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Norris Lake

Norris Lake is located around the Chuck Swan Wildlife Management area north of Knoxville, Tennessee, just east of I-75. This 24,444 acre peninsula is controlled by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and provides three miles of breathtaking views of Norris Lake and it's natural beauty. Norris Lake is also the oldest and largest of the original TVA system and offers 800 miles of shoreline and a surface area of 34,000 square acres with 82 miles of travelable water. Crystal clean 200-foot deep waters offer only the best in recreational activities.

Local state parks include: Norris Dam State Park, Big Ridge State Park, Cove Lake State Park, Big South Fork State National Recreation Area and Cumberland Gap National Park.

Within just an hour's drive of Norris Lake you have Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Dollywood, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Cherokee Indian reservation and Harrah's Casino. And south on I-75, you have the University of Tennessee Volunteers at Knoxville.

Unlimited activities include water sports, golf, tennis, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, camping, hiking, spelunking, scuba diving, whitewater rafting and All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) areas.

Norris Lake Statistics:

Average year-round temperature/weather: 54.9°F

The summers are always warm and humid and the winters are brief and mild. Spring arrives early and stays for a long time and is alive with dogwoods, azaleas and other beautiful flowers. The average annual snowfall for the entire state is 12 inches, and with the mild climate, snow rarely stays on the ground for more than a few days. Severe weather is rare since the state is east of the center of tornado activity, south of most winter blizzard conditions and too far inland for hurricanes. Hailstorms occur maybe two or three times per year. Thunderstorms are common in late spring and summer.

Median price of homes: $199,900 to over 1-plus million

Cost of living:
La Follette 80.5 (low, U.S. average is 100)

Population of city/county and/or median age:
230,000 people live in the Clinch-Powell watershed

Norris, Tennessee 1,477 (July 2008) Median age: 43.2

Recreation:
Norris Lake is a spectacular Tennessee attraction for all kinds of water sports such as swimming, skiing, wakeboarding, fishing and many other lake activities. Boaters come as far as Wisconsin and Florida but most of the population comes from Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Boaters and lake activists can find much to discover as Norris Lake covers 33,000 acres of water and 800 miles of shoreline including 50 miles of island shoreline.

Amusement and Theme Parks:
NASCAR SpeedPark, Dollywood, Rockin' Raceway, Cherokee Fun Park,

Santa's Land in Cherokee, NC, Ghost Town in the Sky,

Golf Courses:
Tennessee Centennial Golf Course, South Hills Golf Club, TriCounty Golf Club, Knoxville Golf Course, Three Ridges Golf Course, Whittle Springs Golf Course, Willow Creek Golf Club, Dead Horse Lake Golf Course, Egwani Farms Golf Course, Pine Lakes Golf Club

Ski Areas:
Cataloochee, Ski Wolf Laurel, Mars Hill, Scaly Mountain

State Parks:
Norris Dam State Park, Big Ridge State Park, Indian Mountain State Park, Panther Creek State Park

Museums:
American Museum of Science and Energy, East Tennessee Discovery Center, Ewing Gallery of Art & Architecture, Knoxville Museum of Art, East Tennessee Historical Society Museum, Farragut Folklife Museum, Sequoyah Birthplace Museum

Zoos and Aquariums: Knoxville Zoological Gardens, Western North Carolina Nature Center, Tennessee Aquarium, Warner Park Zoo

Education:
Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Norris:

THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

PELLISSIPPI STATE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
(about 16 miles; KNOXVILLE, TN; FT enrollment: 5,196)

ROANE STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
(about 32 miles; HARRIMAN, TN; FT enrollment: 3,490)

CARSON-NEWMAN COLLEGE
(about 34 miles; JEFFERSON CITY, TN; FT enrollment: 2,073)

WALTERS STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
(about 46 miles; MORRISTOWN, TN; FT enrollment: 3,893)

TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
(about 78 miles; COOKEVILLE, TN; FT enrollment: 7,204)

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
(about 84 miles; CULLOWHEE, NC; FT enrollment: 5,843)

Public elementary/middle schools in Norris:
Norris Middle School
(Students: 478; Location: 5 Norris Square; Grades: 6-8)

Norris Elementary
(Students: 241; Location: 42 East Drive; Grades: KG-5)

Shopping:
Knoxville Center
West Town Mall
Turkey Creek Shopping Plaza

Medical Facilities:
METHODIST MED CENTER OF OAK RIDGE

BAPTIST HOSPITAL OF EAST

ST MARY'S MEDICAL CENTER OF CAMPBELL CO

Additional Info:
Norris Lake extends 73 miles up the Clinch River and 56 miles up the Powell River. It has 750 miles of shoreline, and 50 miles of island shoreline giving a total of 800 miles of shoreline. Norris Lake and the dam were named for George W. Norris, a U.S. Senator from Nebraska. The dam helps control floods in the area, generates electricity, and helps maintain navigation depth on the Tennessee River.

Norris Lake is a great place for fishing, boating, swimming, and other water sports. Nestled between East Tennessee ridges, Norris Lake points the way to Cumberland Gap and the historic wilderness trail marked by Daniel Boone. From Norris Dam, and Norris Dam State Park, the lake extends 72 miles up the Clinch River and 56 miles up the Powell River and covers 33,000 acres! With its clear deep water, it produces excellent catches of rockfish, walleye, and bass, as well as the usual species found in other area lakes.

