Attractions

At Paris Landing we have a 160,300 acre lake just begging you to come play with us! In addition to boating, fishing, and swimming, we've got golfing, biking, hiking and hunting. We've got historic sites to explore and shopping for the latest fashion as well as antiques. We've got beaches for walking, wildlife to capture your fancy, breath taking sunrises and sunsets and lots of friendly folks who want to make you happy.

Paris Landing State Park is an 841 acre park located on the western shore of the Tennessee River, which is dammed to form Kentucky Lake (160,000 acres). The park sits on the widest part of the lake (3 miles wide) and is the perfect location for all water sports such as fishing, boating, swimming, and skiing. On land, there is plenty of activity with golfing, hiking, camping, or just relaxing and enjoying the natural beauty and wildlife. Be on the lookout for deer, turkey, fox, and coyote that roam the park. Eagles can be seen in the winter months. For more information click here to visit their website.

Fort Donelson National Battlefield, 
is located 15 minutes east of Paris Landing in Dover, Tennessee.  During the Civil War of the 1860s, the Union forces were heading south to fight the Confederacy. Fort Donelson was key because of its location on the Cumberland River. When Fort Donelson was captured by the Union in February 1862, it was their first major victory for the Civil War. With the fort under Union control, they now had the door open to the Confederacy. 
At Fort Donelson, visitors can learn about the battle, view the earthworks and cannons, and take a walk through the area on one of two trails. There also are areas for picnics, parking, and strolls along the Cumberland River. At Fort Donelson, you can also visit the Fort Donelson National Cemetery and the Dover Hotel, a historic building where the Confederate surrender took place on February 16, 1862. You can contact the Fort Donelson National Battlefield Visitor's Center at (931) 232-5706. The visitor's center is located off Highway 79 just west of the heart of Dover.   Information. 

Paris, Tennessee
If you are in the mood for some shopping, you will want to head to downtown Paris for this area's most gorgeous downtown square. Downtown is located just 15 miles west of Paris Landing. 
In the mid 1990s, the downtown area underwent major renovations to bring the square back to its original 1920s-era style. This was certainly accomplished as now the downtown area is bustling with

business (especially antique stores). Visit one of the 40 merchants downtown for an experience to remember. Visit the Downtown Business Association. 

If you're a history buff, you will certainly want to head to Paris. Henry County was formed on November 7, 1821. Paris, the oldest incorporated city in west Tennessee, was established as the county seat on September 23, 1823. To discover the historical significance of Paris, you will want to visit the Paris-Henry County Heritage Center. 


Antiques

All within 15 miles are the towns of Paris, Hazel and Puryear which have many, many antique shops to browse to find that rare one of a kind treasure! Visit Hazel, Kentucky.






Land Between The Lakes 

in Stewart County, Tennessee (across Kentucky Lake from Paris Landing) serves as the southern entrance of  The Land Between The Lakes.  Administered by the U.S. Forest Service since October of 1999, it was created in the late 1960s after Lake Barkley was formed. Today LBL features hiking trails, backpacking, camping, hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, historical attractions, biking, an off-road vehicle area, swimming, environmental education programs, indoor educational facilities, and so much more. LBL boasts over one million visitors each year. It can be accessed via Fort Henry Road (4 miles from Paris Landing) or Highway 49 (a.k.a. "The Trace") in Dover, about 12 miles east of Paris Landing. Visit their website here.

Biking Around Paris Landing
If you enjoy cycling across the open country on the roads, you'll enjoy the Paris Landing Area. US 79 is a wide four-lane highway through Henry County that crosses Kentucky Lake at Paris Landing. In Stewart County, the highway becomes a two-lane road with wide shoulders and is largely undeveloped with very few homes. The northern side of the highway in Stewart County is the southern border of the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area for the first seven miles or so.

Hiking in LBL 

There are several hiking trails near Paris Landing in the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. The two closest trail networks to Paris Landing are:

Fort Henry National Recreation Trail 
Located in the south end of LBL, Fort Henry is a system of 10 connecting trails totaling 26 miles. The trail follows closely the route of General Grant's troop movements from Fort Henry to Fort Donelson during the Civil War. 
Distance from Paris Landing: 7 miles
Length: 26 mile s 
Rating: Moderate 
Elevation change: 100 feet

North-South Trail
Take the grand tour! This trail spans the entire length of LBL and ranges from rugged, hilly terrain in the north to more smooth hiking in the south. Portions are accessible from The Trace for those wishing to hike a section of the trail. 
Distance from Paris Landing: To South Welcome Station, LBL, 15 miles
Length: 65 miles 
Rating: Moderate to Strenuous
Elevation change: 200 feet 


Wildlife Viewing

 

Photo by Richard Graves

 The Paris Landing Area is full of wildlife. Bobcats, coyote, fox, river otter, eagles, and other birds of prey can be seen throughout the area along with smaller animals such as squirrels, rabbits, shrews, gray bats, wild turkeys, and others.

The Tennessee Wildlife Refuge, Big Sandy Unit, is located at the confluence of the Big Sandy River & Tennessee River (now inundated by Kentucky Lake). The largest chunk of the refuge on land is located on a large peninsula 2.5 miles south of the Paris Landing bridge.

The diversity of habitats found on the refuge provide ample feeding, nesting, and resting areas for 291 bird species, 51 different mammals, 89 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 142 species of fish.

Buffalo and elk can be seen at the Elk & Bison Prairie in the Land Between The Lakes. A large area has

been set aside for these large animals near the junction of US 68 and The Trace. For a small fee, visitors can drive through the habitat and see American bison, elk, deer, and other wildlife.

Two species of deer exists in LBL, the common white-tailed deer and the endangered fallow deer. The fallow deer is a unique animal not from the United States, but imported from Asia and Europe in the early 1900s. Only 150 of these deer roam LBL now; they are protected, and hunting of this type of deer is prohibited.