Norris Lake First Impressions

 Norris Lake First Impressions

Saturday July 25 , 2026

Kenny, Dana, Jared, Lydia, Gabe & Mia Koogler

Pictures are HERE 

   We have camped at Norris Lake and hiked there, but had never put a water craft in there for a day of boating and swimming.    We had been wanting to do just that. We also wanted to spend time with Jared and Lydia and their kids.  We all put it on the calendar as a set date so we'd quit talking about it and make it happen.   The day was hot and sunny with a little overcast.  The usual chance of late afternoon thunderstorms.  We spent most of the day on the water swimming and boating. 

It was very relaxing.   The water is like jade and warm as a bath tub.  

     We put in at the Loyston Point boat ramp access.  That was not lost on me.

 My overall impression of Norris Lake is that I  like it. It will never be my favorite though. It has lots of development along its shores. Houses and loads of marinas.  It has lots of coves. 

  Swim Cave was a bust that day as the water was so high as to make it like a sump! I am not a cave diver so we'll have to try that again at lower water levels. 

Below: Mia age  5 has learned to swim!  She is wearing her life jacket "Diaper Lady" style while swimming so it doesn't get in the way of her arms.  Tessa taught them this trick!  We don't use that trick except when the boat is stopped and she is swimming. When we're moving the life jacket is ON and on correctly! 

above and below: Kenny, Lydia and Jared. Kids are in the tube being towed. 

Above: Mia swimming

Below: Gabriel swimming

Below: Jade green water of Norris Lake

Below: we anchored in the cove next to swim cave to enjoy swimming

Below: Gabe walkingi around on the pontoon boat

above and below:  kids in the tube 

above and below: boats moored in the lake near Swim In Cave

  After our lake day we stopped in Clinton to eat at Buddy's Barbecue.  It was a good day! 

I am concluding this entry with a video of Daniel Kimbro and Jerry Douglas performing "Loyston". The song tells about the flooding of the former town Loyston to construct Norris Lake.  It is a beautiful song and commemorates the history.  Jerry Douglas is on dobro and Daniel on acoustic guitar though I think both are multi instrumentalists.