Land between the Lakes (LBL), KY

April 20-22, 2016

Continuing on with our lake theme, our first stop after leaving  Lake Wappapello, MO State Park was the "Land between the Lakes" (LBL) National Recreation area. "The Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area is a US Recreation area located in Kentucky and Tennessee between Lake Barkley and Kentucky lake.   The area was designated a national recreation area by President John F. Kennedy in 1963."  The recreation area is managed by the  the US Forest Service.  A Recreational area differs from a National park in that there are certain activities which are allowed within the boundaries such as hunting.

LBL is a large area which encompasses more than 170,000 acres of forests and open lands.  The road which bisects the area from North to South is called "The Trace Parkway" and runs more than 43 miles, which gives you an idea of the size of this facility.

There are many areas where one can stop for a picnic, which we did here, at Moss Creek Day Use area.  Some of the roads into these stops would be difficult to navigate with a vehicle larger than our own...

There are three developed campsites which were open and we camped at two of them.  The first, "Hillman Ferry", is a very large campground with full hookups.  We had a site backing onto the lake, and delighted in watching the antics of a pair of Canada geese and their young goslings.
 

Our second day at LBL was a rainy one and we decided to avail ourselves of some of the indoors activities.  We toured the excellent Visitors Center which has exhibits about the history, geography and cultural history of LBL.  As with most National Parks, the story of the expropriation of families who had been living in the area before it was declared a National Park (or in this case Recreational area) is heartbreaking.  So many displaced people torn away from their homes...

Our second indoor stop was at "The Homeplace", a recreated 1850s farm, with interpreters in period costumes, animals and crops also consistent with the times.  Luckily, the sky cleared and we were able to move from building to building without getting wet.  Below are only a few of the highlights.

One of a trio of friendly oxen

After two nights at Hillman Ferry, where we met new friends from Michigan, Debbie and Jim, with whom we shared a delightlul potluck supper and conversation, we moved to Energy Lake, a much smaller and very scenic campground.

Our last and sunny day at LBL was spent outdoors.  We rose very early, at 6:00AM and were immediately underway to see the Elk and Bison Prairie, where the early bird gets a better chance at spotting the herds of bison and elk who tend to move about for their morning feeding.  The prairie is a large fenced wilderness area where the animals are free to roam.  The mist was just rising when we first spotted the bison herd...

We spent the better part of two hours driving the loop through the prairie and were rewarded with several sightings.  Within the prairie, there are no fences and the animals (and the humans) can explore at their leisure...Common sense is greatly encouraged and it is recommended not to approach these wild animals!  There are several look-off points at the side of the loop road, and we had our own breakfast at one of them.

A mother elk and her young caught in a tender moment

Our second outdoors stop was at the Woodlands Nature Center, an animal rehabilitation and education facility.  The facility currently houses many different species, mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles.  For various reasons, most of these animals will never be released back into the wild.  Many were injured (especially the raptors have been victims of collisions with vehicles) and would not survive on their own. Several others were brought in by well-meaning people who had 'rescued' an infant and tried to keep it as a pet, only to find that an adult wild animal is not easy to have in one's care...

The facility also houses a few red wolves, a species which was seriously threatened and for which there is a captive breeding program.  This older fellow (age 14) is getting some glucosamine for his hips hidden in a dead mouse hand delivered by a more than willing intern.  What a beauty he is!

A trio of male wild turkeys strutting their stuff as it is mating season!

Nesting purple martins taking advantage of the nesting boxes made of gourds provided for them.  Quite a large city as there were 8 posts with this number of boxes, all of them bustling with activity.