Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge was established to manage the upper third of Reelfoot Lake as a refuge for migratory birds. Reelfoot is a wintering ground for migratory waterfowl and bald eagles.

Lake Isom National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1938 and became the first National Wildlife Refuge in the state of Tennessee. The refuge currently encompasses 1,850 acres and is located in Lake County, Tennessee.