Feature article
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Rivers, lakes, public lands surround area
By George Thwaites
 No matter how far downtown you go into the urban centers that comprise the Tri-Cities, you’re never very far away from the outdoor experience.
The larger metropolitan area is surrounded by and permeated with creeks, rivers, lakes and extensive public landholdings, much of which consists of forested mountains laced with trails.
Do we have grizzly bears? No. Do we have moose? Of course not. But a lot of people in our area know what howling wolves sound like. Really. And the odds of actually seeing an elk in Northeast Tennessee are by no means astronomical these days.
Mostly what we have is an abundance of the diverse plants, wildlife and fish that are native to these Smoky Mountain foothills. All of it, you can admire, observe or even analyze. Some of it, you can eat. But you’ve got to harvest it first.
FishingThe popularity of fishing in the Tri-Cities area is directly related to the diversity of freshwater fishing opportunities available to area residents. There are seven Tennessee Valley Authority reservoirs located within spitting distance of the Tri-Cities: South Holston, Watauga, Boone, Fort Patrick Henry, Cherokee, Douglas and Norris. All of these manmade lakes exist by virtue of TVA dams originally constructed by the federal government for flood control and power generation. Not only do water levels fluctuate seasonally (winter pool is much lower than summer pool, for instance) dam generation schedules throughout the year can have a subtle effect on water conditions which affect fish activity.
All the above-mentioned lakes are popular for recreational and tournament bass fishing. In addition, South Holston and Watauga reservoirs harbor trout populations, as well as walleye. Boone, Cherokee and Norris are almost as well-known for striped bass and hybrids as they are for bass. All these area waters contain crappie, panfish and catfish.
In addition to creating lakes, the cold water releases below several local TVA dams create artificially chilled rivers in which trout thrive. The South Holston and Watauga tailwater rivers are prized by local fly fishermen — and increasingly valued by fly fishermen outside the region. To a lesser extent, the Fort Patrick Henry tailwater is also utilized by fly fishers.
The region’s tailwater rivers are so popular that complete solitude is rarely one of the selling points of these waters. But if you look hard enough, you can find that as well. Several excellent mountain trout streams located within a short drive include Rocky Fork, North Indian Creek and South Indian Creek (Unicoi County); Beaverdam Creek (Johnson County); Laurel Fork (Carter County); Horse Creek, Clark Creek and Paint Creek (Greene County); Whitetop Laurel Creek and South Fork Holston River (Washington Co., Va.); and Stock Creek, Devils Fork Creek and Big Stony Creek (Scott Co. Va.).
More information on Northeast Tennessee fisheries and fishing regulations is available from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency at state.tn.us/twra/. More information on neighboring Southwest Virginia fisheries and regulations may be obtained from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at dgif.state.va.us.
Pleasure BoatingMost local pleasure boating, water skiing and personal watercraft riding takes place on the TVA reservoirs.
None of these lakes feature navigable dams, so long range boating is not a proposition. Nonetheless, you’ll inevitably see a cabin cruiser or two on some area lakes, along with some rather impressive houseboats. Outboard-powered bass boats, runabouts, fish/ski and pontoon boats are the most common craft encountered — particularly on the Upper Holston reservoirs.
While this is not classic sailing country, small to medium sized sailboats have also been known to make headway on local reservoirs. A good place to start for contacts is the Watauga Lake Sailing Club at (423) 538-4643.
Here are the phone numbers of several (but not all) area marinas to get you started:
South Holston Reservoir
Lake View Dock (423) 878-4331
Watauga Reservoir
Fish Springs Marina (423) 768-2336
Boone Reservoir
Jay’s Boat Dock (423) 282-3522
Hidden Cove Marina (423) 282-4633
Rockingham Boat Dock (423) 477-4517
Sonny’s Marina (423) 282-9440
Fort Patrick Henry Reservoir
Warriors’ Path Marina (423) 239-8033
Cherokee Reservoir
German Creek Marina (865) 767-2550
Greenlee Marine (865) 828-8501
Douglas Reservoir
Gator Point Marina 1-800-839-LAKE
Norris Reservoir
Hickory Star Marina 1-800-235-6866
Powell Valley Resort (423) 562-5975
PaddlesportsIf you prefer to “row your own” in a canoe, kayak, raft or high-performance rowing craft (the latter category of which is guaranteed to start conversations) you obviously have a good deal of water from which to choose.
But choose wisely.
