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More Facilities Open at LBL on March 20
GOLDEN POND, KY - Woodlands Nature Station, Wranglers Campground, Energy Lake Campground and Fenton campground and boat ramp at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area (LBL) will open in a limited capacity March 20. Turkey Bay Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area will open at full capacity including all trails and camping on March 20. Some of these openings were accelerated as a result of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds received by LBL to respond to the ice storm damage. Hillman Ferry Campground will remain closed with an anticipated opening date of April 1.
Woodlands Nature Station will open and begin operating on a 7 days a week schedule, including the Backyard Exhibit Area and most of the Nature Station trails. Center Furnace Trail remains closed indefinitely.
Wranglers Campground will open with limited capacity with A, B, and C loops open. Campsites will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please call the Wranglers gatehouse at 270-924-2201 to check campsite availability. Equestrian trail riding will be limited to trails 1-4. All trail riders must enter trails from the campground until further notice. Visitors are not permitted to park and ride horses from anywhere else at this time. All trail closures and other equestrian related policies shall be strictly enforced. Riders are urged to use extreme caution while on open trails and watch for environmental hazards such as hanging snags and leaning or weakened trees. Restoration work on closed trails may involve heavy machinery. Please stay off closed trails.
Energy Lake Campground will open A and D loops for camping. Other loops remain closed for on going clean-up. In addition, Fenton campground and day-use boat ramp will open.
Turkey Bay OHV Area will be fully operational on March 20. Do "Call Before You Haul" or check trails updates at www.lbl.org. Turkey Bay users need to stay aware of their surroundings and watch for hazards such as hanging snags and weakened or leaning trees.
Some currently open boat ramps may be re-closed for a minimum of 24 hours in the coming weeks, when heavy equipment will be on the road removing debris and finalizing cleanup in that area. Visitors planning to use any boat ramp in LBL should plan to use an alternate boat ramp in case of road closure. "We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our visitors. Staff is working hard to get LBL open and safe," stated Brian Beisel, Customer Service Manager, "We want folks to be able to come and enjoy LBL as soon as possible and we are looking forward to seeing more facilities opening up by March 20." Beisel continues, "While we are getting facilities open it still is not business as usual. There is still a lot of work going on and we really need people to stay out of closed areas for their own safety and that of our employees."
For the most current info on what is open check the LBL website at www.lbl.org.
Land Between The Lakes is managed by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, in partnership with "Friends of LBL", to provide public lands outdoor recreation and environmental education. Additional information is also available at www.lbl.org, or by calling 1-800-LBL-7077 or 270-924-2000.
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Media Contact: 270-924-2000
(March 18, 2009)