Five-Star Trails: Tri-Cities of Tennessee & Virginia: 40 Spectacular Hikes near Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol

by Johnny Molloy

Overview

Discover 40 five-star hiking trails in and around Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol, including popular routes and hidden gems.

From high mountains to the east and south to the historic walks in Tennessee, the Tri-Cities of Tennessee and Virginia are a hiker’s nirvana. This region offers hundreds of miles of trails to explore in and around Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol, as well as the surrounding areas of Abingdon, Elizabethton, Greeneville, and Rogersville. Drawing from a wealth of trails on vast public lands and encompassing the Cherokee, Jefferson, and Pisgah national forests, the mosaic of hikes reflects the wide variety of terrain. State parks preserve beautiful places to visit, and urban parks provide quick, easy nature escapes. The Appalachian Trail, the most heralded and hiked footpath in our country, curves within range of the Tri-Cities for nearly 70 miles.

Explore 40 of the region’s best, five-star trails with this easy-to-carry and easy-to-use guidebook. In the updated edition, acclaimed author and hiking expert Johnny Molloy shares everything you need to know about the area’s spectacular outings, from convenient suburban greenways to wilderness treks at an elevation of 6,000 feet.

Inside you’ll find:

• Descriptions of 40 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests
• GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads
• Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes
• Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children

Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634043427
Publisher:	Menasha Ridge Press
Publication date:	06/14/2022
Series:	Five-Star Trails
Edition description:	2nd Revised ed.
Pages:	216
Sales rank:	625,461
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Johnny Molloy is a writer and adventurer based in Johnson City, Tennessee. His outdoor passion was ignited on a backpacking trip in Great Smoky Mountains National Park while he was attending the University of Tennessee. That first foray unleashed a love of the outdoors that led Johnny to spend over 4,500 nights backpacking, canoe camping, and tent camping over the past three decades. Friends enjoyed his outdoor adventure stories; one even suggested he write a book. He pursued his friend’s idea and soon parlayed his love of the outdoors into an occupation. The results of his efforts are more than 80 books and guides. His writings include hiking guidebooks, camping guidebooks, paddling guidebooks, comprehensive guidebooks about a specific area, and books about true outdoor adventures throughout the eastern United States.

Although primarily involved with book publications, Johnny writes for varied magazines and websites. He continues writing and traveling extensively throughout the United States, pursuing a variety of outdoor endeavors. Johnny is a Gideon and an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Johnson City. His non-outdoor interests include reading, ancient and American history, and University of Tennessee sports.

Read an Excerpt

Great Channels of Virginia
Scenery: 5 / Trail Condition: 4 / Children: 2 / Difficulty: 3 / Solitude: 3

• GPS Trailhead Coordinates: N36" 51.877', W81" 56.818'
• Distance & Configuration: 6.2-mile out-and-back
• Hiking Time: 4.2 hours (includes 1 hour at The Channels)
• Highlights: Mountaintop views, unusual rock formations
• Elevation: 3,025 feet at trailhead, to 4,180 feet at high point
• Access: No fees or permits required
• Maps: Channels State Forest; USGS Hayters Gap
• Facilities: None
• Wheelchair Access: None
• Contacts: [phone]; dof.virginia.gov

Overview

Hike to Middle Knob, atop Clinch Mountain, to first capture incredible mountain views from multiple rock outcrops in the shadow of a retired fire tower. Then enter The Channels, a maze of slender paths running between, around, and under huge sandstone monoliths. This Virginia Natural Area Preserve deserves its protection and is one of the most unusual rock formations in the Appalachians.

Route Details

The hike to The Channels is rewarding in and of itself, but it is at the top of Clinch Mountain's Middle Knob where the spectacular highlights start. Save this hike for a clear day, so you can revel in the distant views while also experiencing the wondrous geological maze that is The Channels. The Channels was formerly under private ownership and not so easily visited. But a man, Charles Kennedy, fought to have this piece of the world protected and open to the public.

Initially, the Nature Conservancy purchased The Channels. They held it until the state of Virginia bought the land in 2008. Now, The Channels is a state nature preserve contained within a nearly 5,000-acre state forest. The establishment of the Brumley Mountain Trail made foot access to The Channels a pleasant prospect. Thus, we now can hike to this most unusual attraction. Furthermore, the first mile of the Brumley Mountain Trail uses an easement granted by a private landowner, which opened access to The Channels from Hayters Gap.

Leave Hayters Gap on a gravel road heading southwest. Soon come to a pole gate and sign indicating the Brumley Mountain Trail. For now, continue following the gravel road, the private easement through which the trail passes. Begin a gradual ascent on the south slope of Clinch Mountain. Hickory, black gum, white pine, red maples, and more add to the biodiversity.

