A layover weekend on Pickwick Lake

The short version: Pickwick Lake is one of the few places on the Loop where you can anchor in a quiet cove one night, tie up at a full-service marina the next, eat well without a car, and see a major Civil War battlefield on a courtesy-car run. Give it two days.

Where to anchor

All of these are near the Tennessee end of the lake, within a few miles of Pickwick Dam and the Tenn-Tom junction. Mile markers are Tennessee River miles unless noted.

Panther Creek, mile 218.5, Tennessee side. 7 to 12 feet, mud and clay, excellent holding and protection with a little exposure to the south. Enter between the red and green markers. Reviewers call it a first choice.
Indian Creek, mile 220, left descending bank. About 15 feet, mud, good holding, moderate wind exposure. A campground on the west side gives you a place to land a dinghy and walk a dog.
Cooper Hollow ("Waterfall Anchorage"), mile 217.2. 10 to 14 feet, very good holding, and a waterfall at the head of the cove. Swing room is tight, so two anchors are a good idea, and it is popular with local boats on summer weekends.
Dry Creek, about 3.75 miles from the dam. 15 to 22 feet, mud, good holding, and a favorite local day spot.
Yellow Creek: Goat Island (Tenn-Tom mile 446.7) and Zippy Cove (across from Grand Harbor). 10 to 20 feet, mud, good holding, but both are open to a strong north wind. Handy if you are leaving on the Tenn-Tom in the morning.

Waterway Guide lists more coves around the dam (Sulphur Creek, Lucy Cove, Bruton Branch and others); the link is in the sources.

Where to tie up

Pickwick Landing State Park Marina, mile 207.6, just above the lock. 731-689-5175, VHF 16. Gas and diesel, first-come transient dockage. The park has a lodge, a restaurant, an 18-hole golf course and a swimming beach, and the lodge runs a shuttle from the marina.
Grand Harbor Marina (Counce, TN) and Safe Harbor Aqua Yacht (Iuka, MS) at the Tenn-Tom junction. Both have diesel, courtesy vehicles, pools and laundry. Details are in the Tenn-Tom guide.
J.P. Coleman State Park, Iuka, MS, on the lake. 662-423-6515. Transient dock, fuel at the dock (not staffed year-round, so call ahead), cabins and motel rooms, a pool and mini-golf.
Florence Harbor Marina, mile 256 at the top of the lake. 256-768-1299. Gas and diesel, transient dockage and a courtesy car, if you are heading up toward Wilson Dam.

Two days, well spent

Day one: the state park and the dam

Lock up, tie up at the state park, swim or play a round, and eat at The Restaurant at Pickwick Landing in the lodge. The tailwater below Pickwick Dam and the river above it are famous smallmouth bass water; several ten-pound fish have come out of Pickwick Lake, and well-known anglers think a record swims here.

Day two: Shiloh and provisioning

Borrow a courtesy car and drive to Shiloh National Military Park (1055 Pittsburg Landing Road, Shiloh, TN, 731-689-5696), about ten miles from the dam. Admission is free; the visitor center is open 9 to 5 daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day, and the grounds close at dark. On the way back, Hagy's Catfish Hotel (1140 Hagy Lane, Shiloh, 731-689-3327) has served river catfish since 1938 and is closed Mondays.

For groceries, the Walmart in Iuka (1110 Battleground Drive, 6am to 10pm) is the big store on the Mississippi side; marina staff can point you to the nearest store in Counce.

Eating out

Freddy T's Restaurant & Beach Club, Counce, TN, 731-689-3099. Dining room Monday to Thursday 5 to 9, Friday and Saturday 5 to 10, closed Sunday; rooftop and beach club on weekends.
The Pier at Pickwick Lake, Counce, TN. Steaks and seafood, open Thursday to Saturday, prime rib on Saturdays.
Earl's Grille at Safe Harbor Aqua Yacht, Iuka, MS. Call the marina for hours.
The Restaurant at Pickwick Landing, in the state park lodge. Lunch and dinner.

Ask each place whether you can arrive by boat; dock access changes, and we only list what we have confirmed.

If you like it here

Plenty of Loopers come back for good. See land and homes for sale on Pickwick Lake.

Conditions, hours and phone numbers change. This page is general information for planning, not for navigation.