Bald Eagle Watching, at Western Kentucky's Land Between the Lakes State Park: A Self Guided Tour

The winter months offer a unique experience to those who care to brave the cold and are patient. Each year, Kentucky's Land Between the Lakes State Park, located in far western Kentucky and northwest Tennessee is host to dozens of pairs of Bald Eagles who forage for food in the park's many lakes from atop its trees. Van tours take people to some of the better viewing sites. Boat tours can take you around to some of them too, for a fee. But, if you're like me, and don't enjoy crowds, here's how to conduct your own bald eagle tour without sitting in one of those cramped tour vans or spending a bunch of money to take a boat tour when you may not even see anything.

Starting Out

The Golden Pond and Visitor Center has several brochures that you'll want to pick up for background information on Bald Eagles, their roosting habits, and pictures to help you with their identification. If you're coming to Land Between the Lakes State Park from I-24, take Highway 453, called The Trace, south. If you're further south, coming in from Highway 68-80, take The Trace south too. The first left, after heading south from Highway 68-80 is the visitor center. Stop by and pick up any guides you can find on the Bald Eagles of Land Between the Lakes State Park.

What to Look For

Bald Eagles in Land Between the Lakes State Park are of varying ages. Juvenile eagles will be mostly brown with some white, while mature males and females will sport the familiar white head that makes them such a majestic looking bird of prey. Hope Rutledge, in her Bald Eagle Info site, states that Bald Eagles can grow to 35 to 37 inches in height, with wingspans of 72 to 90 inches! Seen through binoculars, or a decent zoom lens in a camera, you'll spot them immediately due to their distinct appearance and large stature.

Keep an Appropriate Distance

During the time that they are roosting here, from late December to Mid February, they are quite skittish. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Guidelines indicate that non-motorized traffic, that's your average hiker or bird-watcher, should be at least 330 feet from their nesting area to avoid scaring them. The consequences of scaring them are severe, in addition to the potential for eagles to abandon their nest environment, interfering with their nesting could result in substantial fines. So definitely, keep your distance.

The Best Bald Eagle Watching Spot in Land Between the Lakes State Park

Once you've gathered your brochures and have done some preliminary reading, you're ready to go find them. Head north from the Golden Pond Visitor Center towards the road to Honker Lake. Immediately past the exit for Honker Lake on your right, which is about 12 miles north of the Visitor Center, you'll see a gravel road off to your left. This road takes you to Duncan Lake, and you'll want to head down it for almost a mile. A corn field, or clearing depending on your arrival date, at the bottom of the hill will announce your arrival. Look over the earth dam to the north into the trees and you'll see them.

My Experience

When I went to Land Between the Lakes, there were four busloads of tourists and several kids playing in the roadway beneath the earthen dam. I had noticed a gravel road that branched off from the Duncan Lake road a little further back, and decided to go check that out for a quieter experience. The gravel road was closed to vehicle traffic by a large traffic gate, so I parked at the top. There were no signs prohibiting entry to foot traffic, other than the obvious no hunting signs. Walking down the gravel road, I came to a clearing that was somewhat overgrown, and bordered Lake Duncan. Signs on a nearby trail stated no bicycles in faded red lettering.

Directly across the lake, still probably 400-500 feet away, we could see bald eagles roosting. More than 20 eagles dotted the tall trees across the lake, some trees holding half a dozen or more bald eagles. With a good camera or binoculars, the large dots were visible as beautiful bald eagles. We quietly took dozens of pictures, some with them flying, others with them landing, or perching. While I was there, another couple of ladies stopped by and also quietly watched. They remarked that they were on a paid boat tour earlier in the day and didn't see any eagles, so this was a real treat! I left after taking a few more pictures.

I've since learned that people are not allowed beyond that gate at the top of the road, and that a sign that was supposed to be posted on the gate was missing. It was an honest mistake, and had the sign been there to tell me to stay out, I would have abided. Apparently, the Duncan Lake recreation area and picnic area has been closed to tourists due to its proximity and access to the eagles on the other side of the lake. I chalk my experience up to one of those once in a lifetime moments, but you can still catch a great view of these majestic eagles from the proper viewing area, along the roadway at the bottom of the earthen dam.

Sources:

Rutledge, Hope. (2011). Bald Eagles Fact Sheet.
Fish and Wildlife Service. (2007). National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines.
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Services. (2011). Eagle Watch Weekends.