White Lake Refuge
12 miles NW of Dyersville, TN east of highway 181 Dyer County, TNSite Directions: 12 miles NW of Dyersburg, TN east of highway 181 Dyer County, TN
From Dyersburg, take I-155 west to the intersection of Highway 181 (about 12 miles).
Exit on 181 and go north about 2 miles to milepost 17 (181 is the Great River Road).
Look for a sign directing you east from highway 181 down a gravel road that leads into the refuge.
Lat: 36.1142°N Long: -89.5707°W
Hours: Daylight hours. Not open in winter because this is a refuge for waterfowl.
Seasonality: Refuge roads are open all year except 15th November through March 1st. The refuge is closed to all activity from November 15th – March 1st.
Landmarks: Milepost 17 on Tennessee Hwy 181.
Dyer County • 1,194 acres
Josh Emerson (731) 285-6124
Closed to all forms of use and trespass from Nov. 15 - the last day of February.
Closed to dog training.
Big Game, Small Game, and Trapping are the same as statewide seasons (read the guide) except as noted below.
Closed to Dove, Fall Turkey, and Waterfowl hunting.
Turkey - One non-quota hunt: April 13 - May 5, 2024. The bag limit of one bearded turkey counts toward the statewide bag limit.
Turkey (Young Sportsman) - Same as statewide season.
Site Description: The area contains 938 acres of farmland, shrub swamp, cypress swamp, bottomland hardwood forest, open water, moist soil management areas, and impoundments.
Part of the area is under a water level management program. In summer, much of the area is dry and farmed for winter waterfowl use.
Upon entering the WMA, there is a small parking lot on the right about 100m from the Great River Rd. This parking lot is a trailhead for a 1/2 mile trail to a boardwalk through cypress bottoms and some mudflats, depending on water levels.
Wildlife to Watch: When access is available and water levels allow driving, many species of waterfowl are common to abundant with up to 40,000 waterfowl present. Shorebirds can be abundant in spring and late summer when water levels are appropriate.
Black Terns have been recorded as well.
Bald eagles can also be seen here year-round.
Grassy fields and early successional habitats provide for sparrows and other grassland species.
Fall migration may yield American Redstart, Eastern Kingbird, various flycatchers, and Northern Parula.
Contact Information
Region 1 Office: 731-423-5725
Phone: Toll-Free: 800-372-3928
E-mail the office
Area Manager: Josh Emerson (731) 285-6124