Paddling on still water — with canoes or touring/recreational kayaks — can theoretically be done on all area TVA reservoirs. But heavy power boat traffic can make this a nerve-wracking proposition on some area waters.
As a rule, weekdays and non-holidays are the best times to paddle on local TVA reservoirs because of the reduced powerboat and personal watercraft (i.e. Jet Ski) traffic. Two of the more pleasant and scenic venues: Fort Patrick Henry (for convenience) and Watauga (for beauty).
For canoe and recreational kayak day-trippers, the North Fork of the Holston and Clinch rivers in nearby Virginia offer scenic and relatively sedate paddling opportunities, as does the Lower Nolichucky River in Unicoi and Greene counties.
However, the Upper Nolichucky is anything but sedate — particularly during high water levels in spring and early summer.
Two excellent local contacts for general whitewater sports in the region would be Mahoney’s Outfitters in Johnson City (423) 282-8889 or Mountain Sports Limited in Bristol (276) 466-8988.
Cherokee Adventures (423) 743-7733 and USA Raft (423) 743-7111 are two area whitewater guide services, which have been providing complete guided trips, including rafts, inflatable kayaks and personal safety gear for many years.
HuntingNortheast Tennessee and neighboring Southwest Virginia encompass the habitats of the usual assortment of popular game birds and animals you’d normally associate with the southeastern United States.
Whitetail deer are by far the most popular game animal in the region, followed closely by wild turkey, the latter of which is hunted mainly in the spring.
Black bear are making a gradual comeback to the forests on both sides of the state line, but hunting for bruins is strictly regulated and limited to specific areas most of which are farther south and west.
Other popular types of hunting regularly enjoyed by area residents include waterfowling for ducks and geese, hunting cottontail rabbits, woods-hunting for squirrels, raccoon hunting, varminting (groundhogs and coyotes) and assorted types of gunning, including dove, grouse, quail and even some woodcock hunting.
In Tennessee, hunting is regulated by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission (state.tn.us/twra/). In Virginia, hunting is governed by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (dgif.state.va.us).
Visit these sites for more detailed information on game laws and licensing requirements as well as hunting on private land.
In addition, the respective annual Hunting Guides published by Tennessee and Virginia, which are available through regular hunting license agents, will familiarize new hunters with license fees, seasons and general state regulations.
Hiking/backpackingOne of the happiest discoveries for avid hikers and backpackers who wind up in the Tri-Cities is the proximity of the famed Appalachian Trail, the most famous footpath in the United States.
Multiple trailheads for some of the most gorgeous — and at times, challenging — reaches of the AT are within easy driving distance of Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol. You can day hike. You can overnight. Or you can set aside several weeks and knock off a serious chunk of trail mileage for your log book.
Through-hiking from Georgia to Maine is the classic life-changing experience on the AT. But rest assured, two or three weeks on the trail is epic enough to alter one’s everyday outlook.
If you want to immerse yourself in hiker culture, look no further than nearby Damascus, Va., “The Friendliest Town on the Appalachian Trail” and the site of the annual Trail Days festival.
Kingsport’s own Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club (tehcc.org) manages and maintains 127 miles of the Appalachian Trail between Spivey Gap, N.C., and Damascus, Va. This mileage includes the breathtaking scenery of Roan Highlands and Laurel Fork Gorge. Sample this section and you’ll certainly want to experience what’s further up the trail in neighboring Virginia. Keep piecing together segments, and before you know it you’ll be on Mount Katahdin.
The Watauga, Nolichucky and Unaka Ranger Districts of the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee and the Clinch Ranger District of the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia are also laced with assorted hiking trails ideal for day hiking and overnight wilderness backpacking. Consult with the respective ranger districts for more information.
Local state parks which offer not-too-demanding day hiking trails include Roan Mountain State Park, Warriors’ Path State Park and Bays Mountain Park.
Mahoney’s Outfitters in Johnson City and Mountain Sports, Limited in Bristol are both excellent starting points for regional hiking/backpacking contacts.
Mountain bikingWhere there are so many mountains, you’d expect there to be mountain biking — and there is.
Bays Mountain Park, Roan Mountain State Park, Warriors’ Path State Park all contain trails upon which bicycles are allowed. There are also National Forest trails and roads which are open to mountain biking.
But not all trails that are open to foot traffic are necessarily open to mountain bikes. It’s good to share information with other seasoned mountain bikers who know all the right trails.
A good place to get started: the Northeast Tennessee Mountain Bike Association (ntmba.org/). If you’re not online, call Kim Bishop at (423) 239-9903.
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