THIRD CREEK GREENWAY, KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE

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TENNESSEE- (THIRD CREEK GREENWAY)- KNOX COUNTY- KNOXVILLE, TN 7-30-06

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THIRD CREEK GREENWAY

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE

The Third Creek Greenway has it all. Deep nature, scenic babbling creeks, mostly flat but with a few testy hills, super shade for a hot summer respite, parks and playgrounds, a chance to get away from it all and meditate, or a busy place with a lot of people and cars, the chance wildflower along the trail, to the University of Tennessee Gardens where overwhelming by flower bounty is common... yes, Third Creek Greenway has it all, five miles of sheer delight... for the whole family.

1 West terminus of Third Creek Greenway

Mile 0.00

The trip on Third Creek Greenway begins in Bearden, on Forrest Park Blvd. This view looks forward beyond the end of trail into a commercial shopping area

Plenty of parking is available in the shopping areas.

Wrap around picture at the beginning of the trail

The Third Creek Greenway parallels the Norfolk Southern Railroad for about 3 miles. The first train steamed into Knoxville on these tracks in 1885. At that time it was called the East Tennessee and Georgia Line. This early railroad became part of the Southern System in 1894.

This site was the clay borrow pit for the Alex A Scott Brick Company (1904 - 1922). The kilns used to fire the clay bricks were located adjacent to the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks on the present site of Kroger Plaza.

Mile 0.15

Mile 0.21
KUB Dixie Substation

KUB DIXIE SUBSTATION
The Knoxville Utilities Board Dixie Substation was originally built in the early 1950's to serve the Bearden Community. The substation capacity was increased in the mid 1960's to meet increasing electrical demand. Today it provides power to more than 5000 customers in the Bearden area. KUB is Knoxville's municipal utility established in 1939. KUB provides electric, gas, water, and wastewater services to customers in Knox County and parts of seven surrounding counties.

Mile 0.35
Mini-park by the trail

Mile 0.43
Bridge

Mile 0.55
The trail makes a "Y". The left fork ends a short distance at a trail head behind apartment houses.

Mile 0.79
Road crossing. The trail at this point is paralleling a railroad track.

Mile 1.10
Trail crosses bridge just before intersecting a side trail.

2 Main Trail Intersection from Bearden & Sutherland

Mile 1.14
Trail splits. Right fork (main trail) leads to Neyland Drive Parking Area.

Left fork ends at Sutherland Avenue.

3 Sutherland Avenue Access Point

It is 0.24 miles from the Sutherland Trailhead to the main trail. The Sutherland Avenue access point was chosen as the parking spot for this adventure on the Greenway.

The sign at the entrance doesn't really entice one to explore the trail.

Looking forward on the happy trail.

Most of the trail is in a natural setting and the shade is delicious on this hot day of summer.

Swimming anyone...

Mile 1.14
And meanwhile... back at the main trail.

Some interesting graffiti on the tunnel walls

Just past the tunnel, a dirt path follows the creek to the right of the trail.

4 Kingston Pike Access Point

At Mile 1.30, another side trail veers to the right and crosses Third Creek.

Mile 0.07
After crossing the creek, a "challenging hill" looms... sometimes referred to as a "push-em-up-the-bicycle hill".

Mile 0.12
The side trail ends at a parking area for the Laurel Church of Christ

Flowers grace the end of the trail

Across Kingston Pike from the trailhead is the entrance to the Sequoya Greenway

5 Trail Juncture

Mile 1.30
And meanwhile... back at the main trail.

Giant mushroom on tree.

The Greenway crosses Third Creek at Mile 1.70. Upstream in the creek could have been an old mill site

Downstream from bridge. The creek has lost the "chocolate brown" color and exist as a scenic free flowing body of water.

At Mile 2.00, the first of several signs showing donors of land for the Greenway.

An ancient tree creature stands silent vigil and watches with interest the many strange creatures with wheels that pass by.

At Mile 2.30 the trail crosses a bridge, then veers to the left for less than a tenth of a mile to another parking area.

Plenty of parking is available at this trailhead.

The trail intersects a busy road at Mile 2.45, veers to the left, then a crosses creek.

There is another road crossing at Mile 2.50.

At Mile 2.70 the Greenway enters Tyson Park with playgrounds, picnic areas and ball fields... and yes, Mabel... there's bathroom here too.

The trail passes under the Alcoa Highway at Mile 2.80

A "tantalizing tunnel" inhabited by a "grafittioligists" looms ahead at Mile 3.00, followed with an excursion beside Fulton Bottoms Field.

A rare double bridge "under-crossing" is made at
Mile 3.50.

An arbitrary choice of trail-naming is made at the Mile 4.00 mile mark. The Greenway makes a split at Neyland Drive.

6 East terminus of Third Creek Greenway

The path to the left ends at Mile 4.10 at a nice compact parking area which serves both the Third Creek and the Neyland Drive Greenways

The "straight ahead" trail passes by the University of Tennessee Gardens at Mile 0.10 (a beautiful must-see site)...

...and the UT Agricultural Center (a must-smell site)... just kidding..

7 UT Veterinary School

University of Tennessee Veterinary School entrance is at Mile 0.30

At Mile 0.35, in front of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, is a War Dog Memorial site.

WAR DOG MEMORIAL
This War Dog Memorial, an exact replica of the original erected in Guam in 1994, was donated by Dr Maurice Acree as a tribute to the unique bond between dogs and humans. Dr Acree became a major benefactor to the UT College of Veterinary Medicine as an expression of his love for the Doberman Pinscher and in recognition of the exceptional patient care provided by the college. (Dedicated July 17, 1998)

"Always faithful" was inspired by the spirit of these heroic dogs who are the embodiment of love and devotion. (Sculptress: Susan Bahary) To honor the working heritage of the Doberman Pinscher, the United Doberman Club dedicated this statue to the courageous Doberman Pinscher that valiantly served during the War in the Pacific.

8 Trails End

A careful crossing of busy Neyland Drive must be navigated at Mile 0.51.