Bristol, TN Walking Trails and Maps

308 Reviews

Looking for the best Walking trails around Bristol?

Find the top rated walking trails in Bristol, whether you're looking for an easy short walking trail or a long walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

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Activities
Length
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Type
20 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

Benham Rail Trail

2.25 mi
State: KY
Crushed Stone

Boone Greenway Trail

4.75 mi
State: NC
Asphalt, Boardwalk

Bull Creek Pedestrian and Bike Trail

1.5 mi
State: VA
Crushed Stone

Devil's Fork Loop Trail

7 mi
State: VA
Dirt

Guest River Gorge Trail

5.8 mi
State: VA
Crushed Stone

Kingsport Greenbelt

10.6 mi
State: TN
Asphalt

Mendota Trail

12.5 mi
State: VA
Asphalt, Boardwalk, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Pennington Gap Greenway

1.2 mi
State: VA
Asphalt

Powell River Trail

1.2 mi
State: VA
Asphalt, Gravel

Tweetsie Trail

10 mi
State: TN
Crushed Stone

Erwin Linear Trail

4.5 mi
State: TN
Asphalt

Railroad Grade Road

10.8 mi
State: NC
Asphalt

South Fork New River Greenway

1.8 mi
State: NC
Asphalt

Salt Trail

8.5 mi
State: VA
Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Phillips Creek Loop Trail

1 mi
State: VA
Dirt

Beaverdam Creek Trail

0.75 mi
State: VA
Asphalt, Boardwalk

Laurel Creek Trail

3 mi
State: TN
Gravel

Wes Davis Greenway (Bristol)

0.5 mi
State: TN
Asphalt
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
The Benham Rail Trail—also known as the Benham Walking Trail and Coal Miners Walking Trail—runs east to west across the small town of Benham on a former railroad corridor. The line, which was...
KY 2.25 mi Crushed Stone
Overview Following and crossing the winding route of the South Fork of the New River in the Blue Ridge Mountains community of Boone, the Boone Greenway Trail features a mix of open meadows and...
NC 4.75 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk
The Bull Creek Pedestrian and Bike Trail, which will one day run 3 miles, lies in the coal-mining country of western Virginia. Following the route of a former Norfolk Southern coal train, the first...
VA 1.5 mi Crushed Stone
Cautionary Note: This trail is challenging, with multiple unimproved stream crossings that require visitors to wade through water and a 1,200-foot elevation change. There are also no facilities (such...
VA 7 mi Dirt
The Guest River Gorge Trail meanders along 300-million-year-old sandstone cliffs that plunge 400 feet to the pristine waters below. The deep gorge was created as the Guest River, now designated as a...
VA 5.8 mi Crushed Stone
Overview The Kingsport Greenbelt runs 10.6 miles along the Holston River and Reedy Creek through the city of Kingsport. About the Route The Kingsport Greenbelt is touted as both a historic...
TN 10.6 mi Asphalt
If you're looking for an easy trip, the Little Stony National Recreation Trail in Jefferson National Forest is the perfect alternative to the nearby Devils Fork Loop Trail. Devils Fork Loop is...
VA 2.8 mi Dirt
Closure notice: The Mendota Trail is closed from Reedy Creek Road to the Benhams parking area due to multiple downed trees blocking passage (mile 3.1 to 5.2). The trail is open from the Bristol...
VA 12.5 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
Opened in 2017, this asphalt trail follows the bends of the north fork of the Powell River from the River Bend Shopping Center in downtown Pennington Gap, to Leeman field. An arched bridge connects...
VA 1.2 mi Asphalt
The Powell River Trail is a 2.4-mile out-and-back trail in Appalachia, southwestern Virginia. The trail sits on the former Louisville & Nashville Railroad bed, which was used to haul coal from...
VA 1.2 mi Asphalt, Gravel
Overview Nestled into the recreational playground of northeastern Tennessee, a homespun 10-mile pathway connects two charming towns in the Appalachian foothills. The Tweetsie Trail links Johnson...
TN 10 mi Crushed Stone
Closure notice: The Virginia Creeper Trail is now open between open from Abingdon to Damascus, about 17 miles. Severely impacted by Hurricane Helene, the rest of the Virginia Creeper Trail remains...
VA 33.7 mi Gravel
Closure notice: Due to Hurricane Helene, the Erwin Linear Trail is temporarily closed.  Overview The Erwin Linear Trail (a.k.a. the Erwin Greenway) parallels I-26 along North Indian Creek and...
TN 4.5 mi Asphalt
Overview The Railroad Grade Road is a 10.8-mile road built on an old railroad grade that was once part of the Virginia-Carolina Railroad (Virginia Creeper). This part of the Virginia Creeper line...
NC 10.8 mi Asphalt
The South Fork New River Greenway offers a winding, paved pathway through the town of Boone, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Brookshire Park is at the northern end of the trail...
NC 1.8 mi Asphalt
Virginia's Salt Trail runs for more than 8 miles between the small community of Saltville and the larger borough of Glade Spring. The trail is popular with equestrians and can get muddy and eroded in...
VA 8.5 mi Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
The short, relatively easy Phillips Creek Loop (also known as the Pine Mountain Trail) begins in a pleasant recreation area that is open May 15 to September 15 and provides paid parking, swimming,...
VA 1 mi Dirt
The Beaverdam Creek Trail gets its name from the circa-1905 Beaver Dam Railroad, which it follows through the southwestern Virginia town of Damascus. A highlight of the route is the trail's...
VA 0.75 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk
The Laurel Creek Trail takes travelers into the Cherokee National Forest in Johnson County. There is no shortage of scenery in this wildlife rich-haven, where rushing waters slice through serene...
TN 3 mi Gravel
The Wes Davis Greenway follows a portion of abandoned rail line that once ran from Bluff City, TN, to Mendota, VA. The greenway crosses Beaver Creek at two points. This linear park features the...
TN 0.5 mi Asphalt

