I occasionally afford myself the luxury of visiting places without really knowing what to expect…read more This park just wasn't that clear to me in its purpose, but it became more so after arrival, with a visitor center focused on Native American history and identifying this as a Cherokee Nation headquarters. A spread of recreated buildings outside offers opportunities for perusal. The most aesthetically distinctive site is a large spring of the sort that seem more common in Kentucky than Tennessee, which evinces a robust blue color and empties into a clear stream. The spring itself is off-limits, but the stream is open for wading. All of these sites are within sight of the initial entrance, but a trek uphill reveals picnic areas, an amphitheater, and a couple of mile trail through the woods. Between the different elements of the park, it was easy to spend a couple of hours there, and best of all, it's free, though the gift shop warrants examination.

Extremely nice! Not a bad price either You can bring your own food which is nice. A great way to…read morehave a family day

Cool 90' waterfall near the TN end of Cherohala Skyway. After a 2 year long closure, BRF just…read moreopened 3 weeks ago (May 30,2025). It had a great setting with strong cascades after much rain in the Cherokee National Forest. Since August, 2023 much of the roads, parking and the original 1933 Bridge were updated and new observation decks from the Bridge make it enjoyable even for the mobility challenged. The base of the falls and swimming holes can be accessed. I dipped my toes in and the water was warmer than expected on a hot humid (80s) day. There are 2 access roads along the Cherohala Skyway and are easy to miss. River Road is easier and seems to show up on GPS. Turkey run is NOT marked, newly paved but had a big fallen tree blocking much of the road. Parking is limited, about 15 parking spots and a steady stream of cars waiting on a weekDay afternoon. It's worth a stop but be prepared for the crowds and limited parking. No restrooms nor anything else. Leave No Trace!

Definitely put this on your list of places to see! It's a fairly short but scenic drive from…read moreTellico Plains, albeit on a very narrow road for two way traffic. Once you get there, you can park right beside the falls and see it from the bridge or hike down the rocks to the bottom and get even closer. There's also a nice short 1/8 mile hike to get to the top which offers an excellent view as well.

Really enjoyable course with a lot of elevation change. Nice balance of woods and open fields.read more

This is a nice park and on a normal day, I am sure that it is wonderful for the family, but for us…read moreit was not so good. We were there for the eclipse event on August 21 2017. We arrived at about 8:30 AM and we were able to find a spot, but the organizers were not ready! I don't know if they underestimated the event or what, but the lack of restrooms was unbelievable. They should have put porta-potties around, but instead you had to stand in long lines waiting for a chance to enter one of the few restrooms. This was not good! Then there was a serious lack of traffic control after the event. It took us over two hours just to leave the park and the only traffic control was when you exited the park. More could have been done to ensure a steady flow out of the area. I know there were about 10000 people there, but still you guys - think ahead and learn from this experience - more potties and better traffic flow!

Wooden Park is still here! Just a heads up, there's some construction happening across from the…read morepark, so the front parking lot is closed. No worries, though! Just park right when you drive in. The only small downside is that there are wasps around. So keep an eye on the kids and encourage them not to bother them. Other than that its a great park i love how this wooden park is still here!

Nice local little park for my grand daughter. Excellent design to stir up the imagination of a…read more3&1/2 year old. She has so much fun that she didn't want to leave. We'll definitely be going back for more play time in a well layed out design for children's safe experience.

Quick excursion but still worth the stop! Short trek down a fairly easy path to a beautiful…read morewaterfall.

This is a beautiful place to visit and enjoy nature. One of Southeast Tennessee's hidden gems. The…read moreHike to the bottom is very strenuous, lots of slick rocks and steep inclines over rocks. All the work is well worth the hazards.

Definitely worth checking out! It's a great view, and it's super convenient that you can drive to…read moreit. We had a rental minivan that made it alright (although we stopped in the parking lot right before the really big danger sign and hiked the last little bit). If you had an SUV you could be completely confident driving all the way. The roadway seemed to be well maintained and the signage was clear!

