Norris Lake Feedback/Recommendations

[sinjun]

We're thinking about going to Norris Lake mid-June. We'll need a launch location and overnight docking. Any recommendations for smooth water creeks, sights to see, restaurants, etc. We'll be coming South down I-75 from Cincinnati. Thanks so much to drop a few ideas.

[holdsworth]

GO! All the marinas are great for food and you can get a slip overnight wherever. There's ramps all over the place (and at all the marinas) so you won't have a hard time with that. We stay at the cabins at Norris Dam State Park for a week and a half every summer (21st trip this July) and it gets better every year.

Good places to go for good water is up past Stardust Marina... there's a few long runs and it turns every direction so calm water is not hard to get. It's a very well protected lake all around, so boat traffic is the only rough water.

Best marinas to go to are...
Seqouyah (great place to go Friday nights for wings & Corona)
Stardust
Shanghai
Sugar Hollow (I know the people that own this marina)
Springs Dock
Twin Cove

It's a huge lake with lots to see! I know certain parts of the lake like the back of my hand so it's hard to explain where all of the good spots are since there are so many coves. From Norris Dam to Twin Cove there's one marina in between that's not nice at all (called Mountain Lake) and normally not too bad of boat traffic on weekdays. There's coves all around the place to swim too, and the water past Stardust almost to the big part of the lake (should see it on the map) is crystal clear and with the cliffs going straight down, it's about 150+ feet so it's really a cool place.

Be sure to go in the mornings early and the evenings sorta late!!! The scenery everywhere on the lake is gorgeous and the water is pure glass at these times, besides some bass fisherman getting to/from spots.

Sorry to kinda overload with all this haha. It's late and I just kept thinking of stuff... I'll see what I can do on pointing spots out on a map for good places to check out.

[boardordie]

^^^ what holdsworth said.

Shanghai has an ok hotel if you're doing a quick weekend trip and don't plan on being at the dock much. They also have the best restaurant on the lake in my opinion.

Springs Dock usually has live bands or entertainment of some sort on their dock all weekend. Usually kid friendly until dark and then it gets a little wilder.

Best water... go up river past Springs Dock... the lake makes a bunch of S turns and there's almost no houses, so no boat traffic.

Good water... turn 360 degrees in your seat and find a cove... it's really that easy.

Where to stay... check out vrbo.com... lots of house for rent all over the lake.

FYI... after you cross the river you're looking at 5 hrs of highway travel and then about another hour to reach a marina unless it's the Norris Dam State park which is almost on I-75. If your not pulling a boat you should be able to shave an hour off that.

[SilverMustang35]

We are going the first weekend in June, we are stoked about it. I have asked reviews before too and heard the same things as above. I have heard its just a great lake all around. We are staying in a floating house at Flat Hollow so im not sure in relation where its at, but ive heard its a good spot too.

[holdsworth]

Here is a good map of the lake:

http://www.norrislakefrontproperties.com/norrislakemapnew.jpg

Cove Creek is nice, Big Creek (aka Indian River as we call it) is nice some of the time, there's a lot of houses in the main part but the river up to it is normally nice. Between point 9 and point 10 is a good place to chill/ride with some nice coves to relax, and between 9 and 19 is one of my favorite spots, a turn before point 19 (from 9) is where the cliffs are that I was talking about (lots of trees growing on it now, used to be bare)....still lots and lots more spots, I have to get runnin' for now though!