At 0.3 mile, the trail briefly descends near a drainage. At 0.5 mile, the road passes under a powerline. At 0.7 mile, the private gravel road you have been following takes a hard right uphill. The Brumley Mountain Trail keeps straight on a much narrower, more primitive doubletrack, traversing rock slabs. Turn into a thickly wooded drainage, then pass a private cabin on your right at 1.0 mile. Continue tracing the road through a gap. Climb a bit then reach a gate and Channels State Forest at 1.1 mile.

Continue a general uptick among oaks, azaleas, sourwood, sassafras, and other xeric species. At 1.5 miles, reach a gap in the crest of Clinch Mountain. The ridgeline is narrow here, and you can look north into the Clinch River Valley and south into the North Fork Holston River Valley from this slender spot. This can be a very windswept gap during winter, when views are more open. Continue working uphill on the south side of Clinch Mountain. Make a hard switchback to the right at 1.7 miles. The trail levels off before making a pair of abrupt switchbacks at 2.3 and 2.4 miles.

Traverse an open rock slab at 2.7 miles. You are back on the mountain crest. At 2.8 miles, a trail comes in from lower Channels State Forest. Begin curving around the northeast side of Middle Knob. Views open into the Clinch River Valley. Note the yellow birch trees on this cool north slope. The combination of being above 4,000 feet and being on the north slope creates favorable habitat for this northern hardwood. At 3.0 miles, join the hikers-only Channels Spur Trail. Stay left here and curve onto the peak of Middle Knob amid a sea of rhododendron. Shortly emerge near the top of Middle Knob.

Just before reaching the peak, a spur trail leaves left to a boulder field with incredible southerly views back toward the Tri-Cities. Continue to the crest, reaching an open rock slab bordered with stunted woods. Here, the old Middle Knob Fire Tower rises above. In the near, the crumbling remains of the fire tower cabin stand. What is left of the cabin may be removed at some point. A jutting rock outcrop near the cabin site opens views into the Clinch River Valley. The tower itself may be revamped to be an open lookout tower. For now it is closed.

Walk toward the tower, meeting woods and a sign indicating The Channels entrance. Follow a path through dense laurel woods. Just before descending, walk left onto more sandstone outcrops with fine views of Clinch Mountain toward Hidden Valley Lake. It is between these outcrops where The Channels lie. Walk around, look into the crevices below. Next, descend into The Channels, a network of narrow passageways running among the aforementioned sandstone outcrops. Light penetrates these passageways, alternately known as "the wind tunnels" and "the crevices."

To get around, follow the footbeds of the most well-trod channels. In some places rockfall has created roofs over The Channels. Some passages dead end. It is truly an a-maze-ing place. The crevice-sliced sandstone outcrop of The Channels covers an estimated 20 acres. In winter, the nearly sunless crevices of The Channels can retain snow. Allow yourself ample time to explore The Channels, as well as the sandstone outcrops above them.

Nearby Attractions

The Brumley Mountain Trail extends 14 miles from Hayters Gap and VA 80, west to Hidden Valley Lake, a State of Virginia Wildlife Management Area, which is open to fishing and hiking.

Directions

From Exit 24 (Meadowview) on I-81, take VA 80 west for 13.2 miles to Hayters Gap, atop Clinch Mountain at the Washington-Russell county line. The trail and parking area are on the left side of the gap.

Table of Contents

Overview Map

Overview Map Key

Preface

Recommended Hikes

Introduction

Greater Johnson City

• Hickey Fork Loop
• Big Firescald Loop
• Margarette Falls
• Old Forge Loop
• Squibb Creek Falls
• Buckeye Falls
• Sill Branch Falls Loop
• Lower Higgins Creek Falls and Hidden Lake
• High Rocks Vista
• Rock Creek Falls
• Emerald Forest Walk
• Nolichucky Gorge Loop
• Gardens of Roan and Roan High Bluff
• Roan Mountain Highlands Hike
• Overmountain Victory Trail
• Behrend Trail at Roan Mountain State Park
• Falls of Upper Laurel Fork
• Laurel Falls
• Watauga Lake Hike
• Views from Vandeventer
• Pinnacle Tower Hike
• Buffalo Mountain
• Persimmon Ridge Park

Greater Kingsport

• Fall Creek Loop at Warriors Path State Park
• Kingsport Greenbelt
• Bays Mountain Lake Loop
• Bays Mountain Tower Loop
• Falls of Laurel Run
• Natural Tunnel
• Devil’s Bathtub
• Falls of Little Stony

Greater Bristol

• Great Channels of Virginia
• Feathercamp Loop
• Damascus Loop
• Backbone Rock
• Gentry Creek Falls
• Cross Mountain Hike
• Flint Rock from Holston High Knob
• Beaver Creek Knobs Loop
• Lakeside Trail

Appendix A: Outdoor Retailers

Appendix B: Hiking Clubs

Index

About the Author

Map Legend