Norris (Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Grainger, Union)

Norris Lake in Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Grainger, and Union Counties, Tennessee

This map has 8 layers

Norris Lake is a spectacular 33,840-acre reservoir created in 1936 by the completion of Norris Dam, the first and most historic project undertaken by the Tennessee Valley Authority as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal initiative during the Great Depression. Built by damming the Clinch River at the Cove Creek site with a massive concrete structure standing 265 feet tall and extending 1,860 feet across, the reservoir extends 73 miles up the Clinch River and 56 miles up the Powell River, creating an impressive 809 miles of pristine shoreline winding through the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains and Great Appalachian Valley in East Tennessee. The lake reaches a remarkable maximum depth of 210 feet, making it the largest and deepest reservoir on any tributary of the Tennessee River, and holds approximately 830 billion gallons of crystal-clear water renowned for its exceptional quality with visibility up to 25 feet, consistently rated as one of Tennessee's cleanest lakes with approximately 96 percent purity. Named for U.S. Senator George W. Norris of Nebraska who authored the legislation creating the TVA, the reservoir and surrounding lands support diverse fish populations including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass (rockfish), walleye, black crappie, white bass, and numerous panfish species, with the cold tailwaters below the dam providing world-class trout fishing that earned recognition in Trout Unlimited's Guide to America's 100 Best Trout Streams. The Tennessee Valley Authority controls approximately 27,927 acres of shoreland around the reservoir including 42 percent owned and directly managed by TVA, 26 percent jointly managed as Wildlife Management Areas and State Parks, and 16 percent designated as residential access shoreland, while the lake features over 50 secluded islands, hundreds of tranquil coves, and more than 20 full-service marinas offering boat rentals, restaurants, wet slips, dry storage, and live entertainment throughout the season.

Norris Lake serves as the centerpiece for an extraordinary array of outdoor recreation and cultural attractions that draw visitors from across the nation to this historic corner of East Tennessee located just 20 miles north of Knoxville off Interstate 75. The reservoir is uniquely encompassed by three outstanding state parks: Norris Dam State Park adjacent to the dam featuring rustic Civilian Conservation Corps cabins from the 1930s listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 15 hiking trails ranging from easy strolls to challenging ridge-top treks, swimming pool, tennis courts, commercial marina, and the W.G. Lenoir Museum showcasing early Appalachian and Native American artifacts along with an authentic 18th-century grist mill; Big Ridge State Park offering 3,687 acres of natural beauty with the Indian Rock Trail, Sharp's Station Trail leading to one of the first settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains in the 1780s, and the historic Norton Grist Mill; and Cove Lake State Park providing additional camping, hiking, and wildlife viewing opportunities. The Museum of Appalachia in nearby Clinton stands as an exceptional outdoor living history museum featuring over 250,000 artifacts telling the stories of Southern Appalachian mountain folk through authentic buildings, folk art, music memorabilia, and special events like the July 4th Anvil Shoot and Candlelight Christmas celebration. Water sports enthusiasts flock to Norris Lake year-round for boating, water skiing ranked by Water Ski Magazine as the number one ski lake east of the Mississippi, wakeboarding, wake surfing, tubing, parasailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming at numerous sandy beaches and protected coves, while the famous Cedar Creek Jumping Bridge provides thrilling cliff-jumping excitement for adventurous swimmers. The Chuck Swan State Forest and Wildlife Management Area encompasses 24,444 acres of rolling terrain offering mountain biking, ATV trails, horseback riding, 47 historic cemeteries, picnic areas, and a shooting range, while nearby Windrock Park features over 300 miles of off-road trails spanning 73,000 acres for all levels of off-road enthusiasts. Golf enthusiasts can challenge themselves at The Greens at Deerfield, a championship par-71 course with dramatic elevation changes and holes that play over Norris Lake including the signature 16th hole featuring a stunning 300-foot drop, or at Three Ridges Golf Course near Knoxville recognized by Golf Digest as one of the "Best Places To Play." The historic planned town of Norris, created to house dam construction workers and modeled after the English garden city movement with winding roads and all-electric homes, offers visitors charming walkable streets free from commercial signage, the Norris Museum exploring the town's progressive history, and the 2,400-acre Norris Municipal Watershed with extensive trails for hiking and mountain biking, while Knoxville provides easy access to the University of Tennessee Volunteers football games drawing 100,000 fans, Knoxville Zoo, Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, Knoxville Museum of Art, historic Sunsphere, Bijou Theater, Tennessee Theatre, and excellent restaurants and shopping at Turkey Creek, making Norris Lake an ideal destination for combining natural beauty, rich Appalachian heritage, and modern amenities.

Dimensions:

Small: 8"x12"

Medium: 12"x18"

Large: 16"x24"

Extra Large: 20"x30"

XX Large: 24"x36"

Gigantic 30"x45"