New Legacy Trail

Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium announced at its 50^th Anniversary public presentation today that the park will construct a new legacy trail in honor of its golden anniversary.

This trail will be the first new path through the park in nearly a decade and will take hikers, bikers and runners along a scenic ridge. The completed trail, which is expected to be three to four miles when complete, will be a contour trail along the south slope of the north ridge of Bays Mountain.

“We’re excited about what this new trail brings to the park,” Park Manager Rob Cole said. “It may end up as one of our most popular trails.”

The new trail will help alleviate traffic from current trails, as well as add more variety and work towards creating a complete look within the park using single track trails. It will be easy to intermediate, and will provide a new route to the iconic Fire Tower via Azalea Trail. It will also become the longest trail in the park. Click here for an approximate map of the proposed route, and here for the design for the trail sign.

This 50^th Anniversary project was made possible thanks to donations provided by Woody Reeves and Lisa Shockley and Visit Kingsport. The trail concept and proposed design is a product of the 50^th Anniversary Community Service Subcommittee’s efforts, led by Chair Tony Williams. The Community Service Subcommittee is part of the 50^th Anniversary Celebration Committee.

The estimated completion date for the legacy trail is fall of this year.