Fun fall stuff to do in the Greater Knoxville area
It’s almost fall in east Tennessee (official start date, September 22nd) but the fall feeling is already in the air; cool mornings, leaves starting to show color, and of course football has already started.
Fall in east Tennessee is always cool with lots of fun things to do. Looking most any direction in the great Knoxville area will bring you to some colorful scenery. This photo below is the Obed Scenic River in the Catoosa Wildlife Management Area near Knoxville. A great tubing spot.
Up north of Knoxville at Norris Dam State Park you can take a color cruise on Norris Lake from October 18th through the 30th. 4 one hour trips a day with a ranger who narrates. We’ve been before and it’s a great trip to 6 bucks a person.
Next Saturday, September 13th, there’s a free wildflower hike at the University of Tennessee Arboretum between Knoxville and Oak Ridge (901 S. Illinois Avenue, Highway 62). Naturalist Kris Light will lead and narrate.
For the more adventurous, the local Sierra Club chapter will sponsor an overnight hike over in the Cataloochee Valley section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It starts at the Palmer Creek Trailhead and along the Balsam Mountain Trail to the Laurel Gap Trail Shelter. Return the next day along the Mount Sterling Ridge, Pretty Hollow, and the Palmer Creek Trails.
Mouse Creek Falls in the Cataloochee Valley section of GSMNP
The Smoky Mountain Hiking Club will coordinate these hikes:
- September 20th, Mt. Leconte via Rainbow Falls and Bull Head Trails
- September 24th, Laurel Snow Pocket Wilderness
- September 27th, Mouse Creek Falls (pictured above) and Brakeshoe Springs (easy hike)
- September 28th, Rowans Creek
October 18-19 is Fall Colors Weekend at Fall Creek Falls State park featuring bike tours, guided tours of the park, and slide shows. For the adventerous October 25th is Wild Foods Day and filed trips will identify and show you how to prepare wild meats and breads.
Right here in Knoxville, Ijams Nature Center in south Knoxville is always a cool place to visit and take the entire family. Some of their fall activities include:
- Organic gardening basics at 7:00 pm, September 16th.
- Nature program for pre-schoolers at 10:00 am September 18th & 20th.
- Fish program for pre-schoolers 10:00 am September 25th & 27th, along with several other pre-schooler programs.
- And of course Ijams has great walking trails to just enjoy the wildlife and scenery
River Sports Outfitters will sponsor some greenway bike rides on Tuesdays and Thurdays. Free and open to all levels of riders (the local greenways are all pretty level). Bring your own bike or rentals are available for 10 bucks.
That’s only a sampling of the many fun and educational things to do this fall in the greater Knoxville, Tennessee area. Fall is a great time of year to be in east Tennessee whether you live here or just come for a visit.
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