The lakes are one of the biggest attractions of the Purchase Area of Western, KY. Kentucky Lake lies to the west in Marshall County, extending into Calloway County KY and on in to Tennessee. Ky Lake has 2300 miles of shoreline and 160,000 acres of water to explore. Lake Barkley lies to the east, with another 58,000 acres of a water wonderland to explore. Many people come to vacation on our beautiful lakes, only to find themselves returning as part-time or year-long residents.
The fun doesn't happen just on the water. Dedicated as a National Recreation in 1963, Land Between the Lakes has over 170,000 acres of forests, wetlands, and open lands on a peninsula between Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Western Kentucky and Tennessee. The family friendly recreation area offers one of the largest blocks of undeveloped forest in the eastern United States. The lakes area is a haven for birdwatching, with over 200 Avian species, including the American Bald Eagle and migrating White Pelicans.
Three Kentucky State Parks offer guests and residents a place to picnic, camp and enjoy the great outdoors - KY Dam Village is at the north in Gilbertville (Marshall County) while Kenlake State Park lies near the middle of KY Lake, primarily in Marshall County, and Lake Barkley State park is just across LBL on the shores of Lake Barkley in Trigg County.
Festivals are a longstanding tradition in this area, with Marshall County hosting an annual "Tater Day" festival (sweet potatoes, that is) in April and Hot August Blues at Kenlake State Park in August. Cadiz, the largest city in Trigg County, has a downtown area lined with antique shops and painted concrete pigs, in celebration of their famous Ham festival, held annually in October. Not to be left out, Lyon County celebrates Founder Day, where back in 1963 Lee Seldon Jones distributed free deeds to building lots in "New Eddyville" to any resident of "Old Eddyville" displaced by the impoundment of Lake Barkley. Old Kuttawa, in Lyon County, is home to Hu-Bs marina and offers an amazing view of the north shore of Lake Barkley, near the canal that connects both lakes.
Residents of the area may find home in the smaller cities of Benton, Gilbertsville, Calvert City, Eddyville, Kuttawa and Cadiz. There are many luxury lake homes nestled along the shoreline in all three counties, and farms dot the perimeter away from the lakes. A great quality of life is found here, close to the shores of Kentucky lake, and just a two hour drive from Nashville, TN.
