Kentucky Lake is the massive resort region of far western Kentucky. Although the common term for the region is "Kentucky Lake," it actually includes a second big body of water, Barkley Lake, and the Land Between The Lakes National Park, which is a 100 mile peninsula between those waters. The lakes extend all the way across Kentucky and Tennessee and into Alabama. Kentucky Lake includes more miles of shoreline than any other lake in North America. All that water obviously offers swimming, fishing, boating, water skiing, diving, sailing, kayaking, wind surfing and kite boarding. But the Land Between the Lakes offers hiking, biking, backpacking, horseback riding, historical sites, nature study and living history exhibits. The largest buffalo herd east of the Mississippi roams there, as do deer, hawks, owls, eagles, three dozen species of birds and a dozen species of small mammals. The fish are legendary, especially the giant Paddlefish and Catfish (see top right). The shorelines are dotted with resorts, marinas, fishing camps, small towns, houseboats and rental cottages. 250 restaurants serve all these people. Most of them are fast food outlets, snack bars and national chains. But there are many outstanding restaurants down there. The commercial center of Paducah and the college town of Murray contain several each. The state parks and shoreline resorts contain some more. The rest are scattered around the area, on or close to the water.
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