Townsend, Tennessee

You will find the trailhead to this gravel path just to the left of the Sugarlands Visitor Center. The easy walk along Fighting Creek is scenic and tends not to be crowded, either. At the end of the hike you will find a beautiful 25-foot waterfall. Please refrain from climbing on or around the f...

Your Shuckstack adventure starts at the Fontana Dam outside of Bryson City, NC. As the highest dam East of the Rocky Mountains, it's a sight on its own. This will be your last chance to fill up water bottles and use the restroom so take advantage. You can leave on foot from the dam and continue ...

Twin Creeks Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a river located near Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Rainbow Falls Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

This 6 mile drive is a great way to spend a scenic day in the Smokies. The road is open to cars only (no trucks or RVs) and runs one-way. There are no visitors centers after you head out, so be sure to bring everything you need along. The drive begins at the historic Ogle farmstead, which is als...

Begin at the Rainbow Falls trail parking lot. This is very popular area especially in the summer. If the parking area at the trail head is full there is additional parking located just past the main lot. From here the Rainbow Falls trail is just under 14 miles to the summit of Mount Leconte. Elev...

The Chimney Tops Trail is one of the most visited trails in the Smokies, which is why I recommend going up just before sunset to beat the crowd! During the summer and fall months, it's common to see a hundred people taking in the views on the same trail, but if you scramble on out after hours, y...

The drive to Clingmans Dome is miles of scenic overlooks that provide endless views of ridges and valleys. Clingmans Dome Road comes to a parking lot from which you follow a .5 mile paved trail to the summit. There are also several trails that start on Clingmans Dome Road. Most notably The Appal...

The trail begins at the Clingmans Dome parking lot, just to the left of the paved walkway up to Clingmans Dome. You will start the hike at an elevation of 6130 feet which is only 334 feet less than Clingmans Dome which is the highest point in The Great Smoky Mountain National Park, and the second...

The first day of the hike is either 12.3 miles or 10.5 miles (depending on the campsite) almost all downhill, and the second half of the loop is 13.3 miles or 11.5 miles, again depending on the campsite, almost exclusively uphill. Just as a reference the first day took us about 6 and a half hours...

This is an overnight loop hike that is built around one night in the back country. It can be done as an ambitious day hike. Be advised that permits are required by the NPS for all overnight stays in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The hike begins at the Clingman's Dome parking lot at the For...

This is an intermediate hike along Trillium Gap Trail. There are four stream crossings on your way to the falls as you hike through an idyll, often wildflower-sprinkled landscape. Late spring is best for catching blooms. Once at the waterfall, you can walk behind the cascade of water. This is a ...

This park is located in south Knoxville right off of Cherokee trail road. The parking lot is very large and can accommodate 15-20 cars. The park is home to the historic Fort Higley which was a Civil War fort built by the Union to protect Knoxville.  This is a great place to walk or run through t...

This quarry is located near the Ijams Nature Center in South Knoxville. The quarry is right off of Island Home rd and has a large parking lot. The parking lot has about 30 spaces and about 50 spaces in overflow parking. There is a lot activities to do at the quarry. In the summer there is kayak a...

This trail is located at the Ijams Nature Center. Ijams Nature Center is only 10 minutes from downtown Knoxville and is a great place to escape city life and enjoy the outdoors. The parking lot here is quite large and in the busy season it has an overflow lot too. Ijams Nature Center has many hik...

This is an amazing gem in south Knoxville only 7 minutes away from Gay Street. This is one of the newest parks in Knoxville but it has been a part of Knoxville for centuries. The quarry is a gorgeous place for swimming and kayaking. This park offers numerous outdoor activities all in a great plac...