Kingsport Greenbelt

The Greenbelt trail is a mostly paved trail approximately 9 miles in length. The trail is currently discontinuous, with two larger sections and one smaller section. I assume the city is working on connecting the trail.

Much of the trail follows Reedy Creek as it winds through the city. The trail is mostly wooded (and shaded) and is home to lots of birds and flowers. It doesn't seem to matter what time of day you hit the trail because there are always people out enjoying it.

One section flows along the Holston River and even has a swinging bridge connecting to the Long Island of the Holston (basically a big island). Last time I was there, the bridge was closed.

I just discovered the easternmost portion of the Greenbelt and it is my favorite! You can park behind the shopping center and hop on the trail. The trail winds back and forth following the river, which you can hear trickling over the rocks. A boardwalk bridge crosses a marshy area and you can hear the frogs singing. Its such a pretty area. Near the end, there are a couple of runoff streams that create little mini waterfalls. Several places along the trail are maintained by local groups and consist of planted flowers and shrubs. Benches dot the trail for those in need of a rest. The last part, or rather the first part, of the trail is about a 1/4 mile uphill climb on a gravel trail. The rest is paved. The trail starts at mile marker zero at Exchange Place, a preserved historic farm. Mile markers along the trail let you know how far you've gone.

Photos from my most recent trek on this trail (the eastern part) are in my SE blog under April 2008. Photos from my first visit (wester part) are in the same blog under April 2007.