Outdoor Knoxville

New Web tool to find out cool places you can go use your gear! This site is a search database of all state and federal public lands in the country. The "Nearby Adventures Widget" allows outdoor enthusiasts to enter a location and the activity they enjoy doing and it provides them with a list of places with a given distance where these activities are available. Approximately 300 million people visit the parkds each year. This site will give them an opportunity to ask questions and where to go and what to bring.

On October 26th I decided to set out on my first hike in Great Smokey Mountains Nation Park. At three in the morning I decided on a sunrise hike on Alum Cave Bluff trail to Mt LeConte. The hike is five and a half miles to Mt LeConte with an elevation gain of 2,853 feet. It does get a bit steep and rocky so make sure you are wearing good hiking boots. I arrived at the trailhead at 6:30 am with just the company of the stars still in the sky. With my camera gear packed and my headlamp shining bright I started on the trail. The beginning of the trail is easy and flat following Alum Cave Creek. It was cool trying to imagine what was around me in the darkness when all I could hear was the sound of the waterfalls. The trail continues on along the creek and crosses it a few times with the help of some log bridges. After about a mile and a half the trail passes right through a natural rock arch. Stone steps help lead you up through the arch but are usually wet and slippery so it’s good to use the cable guide on the side. From this point the trail stops following the stream and begins to climb up towards Peregrine Peak. As I reached the peak the sun was beginning to rise and I was greeted by many red squirrels enjoying their breakfast. The peak is also home to Peregrine Falcons as the name suggests. I spotted one in a tall pine while photographing the sunrise. The trail continues on from here up to Alum Cave Buffs. On the way to the bluffs I heard some rustling down in the brush below the trail. I stopped and watched a Black Bear cub appear out of the wooded tangles. Foraging for something to eat he showed no interest in me as I clicked away with my camera. The mother was no where in sight but I knew she was near so I continued on my hike. Once you reach the bluffs it’s a nice spot to take a break and enjoy the sites. This is where many people end their hike but I suggest putting in the effort to get to the summit for some amazing views. After the bluffs the trail drops for a short period but then the climb to LeConte begins. During the climb you will have cables along the route to help you make your way. Some natural springs flow across the trail which would make travel difficult in colder weather when the trails become packed with ice. Along the way you will have great views over looking the valley below where you started your hike. As you start to near the top you will be able to see Sugarland Valley off in the distance. At this time the leaves had already dropped around the trail but the colors were in full swing down in the valley. Once you reach Mt LeConte lodge take the short spur hike to Cliff Top and be prepared for some amazing views. On a nice clear day you’ll see many ridgelines fading off into the distance. This is a great place to have lunch, meditate or even take a nap. After I photographed the amazing landscape and ate my lunch I turned back to head down the trail. Use caution and take your time going down the trail. You definitely don’t want to turn an ankle all the way up here. I’d suggest using a hiking stick to help control your steps and ease the impact on your knees. On the way up I passed a few people hiking down from the lodge that had stayed over night but once I hiked back to the bluffs there was a flurry of people. This seems to be a popular trail which is why I would suggest starting early and hiking to LeConte. Once below the bluffs the hike was all new to me since I had hiked it in the dark with no moon that morning. The trail was neighbored by many waterfalls which provided many great photo opportunities. Overall I enjoyed the hike very much and plan on taking a friend when she comes down to visit. I’m a fast paced hiker and this one took me about 6 hours total but that includes many stops to take photos. I would suggest allowing a good 8 hours to complete the hike. Take your time on the climb and decent, stop and enjoy the sites and enjoy lunch atop LeConte on Cliff Top. The lodge at the top is open for overnight stays and more information can be found at www.leconte-lodge.com. I hope you enjoyed this article and perhaps it inspired you to go out and do the hike yourself. You can check out photos from my hike on my website at www.genos.smugmug.com/Landscapes/MtLeConte

