Norris Lake is a spectacular Tennessee attraction for all kinds of water sports such as swimming, skiing, wakeboarding, fishing and many other lake activities. Boaters come as far as Wisconsin and Florida but most of the population comes from Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Boaters and lake activists can find much to discover as Norris Lake covers 33,840 acres of water and 809 miles of shoreline including 50 miles of island shoreline. Norris Lake is a combination of to rivers, the Clinch and the Powell River. Norris Lake stretches 72 miles up the Clinch River and 56 miles up the Powell River. At its widest Norris Lake is 1.2 miles wide. With Norris Lake sitting on the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains it provides picturesque views of the mountains from its fresh, warm clear waters. The warm water is a residence to many species of fish. Large mouth, small mouth bass, walleye, Rock fish and many other species are well known to reach 50lbs in weight. The rumor around the lake is that, there are catfish the size of VW bugs lurking around the deep waters of the dam. Norris Lake is the largest reservoir on the Tennessee River system. 

Norris Lake, covering 5 of the most naturally beautiful and pristine counties in the entire country, is also home to one of the most coveted secret vacationing spots in the country. We are blowing the lid off this one! Come see what Norris Lake has to offer you and your family!

Where is Norris Lake, and what's so special about it? Nestled between East Tennessee ridges, Norris Lake points the way to Cumberland Gap and the historic Wilderness Trail marked by Daniel Boone. From Norris Dam, and Norris Dam State Park, the lake extends 73 miles up the Clinch River and 56

miles up the Powell River and covers 34,200 acres! Norris Lake is the only area lake which does not have an ‘advisory’ caution issued by TVA! The Tennessee Valley Authority ranks Norris Lake as the cleanest and highest rated TVA Lake with approximately 96% purity and is crystal clear with 25’ visibility! The water color is a beautiful teal blue with natural stone and hardwood shorelines! About 80 percent of the 230,000 people who live in the Clinch-Powell watershed depend on the river system for drinking water and other benefits. Anderson County, Campbell County, Claiborne County, Grainer County, and Union County surround the Watershed area that forms Norris Lake. Each of the cities and towns that are found within these counties add their own unique character to our area. The area is literally bustling with activity. Visit the scenic Norris Dam, built in 1936, an 18th century grist mill, or the Museum of Appalachia nearby. There are wildlife areas like Chuck Swann Wildlife Preserve and Big Ridge State Park, hiking and biking trails, camping sites and even horseback riding! That’s without even mentioning all of the water activities. There is something for everyone at Norris Lake. In fact, the recreational use of Norris Lake exceeds that of any other tributary reservoir in the TVA river system! Please click here to view an interactive Map of Norris Lake.

Fishing

What about Fishing? Fishing is also a big attraction on Norris Lake. The warm top portion of water and the deeper and cooler waters that can be found in many areas are both residence to many species of fish. Large Mouth Bass, Small Mouth Bass, Walleye, Rock fish and many other species are well known to reach 50lbs in weight. The rumor around the lake is that, there are catfish the size of VW bugs lurking around the deep waters of the dam! You may also be interested in the large wildlife preserve area Norris Lake surrounds. The Chuck Swan Wildlife Management Area is a 25,000 acre wildlife preserve on a peninsula surrounded by Norris Lake . Hunting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain bike riding, wildlife observation and photography are available. The area is popular among small and large game hunters. Primitive camping is also available.