Venture Outside The Oval to Explore Region’s Natural Gems

By Joe Tennis
Features Writer / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: August 21, 2008

Outdoor Wonders Can Be Found Just Beyond The Bustle Of The Speedway

Just outside the oval, beyond the bustle of Bristol Motor Speedway, you don’t need to look far to find a wonderland in the great outdoors. Both Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia boast mile-high mountains, wild rivers, waterfalls, scenic overlooks, lakeside beaches and wondrous views.
Here’s a list of must-sees in the Mountain Empire. For visiting race fans or simply the locals, consider this a primer for getting out and seeing things just down the road:

BIG WALKER MOUNTAIN
Overlooking a Smokies-style view of the Jefferson National Forest, you’ll find a 100-foot-high lookout tower on Big Walker Mountain at the Bland-Wythe county line.
Often, said the owner, Ron Kime, people come to this scenic section of Southwest Virginia to test their fear of heights.
That’s part of why 36-year-old Ben Schwerer, a cab driver from Pittsburgh, Pa., recently showed up.
“I just saw this on a map and thought I’d get out and see it,” Schwerer said.
Coming back down from the tower, Schwerer said, “I thought it was scary, windy, high and pretty.”
The Big Walker Lookout is part of a complex that also includes a swinging bridge and a country store, offering all kinds of painted rocks, quilts, handmade soaps and honey from local makers and artists.
“We get a lot of race fans here on Mondays, when they’re heading home,” said Kime, who often demonstrates blacksmithing on site.
Nearby, you can hike an old portion of the Appalachian Trail to Monster Rock, an odd rock formation that overlooks the Stony Fork Valley of Wythe County. A couple miles down the mountain, you can also pan for jewels and check out the crafts for sale at the Virginia City Pioneer Town and Gem Mine.
From Bristol, travel time is about one hour and 20 minutes. Use I-81 Exit 70, then follow U.S. Highway 52 north for about 12 miles to Virginia City on the right and Big Walker Lookout at the top of the mountain. Call (276) 663-4016.

STEELE CREEK PARK
Bristol, Tenn.’s Steele Creek Park features walking trails and a small lake. You’ll also find a golf course, a nature center and a newly reopened miniature train ride. For rail fans or nature lovers, this place is a must.
From West State Street in Bristol, follow State Route 126 south for about two miles. The entrance road is on the left. Directional signs are posted. Call (423) 764-4023.

VIRGINIA CREEPER TRAIL
Stretching about 34 miles, the Virginia Creeper Trail follows an old railroad line once used to haul lumber from the mountainsides of the greater Damascus region. It’s now popular for hiking, biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing.
East of Damascus, the scenery includes tumbling creeks, small falls and mountain vistas in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Along the route, especially in Damascus or Abingdon, you can also find several businesses renting bikes for the trail’s popular downhill run from Whitetop to Damascus.
From Bristol, travel time is about 45 minutes. Follow I-81 north to Exit 19, then follow U.S. 58 east to Damascus. Along the way, U.S. 58 parallels the Virginia Creeper Trail. Call the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area at (800) 628-7202.

BAYS MOUNTAIN PARK
Barge rides are held on the 44-acre lake atop Bays Mountain from March-October. Two afternoon trips are held daily, June-August, at 2:15 and 5 p.m, at the park in Kingsport. You can also see what looks like a tiny zoo – with bobcats, wolves, deer, otter and turtles. Inside, you’ll find aquariums with all kinds of fish.
From Bristol, follow I-81 south to Exit 57, then take I-26 north to Kingsport. Use Exit 52 at the MeadowView Conference Center. Turn left at the red light onto Reservoir Road. Continue on Reservoir Road for approximately three miles. Turn right onto Bays Mountain Park Road, take the left fork and continue up the mountain. Call (423) 229-9447.

