Dusk till Dawn

Dusk till Dawn

I looked east and spotted the orange glow piercing through the oaks still leafless from the long winter nights. I turned right from the trailhead and regained my footing as I reached a muddy path. I slipped and contorted in many ways as I tried to maintain my footing. My mind kept racing, “warm thoughts, warm thoughts,” but it did nothing to stop my now uncontrollable shivering. Only a madman could be up in these conditions for my specific agenda. I stumbled in the half-morn light crashing heavily on a twig. The crack pierced the cold morning air and a…
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Reel Back in Time

Reel Back in Time

Sometimes forgotten is the history of the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers and how they influenced not only the economic welfare of the area but the development of recreation activities including sport fishing. This Homeplace 1850s apprentice is an avid sportsman and has added his passion and knowledge of sport fishing to the Homeplace 1850s historical research and program files. Before the impoundment of the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, fishing was just as popular and leisurely of a pastime as it is today. Anglers all across the country, especially in the Between the Rivers area, indulged in the challenge of fooling…
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Total Solar Eclipse: What to expect on August 21, 2017?

Total Solar Eclipse: What to expect on August 21, 2017?

Where will you be August 21, 2017? The Great American Eclipse will pass through Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area on August 21, 2017. A total solar eclipse is a rare phenomenon and hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected in Western Kentucky, as nearby Hopkinsville is the closest city to the point of greatest totality. What to expect? We are anticipating over 50,000 visitors at Land Between the Lakes. All campsites which can be reserved have been booked and most local lodging is full. Basic and self-service camping are still available. Please get your permits online before you…
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Sustainable Recreation Arrives

Sustainable Recreation Arrives

Dear Friends, Over these past four years we have been adjusting and adapting our programs and services in order to balance our budget as it “down sized.”  We’re in better shape than other Forest Service units because of our prioritizing strategies we worked on together in our 2012 Budget Reduction Open Houses. Today we want to include you in our part of the region-wide effort to achieve sustainable recreation. Sustainable Recreation = Recreation that Lasts Our regional facilities budget has decreased by more than half and our recreation operations budget has gone down by 12 percent since 2012. We are…
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Every Kid in a Park

Every Kid in a Park

By Jeff Laird, Customer Service Department Manager Dear Friends, I want to personally ask you to reach out to parents and youth leaders of fourth graders in your area about the Every Kid in a Park program. Please share this information to those you feel would benefit from this free program for kids. The Every Kid in a Park’s 4th grade pass offers FEE-FREE access to participating facilities in public lands for fourth graders and their immediate family members. At Land Between the Lakes this includes our... Homeplace 1850s Farm Where you travel back to a working farm and visit…
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Every Kid in a Park 4th Grade Pass

Every Kid in a Park 4th Grade Pass

What is the 4th Grade Pass? Every Kid in a Park—4th Grade Pass offers fee-free access to the child and his or her immediate family and is honored by eight Federal agencies including: Army Corps of Engineers Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Reclamation Dept. of Education Fish and Wildlife Service Forest Service National Park Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration How do 4th graders receive free entry? Beginning September 1, 4th graders (including 4th grade equivalent home-schoolers) can obtain their fee-free access by visiting the Every Kid in a Park website at www.everykidinapark.gov. There they can do an educational…
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Your Next Adventure

Your Next Adventure

Where will your next adventure be? When you plan your next vacation at Land Between The Lakes check out Murray State University’s weekly video magazine, Roundabout U, to learn about some of the fun places at Land Between The Lakes. Energy Lake Campground www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJX4fdVOsYk   Elk & Bison Prairie www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9HKZ1ntkUo   Homeplace 1850s Working Farm www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyCsR5GSYwc   Planetarium & Observatory www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzcJhgKFaiw   Turkey Bay Off Highway Vehicle Area www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkAHost5nk0   Woodlands Nature Station www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTmmvEiOoMQ   Wranglers Campground www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKHM8jGRWNQ   Land Between The Lakes 50th Anniversary (15 minute) www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiyYoTi93-Q&feature=share&list=PLh2WN5RXh1NS9nYjfC1s4dX5rwO28TTt4&index=5 Land Between The Lakes 50th Anniversary (3 minute) www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-j5-ZYmseM&feature=share&list=PLh2WN5RXh1NS9nYjfC1s4dX5rwO28TTt4&index=4 With more than…
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Time Travelers Guide to the Homeplace 1850s Working Farm and Living History Museum

Time Travelers Guide to the Homeplace 1850s Working Farm and Living History Museum

  Submitted by Brian Truskey, Communications Department Apprentice and Cindy Earls, Lead Interpreter at the Homeplace 1850s Working Farm and Living History Museum. Head through the doors at the Homeplace 1850s Working Farm and step back in time. Experience what life was like on a middle Tennessee farm in the 1850s. Since many people have never been on a farm, let alone an 1850s farm, we put together this time traveler’s guide to improve your understanding of the mid-1800s. As any experienced time traveler can tell you, the best way to visit the past is to blend in. This guide includes…
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Increase Learning and Lifelong Memories:  Outdoor Classrooms

Increase Learning and Lifelong Memories: Outdoor Classrooms

About Brandon Spring Groups wanting to experience nature in a fun and safe environment while still enjoying all the amenities of home-- enjoy staying at Brandon Spring Group Center at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. Brandon Spring serves the area as a year-round overnight facility for groups of all ages. Nestled on a wooded knoll, it overlooks scenic Bards Lake and Lake Barkley in the Tennessee portion of Land Between The Lakes. The center provides the right environment for all of your overnight group gatherings especially when you want to get away from the distractions of town. Something…
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An Afternoon at the Homeplace

An Afternoon at the Homeplace

Written and submitted by Brian Truskey, Communications department apprentice at Land Between The Lakes Last weekend my best friend Jamie and I took a trip to the Homeplace 1850s Working farm, specifically for their Sundays in the Parlor and Blacksmithing programs. She and I arrived a little before 1:00, strolled down to the farm, and petted the cat, who it seems already had enough affection for one day. The cat wandered off after a few pets, leaving us to take a short walk around the double pen house. Soon Cindy and Charlotte, two of the Homeplace Interpreters, made their way…
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