Driving north of SR-70 (Asheville Highway), I crossed the bridge and my eye was drawn to the dam to…read morethe east. Thankfully, there is a turnoff and I was able to get a proper look at the dam. A little further, a road turns to the right and it curves back under the dam and leads down to the riverside. A few pickup trucks were parked as people are using the dam for some intense fishing. The dam was built by the Tennessee Eastern Electric Company in 1912-1913 and generates hydroelectricity. It was later purchased by the Tennessee Valley Authority who improved it to the point where it was able to generate 10,640 kilowatts of electricity. Unfortunately, the area became too blocked with sediment and the generators were taken offline in 1972. The dam and reservoir are now used for flood control and recreation. It is a smaller dam compared to most but it is pretty to look at and the fishing looks good. Enjoy this dam review! [Review 20137 overall - 463 in Tennessee - 1113 of 2023.]

This little cabin on the river was perfect. Easy access. Great parking. Clean cabin with…read morebeautiful view of the river. We will be back!

We stated 5 wonderful days in Hemlock Cabin and loved every minute of it. The area is so peaceful…read moreand beautiful. We came with our 3 young adult children and 2 dogs, we all want to return for another vacation! The river is gorgeous, I started my day with my coffee and the river. The facilities include a fire pit, tables and chairs outside, a grill in a cabana area, horseshoes and we took advantage of all of it! Convenient to quaint Elizabethton and Roan Mountain, and we rafted down the Watauga River with Wahoo Adventures. Plenty of time to rest, walk, play games, work on a puzzle and enjoy the peace and quiet. When you're ready to plug in you can enjoy the Direct tv and Netflix available! The owners are lovely people and our dogs loved playing with theirs. I highly recommend this location--it has made me rethink beach vacations and make mountain/river vacations the way to go!

At the center of a sort of suburban sprawl that characterizes this confluence of states, this park…read moreoffers trails, frisbee golf, golf golf, and a variety of other activities. The lake has one very hilly, woodsy side, and one quite flat side, so you can choose your adventure or do both. The parking area was kind of confusing and had gates which just opened automatically so I don't know why they needed to be there at all. The overlook on the more rugged part of the trail didn't have a clear view, though what one could make out through the brush looked nice. It certainly isn't like being out in the abundant nearby wilderness, but as far as urban park land goes it has plenty to offer.

Love this park, so glad they put in a Splash Pad for the kids...my kids love it. Only cost $2.00 to…read moreget in. They have a nice (air conditioned) nature center and we love going out on the water in the paddle boats. Kids love riding the little train. They have several shelters that can be rented for parties. The playgrounds are really nice and well maintained. Nice place to take your bikes and ride around the lake.

Blowing Rock really has a lot going for it, from the busy downtown scene with restaurants, shops,…read moreboutiques, sweets, breweries, fine dining, you name it. And then just a 15min walk (or 2 minute car ride) from downtown, Bass Lake is right there for your hiking pleasure. The lake itself is serene with great views from the circumferential hiking path around it. But it doesn't end there. Miles and miles of trails break off from the main lake for a longer outdoor experience. Plenty of parking with clean bathrooms at the main parking area. This is perfect for a shorter stroll around the lake, or a day's adventure across the many trails leading from here.

Great park to go for a walk. I bet they have hiking trails also but I have never been on those. We…read morejust stick to the path around the lake which is an easy walk and gorgeous everywhere you look. They have signs about the different fish in the lake so I believe you can fish there although I've not seen anyone fishing yet. Definitely worth checking out if you're on the area.

Elk River Falls is an open recreation area. As such it is not developed and the path is not…read moremaintained. Nevertheless the road into the parking lot is safe and easily passable by typical cars SUVs cans or trucks with either two or four wheel drive. There are no rest rooms or food so you must bring your own food and water. The path is firm and slopes upward gently becoming rocky with prominent tree roots. The 65 foot high big falls is spectacular. It is not a straight fall down. Many deaths have occurred as visitors attempt to dive from the top of the falls. Elk falls ranks in the top 3 waterfall related deaths. The rocks surrounding the first pool are beautiful but have a slippery surface. This park recently reopened after extensive restoration following Hurricane Helene. On the first day it opened there was a fatality of a falls jumper. Despite these challenges this park is a great example of the outdoors in nearly natural and breathtaking state.

The falls are closed as of late April 2026. Road is blocked about 2 miles out from town.read more

We just had our second stay here and it really gets better each visit. There's constantly something…read morenew to discover or that's improved. We really enjoyed the secret lake trails, amazing playground and marina restaurant this visit.

Been there a million times. Even though it's changed alot through the year's it's a beautiful…read moreplace.

We love our time down at Rainbow Campground. It's in the perfect location to spend time on Big…read moreTumbling. You are not coming to Rainbow with the thought of a resort location with amazing amenities. If you like to fish, play horseshoes, and listen to music then this is your spot. Kevin and his wife are great hosts and make sure you have everything you need. There is about no Verizon service. You might get a text to pop through if you are lucky. Limited Wi-Fi, but I'm not coming there to jump on my device. We makes plans to come back each year. Highlight of our year.

Rainbow campground is exactly what we were looking for during our weekend fishing trip. It was…read moreNovember, so many of the seasonal campers were gone and the bath house closed, but we were made aware of that when we made our reservation. We had a full hookup site, so not having a bath house wasn't a problem. There isn't cell service, but there was wifi. It was a little spotty, but worked enough for us to check messages daily. Everyone we came across, including Kevin (the owner), was incredibly friendly and hospitable. There's not many places you go that people motion for you to come over and pull up chairs for you to join them. We placed several games of horseshoes, it can be addictive. We went ahead and made our reservation to return in the spring since peak season runs from April to September and they stock trout 4 times a week during those months. The campground stays hopping during that time and there don't seem to be many nightly sites. Most sites are occupied by seasonal campers that pay the winter storage fee as well. Overall, Rainbow Campground is a good choice if you are looking for a spot at Big Tumbling with friendly folks and necessary amenities. If you are looking for bells and whistles and a commercial type of place, then this is not the place for you. Leave these sites for those of us that appreciate a relaxing weekend away in a place that truly welcomes you.

I have been going to this place since the mid 1980's as a young boy and we've brought the kids here…read moreseveral times over the past few years. They have both a Gem mine and the trout fishing and in the old days had a mini golf course but that is long gone now. The main guy who operates it, Heath, is super nice and helpful. He got us setup and helped my kids learn to cast the poles and get the hook out once the fish were caught. They charge by the pound and the trout are pretty big so plan a big meal ahead. There's a little extra for cleaning the fish but that's worth it. If you are looking for a fun kid activity this is also a kid friendly place as long as they can hold the pole and reel with your help. The poles, bait, and buckets are supplied so you don't have to bring anything with you. They'll pack it in ice for you also when you leave so you'll be able to keep your fresh catch cold. ----TL;DR----- PROS: plenty of parking, friendly folks, usually it's pretty easy to catch a fish, family run, family oriented and kids will likely enjoy it CONS: none, it's lots of fun BOTTOM LINE: if you like fishing and want to spend a fun few hours, check them out. We've been many times and still love to go back!

They supply everything. Three ponds. The man who works there was very friendly and informative…read more Very nice guy. You don't pay if you don't catch. They even have collapsible chairs. Clean spot. Great time!