Visitors Guide to Attractions
in Lake and Obion Counties, Tennessee
Lake and Obion Counties are located in the northwest most corner of Tennessee. Lake County, as its name suggests, is home to Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee’s largest natural lake. The lake harbors almost every kind of shore and wading bird including the golden and American bald eagles. Visitors can take advantage of this natural feature at either Reelfoot Lake State Park or Reelfoot NWR. The Carl Perkins Visitor Center, honoring rockabilly musician Carl Perkins, is located in nearby Tiptonville. The Emerson Parks Covered Bridge, the only one of Tennessee's four historic covered bridges located in the western portion of the state, is also located in Trimble.
Emerson Parks Covered Bridge
Trimble, Tennessee
The Emerson Parks Covered Bridge is the only one of Tennessee's four historic covered bridges located in the western portion of the state. The original bridge was built in 1904 on the original Park farm about a mile to the northwest of Trimble, and spanned the Obion River Drainage Canal. In 1997 when erosion at the original site endangered the historic bridge the community salvaged as much material as possible and rebuilt the bridge in Parks Plaza in nearby Trimble.
First Monument to the Unknown Confederate Dead
Union City, Tennessee
A simple marker erected in 1869 in a small cemetery in Union City commemorates the sacrifice of 29 unidentified Confederate soldiers killed during the American Civil War. The monument was the first of several monuments erected to honor Tennessee Confederates in the immediate postwar years.
Masquerade Theatre
Union City, Tennessee
Masquerade Theatre has been producing theatrical productions since the mid-1990s including musicals, comedies, dramas, children's plays, workshops, and concerts. This community theatre group operates out of the historic Capitol Theatre which is on the National Register of Historic places. The group produces 42 performances in six shows a year, beginning with a spring musical. All of their productions cover a range of audience appeal.
Carl Perkins Visitors Center
Tiptonville, Tennessee
The Tiptonville-Reelfoot Area Chamber of Commerce visitors center is located in a refurbished caboose that also serves as a repository for rockabilly musician Carl Perkins memorabilia. Information about the Lake County, Reelfoot Lake, and Tiptonville area is available in the visitor’s center. Next door is the boyhood home of Perkins which has been moved to its present location. A 2.5-mile walking and bicycling trail from Highway 78 to Tiptonville's riverfront park overlooking the Mississippi River is near the Carl Perkins Visitor Center.
Lake Isom National Wildlife Refuge
Union City, Tennessee
Lake Isom National Wildlife Refuge was established as an inviolate sanctuary for wintering waterfowl in 1938 by Presidential proclamation. Lake Isom National Wildlife Refuge is the oldest such refuge in Tennessee and encompasses nearly 1,850 acres of migratory bird habitat. Lake Isom offers fishing, hunting, and wildlife viewing opportunities. However due to the nature of the habitat it is recommended only for experienced visitors.
Reelfoot Lake State Park
Tiptonville, Tennessee
Reelfoot Lake State Park is located in the northwest corner of Tennessee and consists of 280 acres broken into 10 different areas that are situated along the shoreline. The lake is Tennessee’s largest natural lake and was created by the New Madrid earthquakes. The lake harbors almost every kind of shore and wading bird including the golden and American bald eagles. There are three easy to moderate hiking trails and an Auto Tour that visits points of interest. The R.C. Donaldson Memorial Museum features a variety of exhibits and audio visual programs explaining the ecology, history, and culture of the area and includes the cypress boardwalk nature trail. During the winter months experienced park naturalists lead daily bald eagle and waterfowl bus and van tours. Boating and fishing are popular activities and the park features two campgrounds, a five-unit motel, and approximately 200 picnic sites.
Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge
Union City, Tennessee
Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge provides visitors with access to the natural beauty and activities of Tennessee’s largest natural lake. The refuge is best known for its eagles, waterfowl, and migratory birds. It also offers fishing and hunting opportunities. Other highlights of the refuge include a visitor center, an auto tour, hiking trails, and several observation decks.
Nearby Attractions
Dyer, Lauderdale, & Tipton Counties, Tennessee
Dyer, Lauderdale, & Tipton Counties offers it visitors a variety of historical, natural, and cultural activities. History can be found everywhere in Western Tennessee at such places as Fort Pillow State Historic Park, the Alex Haley Home and Interpretive Center, and many county museums. Nature can be explored at Fort Pillow State Historic Park and at the Tipton County Museum, Veterans Memorial & Nature Center. Unique architecture can be seen at the Tipton and Lauderdale County courthouses and their surrounding downtown districts. Theater lovers will delight in the atmosphere of the Ruffin Theater in Covington.
Bootheel Missouri
The Missouri Bootheel is the southeastern most part of the state and is composed of the counties of Dunklin, New Madrid, and Pemiscot. Explore what the region once was like at the area’s many conservation areas. Learn the history of New Madrid, the great earthquakes of 1812-13, the role the town played in the Civil War, and the town’s history at several museums and historic sites in the town. Get a great view of the Mississippi from New Madrid’s riverfront. Other regional history can be found in museums in the towns of Kennett and Malden.
Crowley's Ridge Parkway in Northeast Arkansas
The counties of Clay, Greene, Craighead, Pointsett, and Cross comprise the upper two thirds of the Crowley's Ridge Parkway National Scenic Byway. Crowley's Ridge rises as much as 200 feet above the vast flatland of the Mississippi River Delta and is characterized by upland hardwood forests, farmland, orchards and a variety of recreational and historical resources. Four state parks lie along the parkway which passes through the St. Francis National Forest. Cultural attractions can be found in Jonesboro, home of Arkansas State University. Many of the regions communities are host to small museums that interprets the area’s history.
Northeast Arkansas along the Great River Road
Northeastern Arkansas along the Mississippi River offers its visitors a variety of attractions. The downtown districts of Blytheville and Osceola have distinctive architecture in their downtown districts. The small communities of Manila and Earle have county museums covering the history and culture of the region. At Sans Souci Landing visitors can get a great up close view of the Mississippi River. Nature lovers will find plenty to do at Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge.
For Travelers Heading Up the River
The Mississippi Meets the Ohio River Region
After the Mississippi River passes St. Louis it begins to change character. When the Mississippi River meets the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois it is halfway on its journey to the sea. It is here that the brown muddy water of the Mississippi begins to mingle with the clearer water of the Ohio. Without the locks and dams the Mississippi begins to wind and curve so much so that the distance by water from Cape Girardeau to the Gulf of Mexico is twice the distance as a crow flies. The region where the Mississippi River meets the Ohio River is an area of transition in several respects both in terms of the flora and fauna but the culture begins to take on that of the Deep South. The Meeting the Ohio region of the Middle Mississippi River Valley offers it visitors a wide variety of options of activities to do and sites to see. Whether you’re looking for historical or cultural sites or a place to enjoy nature you’ll find it in this part of the country.
