While the actual park frontage area is fairly tiny, consisting of not much but a small shelter with…read morepicnic tables, and a basketball court, it includes trailheads abutting some excellent running and hiking trails. On a recent visit, I was able to enjoy a brisk run along Steele Creek Lake on a wide, relatively flat trail covered in a bed of leaves (as indicated by my pictures). I also started a hike up the Lake Ridge Trail, more of a winding single-track with a good bit of up-and-down, but turned around due to an increasingly persistent chilly rain. I pretty much had the park all to myself, though I'm guessing the weather forecast of 45 degrees and rain had something to do with that. Even still, I'm guessing that due to the fairly sparse population of this area, it's rarely if ever what a big-city guy like myself would consider to be "crowded." If you're in the area and would like to go out for a run or walk, this park is definitely worth a visit.

This is such a quaint, adorable space. We stopped here to…read morelet our dog out and to view the "Spirit of Generosity". It was a bit late in the day so the restrooms were closed but the building was decorated with art from the community and was interesting to view. They had also installed a sleigh in the middle of the park for Christmas which was nice for photos. There were lots of people there walking their dogs and there is a parking lot as well as street parking. It is right next to an old train station and plenty of shops and restaurants. We stayed here for 20 or 30 minutes and honestly it was one of our favorite stops in the city.

On my way to lunch in the interesting hamlet of downtown Kingsport, I was scoping out some parking…read morenear the restaurant. I was trying to get close but i didn't want to get too close to the restaurant, have no parking available, then have to retrace my tracks. I always find parking habits interesting: some folks want to get as close as possible and will wait five minutes for a spot if they seem someone walking to the parking area (this seems especially true at any Walmart anywhere in the country). I just like to park at the first available spot and start walking. Routinely, I am entering the establishment before Lazy Larry is done parking. I was a solid 2 blocks from the restaurant but the parking spaces were getting filled. I drove right upon this park and liked it so much, I parked right in front of it. It was a hot day outside, so there were a couple of families enjoying the splash pad. I recently saw a splash pad at another park in Knoxville; must be a TN thing. The jets were shooting out large volumes of water and the kids were having a great time. There are benches for seating and the grass is pristinely kept. I initially thought it might be artificial but it's the real deal. I sat on a bench and checked some emails after lunch, but the sun is the enemy of red-heads, so i trudged back to my truck. Nice little park.

Fabulous ATV riding but the campground area needs a little work…read more I think the trails might have once been bridal trails. Some of them are really not dirt-bike friendly, but the 4-wheelers had no problem. Beautiful, well maintained mountain trails. The campground is VERY do it yourself. There was a note on the chalkboard that said be back in 30 minutes that could have been written 3 months ago. But it left instructions and we left our money in the box. Hey, there are bathrooms with lights, toilets and showers. That was enough for me. But there was also a large trash heap next to the campsite (tires, fridges, plastic chairs...) that could be cleaned up. When I stay at the mountain house again, I will be back.

This is a park in transition. It's under new management and the campsites are being cleaned up,…read morealong with other improvements. There are miles of trails that offer something for everybody. From dirt bikes to rock crawlers. I went with a group of Jeeps, some were lightly modified and others far more extreme. Everybody was able to find something challenging and fun. I look forward to going back again... and again.

This small park has a small parking area and you'll be able to spot it as it also has FIVE…read morehistorical marker signs posted. Carter Musical Family, the "First Family of Country Music." John P. McConnell (1866-1941), founding President of nearby Radford University. Moccasin Gap, the main train between Cherokee territory to the south and Shawnee lands in present-day Ohio. First Court of Scott County Donelson's Indian Line, denoting a treaty in 1770 and a line from ingsport to the confluence of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, now in West Virginia. There are a couple of picnic tables and a gazebo with displays of some local attractions. [Review 13453 overall, 772 of 2020.]

