A Dip In The Coldest Lake In Tennessee Isn't For The Faint Of Heart
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Meghan Kraft
Author
Norris Lake is located in east Tennessee, just north of Knoxville. It straddles five counties: Anderson, Union, Campbell, Grainger and Claiborne. It’s a man-made reservoir, created in 1936 by the TVA, and has since become a popular hiking and swimming spot during the warmer months. Whether you’ve visited yourself, are looking to create a few memories or are merely just interested in the history of this beautiful space, we have QUITE the treat for you. Although it may be cold…?
Norris Lake is known for its idyllic and tranquil landscapes as well as its friendliness to boaters. The lake was created as a part of the TVA projects of the 1930's.
The lake is huge -- it extends more than 50 miles up the Powell River, and over 70 miles up the Norris River as it backs up from the Norris Dam. Fun fact: It's actually the largest lake on a tributary of the Tennessee River!
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The lake is close to the mountains of East Tennessee, meaning that it gets filled with the cool runoff of mountain streams. Not only that, the lake is over 200 feet deep at its lowest point, making for some pretty chilly spots in the lake!
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Did you know that the nearby town of Norris was actually created by the lake? It's true -- the town popped up in the 30's as a temporary housing project for the Norris Dam TVA workers. It's still around today, boasting a population of about 1500 people.
There are three state parks along the lake: Norris Dam State Park, Big Ridge State Park, and Cove Lake State Park. All of them feature miles and miles of trails -- perfect places to warm up and stretch your legs after being on the lake.
All of the state parks as well as Anderson County Park in Andersonville have swimming areas for those who don't have access to boats for the lake. However, if you do need a boat, there are over 15 marinas and resorts on the lake that will rent you one. See the list here.
What are you waiting for? Head on over to Norris Lake today -- we promise it's not TOO chilly.
Psst..d’you know the weird ways to kick the bucket, only in Tennessee? It’s pretty crazy…
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