Shanon Adame

I have been to several of Tennessee’s State Parks, and Fort Loudoun State Park continues to be one of my favorites. So, for my birthday last month, I knew exactly where I wanted to spend it: kayaking and picnicking on Tellico Lake, which surrounds the island park. In my adult life, I had only been kayaking a few times but instantly fell in love with the meditative activity.

My husband and I packed a few coolers with snacks, including some of the best baba ghanoush I have tried from our local farmer’s market (we even snuck a mini-cocktail or two…shhh, don’t tell the rangers), grabbed our life vests and made the 45-minute drive from Maryville, Tn to Vonore. *Fun Fact: if, after your day of fun and relaxation at Fort Loudoun State Park, you drive west on 411 for just a few more minutes, you will find the famous Benton’s Smoky Mountain Hams. Just look for a couple of whole salted hams hanging from the entrance.

Driving into Fort Loudoun State Park is like shifting from one world into another. The flat, grassy farmlands transform into lush, wooded areas surrounded by Tellico Lake. If you are interested in history – which I’ll admit, on my birthday, I was not – Fort Loudoun has a small educational center and recreation of the original fort. I was only interested in water and baking in the sun.

We checked in at the information desk with a ranger with a beaming smile, paid for our key to unlock our kayak, which was $33 for a tandem or $24 for a single and hit the water to paddle around the island.

It was the sort of day being on the water is made for: bright, hot, and full of possibility. We slid our kayak onto the dock, got in, and pushed off into the cool water. I find something very peaceful about floating in the water. In fact, one of my meditation tricks when I am having trouble sleeping is to envision myself on a raft, floating in the middle of the ocean. We set out to encircle the island, and with each push of my paddle through the glassy water, I found myself closer and closer to the place of no thought.

Being in the water feels like escaping into another plane of existence. I find it similar to being aboard an airplane. Unreachable, isolated, maybe a little dangerous; a means of escape, if only for a little while. Suddenly, things like time and bills and loss are non-existent. I leaned back, let the sun smother me with heat, and watched ospreys fly overhead. For a moment, I felt free.

As we rounded the island, we came upon the backside of The Sequoyah Birthplace Museum. Some sort of event was taking place, and I could hear the faint sound of drumming in the background, truly feeling transported to another time. I let the water run over my fingertips as I trailed them through the murky lake and asked my husband if he ever thinks about what lies beneath its surface. What mysteries are there to discover? And because I tend towards the macabre, how many bodies have met their watery demise?

We spent about 2 ½ hours paddling around the island, sufficient time to form tiny blisters in the fleshy spot between my thumb and index finger and to turn my arms into the consistency of Jello. After we turned in our kayak and key, we headed over to the picnic area to scout a spot for lunch. One of the things I love about Fort Loudoun State Park is that it never feels overly crowded. We found a spot right by the water and set up our picnic.

We slathered strawberry-lavender jam we bought at the farmers market over thick, crusty slices of bread and topped with them with salty prosciutto. We ate tomatoes from our garden , paired with thinly sliced mozzarella cheese and washed it all down with tiny, canned Cosmopolitans, bought from the liquor store. I’ve heard talk on Instagram about something called a “glimmer.” The glimmer is supposed to be the opposite of a trigger – it’s a moment where you feel unbridled happiness. If such a glimmer exists, then I was undoubtedly glimmering at the end of that day.

State parks are national treasures and I feel so incredibly lucky to live in an area with such beautiful parks. If you are on a budget, they can provide hours of entertainment and peace for little to no cost. Our entire day at the park only added up to the price of the kayak. Next time you are looking for something to do, or maybe you need some glimmer in your life, I highly recommend heading over to your nearest state park and immersing yourself in the natural world. You won’t regret it.