The Eagle Watch activities are held annually on the third and fourth Saturday of January. Eagle enthusiasts are transported by open barge in search of wintering bald eagles. The eagle watch tours are free, but advance reservations are required. Advance reservations will be accepted beginning on Monday, Nov. 15, 2021.
1. Determine your pickup location (Lillydale/State Park) and time of departure:
- Lillydale Recreation Area, Tenn: 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
- Dale Hollow Lake State Resort, Ky.: 10 a.m.
- All departure times are Central Standard Time
2. Call the Resource Managers Office on or after the Nov. 15 reservation date at 931-243-3136. Tour spaces are limited and fill up quickly so plan and call early. Each call is limited to eight persons per reservation. You will need to provide name, address and daytime phone. Weekday day-time phone number needed in the event we have to make changes or cancellations due to mechanical trouble, weather, etc.
3. Upon arrival the day of the tour expect:
- Open-air barge–DRESS WARM-we go even if it rains
- Arrive about 10 to 15 min early for check-in
- Tours can last up to three hours total
- Life jackets required
- You may bring thermos, snacks, blanket, camera, binoculars, etc.
- Register on site before boarding
- Changes or cancellations must be made by 8am the Friday before the tour date. We take a standby list, so please give us advance notice of cancellations in order to allow persons to attend. Failure to cancel in advance will result in no reservation privileges the following year. You may phone the office for info up to 3:30 the Friday before the tour. We typically will only cancel in extreme weather or mechanical failure.
- The Friends of Dale Hollow Lake, Dale Hollow’s non-profit cooperating association, will be on hand the day of event with complementary hot drinks.
4. Directions to pick-up locations:
- LILLYDALE CAMPGROUND: Directions from Livingston, Tenn.: Take Hwy 111 to 294 North-Willow Grove Road. Proceed on Willow Grove Rd 13.3 miles. Turn right onto Lillydale Road and proceed one mile to recreation area entrance. Or from Hwy 52 at Allons, Tenn.: Take Old Celina Road 1.5 miles. Right on Oakley-Allons Road for 5.4 miles. Turn left on 294 N-Willow Grove Road for seven miles. Turn right onto Lillydale Road. Proceed one mile into recreation area. Tours depart from the Lillydale Campground launching ramp.
- Physical Address: Lillydale Campground, 985 Lillydale Road, Allons, TN 38541
- DALE HOLLOW LAKE STATE PARK: Directions: From Burkesville, Ky.: located four miles South on Hwy 61, East on Hwy 449 for 12 miles, South on 1206 for 12 miles, South on 1206 for six miles. 270 433-7431. Tours depart from the Trooper Island launching ramp, to the right of the marina.
- Physical Address of marina: 5970 State Park Road, Burkesville, TN 42717
DO NOT RELY ON GPS ALONE-IT WILL GET YOU LOST!
For cancellations or last minute inquiries, please phone the Dale Hollow Lake Resource Manager’s Office by Friday the day before the tour, at 931-243-3136. Early calls will allow us to offer canceled spaces to those on a standby list. The phone will not be monitored or answered the day of the tour.