Concord Park is teeming with great summer activities to enjoy with the whole family, including a swimming beach, dog park, playground, and kayak or bike rentals. Park at The Cove at Concord Park to enjoy those amenities, and walk the Concord Greenway for just under a mile to reach the Calloway Ridge Trail. This easy trail follows the shoreline of Fort Loudon Lake, offering beautiful views of the water. If you want to skip The Cove and just enjoy the hike, you can also park at the Calloway Ridge Trailhead.
New Harvest Park
This park packs a lot of fun into a small area! A half-mile hiking trail with an easy-moderate difficulty level meanders through wooded hills. The natural surface trail will take you up a ridge and then back down to the paved walking loop, taking about 25 minutes to complete. You will find a splash pad, playground, and a large picnic shelter in the main area of the park to help you cool off afterwards. You will also find a second paved walking loop around a wetland area with many interesting plant species.
Mead’s Quarry
At Mead’s Quarry in South Knoxville, there are several trails to choose from before you take a swim! Tharp’s Trace, a 1.3-mile loop with moderate difficulty, will take you around the quarry lake and up the ridge beside it. While short, it does have significant elevation gain as you climb up to see the beautiful view of the quarry and Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness. If you prefer less hills to climb, try the Imerys Trail to Hayworth Hollow. When you reach the hollow, you will notice that the large limestone cliffs cool the area down a few degrees. You can keep hiking Imerys Trail to the iconic Keyhole if you are up for it!
You will find many shaded resting spots along the meandering paths of this riverfront park in West Knoxville. The forested section of the park has lots of trees to choose from and offers beautiful views of the lake, making it a perfect spot to hang out in your hammock! Fort Loudon Lake borders three sides of the park, making for beautiful views with paddling and fishing opportunities. The 0.5 mile trail winds along the shoreline of Fort Loudon Lake between Carl Cowan Park and Admiral Farragut Park and is a popular spot for viewing songbirds and waterfowl. You’ll also find walking loops and picnic areas at both parks.
Fort Dickerson and Augusta Quarry
For a summer hike with some history, try Fort Dickerson Park in South Knoxville. Start at the Augusta Quarry trailhead and follow the Quarry Greenway as it gradually leads you into the woods. From there, take Booger Trail for a shaded, one-mile stretch before connecting to Trial and Error on your right, which winds its way uphill towards Breastworks Trail. You can take a left onto Breastworks if you’d like to finish the climb up to the historic Fort Dickerson, where you can pause to explore the old earthworks and take in the surroundings. If you do, loop back by rejoining Trial and Error, then continue toward the quarry overlook for a glimpse of the bright blue water below. Finish the hike along Pit Viper Trail, which brings you back to the trailhead—and, in the summer, offers the perfect excuse to cool off with a swim or float in Augusta Quarry.
Author
Legacy Parks
Legacy Parks Foundation is an East Tennessee nonprofit that works to conserve our natural resources, create public places, and connect communities. Since 2005, Legacy Parks has raised over $21 million for parks and open space, helped conserve 1,000 acres of forest and farmland, and added over 700 acres of parkland in the region.