HUNGRY MOTHER STATE PARK
Hungry Mother State Park boasts a nature center, a sandy beach, a full-service restaurant and a newly-redeveloped hiking trail to the park’s high point at Molly’s Knob.
There’s also the legend following the odd name of this park, presumably derived from a missing woman and her child. In one version, the child can say only “Hungry! Mother!” as the mother allegedly lay dying somewhere along a creekbank.
Small boats (with electric motors only) and canoes can also be launched to explore the shoreline of the 108-acre Hungry Mother Lake.
From Bristol, travel time is about one hour. Follow I-81 north to Marion at Exit 45. Then, follow signs to the park. It’s four miles north of Marion, off State Route 16. Call (276) 781-7400.

WARRIORS PATH STATE PARK
Between Kingsport and Colonial Heights lies one of Tennessee’s most popular state parks. It’s called “Warriors Path” for its proximity to an ancient war and trading path used by the Cherokees. The Tennessee Valley Authority acquired the park’s 950 acres in 1952.
Warriors Path State Park is built aside Fort Patrick Henry Lake and includes a campground, an Olympic-size swimming pool, an 18-hole golf course and hiking trails.
From Bristol, travel time is about 30 minutes. Follow I-81 south to Tennessee’s Exit 59. Then, follow signs to the park on Hemlock Road, off State Route 36. Call (423) 239-8531.

NATURAL TUNNEL STATE PARK
Still used daily by railroads, the 850-foot-long Natural Tunnel is what gives the name to Virginia’s Natural Tunnel State Park.
To get there, you can hike a half-mile to the tunnel overlook or dangle free for six minutes on a chairlift above Stock Creek Gorge, where walls of limestone rise about 400 feet.
On Saturdays, you can also tour Natural Tunnel with geologist and “Natural Tunnel” author Tony Scales. The park also includes campgrounds, picnic shelters, trails and a swimming pool.
From Bristol, travel time is about one hour. Use I-81 Exit 74 in Tennessee and follow U.S. Highway 11-W for about 20 miles to State Route 93. Then, follow Route 93 north to U.S. 58. Turn left and follow U.S 58 west for about 15 miles to the exit for Natural Tunnel State Park exit, between Clinchport and Duffield. Call (276) 940-2674.

ROAN MOUNTAIN STATE PARK
Rhododendron bloom in magnificent reds at Roan Mountain, claimed to be the largest natural rhododendron garden in the world. A gravel forest road leads to the rhododendron garden in North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest.
Down the mountain about a dozen miles into Tennessee’s Carter County, Roan Mountain State Park covers more than 2,000 acres. This shady sanctuary features a swimming pool, campsites, cabins, trails and a restaurant. From the park, it’s a 20-minute drive on State Route 143 to reach the rhododendron gardens.
From Bristol, travel time is about one hour. Follow U.S. 11E south. Turn left on U.S. 19E, pass Elizabethton, and continue south on U.S. 19E, following signs to the park. Call (423) 772-3303.

GRAYSON HIGHLANDS STATE PARK
Cliffside trails weave through fields dotted with natural Christmas trees and sofas made of stone at Grayson Highlands State Park near Volney, Va. One 1.6-mile maze, the Twin Pinnacles, ascends house-size rocks on the edge of Haw Orchard Mountain.
The park includes a campground, a visitor center and a place to park your horse.
From Bristol, travel time to Grayson Highlands is about one hour and 45 minutes. Follow I-81 north to Marion at Exit 45. Then, take State Route 16 south to Volney. Turn right on U.S. 58 and go west about eight miles to the entrance on the right. Call (276) 579-7092.

BACKBONE ROCK
At just 22 feet long, Backbone Rock might be the shortest tunnel ever used by a railroad. It was built circa 1900, when Johnson County, Tenn., was the site of huge logging operations.
The rock is the centerpiece of a small recreation area in the Cherokee National Forest and includes a creek for swimming plus hiking trails and picnic facilities.
From Bristol, follow U.S. Highway 421 east for about a half-hour to Shady Valley. Then, follow State Route 133 north for about 15 minutes to Backbone Rock.

