Cades Cove

The in-laws were in town, so we decided to do a little touristing and take them to Cades Cove.  It's in the Smokies, about an hour from Knoxville.  The drive is very pretty once you pass Townsend, but be warned, the twisty road made my 10 year old very car sick.

Just before the park entrance, there is a great little picnic area with a creek just right for wading:

The cove is looped by an 11 mile, one-way road. Along the road are a number of buildings original to the cove.  Some are at the side of the road, some are an easy hike into the forest.  A guide book describing all the sights can be purchased for $1 at the entrance.

The cove is a great spot for wildlife viewing. We saw deer, wild turkeys and a tiny black dot in the distance that was rumored to be a bear.  The park is notoriously crowded in the summer and on the weekends. We visited on a Thursday morning in June and found it somewhat crowded, but we didn't experience any traffic delays. 

University of Tennessee Arboretum

The UT Arboretum is a great place for a quick hike. It's easy to get to from Knoxville, just off the Pellissippi on the south side of Oakridge.  The visitor's center is not open on the weekends.  The trails are pretty well marked, but you might want to print out a trail map before you go.  The map lists the mileage of the various sections and the trails interconnect at various points, making it easy to customize your hike.

We hiked the Oak Hickory/Lost Chestnut Trail with a three-year old and it was just perfect.  Challenging enough to be interesting, but not long enough to wear her out to the point of exhaustion/tears.

Book Review: Family Hiking in the Smokies

This book is great for families with younger kids. There is a good description for each hike that includes directions to the hike, length in miles and hours, age appropriateness, difficulty and points of interest such as waterfalls or lookout towers. 

The chart in the back let's the reader easily find a hike that can be done with a preschooler, one that has a waterfall or various other features.

I have a three year-old, so it's great to be able to scan for a nice short hike we can do as a family.

Knoxville Greenways

The Knoxville area has an impressive system of greenways for walking or biking. I haven't found a map that includes the entire system, since it runs through three jurisdictions.  However, the Knox Greenways Coalition maintains a list of all the greenways in the area with links to maps of the various sections

We found this great little spot near a favorite playground: