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West TennesseeReelfoot Lake State Park

Reelfoot Lake Boardwalk

A flat boardwalk loop over a cypress-studded bayou, prime territory for bald eagles in winter and herons year-round.

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A boardwalk along the cypress-lined shore of Reelfoot Lake
Photo by Thomas R. Machnitzki, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Length
1.2 mi
Elevation gain
20 ft
Difficulty
easy
Route
loop

Trail conditions

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Elevation

1.4 mi · 17 ft of climbing · high 289 ft · low 284 ft

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Weather at the trailhead

80°FClear now

Sunrise 5:49 AM · Sunset 8:17 PM

  • TodayRain showers92° / 74°F32% precip
  • SunOvercast85° / 73°F35% precip
  • MonThunderstorm85° / 66°F41% precip

Forecast from Open-Meteo. Mountain conditions change fast; check again before you go.

Reelfoot Lake was formed by the 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes, and its flooded cypress forest is unlike anywhere else in Tennessee. This easy, mostly accessible boardwalk loops out over the bayou past knobby cypress knees and lily pads. Winter brings one of the South's best bald-eagle gatherings; summer is all herons, egrets, and turtles. Bring binoculars and bug spray.

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