If you live in Kingsport you just can’t help but #GetIntoTheOutdoors because there are so many wonderful opportunities to get outside and enjoy the natural beauty of our city. Whether you’re a hiker, biker, or someone who simply wants to enjoy walking in a gorgeous setting, Kingsport has something for everyone.
It’s difficult to narrow it down because there are so many but we’ve put together a list of some of our most popular spots to enjoy your favorite outdoor activities:
Hiking
Whether you’re seeking the longest rugged route or a simple stroll in the park, Kingsport has a variety of options. Bays Mountain is an obvious choice for hikers and walkers as it features more than 39 miles of trails. The Bays Mountain Trail is a route of moderate difficulty that is 5.2 miles long. Experienced hikers are partial to this trail, not just because it’s a great walk but also because of the scenery as it takes them around the lake and through wooded areas.
The 5.6-mile Fire Tower Trail at Bays Mountain, which winds around the lake and through animal exhibits, is also popular and is a bit easier than the Bays Mountain Trail. Chinquapin Trail, rated as an easy hike, is also at Bays Mountain. The trail, right at 4 miles long and mostly flat, is also a favorite with bikers.
Warriors’ Path State Park features several incredible hiking trails, including the popular Devil’s Bone Trail, which is also one of the more challenging paths in the park. Traversing about 2.5 miles this is a beautiful hike that follows a path to ridgetop overlooks and down to the valley to Fall Creek. Most Warriors’ Path trails, which cover about six miles, are challenging and are enjoyed by both hikers and bikers.
Biking
Many of the trails at both Bays Mountain and Warriors’ Path are used by bikers, as well as hikers and walkers.
Bays Mountain offers 32 miles of trails that provide fun and adventure for bikers of all skill levels, including the 13-mile Tour of Bays. The loop, which is relatively easy with smooth trails and easy climbing, ties together several trails that were specifically created for biking. Some sections of the ride do have some relatively challenging climbs, including the top of Azalea Trail and some pitches along River Mountain Rd. You’ll be glad you hit this trail as it takes you to the Garden Mountain Lookout Tower, an old fire tower that sits on the Holston River Mountain side of the park at 2,405 feet and features a spectacular 360-degree panoramic view of Kingsport and the surrounding mountains.
Warriors’ Path has a variety of stacked trails that offer something different around every turn. Designed and built by mountain bikers, the trails feature plenty of challenges and a number of alternate lines. The main 8.3-mile loop, which is rated as an intermediate/difficult trail, follows a clockwise loop and covers every main trail including Darwin’s Revenge, Magic Carpet, Boneyard, Rock City, Papaw, Whitetail Loop, Zipline, and Ridge Top. Don’t skip any of this ride as the views are well worth the trip.
Walking
There are plenty of great places to walk in Kingsport, most notably the Greenbelt, a nine-mile linear park that connects neighborhoods, downtown, commercial districts, schools, activity centers, and other parks. Bikers also enjoy the Greenbelt, along with hikers.
One of the Greenbelt’s principal features is a pathway that meanders along streams, meadows, and marshlands, showcasing the beauty of the area. The path also takes walkers along Reedy Creek and the Holston River, as well as several landmarks, historic homes, and Civil War sites. Considered an easy walk, the trail walkway is asphalt and wheelchair accessible.
Kingsport is blessed with other amazing walking trails at a number of parks, including Domtar, Borden, Eastman Park at Horsecreek, Edinburgh, Ridgefields, Memorial Gardens, and Rotary. The Lynn View Community Center and Heritage Trail, as well as asphalt tracks at Robinson and Sevier Middle School and the rubber-coated track at Dobyns-Bennett, are also popular places to walk.
Whether it’s hiking, biking, or walking Kingsport’s got it covered when you want to #GetIntoTheOutdoors!
