Dewey Lake is a beautiful lake, surrounded by tons of recreational activities on Blaine Creek in eastern Kentucky. In 1949, this lake was taken away from John’s Creek and came under the management of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The lake was rebuilt in 1951 and named after Admiral George Dewey, who was the hero of the Battle of Manila Bay.
The 2,242 acres of the lake is enhanced by facilities to guarantee good times for visitors looking for recreation activities. Facilities allow the vacationers to bike, hike, hunt, boat, camp, fish, swim, watch wildlife, and enjoy various water sports. Multiple locations offer boat launching ramps. This lake is nestled at the base of the mountains and provides unreal natural beauty.
Anglers can sit by the ramps all day, enjoying the view and tossing in a line for largemouth bass, catfish, and crappie which are abundant in these mountain-fed lake waters. Dewey Lake also has a wildlife management area that encompasses 52 miles of shorelines and allows vacationers to explore the area and its habitat on foot.
The nearest cities from Dewey Lake are Prestonsburg, VanLear, Louisa, and Paintsville. When driving to the park via RV or car take U.S. Route 23 and turn east to get onto Route 3. Stay on it for nearly three miles, until it becomes Route 321. Take a right onto Route 3 and drive for nearly 1.9 miles more onto Route 302 that travels along the lakeshore to get to Dewey Lake.
Thirty-three miles away from Dewey Lake is an Army Corps campground, East Fork (WV) along the East Lynn Lake. This campground has 167 campsites with electric and water hookups. Facilities at this Army Corps of Engineers campground include flush and pit toilets, drinking water, showers, and a dump station.
Campers will also have access to the playground, amphitheater, and basketball and volleyball courts present on-site. Additionally, this campground has very nice views of rolling hills and forested wooded areas surrounding the campsites. Campers can take a walk around to witness the variety of wildlife settled in the area, including white-tailed deer, rabbits, black bears, raccoons, waterfowl, grouse, squirrels, and turkeys.
There are numerous foot trails and multipurpose trails all around Dewey Lake. Various interpretive trails are also tagged with identification markers. One of the most popular trails in the area is the Pacific Crest Trail, and while few people can make this hike that takes more than a day, people visiting at Dewey Lake can still enjoy it by only hiking a portion of it.
This magical backpacking trail takes hikers through various lakes, providing views that you're unlikely to forget. The trail is dog-friendly, so bring along your furry friends and enjoy spending time in unadulterated nature.
Dewey Lake is abundant with fish and allows anglers with years of experience - and those with none - plenty of opportunities to toss in a line and be rewarded for their efforts. The scenery is magnificent and allows anglers a day of quiet respite which always ends with them taking plenty of fish home. At Lake Dewey, anglers can either fish from the docks or enjoy a boat ride that will take them to the center of the lake where fish abound. Bass, bluegill, crappie, brim, muskie, and catfish are the most popular fish species found here. Make sure to bring your Kentucky fishing license.
Along the western shores of the lake, Jenny Wiley State Resort Park offers tons of amenities and activities for recreational boaters. One of them includes a marina that offers boat rentals and docking. These boat launching ramps at the marina include Goble Branch Boat Launch, Stratton Branch Boat Launch, and Terry Boat Launch.
While there are no designated swimming areas and there are no lifeguards, swimming is still permitted in these pristine lake waters. Swimming here is at your own risk, so make sure you look out for your friends and family members if they do decide to take a plunge at Dewey Lake.
At Lake Dewey, at the German Bridge, horseback riders are allowed to enjoy their surroundings on the back of their beloved horses. Along with German Bridge, Damsite also has designated trails for horseback riding. On the main roads, and at the campground areas of Lake Dewey, cyclists can enjoy the freedom of riding on their bicycles. There is also an off-road bicycle trail on Route 302, at the west end of Dewey Lake in Jenny Wiley State Resort.
All around the lake are expansive forests, with wooded areas rising on the hills and beyond. These thick forests are home to many wild animals. If you are a wildlife fan, you’ll have a wonderful time spotting bald eagles, elk, deer, black bears, otters, osprey and many other species of flora and fauna inhabiting this diverse ecosystem.
Dewey Lake really is for everyone, regardless of the recreational activity that you love. Even hunters are not left behind as hunting is permitted at Dewey Lake in various areas managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Make sure to contact the Wildlife Management area and visit the Fish and Wildlife office at Dewey Lake to get a map of the hunting area and don’t forget to bring your license along.