Recent Trail Reviews

Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail

From the Virginia Creeper FB page: Major section CLOSED

October, 2024 by emeryjay

The Virginia Creeper Trail is CLOSED from Drowning Ford to Whitetop. No one is permitted on that section of the trail without the express written permission from the US Forest Service. In addition, NO clean ups are permitted on this section of the trail at this time. The most valuable action you can take at this time is to stay off the trail so essential resources are not otherwise diverted. We understand and appreciate your curiosity and interest but this is not the time. When we reach the restoration phase, we will reach out. Thank you for your support…it will take our entire trail community to rebuild and restore - but we will do so!! The lower section of the trail, from Abingdon to Drowning Ford (only) is open. Please repost…thank you!

Tweetsie Trail

Nice trail

September, 2024 by hippykamp

Very nice trail that is well maintained. Expect to see lots of other trail users as this is heavily used. Be aware that due to the type of gravel used your bicycle will get very dusty but don’t let that stop you from enjoying this ride

Tweetsie Trail

Birthday ride

September, 2024 by robinengala

What a lovely day to ride the Tweetsie Trail!

Accordion

Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail

Pictures and Reviews Do Not Do This Trail Justice

September, 2024 by rob234

This trail does not disappoint. The ride down from Whitetop Mountain was fun with beautiful vista after beautiful vista. I STRONGLY recommend riding this trail twice.

The first time, just ride it and take it all in. Enjoy the beauty of the environment and the trail. Get into the zone and just ride non-stop.

Then do it a second time but, this time, stop to take pictures, grab a coffee or a cider at one of the cafes that pop up along the trail, and then stop to take more pictures.

Railroad Grade Road

As it's title indicates, it's a road

August, 2024 by samanthamozel29

While not much traffic exists on this road, the cars that drive down drive quite fast and I feel this isn't the best place to send people for a walk. If there were a sidewalk going along this road, I think this would be a wonderful and lovely place to recreate.

Mendota Trail

quaint Mendota

August, 2024 by lucinda.f.peters

Mendota trail weaves with the water and a local gravel road starting from Mendota. Trail Signage was great and will guide you! Water access at varying points as was useful for my Australian Shepherd to cool down. Multiple benches and picnic tables available. Great trail!

Railroad Grade Road

Recommended with reservation

August, 2024 by tarheeltim76

I live just down the mountain from the Railroad Grade Road and have ridden it for many years. Here’s the good and the bad. The good: 1) The road winds along the banks of the scenic South Fork of the New River, flanked by tall peaks and wildflowers. It’s simply gorgeous in spots. 2) Historic Todd is a quaint village with a creekside park, bakery, summer concerts and bike repair station. 3) The road is virtually pancake flat, a rarity in the mountains. The bad: 1) This is a rail-to-road, not a rail-to-trail, so recreational users must share the narrow roadway with motorists. The road is usually sparsely traveled, but it’s busier on summer weekends, the very time many cyclists and runners take to the road. 2) Amenities are lacking. As other reviewers have noted, it can be hard to figure out where to park, and there and no public bathrooms along the road except for a port-a-jon at Todd Island Park. 3) Land use restrictions are virtually nonexistent, so vacation homes and travel trailers are popping up along the riverbank, increasing traffic and marring the views in spots.

Powell River Trail

Easy trail along the river

August, 2024 by dh676x6zw2

I love being outside and the sound of the river and the trees are wonderful. Being paved, it is comfortable to be on even after it had rained as opposed to a muddy trail, so I really liked that. There is plenty of parking with overflow parking across the street.

Little Stony National Recreation Trail

very technical trail

July, 2024 by viper19692

This was our first time on this trail. It is a very beautiful trail, but NOT an easy hike. Lots of overgrowth from plants, lots of rocks and obstacles to climb / navigate. Just be aware if you do it

Kingsport Greenbelt

hometown trail

Front start to finish and back is 20 miles. You will see homeless people but they will not bother you at all. In the summer months parts of the trail can flood if we get a lot of rain. But you have get some really good shaded areas to cool off and there is also so up hill areas but not bad at all. Good trail to get some exercise!

Mendota Trail

25 mile round trip

July, 2024 by dirtyspokesadventures

I would highly suggest unless you are an avid cyclist, to start on the Mendota side. From Mendota toward Bristol is about an 8 to 10 mile gradual climb. If you get the climb out of the way you can enjoy a very nice beautiful ride back into Mendota with a little effort. It’s a very scenic trail and shaded 90% of the time. I’ll ride a lot of rail trails, other than the steep climb, that which is a great workout, this trail is among the best.

Mendota Trail

rough 1st mile

July, 2024 by jadams9

We rode from Mendota to about mile marker 4 and back on July 4th. Thoroughly enjoyed the trail! Beautiful beginning from Mendota but the surface was rough for about the first mile. Better after that. Beautiful the whole way. I felt like I had stepped back in time. I wish I had worn my swimsuit to swim in the river. Nice swinging bridge at the beginning too. Highly recommend.

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