It’s a beautiful day today, and one of the best things about living in the Appalachian Mountains is the abundance of ways to enjoy nature. In Pulaski, we have some great places to enjoy ourselves in the sunshine, and one of the best places to go is Gatewood Park. Gatewood provides several different activities for you to enjoy on a bright spring day.
In particular, the fishing is great; the size of the lake and the depth of the water are perfect for trophy size bass to thrive. Be sure to bring some extra line and sunscreen though. I’ve been caught out on a lake with no sunscreen before and it’s not a very fun experience. Gatewood also has boating items for rent, including the boats themselves. You can bring your own boat, but it cannot have a petroleum based motor; only electric motors are allowed on the lake. Along with boats, Gatewood also has kayaks and paddleboats for rental, both for single day use and a seasonal pass as well. They also host several fishing events through the season, including tournaments.
If you don’t see yourself as much of a fisherman, you can also go for a hike around one of the trails throughout the park. All of the trails are less than a mile long, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to complete the hike. The trails are well kept, and guided hikes are hosted as well for those trails that are a bit longer, and a have some interesting history behind them.
After you’ve spent the day telling fish tales and getting your exercise in on the trails, you can wind down in one of the scenic campgrounds locations. They have locations on the open shoreline of the lake and locations that aren’t waterfront as well, and a park store stocked with assorted camping and picnic supplies. And in case you’re not ready to relax yet, you can also play a game of horseshoes or line up a serve on the volleyball court. There are even more events planned for this summer, including weekly bonfires and music from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
A new, much welcomed addition to Gatewood is the new website they now have up and running. The old one was a bit outdated, only providing information on the park itself. Now with the new website, visitors can actually register for the upcoming season ahead of time (and save some money if they do so). They also have a slew of new activities and quality of life additions to the grounds that will make any visitor’s experience a fun one.
The upcoming season will begin on the first weekend of April, and will go until the last weekend of October. Give it a visit here to get directions and any other information you need to know. We’re all looking forward to some warmer weather, especially at the park!