SUGAR HOLLOW PARK
Bristol’s Exit 7 area might be known best for all its restaurants and shopping centers. But it’s also home to a great escape: Sugar Hollow Park.
Surrounding the grassy dam on Beaver Creek, this park offers playgrounds, campsites, walking trails and ballfields. One of the most popular places to take a stroll is the recently built Sugar Hollow Wetlands – a place recently named in honor of Bob Childress, a longtime parks director.
From Bristol at I-81 Exit 7, follow Lee Highway (U.S. 11) north for about a half mile to the park entrance, on the left. Call (276) 645-7275.

BRISTOL CAVERNS
A world of stalagmites and stalagtites await discovery in Bristol Caverns, one of the oldest and most attractive tourist attractions in Sullivan County.
From Bristol Motor Speedway, follow state Route 394-East for six miles. Cross U.S. Highway 421 and follow state Route 435 (Bristol Caverns Highway) and go 2.5 miles to the caverns, on the left. Call (423) 878-2011.

APPALACHIAN CAVERNS
Like Bristol Caverns, the Appalachian Caverns offers a walkway through an underground world. Here, you’ll find a bridge crossing high above a subterranean creek.
From Bristol Motor Speedway, follow state Route 394 west for 2.5 miles. Turn left on Feathers Chapel Road and go 0.2 miles. Turn right on Buncombe Road and go 1.5 miles. Then, turn left on Cave Hill Road and go a half-mile to the caverns, on the right. Call (423) 323-2337.

SOUTH HOLSTON LAKE
Spanning 24 miles into both Virginia and Tennessee, South Holston Lake is the largest reservoir in the great Tri-Cities region operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Fishing includes all kinds of bass, bluegill and catfish. The lake is also open to all kinds of boats, from canoes to pontoons and houseboats.
Public facilities include Observation Knob, Little Oak Recreation Area, Whitaker Hollow Recreation Area, Washington County Park and an overlook at the South Holston Dam, near Emmett.
From Bristol, follow U.S. Highway 421 for about eight miles southeast to the bridge over South Holston Lake. Boats can be launched at this point. A fishing and wading area is also located at this site.

BOONE DAM BEACH
Tiny Boone Dam Beach, with a picnic area, is located near the Tri-Cities Airport. It fronts a lake that spans more than 5,000 acres.
From Bristol, follow I-81 south to Exit 63. Turn left on State Route 357 and follow to State Route 75. Turn right on Route 75 and follow a couple miles to the dam entrance, on the left.

THE BLUE HOLE
The Blue Hole, on the east side of Holston Mountain, is part of a series of small waterfalls that are perfectly picturesque in the Cherokee National Forest. Inside a tiny canyon, four falls make a total drop of about 50 feet.
From Bristol, travel time is about 45 minutes. Follow U.S. 11E south. Turn left on U.S. 19E and follow to Elizabethton. Then, follow State Route 91 north for 10.5 miles and turn left on Forest Road 56 (Panhandle Road). Go about one mile to a large, informal parking area on the left. A well-worn trail (less than a quarter-mile) leads to the Blue Hole.

ROCKY MOUNT MUSEUM
Rocky Mount was the home of William Cobb, a pioneer of Tennessee. Here, near the Watauga River, was the first capitol of Territory South of the Ohio River in the late 1700s. A house at the site is open for tours and includes a museum.
From Bristol Motor Speedway, follow U.S. Highway 11E south for 10 minutes to Piney Flats. Rocky Mount is on the left. Call (423) 538-7396.

ANDREW JOHNSON NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
Andrew Johnson, the nation’s 17th president, lived for years in Greeneville, Tenn. It was here that he learned to be a tailor, got into politics and later rose to become president in 1865 after Abraham Lincoln was shot.
Today, you can visit his old tailor shop, preserved inside a building at the center of Greeneville at the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site. You can also hear a neat recording that sounds like Johnson’s ghost remains – cutting fabric and walking the floor.
The year 2008 marks the 200th anniversary of Johnson’s birth.
From Bristol, travel time is about one hour. Follow I-81 south to Exit 36 in Tennessee. Then, follow signs on State Route 172 to Greeneville. Call (423) 639-3711.
| (276) 791-0704