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Pickwick Lake

Sheffield · Florence · Waterloo, Alabama — Lauderdale County.

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34,470Surface acres (whole lake)
16Public access sites

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 147604857); shared with Mississippi and Tennessee, acreage is the whole lake.

Location & fast facts

Where Pickwick Lake is in Alabama

The red circle marks Pickwick Lake.

Fast facts

About Pickwick Lake

  • Counties: Lauderdale, Colbert
  • Cities & towns on the shore: Sheffield, Florence, Waterloo
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Shared with: Mississippi and Tennessee. The surface acreage shown is the whole lake; about 68% of the mapped water is in Alabama.
  • Distance: about 83 mi from Huntsville and 119 mi from Birmingham, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Alabama: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Alabama

Official ADCNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 16 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Camping. 14 campgrounds within 15 mi, 5 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Zebra mussel, Whorled hydrilla and Giant salvinia recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Lake map

Pickwick Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Pickwick Landing Campground (campground)Colbert Ferry Bicycle-only Campground milepost 327 (campground)McFarland Park Campground (campground)Mulberry Creek Camp (campground)Pickwick Landing SP - Trail Camps (campground)Pickwick Dam - TVA (campground)Tuscumbia RV Park (campground)Boat ramp (Boat launch)1Boat ramp (Boat launch)2Boat ramp (Boat launch)3Boat ramp (Boat launch)4Boat ramp (Boat launch)5Brush Creek Boat Launch (Boat launch)6Cane Creek Boat Ramp (Boat launch)7Colbert Ferry Boat Ramp (Boat launch)8McFarland Park East Boat Ramp (Boat launch)9McFarland Park North Boat Ramp (Boat launch)10McFarland Park West Boat Ramp (Boat launch)11Muscle Shoals Reservation Boat Ramp (Boat launch)12Pride Landing Boat Ramp (Boat launch)13Riverfront Park Boat Launch (Boat launch)14Waterloo Riverside Boat Ramp (Boat launch)15Waterloo Second Creek Boat Ramp (Boat launch)161 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launch Campground
  1. 1Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  2. 2Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  3. 3Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  4. 4Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  5. 5Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  6. 6Brush Creek Boat Launch
    Boat launch
  7. 7Cane Creek Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  8. 8Colbert Ferry Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  9. 9McFarland Park East Boat Ramp
    Boat launch · Florence
  10. 10McFarland Park North Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  11. 11McFarland Park West Boat Ramp
    Boat launch · Florence
  12. 12Muscle Shoals Reservation Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  13. 13Pride Landing Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  14. 14Riverfront Park Boat Launch
    Boat launch
  15. 15Waterloo Riverside Boat Ramp
    Boat launch · Waterloo
  16. 16Waterloo Second Creek Boat Ramp
    Boat launch

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 147604857), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Campgrounds near Pickwick Lake

We found 14 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Pickwick Lake, 11 of them within 5 miles. 5 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

8 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Alabama

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Nearest airports

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Pickwick Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Compare car rentals near this lake

Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (34.9086, -88.0398). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Pickwick Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Pickwick Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Chicago), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    16 public access sites listed, 16 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.9599, -88.1526
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating35.0524, -88.2372
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating35.0569, -88.2324
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.9921, -88.1776
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.9014, -88.0924
    Brush Creek Boat Launch——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.9014, -87.9930
    Cane Creek Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.7545, -87.8612
    Colbert Ferry Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.8391, -87.9446
    McFarland Park East Boat RampFlorence—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.7867, -87.6738
    McFarland Park North Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.7892, -87.6752
    McFarland Park West Boat RampFlorence—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.7852, -87.6741
    Muscle Shoals Reservation Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.7921, -87.6372
    Pride Landing Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.7329, -87.8168
    Riverfront Park Boat Launch——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.7670, -87.7119
    Waterloo Riverside Boat RampWaterloo—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.9135, -88.0607
    Waterloo Second Creek Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.9162, -88.0585

    OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Pickwick Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Pickwick Lake

    How big is Pickwick Lake?

    Pickwick Lake covers about 34,470 acres in Sheffield, Florence and Waterloo, Alabama (Lauderdale County).

    Is there a public boat launch on Pickwick Lake?

    Yes. 16 public trailer launches are listed: Pride Landing Boat Ramp, Muscle Shoals Reservation Boat Ramp and Riverfront Park Boat Launch. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Pickwick Lake?

    Yes. We list 14 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 11 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Pickwick Lake?

    Pickwick Lake touches Sheffield, Florence and Waterloo in Lauderdale County and Colbert County, Alabama.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Pickwick Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Alabama lakes & ponds · All waters in Sheffield