Cove Lake State Park

We've visited Cove Lake State Park many times over the years.  The park was conceived as one of three demonstration recreation areas during the planning of Norris Dam.  The other two areas are Norris Dam State Park and Big Ridge State Park.  TVA built the small dam on Cove Creek that impounds Cove Lake around 1936.  The Civilian Conservation Corps built the park office and the restaurant along with the original cabins, many park roads and trails starting in 1937.  The park was deeded to the state of Tennessee in 1950.

In early July, 2012, we walked the lake trail loop and then the woodland trail loop.  We stopped in at the park office to pick up a one page map of the park trails.  According to the map, we walked about 3.5 miles.  After crossing the entrance road and passing the restaurant, we parked in the lot at the end of aptly named Goose Lane.  We followed the paved trail past the tennis courts and headed left toward the lake loop.

After completing the lake loop, we continued to stay left past the geese and the picnic areas to the woodland trail loop.  At this point, there is a sign directing hikers to the right and bicyclists to the left.  The trail loops around near the park boundary before returning to the picnic area.

We returned past the picnic areas and through the geese to the parking lot.

The park website is http://www.tn.gov/environment/parks/CoveLake/.