A guide to Norris Lake, Tennessee

What and where is Norris Lake?

Norris Lake is a reservoir in East Tennessee, about 20 miles north of Knoxville off I-75. It was made by Norris Dam on the Clinch River, and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which built the dam, still controls the lake's level. The lake reaches about 73 miles up the Clinch and about 56 miles up the Powell River, which joins the Clinch about 10 miles above the dam.

Norris Dam was TVA's first major project. Work began in October 1933, and the gates closed on March 4, 1936. The dam is 265 feet high and 1,860 feet long. It is named for Nebraska Senator George W. Norris, a longtime champion of public power who fought for years for the TVA Act of 1933.

It is a big, deep lake. TVA puts the surface at about 33,840 acres with about 809 miles of shoreline (Tennessee's tourism department says 34,200 acres). There are more than 50 islands and hundreds of coves, and the water is up to about 210 feet deep. Norris is the largest lake on a tributary of the Tennessee River, and it touches five counties: Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Grainger and Union. Tennessee tourism lists crappie, walleye, bass and striped bass as its main fisheries.

Paradise Point, a private 13-acre point and home to Lakefront Paradise and Blue Haven, is on the Claiborne County side near New Tazewell, across a quiet cove from Norris Landing Marina. New Tazewell sits next to its twin town, Tazewell, the county seat. Together the two homes sleep 27, which works well for family reunions.

Is Norris Lake good for swimming?

Yes. Norris is known for clear, deep water. Visit Knoxville, the official tourism bureau, calls it the area's top lake for water clarity and swimming and says visibility often exceeds 20 feet. USA TODAY 10Best readers ranked Norris No. 3 for Best Lake for Swimming in 2025 and No. 4 in 2024.

Travel writers credit the clarity to the limestone around the lake, which filters impurities, and to its depth, which lets sediment sink. The water is warmest from June through September, when the Norris Lake Marina Association's monthly averages run about 80°F or more.

The cove at Paradise Point sees very little boat traffic, so it is a calm place to swim. Lakefront Paradise has a swim platform on its covered dock, and Blue Haven's covered dock has a 32 x 20 ft swim deck. Both homes have two kayaks; bring your own life jackets.

If you want sand, Big Ridge State Park has a beach on its 45-acre Big Ridge Lake, open in summer. That smaller lake is dammed off, so the Norris drawdown doesn't affect it.

A few safety notes. Tennessee requires children 12 and younger to wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket on the open deck of a boat that isn't anchored, moored or aground. When the lake is low, TVA warns of more sandbars, exposed banks and submerged stumps, so check the depth before you jump in. As for snakes, a TWRA and Nature Conservancy brochure says cottonmouths do not naturally occur in most of middle and eastern Tennessee, and the nonvenomous water snakes found in every county are often mistaken for them.

Lake levels: summer pool, fall drawdown and winter

Norris Lake is fullest in summer and lowest in winter. TVA aims to have it at summer pool, 1,020 feet above sea level, by June 1, and the summer recreation season runs from June 1 through Labor Day. After Labor Day, TVA starts lowering the lake to make room for winter and spring flood water, aiming for flood-control levels by January 1. In a year with normal rainfall, the level drops about 29 feet from summer to winter.

For a sense of scale: in 2024, daily readings ran from about 999.6 feet in January to about 1,020.9 feet in late May.

2026 has been a dry year. In May, TVA said Norris was about 7 to 8 feet below summer pool because of the worst drought in almost 20 years, while noting the lake was still within its normal operating range and open for boating. The Norris Lake Marina Association says the lake never reached full pool in 2026. On the evening of October 15, 2026, norrislakenews.com showed 1,006.55 feet, about 13.5 feet below full pool and lower than usual for mid-October.

Low water changes the shoreline. When Norris is low, TVA has warned of more sandbars, exposed banks and submerged stumps, and asks boaters who don't know the lake to take extra care. norrislakenews.com posts daily level readings if you want to check before a trip. Questions about the water at Paradise Point? Call or text Kathy at 865-585-5865.

Water temperature and the best time to visit

For swimming and boating, come from June through early September, when the lake is at or near summer pool and the water averages 80°F or more. For drier days, mild afternoons and fall color, come in October. Winter brings the lowest water and is the season for smallmouth fishing.

Summer is peak season. Lake.com puts it from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day and reports Saturday-morning waits of 30 to 45 minutes at boat launches; guests at Paradise Point use the private launch on Zen Island Way instead. Average highs in nearby Tazewell reach about 86°F in July and August (1991-2020 normals). Across the cove at Norris Landing Marina, Jimmy's Place advertises live entertainment all summer long.

