Jared BeelerExplorer

This hike is a great, short hike for all ages. It shows the sandstone formation of the area very well and features a large cliff, an overhang, and a small stream at the bottom. The hike is only 0.4 of a mile total and has a small elevation change. It is probably the easiest hike in this area.  The parking for this trail is right off of the main road that runs through Pickett State Park. The par...

This park is located in south Knoxville. The wildlife management area is very popular in the sunflower season. This area offers many activities including biking, hiking and photography. There are several trails that run through the area but some of them are closed in hunting season so make sure to read the signs posted around the area that tell when the trails are open. During July and early Au...

This Urban park is located in North Knoxville. The park is only a few minutes from downtown Knoxville. This park is small but offers a nice wilderness in the city. There is a lot of wildlife at this park. The park has many hiking/biking trails through the park. In total there is 1.5 miles of greenway through the wooded area. The trails here are all paved and can be used from dawn till dusk. The...

According to the park, there is nothing at this spot, so not many people stop. If you do not like large crowds, this is the perfect place to stop. There is a small trail that leads to the river and a beautiful vista with the massive canyon walls on all sides. There are several areas in this part of the river that are great for swimming or fishing. The area also offers a good bit of shade in som...

This park is located just 10 minutes from downtown Knoxville. The parking here is massive and has near 100 parking spots spread out over the park. The park offers many activities and amazing views. The main attraction of the park is the greenway and the disc golf course. The greenway runs all the way around the park and is 2.5 miles in total length. The greenway is mostly paved with part of it ...

This trail is located in the Seven Islands Birding State Park. This park is east of Knoxville only about 20 minutes from downtown Knoxville. The park is small but there is plenty of beauty and lots of hiking trails in the area. At the beginning of the trail there is a gorgeous flower garden and a picnic area that provides a great place to look for and watch birds. This trail is one of the more ...

Hooper bald is one of the highest points in Graham County so the views from the top can be spectacular year round.  The trail-head starts at mile marker 8 on the Cherohala Skyway. From the trail-head you start your accent on a semi-paved trail and walk about a half-mile before reaching the edge of the bald. From there you can walk around and enjoy the views of the bald.  If you continue walking...

This location showcases the Ocoee river and the area used in the 1996 Olympics. This area is beautiful and has some amazing views. The drive to the whitewater center is called the Ocoee Scenic Byway and is the first national forest byway. The drive is gorgeous and features some amazing mountain views. The center has a gorgeous bridge built in 1996 that overlooks the Ocoee river. At the center t...

This scenic overlook is along the Highland Scenic Highway. The highway runs through the Monongahela National Forest. The overlook has an amazing view and is a great area to explore. There are two trails that lead off from the overlook and they have a gorgeous spruce forests.  

This quarry is located near the Ijams Nature Center in South Knoxville. The quarry is right off of Island Home rd and has a large parking lot. The parking lot has about 30 spaces and about 50 spaces in overflow parking. There is a lot activities to do at the quarry. In the summer there is kayak and canoe rental provided by River Sports Outdoors.  Swimming here is allowed year road however the ...

Watson Mill State Park has many different things to offer. The main attraction is the Watson Mill covered bridge. It is the longest covered bridge in Georgia it was built in 1885. The bridge is still driveable today as long as you are in a smaller vehicle I did it in a minivan and had plenty of room. The Watson Mill bridge showcases the historic acheivement of the times and how people would hav...

The maynardville fire tower is one that anyone can go too since you can drive straight to the base of it. From the base however there are about 100 steep stairs to the top. On the way up you will need to be extra careful because it is very old and was never built for safety. When you get to the top there are a few good platforms to stand on. The top of the fire tower or the cab is however locke...

The road to get to this waterfall is right off of NC 215 which comes right off of the Blue Ridge Parkway and is only about 3 miles away from parkway. The parking area is very small and does not offer many parking spots but since it is not that popular of an area parking is usually not a problem. The trail goes under the guard rail down a very steep embankment then is flat the rest of the way th...

To get to this hike the easiest way is to go up Petros hwy near the closed Brushy Mountain State prison. The trailhead is a large gravel lot on the side of the road. The trail is an old road so it is wide and well taken care of. However, the trail is very steep all the way up. The trail has only a few spots that are flat or downhill. The trail comes to a small split 1.7 miles in and goes up the...

This greenway starts at the Island Home Park and goes through Ijams Nature Center and the Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area. The trail is almost 4 miles one way so it makes for a great half day trip. From start to finish it is 8 miles long. The trail is mostly paved with only a small bit that is gravel. The trail is flat at the start then slightly uphill when you get to the start of I...

This trail is located at the Ijams Nature Center. Ijams Nature Center is only 10 minutes from downtown Knoxville and is a great place to escape city life and enjoy the outdoors. The parking lot here is quite large and in the busy season it has an overflow lot too. Ijams Nature Center has many hikes but the most popular is the River Trail which takes you along the Boardwalk. The trail starts at ...

You will start your hike at the bottom of the volcano. The cost to get into the park is 5$ per vehicle or 1$ for a walk-in or taxi. The cost of the park is absolutely worth it. On the way up the mountain you will start on a wide paved path that starts out relatively flat but gets steeper on the way up. Once the trail starts to go up it gets a lot steeper and starts dirt trail with lots of switc...

The foothills parkway runs parallel to the Great Smoky Mountains. It is 38.6 miles in total with the longest section at 33.0 miles. There are a few different places to get on to the parkway. There is one entrance near Fontana, Walland, Wears Valley, and Cosby. However Cosby is a smaller section and does not link to the other sections of the parkway. The section from Fontana to Wears Valley has ...