Find the top rated bike trails in Cherokee, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
We walked the trail and it was rather shady and comfortable. The trail was very active to be so new. Loved the Ecusta Brewery and the Market Cafe experience. The trail takes you past Elijah Mtn Gem Mine which would be a fun stop for the littles. I only made it half way as it was dusk but look forward to my next visit. Once you get further north and a bit more rural it was nice to see LP patrolling the trail for safety and awareness.
Overall nice trail. Some bumps with tree roots through the blacktop and some patch jobs.
The map is not very understandable if u r not local. Use Apple maps to locate the actual trail head. This gave us an address that was a super short preserve trail and AllTrails did the same. So load and inload the ebikes on a 93 degree day with no shade was not fun. Finally found the trailhead. I use a dog trailer for my pup so I do not like street riding and had no real idea where to go but went both directions from the park, each way until it was all urban, next to a busy street one way and a lovely neighborhood the other way but to hot to ride too far out of the shade. With the dog, just looking for long shady paths. Would have like to explore mire. Maybe next time in the fall.
The Townsend trail is all paved, wide enough for 2 bikes to pass each other. I take my dog in a trailer behind my ebike. The trail is on both sides of the road. The one on the right side is further away from the road and more hilly. The one on the left side has more road noise, once u get away from the river. It is the side with all the businesses on it so lots for driveway bumps. You can connect to the other side by 2 different bike tunnels so u don’t have to cross the road. We rode on a Thursday so traffic was so so but enough to make up want to ride the other side. Not a very interesting trail but nice enough.
Easy peasant ride. All paved on both sides of the road. Nice spots to stop, shop, eat and drink. Close to Cades Cove and entrance to Smoky Mountains. Worth the visit.
The bridge is out by patriot park so the trail is now only about .8 miles long, and it is not very well marked
The trail itself is a definite 5-star experience—beautiful, peaceful, and perfect for exploring with kids. The bridges and the walk along the river were serene and made for a fun adventure. However, I’m giving it 4 stars due to the parking situation. It was a bit tricky to find a spot, but once we figured it out and luckily found a quieter area near one of the less crowded trail entrances, the rest of the visit was fantastic.
I walked this trail yesterday, and it was one of the most magical experiences. I brought my dog along, and he was able to cool off with a dip in the water when he started to get too hot. I highly recommend this trail to anyone looking for a peaceful, paved, path shaded by trees, with beautiful views of the water.
We love walking this trail. You have the quiet walk in the woods. Wide paths. We walk through thr woods and then walk by the water and around the outside loop. One of our go to places to walk.
This is a nice trail that runs beside and crosses over the river. Most of the trail is paved, but parts were not paved or were perhaps covered in sand and dirt. (Hence the 4-star rating.) I am unsure if it is always this way or a result of the recent Hurricane that passed this way. (Fall 2024).
I was impressed with the number of benches along the trail and the great signs helping us know where to go. One portion (in Franklin) runs through an unpaved parking lot behind some stores. At first, we were confused but then we saw a sign explaining where to go to get back to the trail.
Also in Franklin is a small "Women's History Park" with a statue and plaques explaining the park and the statue. It was worth the time to look and read.
There are also some cafes and restaurants in that area so you can enjoy a quick coffee or a more relaxed meal.
Being autumn, there was a lot of "tree debris" on sections of the path but overall this was a nice path that we hope to enjoy again.
The first .6 of a mile from the botanical gardens is very nice, being separate from the road, and a long a creek. The last .4 is slightly uphill and alongside the road. Of course there are several miles of trails in the botanical gardens too.
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