Fall brings the drawdown and the driest weather of the year: October is the driest month in both the Norris Lake Marina Association's table and Tazewell's 1991-2020 normals. Tennessee tourism says East Tennessee valleys peak in color in mid-to-late October, and it names the Loyston Overlook Trail at Big Ridge State Park as a fall-color hike. In Tazewell, October highs average about 70°F, with lows near 42°F. Jimmy's Place is seasonal and is closed for the season as of mid-October 2026. On November 14, 2026, the festival A Claiborne County Christmas runs from 1 to 6 p.m., with a Lighted Tractor Parade at dusk.

Winter is the low-water season. January highs average about 45°F, with lows near 23°F. Norris is noted for winter smallmouth fishing, best from November to April. Blue Haven takes long stays from October through April.

Spring fills the lake back toward summer pool, and April highs average about 68°F. Walleye fishing pressure peaks during the early-spring spawning runs. Stage 3 of Major League Fishing's 2027 Bass Pro Tour comes to Norris on March 11 to 14, 2027, launching from Lonas Young Memorial Park in Campbell County. It is the tour's first visit to the lake.

Below are average water temperatures by month from the Norris Lake Marina Association. The association does not say where its numbers come from, and other sources give different figures, so treat these as a rough guide.

• Spring: about 56°F in March, 63°F in April and 70°F in May.
• Summer: about 80°F in June, 81°F in July and 86°F in August.
• Fall: about 80°F in September, 72°F in October and 51°F in November.
• Winter: about 40°F in December, 44°F in January and 48°F in February.

Marinas near Paradise Point

The closest marina is Norris Landing Marina, right across the cove from Paradise Point. Lone Mountain, Straight Creek and Cedar Grove marinas also serve the New Tazewell and Tazewell side of the lake. The Norris Lake Marina Association lists 23 marinas around the whole lake.

Norris Landing rents pontoons and a jon boat, not jet skis; for wave runners, try Straight Creek. To rent at Norris Landing you must be 21 or older with a valid driver's license, and renters born after January 1, 1989 must show a TWRA boating safety certificate (approved out-of-state cards are accepted). Rentals are paid in full when you reserve, fuel and the 9.25% Tennessee sales tax are extra, and emergency life vests come with every rental.

Anglers 13 and older need a Tennessee fishing license. Buy one online at GoOutdoorsTennessee.com, TWRA's official licensing site, or at marina stores such as Lone Mountain and Cedar Grove. Our Norris Lake boating guide covers boating rules, ramps and fishing in more detail.

• Norris Landing Marina, 1015 Marina Landing Rd., Tazewell, TN 37879; 423-626-1818. A full-service marina in a private channel, open year-round, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pontoon rentals, slips with water, electric and pump-out, cottage rentals and an RV campground. The Ship Store sells fuel, tow ropes, tubes, water skis, life jackets, marine batteries, cold drinks and snacks. Jimmy's Place Lakeside Bar & Restaurant is seasonal and closed for the season as of October 2026; when it is open, boaters can dock there from anywhere on the lake.
• Lone Mountain Marina, 325 Lone Mountain Boat Dock Ln., Tazewell; 423-626-9437. On the Ball Creek arm, about 1.8 miles from Norris Landing as the crow flies. Pontoon rentals, slips, a concrete launch ramp, gas, the Shipyard Bar and Grill, and a store with groceries, bait, beer and licenses. Its website still shows a 2024 season banner, so call ahead.
• Straight Creek Marina, 775 Straight Creek Dock Rd., New Tazewell; 423-626-5826. Rents pontoons, party barges and fishing boats, plus wave runners, kayaks, canoes, paddleboats, water skis and tubes. Boat ramp, convenience store and snack bar.
• Cedar Grove Marina & Campground, 255 Dock Lane, New Tazewell, right off Highway 33; 865-278-3131. Rents pontoons, ski boats and houseboats. The store sells snacks, ice, gas, oil and fishing supplies.

Things to do near Norris Lake

Off the water, day trips from Paradise Point include Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum at Lincoln Memorial University, the historic town of Cumberland Gap, and two state parks on Norris Lake, Big Ridge and Norris Dam. The drive times below are routing estimates from Paradise Point.

On a rainy day, Lakefront Paradise's garage game room has a pool table that converts to ping pong, plus a retro arcade machine in the sunroom. In town for an event at LMU? See our Lincoln Memorial University lodging guide.

