Lake Norris - Paradise within the Tennessee Valley

For people who enjoy boating and the outdoors, it is hard to beat Norris Lake, Tennessee. Norris Lake is one of the cleanest lakes in East Tennessee and there are about 21 marinas offering a range of services from restaurants to lodging, boat rentals, and more.

Norris Lake has a long history beginning as early as 1911 when the location for a future dam development in the upper Tennessee Valley had been discovered. The future development site at the time named “Cove Creek Site” was chosen due to its natural landscape and ability to host a large dam. On October 1, 1933, the relatively new Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) took on their largest project and first Dam, the construction of Norris Dam to address flooding that had been a problem for the Tennessee Valley for some time.

By January of 1937, the Norris Reservoir was filled completely creating the largest reservoir on a tributary of the Tennessee River. Norris Lake now hosts 33,840 acres of water surface and approximately 809 miles of shoreline.

Lake Norris has a rich and interesting history, but it is also simply a really fun place to be. It is an extremely popular destination for anglers, water skiers, hydrofoil enthusiasts, and jet skiers.

Lake Norris is famous for its fishing and has become one of the hottest lakes in the area for bass fishing. Of the sixty-plus fish found in Norris Lake species include brown and rainbow trout, striper bass, small and largemouth bass, walleye, rockfish, lake perch, bluegill, catfish, and crappie. Due to the diversity of climate in the area, the lake supports both warm-water, cool-water, and cold-water sport species.

A huge part of the fun at Lake Norris is the sense of community and comradery at the lake's many marinas. Great food, live bands, karaoke, bike nights, fireworks and simply hanging out with friends and family.

We would love to hear about your fun and adventure at Lake Norris. Share your photos and stories on PartsVu’s Facebook page. Or tag us @PartsVu4U #VuofParadise on either Instagram or Twitter.