Springville, Tenn.-The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announces that the refuge headquarters office and Visitor Center at the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge will be closed on Monday, August 21st for the solar eclipse. As this area is not in the total eclipse zone, the public is directed to Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge at 643 Wildlife Road in Dover as perhaps a quieter place to view the total solar eclipse. Refuge staff, volunteers and Friends of Cross Creeks NWR will be on hand to assist with parking, information and to warn visitors that special glasses are needed to for full viewing of the eclipse.
Visitors at Cross Creeks are invited to view the eclipse near the Visitor Center or back patio deck or they can park along the 9-mile wildlife viewing road that runs along the Cumberland River. We ask that visitors not park as to block the road, or refuge gates and to not park in any of the refuge agricultural crop fields.
The eclipse partial phase will begin at 11:56 am (CDT) with the totality portion of the eclipse to happen at 1:25 am (CDT). At this location the total eclipse will last approximately 55 seconds.
Special solar viewing glasses will be sold at the event for $3.00/pair as well as special commemorative “glow in the dark” t-shirts , and bottled water will be sold at the event to as a fundraiser for Friends of Cross Creeks NWR. Whereas there will be no lunches sold at the refuge, the public is invited to bring their picnic basket enjoy the afternoon in a beautiful, scenic spot along Lake Barkley.
Established in 1962, the 8,862 acre Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge lies within the floodplain of the Cumberland River which is now Lake Barkley. The refuge provides important feeding and resting habitat for migratory birds along the Mississippi flyway.
For more information about this event or the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge please call 731-642-2091.
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