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Print Friendly MapThe Eureka Trail begins in the southeast Tennessee city of Athens, about midway between Chattanooga and Knoxville (about an hour's drive from either). Gardens, benches, and other amenities can be found nearby in Prof Powers Park, named for a longtime Athens resident and elementary school principal. For a sweet addition to your time on the trail, stop by a popular local ice cream eatery in Athens.
Following a former railroad bed, the gravel trail winds just over 7 miles southeast through woodlands, rural landscapes, and the community of Mashburn. Meandering through the outskirts of Englewood, the trail heads into downtown Englewood. The trail's name comes from the Eureka Hosiery Mill, which was located near the Englewood trailhead. Parking and restrooms are available at the Athens trailhead.
Parking is available at the western trailhead at 1400 East Madison Avenue (Highway 307) in Athens, about a mile north of Prof Powers Park directly across from Fairview Road.
How long is the distance from the parking across the bridge to the stop sign?
The Eureka Trail in Englewood TN is easy and scenic. It runs 5.6 miles and has bathroom facilities at one end. It is really fun and I highly recommend checking it out!
Amazing trail for biking or running. Beautiful 11 miles round trip. Be aware of dogs off leach but it is to expect in the middle of the country. The dogs we encounter were not aggressive so no big deal.
This great family rails to trails is now 5.6 miles. There is a trailhead in Englewood and a trailhead in Athens. There are now bathrooms at the Athens Trailhead. There is ample parking at the Athens Trailhead.
This great family rails to trails is now 5.6 miles. There is a trailhead in Englewood and a trailhead in Athens. There are now bathrooms at the Athens Trailhead. There is ample parking at the Athens Trailhead.
The trail is well maintained, very wide, shady, and offers a beautiful ride. We rode bicycles and the gravel was compact making for a nice trip. Lovely scenery with quiet surroundings with sounds of birds & water ¿. The Athens Trailhead has an extremely nice parking area with restrooms. Bicycle maintenance station is available too. ¿. We were disappointed with the horse droppings on the trail. It only seems fair that horse owners clean up after themselves given dog owners do the same.
Very green trail with .10 mile markers which I thought were annoying at 1st then they became fun milestones Also, zero hills and great shade. Great trail for pace running
I am visiting this area. Staying at the KOA campsite in Sweetwater. It's only 16 miles from there. So far this is a very clean Trail well maintained. One way in one way out you cannot get lost. this is beginning of March. There is a river running along the trail. It is very peaceful and calming.
I walked the entire trail to New Englewood Road & back on a Monday afternoon. Did not encounter any other trail traffic, not even a stray dog. The trail surface was well maintained and easy to walk. It had been recently dragged with a box blade.
This trail is almost completely shaded so a great ride even on the hottest days. Gravel on the last third of the trail can get a bit large so don't take a road bike unless you like fixing flats. Has just enough grade to keep you pedalling most of the way. If you're on a bike be aware some people on horseback will be on skittish horses.
I noticed that about 10 weeks ago (05-10-2017) some type of grader was run along the surface. It dislodged all of the larger rocks that had been tamped down into the bed of the track. It is now very rough and unpleasant to ride. Leave it alone!!!
During frequent trail walks I've encountered agressive Dogs on this trail around the intersection of the Route 439 (Fairview Rd) intersection with the trail. Dogs chase bicycles and other "leashed" animals. The dogs always appear to be in the same location so I suspect they belong to residents who live nearby. If this situation continues to go unchecked I suspect trail users will begin to avoid the trail or begin protect themselves and their pets.
Trail Managers need to resolve this problem as quickly as possible to avoid a potential incident that is just waiting to happen.
The Eureka Trail is lovely. I have walked and biked the entire trail which is mostly shaded. Great for all ages of walkers and riders (bikers and horseback!). I'm looking forward to the next phase of the trail being completed!
On May 10, 2016 a friend and I hiked this beautiful relatively flat trail starting at its current Englewood trail head off of Highway 39 and continuing for its full length to the transformed lumber yard in Athens that now serves as the Athens trail head. Our hike took less than 2 hours. The trail is breathtakingly verdant as it cuts through majestic woodlands and rolling farmlands, and crosses over a clear creek. The base is hard packed, and is a perfect wide trail for mountain bikers and hikers of all ages. This new Rails to Trails project is a huge quality of life gem for the Englewood & Athens communities and will surely become a go to destination for outdoor lovers in the region and beyond.
We biked this trail before the road graders smoothed the surface. It is gravel and has not compacted in some areas. Wide tires are best, but my narrow tires managed. The trail construction currently ends before reaching Englewood. This is going to be a very nice local trail for walking or biking, especially in the evening after work. Rural and quiet and level.
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