Bays Mountain Cherry Knob Fire Tower

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Views

A complete loop hike linking a handful of trails from the reservoir. Expect a good amount of elevation gain to get your legs working and heart pumping.

Starting at the Lakeside Trail, you follow the lake around to Lake Road taking that to the fire tower trail. Once at the fire tower, you'll head west along the Indian Pipes Trail over Holston River Mountain. Heading south through a valley past a few abandoned old cabins you'll eventually take Cross Ridges Trail over to Cherry Knobs Trail. BE WARNED there are a few EXTREMELY steep climbs on this part.

Afterwards, you'll descend Cherry Knobs Trail meeting up with Lakeside Trail, now on the opposite side of the lake. You'll follow this across the dam, eventually ending where you began.