• Cumberland Gap National Historical Park: about 23 miles, about 45 minutes to the visitor center in Middlesboro, Kentucky. The park spans Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia, with about 85 miles of trails, the Pinnacle Overlook, Gap Cave and the Hensley Settlement. On a clear day the Pinnacle Overlook takes in all three states. There is no entrance fee. Ranger-led Gap Cave tours run May through August ($8 adults, $4 ages 5 to 12); reserve at 606-248-2817 by noon the day before. The visitor center is open daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
• Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum, Harrogate: about 20 miles, about 40 minutes. It is on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University, founded in 1897 as a living memorial to Lincoln, and LMU calls it one of the nation's largest private collections of Lincoln and Civil War artifacts. Open Monday to Friday 10 to 5 and Saturday 12 to 5, plus Sunday 1 to 5 from March through November. Adults $6, seniors 60+ $5, children 6 to 12 $4, under 6 free.
• Town of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee: a town of 313 people (2020 census) inside the national park's boundaries, with most of its downtown on the National Register of Historic Places. Eat at Angelo's in the Gap, Gap Creek Coffee House, The Juice Spot or Nineteen19 Grill & Bar, and browse the Cumberland Gap Artists Co-op, Hillfolk Herb Shop and Whistle Stop Antiques.
• Big Ridge State Park, Maynardville: about 29 miles, about 50 to 65 minutes. 3,687 acres on Norris Lake's south shore, built in the 1930s by TVA, the National Park Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps. It has a summer beach on Big Ridge Lake, a boat launch on Norris, 50 campsites, and the Loyston Overlook Trail, with views of the widest part of Norris Lake.
• Norris Dam State Park: about 45 miles, about 1 hour 15 to 25 minutes. More than 4,000 acres near the dam, a state park since 1953, with historic cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The free Lenoir Museum (Wednesday to Sunday, 9 to 5) holds Appalachian artifacts, and the Rice Gristmill, built in 1798, was rebuilt in the park in 1935. A public marina with a boat ramp sits just west of the dam.
• Woodlake Golf Club: about 7 miles, about 22 minutes. A par-72 course on Norris Lake.

Groceries and supplies

Do your big grocery run in New Tazewell, about 8 to 12 miles from Paradise Point, about 22 to 28 minutes by car. Walmart, Ingles and Food City all serve the area, and nearby marina stores sell fuel, snacks and boating supplies.

Both homes come with linens, towels, firewood, a gas grill and a starter supply of toilet paper, paper towels and trash bags. Bring HE laundry detergent, extra paper goods and soap, boat towels, and life jackets for the kayaks.

• Walmart, 432 S. Broad St., New Tazewell; 423-626-6550. Open daily, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., with a pharmacy and garden center.
• Ingles, 406 S. Broad St., New Tazewell, in the Cumberland Gallery center on US 33.
• Food City, serving New Tazewell and Tazewell.
• Norris Landing Marina Ship Store, across the cove: fuel, tubes, tow ropes, life jackets, marine batteries, cold drinks and snacks.
• Lone Mountain Marina store: groceries, bait, beer and fishing licenses.
• Cedar Grove Marina store: snacks, ice, gas, oil and fishing supplies.

Getting to Norris Lake

Fly into Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) and drive about 61 to 64 miles, about 1 hour 30 to 50 minutes, to Paradise Point. The National Park Service names Knoxville's airport as the closest major airport to nearby Cumberland Gap. LMU's travel page also lists Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky.

Visit Knoxville counts Norris among nine lakes within an hour's drive of downtown Knoxville, and the lake is about 20 miles north of the city off I-75. Paradise Point, on the Claiborne County side, is farther out: about 45 to 49 miles from downtown Knoxville, about 1 hour 10 to 20 minutes. It is about 10 miles, about 26 minutes, south of downtown New Tazewell.

Check-in is 4 PM and check-out is 10 AM, and your door code and directions arrive before your stay. Towing a boat? Launch at the private launch on Zen Island Way and leave the trailer at the mailbox by Island Rd. and Paradise Pt.

Drive times from Paradise Point (routing estimates):

• Downtown Knoxville: about 45 to 49 miles, about 1 hour 10 to 20 minutes.
• McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), Alcoa: about 61 to 64 miles, about 1 hour 30 to 50 minutes.
• Asheville, North Carolina: about 125 to 132 miles, about 2 hours 20 to 55 minutes.
• Lexington, Kentucky: about 152 to 154 miles, about 2 hours 50 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes.
• Nashville: about 221 to 223 miles, about 3 hours 55 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes.
• Cincinnati: about 232 miles, about 3 hours 55 minutes to 4 hours 40 minutes.
• Downtown Atlanta: about 244 to 258 miles, about 4 hours 25 minutes to 5 hours 10 minutes.