This is a great little stop. Fun for all ages. You walk through what seems like a mile of trails…read morewith a different dinosaur every few steps. There is information on each species and hands-on activities like dusting for dinosaur prints. Everything is on the honor system so your donation goes in at the beginning but they also have a gift shop which is really great considering that no one is there watching. It restores my faith and humanity to know that people are so honest. It does say this is a dog friendly activity, but a tied up barking dog on the other side of the fence made part of the journey a little bit difficult for my small dog. She was almost as frightened by the neighbor's dog as I was of some of the exhibits I went through that had sound and scared the heck out of me. They don't call it backyard terriers for nothing :) but it's all in fun. Don't be afraid of the parking even though it can get a little tight. We had fun and this is definitely an affordable way to kill some time and keep the kids busy while they learn.

Bring your kids or just pretend you're one for the day!…read more We had no clue what we were getting into with our arrival. We were just looking for something to do. It was free with a suggested 5 dollar donation. We donated before we knew what we were getting into but darn it, we were SO IMPRESSED!!! There must have been 50 dinos over acres and acres of land. I got in a good mile of walking there. What a fun way to spend an hour or two!

April, 2025. We visited Abington, Virginia quite a few years ago. After discovering the Virginia…read moreCreeper Trail at that time, we promised that we'd return "someday" to bike at least part of the trail. This trail is a nationally-acclaimed Rails-to-Trails that extends for 34 miles and over 47 trestle bridges. While best known as a biking trail, it's actually a multi-use trail with bikers, walkers, stroller pushers, runners, equestrians, and more, especially near the access points. In the past, the trail started near Whitetop, went about 18 miles to the center point near Damascus, and ended in the charming town of Abingdon (or vice versa). Unfortunately, Damascus was hard hit by Hurricane Helene, and 18 trestle bridges were destroyed as well as many portions of the trail so the Whitetop to Damascus portion of the trail is currently closed. The 18-mile stretch from Damascus to Abington IS open. While there are bike rental companies, as well as shuttle services to take you to the trail's start, we brought our own bikes. We decided to ride the 8.5 mile segment from Abingdon (elevation: 2,020' to Alvarado Station (the old train stop at 1,750') and back. This "lower" section is considered a relatively easy to moderate stretch through rolling farmland and forests and over beautiful trestle bridges. As mentioned, our turning point was Alvarado Station, where we enjoyed our picnic lunch on a bench river-side. The stop also had drinks and snacks available for sale, a water refill station, restrooms, and a big, friendly dog eyeing our lunches! The trail is wide in most areas, and is very well-maintained. There are multiple access points with parking lots, information kiosks, regular mileage markers, benches, photo ops, and some restrooms. In a relatively recent development, e-bikes are now allowed on the trail. With its restaurants, breweries, shops, local theater, and more, make some extra time to visit Abingdon!

Love riding the Virginia Creeper Trail. Most people ride it from Whitetop Mountain down to…read moreDamascus, but it's just as enjoyable riding the section from Abingdon to Damascus, and back. Both routes offer beautiful scenery and make for a great ride. ‍

Breathtaking!! What a joy to see such a gorgeous community dream and labor of love come to reality…read morefor my hometown. I just loved coming to visit my family and experiencing this carousel with my 3yo. $1 rides! Amazing! You have to look up, down, and all around. There are so many beautiful details that commemorate our city and region. I'm really looking forward to the phase 2 expansion in the works with more activities to come for kids/families! Keep up the good work and growth Downtown Kingsport!

I always LOVE taking my son here. The people are so sweet, the carousel is amazing and loaded with…read morerich colors and details. A dollar a ride can easily turn into 10 bucks with my son and I don't mind one bit.

A huge dog park!! We travel often and are often disappointed in the "dog parks" we venture to…read more Either they end up just being parks or teeny tiny dog parks. This one is tops!

I love it and my dogs love it cause so many dogs and families . Kind of takes away the lonliness…read morewhen we go there. The people are so nice and understanding.