XC the Creeper Trail

I was born and raised in Knoxville and ran track and cross country at West High School, but never truly appreciated how many gorgeous places Knoxville has to run until I went off to school at Auburn University. I recently moved back to Knoxville and have gained a new appreciation not just for the wonderful places to run, but for the sport in general. I’d like to share one of my favorite runs with you. Back in high school we called this the “Boulevard 8”, however, our runs were never too accurate as far as mileage goes. My favorite time to do this run is about 30mins after sunrise. The sun reflecting off the water and the calmness of the morning makes a great environment for a run.
The run starts on Cherokee Blvd in Sequoyah Hills. The best place to park is the big parking lot for Sequoyah Hills Park at the start of the boulevard by the water. Head right on the boulevard for 2.5 miles until you reach Kingston Pike. Go right on Kingston Pike for about a mile until you reach Concord Rd/Neyland Dr (if you cross the street there is a sidewalk to run on). Take a left on Concord. Go up and down a hill until you see Tyson Park on your right and Third Creek Greenway on your left. Take a left on the greenway. After a little over a mile and half you’ll cross Tobler Ln and see West High School on your right. Keep going around a half mile more until you come out by Earth Fare and Kingston Pike. Take a left on Kingston Pike and go about a quarter of a mile until you get to the Western Plaza shopping center. Cross over Kingston Pike and head down Noelton Dr. Noelton will dead end into Alta Vista Way where you turn right. Alta Vista will then dead end into Blows Ferry Rd where you turn left. Blows Ferry will take you back to the beginning of Cherokee Blvd where you started your run.

Christmas. What a great time of year. It may be a little stressful, trying to make everything pretty and perfect; but it's definitely worth it. Dressing up in holiday attire. Putting lights on everything possible. Singing out loud and enjoying your company. That was definitely the spirit in the air for Tour de Lights. This was the third year the ride was sponsored by the Knoxville Transportation Planning Organization. Each year a different route is taken; this year we rode 5 miles through northern downtown. With over 450 participants it was the largest group ride for the TPO ever! It is an experience not easily forgotten. Blinking lights and costumes as far as the eye can see. The sound of laughter and shifters echoing in the dark. The feeling of inspiration about your city and colleagues can't be denied. To everyone that participated we thank and applaud you. If not, we hope to see you next year. This is an annual ride. The Knoxville TPO sponsors several rides each year so it's easy to get involved. For more information and calender dates check out www.knoxtrans.org .

These are the rantings of a hiker wanting to be an UL Hiker.....

Hello Everyone,

The 2nd book of the Mini Adventure Series, "Off Road Trails" is now available. Our new book is a great resource for mountain bikers, trail runners and day hikers in the Mid and East Tennessee area. The book has detailed information of 31 trail systems in and around Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville and the Tri-Cities. We provide full color fold-out topo maps (GPS'ed in 2009), trail descriptions with mileages between intersections, suggested routes, plenty of pictures so you can get an idea of what to expect, directions to the trail head as well as bike shop, bike club and web link info. Stop by Riversports and check out a copy or check out www.miniadventureseries.com for more info.

For those of you who have not tried to paddle board, you are missing out. Awesome experience ;0). Yesterday, I had the pleasure of taking Mark from Jansport who is a surfer from California out on the Tennessee Waterfront on a paddle board. He has never used a paddle whether on a board or in a kayak. He totally rocked it out. After killing himself in the beginning to keep up, he started pumping his legs while he paddled which gave him more momentum and he flew past us all. And did not tell us what he was doing until we got to our destination (Calhoun's for a beer). After we enjoyed a beverage, we had to head back. Without thinking, he threw his board in the water in front of him and took a running leap on the board. He totally wiped out, but eventhough the water was cold it is not Pacific cold. He jumped back up on the dock and did it again and was successful. Lesson learned NEVER GIVE UP and always TRY something NEW. For pictures check out my profile (Laura Jones).