Bell Mountain has some incredible views, but unfortunately this has to be one of the most…read moredisturbing examples of society today. The amount of graffiti and trash is absolutely disgusting and shows a complete lack of respect for the land, the scenery, and the people around you. Nearly every inch of rock is covered in graffiti, including the platforms that taxpayers paid to build so visitors could enjoy the view. The entire place feels reminiscent of movies that depict the breakdown of society and the end of the world--where chaos takes over and respect, responsibility, and common decency no longer exist. This is not artistic expression; it's vandalism and selfishness. Instead of appreciating the beauty of nature, visitors are forced to look at layer after layer of damage left behind by people who clearly have no regard for preserving anything for others to enjoy. It's honestly sad to see such a beautiful place ruined this way.

I never met a waterfall that I didn't like. We did a driving tour along Little River in Great Smoky…read moreMountains National Park to see if we could spot some wildlife. The Sinks is a lovely waterfall along the river. There is a small parking lot with about a dozen spaces where we found parking. An observation area is a short walk from parking. A sign describes the area and that the falls were manmade. During the late 1800's the river was used to transport logs/timber to the nearby town of Elkmont. After a storm, flood waters caused a jam in the river. Dynamite was used to restore water flow. The blast resulted in a twist in the river and creation of the waterfall. A set of stone steps leads up a hill, offering lovey views of the falls. There are dozens of waterfalls in the Park. Sinks is one of the few that is drivable, which is great for people that cannot hike. I picked up a Waterfalls map at the visitor center that I found interesting and informative. Parking passes are required to park in the lot. There are no amenities at the falls. Plan 15-30 minutes for a stop and photos.

The Sinks is such a fun outdoor experience! Our boys, ages 11 & 13, loved it! The parking is not…read moregreat though, with only about 15 spots in the parking lot and nowhere else to go. It's super busy in the summer, so just be prepared for that. We had to wait about 15 minutes for someone to leave so we could park. That wouldn't keep us from going back, though.

Oh these ducks will get you. You better bring them some treats because they KNOW why you came…read more Well, after you escape the quacking you'll find this place is truly a lovely green spot There's an expansive field with a raised stage perfect for all the town's fairs and festivals and shows. That's cool. I think the cute little homecomng bridge is perfect. No wonder it's a picture perfect spot for snapping photos. I didn't pass through to the walking trail but I'm curious to try it out. If only there were more picnic tables around here.

The experience is bland. Many things like the sidewalks, and throughout the walking trail need to…read morebe fixed. The only thing to look at in the park is the ducks. All in all, it is an ok experience just not my cup of tea.

WOW!!!! Little slice of chocolate cake for the kiddos! It is out of the way for us, but when we…read morewent our toddler had a blast. Played all over the playground and loved the splash pad! Always wonderful to see a smile on his face! One day tho... I hope when other moms are with groups and solo moms try to join in and meet new people that the groups will be more excepting and make others feel invited. Unfortunately I have yet to experience that at all in Knoxville at any of the parks... ( personal feeling aside from the park itself )

This is one of our grandson's favorite parks. It has a water feature for little children, and a…read moregreat playground, picnic shelter. They have added on so many new things including fields for team sports.

I got there a little early, I was first person there. Had great chat with the flag man, 88 years…read moreold, retired from the railroad in 1999 snd been volunteering here since then. Started railroad on this and other lines when they were working railroads at 28 years of age. He had a lot of stories and railroad history about this area and others. I took the Hiwassee Loop trip. Most of the workers on the train, conductors and hosts were all retired railroad workers. The engineer was retired United Airlines pilot who got his train engineer license after he retired. Excellent historic narration along the way. I cannot recommend this trip enough. 4.5 hours up Bald Mountain along the Hiwassee River. But, again, best part was my 45 minute conversation with the 88 year old flagman.

The Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park is a state park that covers the land that is accessible…read moreto the Hiwassee and Ocoee Rivers. There's a visitor's center, many miles of hiking, picnic areas, primitive camping, fishing, boating, and canoeing. We arrived and went white water rafting with a third party on the rapids. These rivers were the site of the Olympic water sports in 1996. We then went to the visitors' center, and then drove around the campground, then the scenic byway to some gorgeous overlooks. Definitely stunning and worth the visit. I wanted to do a little hike while I dried off from the rafting, but there wasn't really a clear map of the trails in the area with the mileage and difficulty like at every other park we've been to. Other than that, we really enjoyed out time here.