Two small wild areas on Norris Lake provide visitors with a mini wilderness experience. River bluff features spring and summer wildflowers and a three-mile hiking trail. Hemlock bluff presents spectacular views across Norris Lake from high tree-covered bluffs. Museums, scenic hiking trails, and a trail for the handicapped complement the fine trout fishing and canoeing below the dam. A picturesque 18th century grist mill excites the imaginations of artists and historic buffs alike.

The five counties surrounding Norris Lake are Anderson County, Campbell County, Claiborne County, Grainger County, and Union County.

The 13-mile stretch of the Clinch River below Norris Dam is a scenic float trip and a renowned trout stream. This stretch of river extends to the Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery, a 100-acre complex operated by the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, located at Clinton.

Norris Lake offers 700 miles of shoreline. Norris Lake offers the ultimate in water sports, include boating, water skiing, swimming, and excellent fishing in many coves and inlets on the 34,000-acre lake. Scenic float trips originate just below the weir. Boat docks and launching ramps are located at various sites on the lake.

Lakeside homesites: Select from deep water lakeside, lake view and wooded interior lots from 1/3 to 2 acres in size

Outdoor adventures: The Chuck Swan Wildlife Management Area is a 25,000–acre wildlife preserve located on a peninsula and is a popular site for hunting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and wildlife observation

Nature preserves: The master–plan includes large tracts of preserved space

Walking trails: The 600-acre community offers extensive walking and hiking trails

Location: Nearby LaFollette features arts and crafts festivals, local music venues and is known for championship golf, fine dining and unique shopping. For your convenience, the McGhee Tyson International Airport Located less than 30 minutes from Knoxville with convenient access to I–81, I–40 and I–75

Norris Lake amenities include marinas, restaurants, a championship golf course, condo rentals, houseboat rentals, grocery and shopping centers, physicians, clinics and emergency medical center.

Norris Lake is the only area lake which does not have an “advisory” caution issued by TVA! The Tennessee Valley Authority ranks Norris Lake as the cleanest and highest rated TVA Lake with approximately 96% purity and is crystal clear with 25’ visibility! The water’s color is a beautiful teal blue with natural stone and hardwood shorelines!

About 80 percent of the 230,000 people who live in the Clinch-Powell watershed depend on the river system for drinking water and other benefits.

Anderson County, Campbell County, Claiborne County, Grainer County, and Union County surround the Watershed area that forms Norris Lake. Each of the cities and towns that are found within these counties add their own unique character to the area. The area is literally bustling with activity. Visit the scenic Norris Dam, built in 1936, an 18th century grist mill, or the Museum of Appalachia nearby. There are wildlife areas like Chuck Swann Wildlife Preserve and Big Ridge State Park, hiking and biking trails, camping sites and even horseback riding! That’s without even mentioning all of the water activities.

Fishing is also a big attraction on Norris Lake. The warm top portion of water and the deeper and cooler waters that can be found in many areas is residence to many species of fish. Largemouth Bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, rockfish and many other species are well known to reach 50 pounds. Hunting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain bike riding, wildlife observation and photography are available. The area is popular among small and large game hunters. Primitive camping is also available.

Norris Lake is located approximately 20 miles north of Knoxville in the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains. It was the first lake/dam built by the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) in 1933, and the town of Norris was one of the first planned communities in the United States. Norris Lake extends up the Clinch and Powell Rivers and has 750 miles of scenic shoreline, with an additional 50 miles of island shoreline. The lake has three state parks and 59 public access sites that are great for hiking, biking, picnics and swimming. With its clear, deep water, Norris Lake has superb fishing and boating, and there are also two wilderness areas around the lake that are great for hiking and viewing spring and summer wildflowers. Norris Lake State Park has a picturesque working gristmill on site that is popular with artists and photographers, and next to the mill is The Lenoir Museum, with its extensive collection of area artifacts. Other points of interest around Norris Lake include the Museum of Appalachia and the Appalachian Artisans Craft Shop. The museum has two large buildings with a 65-acre working Appalachian farm community behind it and 30 authentic log outbuildings on the premises. The craft shop has traditional and non-traditional arts and crafts made by local artisans.

The closest airports in the area are the Mc Ghee Tyson airport (TYS) located about 29 miles south of Norris Lake in Knoxville, Tennessee, the Scott Municipal airport (SCX) located approximately 31 miles northwest of Norris Lake in Oneida, Tennessee, the Moore Murrell airport (MOR) located roughly 40 miles east of Norris Lake in Morristown, Tennessee, the Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge airport (GKT) located around 40 miles southeast of Norris Lake in Sevierville, Tennessee, London Corbin Magee Field (LOZ) located about 59 miles north of Norris Lake in London, Kentucky, Somerset Pulaski County J T Wilson Field (SME) located approximately 64 miles northwest of Norris Lake in Somerset, Kentucky, and finally the Greeneville Greene County Municipal airport (GCY) located roughly 71 miles east of Norris Lake in Greeneville, Tennessee.