barkley and water trails offer unique wildlife viewing experiences. Take a back road, explore the shores and have a blast watching the animals, birds and reptiles of Land Between The Lakes!