Kentucky Lake Retreat

During my time spent at Kentucky Lake, I would walk or jog the nearby trails, swim, fish or even just sit on a bench by the water. Occasionally, I would bring a friend out there with me, but usually I was alone. I enjoyed spending time out there by myself. I hadn't felt connected to a place like that before, but now going to the lake is what I look forward to when I'm home.

I learned to fish at Kentucky Lake at 8 when my grandfather taught me. When I first started exploring nature trails in high school, Paris Landing is where I went. There weren't many parks or places like Paris Landing around me. i'm glad to have spent as much time out there as a kid as I did. It influenced me more than I thought.

I think the park has done a great job of fixing any issues they come across, so I wouldn't say there are many constraints on my enjoyment when I'm there. The trails can be narrow, and the baseball field is always overgrown, but nothing major.

One issue that the park does have is the lack of events in the area. There is an amphitheater beside this marina, but they have maybe two weekends of concerts a summer. There is the occasional fishing tournament or charity event. Though, it would be nice if there was a wider variety of events to attract people to the lake. They could solve the issue by changing their tourism strategy to focus more on public activities.

This short video shows the lake and the Blue Spring area. I'm not as familiar with this area as others, but it still has the same feel to it. It doesn't have lush forests or bright blue water, but it is still a place where you are part of nature.

Paris Landing also does great conservation work around the area. The lake's refuge is led by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. With Paris being home to the World's Biggest Fish Fry, the park has to monitor the catfish populations closely. Their work extends beyond just fish as there are many birds and reptiles a tourist may spot on their walk. Among the most popular are the sandhill cranes that stand around the water.

I originally became a SORT student at UTC because of my love for sports. Once I began my SORT classes and thinking over my future, the recreational part of SORT stood out to me. I could still end up in sports, but I do love this part of SORT too. I don't think I would feel the same way about some of this without being a frequent visitor at Paris Landing State Park.