Nature’s Playground: Explore These 10 Outdoor Activities in Johnson City
This East Tennessee region offers a stunning array of experiences for the outdoor enthusiast.
Outdoor splendor is always in sight around Johnson City, with plenty of activities to enjoy throughout the region in addition to all of that beautiful scenery.
“Johnson City sits right in the middle of almost every outdoor activity,” says Eric Payne, assistant director of outdoor adventure at East Tennessee State University. “There’s rock climbing, rafting, mountain biking and caving. The Appalachian Trail runs right by here, and the mountains are chock-full of other trails. You can pretty much hit just about everything from Johnson City as a base point.”
Be sure to check out these 10 great outdoor activities in Johnson City:
In This Article
1. Explore Roan Mountain State Park
Might as well start at the top. Roan Mountain contains some of the highest points in Tennessee outside of the Great Smoky Mountains, with elevations on the 5-mile-long ridge reaching nearly 6,300 feet. Numerous hiking trails cut through the 2,000-acre park, as does the trout-filled Doe River. The park also contains the world’s largest natural Catawba rhododendron garden.
2. Hike the Appalachian Trail
The longest and most famous hiking-only trail in the country skirts just to the east of Johnson City, with multiple access points less than 30 minutes from downtown. Payne recommends taking in the views from Blackstack Cliffs (especially at sunset) and the Unaka Mountain Beauty Spot, one of the most accessible lookouts in the area.
3. Go Fishing and Boating at Boone Lake
The 4,400-acre reservoir is renowned for its serene beauty and recreational opportunities such as kayaking. With its pristine waters, Boone Lake also invites visitors to spend an afternoon casting lines into its depths and cruising under a canopy of lush foliage. Fishermen can expect to reel in varieties of bass and catfish.
4. Relax at Laurel Falls
It takes a little more work to reach this water feature, but the result is worth the effort. Located just off U.S. Highway 321 approximately 20 miles east of Johnson City, 55-foot-high Laurel Falls is the picturesque payoff at the end of a moderate 2.5-mile hike through rhododendron forests.
5. Bike Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park
For the outdoor adventurist, Whitehouse Cliffs at this 2,076-acre park is ideal for rock climbing. There are nearly 40 routes at or near development along the 200-foot-high quartzite cliff. The park also has 20 miles of marked hiking trails and 15 miles of mountain biking trails.
6. Raft Down the Nolichucky River
Keep the adrenaline pumping with a whitewater rafting trip along the Nolichucky River, which includes an 8-mile stretch near Erwin, a town just 20 minutes away, that has Class III and IV rapids. Calmer pursuits such as kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding and fishing also can be enjoyed within the river’s wide and steep gorges.
7. Traverse the Tweetsie Trail
Perhaps the easiest way to enjoy the outdoors in Johnson City is on the Tweetsie Trail, a rails-to-trails project that travels for nearly 10 miles to Elizabethton. The route follows the old East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad right-of-way, prompting the trail name of “Tweetsie” in reference to the sound of an old steam-train whistle. The path is mostly flat, a relaxed luxury among the mountainous East Tennessee region.
8. Cycle the Tannery Knobs
Outdoor adventure doesn’t get much closer to home than at the Tannery Knobs mountain bike park. Located barely a mile from downtown Johnson City, Tannery Knobs has options for riders of various skill levels across its 40 acres of diverse terrain, including a pump track.
9. Take a Stroll Through Buffalo Mountain Park
Equally convenient is Buffalo Mountain Park, overlooking the city just 3 miles south of downtown. This 725-acre natural resource area on the north slope of Buffalo Mountain has eight short trails totaling 7.2 miles, making it ideal for a quick after-work walk with the dog. The park also links to several surrounding trails for longer hikes.
10. Climb the Pinnacle Mountain Fire Tower
A sprawling panoramic view unfolds at this historic fire tower, one of only four remaining in Cherokee National Forest. The 40-foot-tall structure was renovated in 2011 to include a covered platform. The breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks have always been there.
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