Tower Ridge Trail

Tower Ridge Trail (log in to submit report)
Park	Buffalo Mountain Park
Land Owner	Johnson City Parks & Rec
Located	Johnson City, TennesseeLocation inherited from associated park
Trail Marking	Blue
Trail UseThings allowed to do on or near the trail
FeaturesThings to see on or near the trail
Difficulty Rating	Medium
Hiking TimeTime from car and back. Includes any time hiking to access this trail.	1 hr0.0625 Days <br />60 Min <br /> round trip
Distance:	0.77 mi1.239 km <br /> trailStrict non-repeating trail length / 1.54 mi2.478 km <br /> round tripTypical or shortest length from the car, hike the trail, and return to car
Trail Type	Segment
Low / High Point	2,602 ft867.333 Yards <br />793.09 Meters <br /> / 3,207 ft1,069 Yards <br />977.494 Meters <br />
Elev. Gain/LossSee link for details of calculation. Gain/Loss is direction dependent.	605 ft184.404 Meters <br /> / (0 ft0 Meters <br />) – North-to-South
Trip ReportsFrom user "hiked it" submissions<br />Recent is within last 90 days	No hikes logged yet
NearbyWithin 5 mi<br />Click link to view list	8 trails / 8.2 mi of trail
Parking	36° 16' 43.14" N, 82° 20' 45.96" W Map
Trailhead	36° 16' 39.18" N, 82° 20' 29.33" W Map
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Tower Ridge Trail is the blue line, while White Rock Trail is in black.
Note: The route for Highridge Road is incorrect as the service road is closed with a gate.

Trail Overview

Located in Buffalo Mountain Park, this trail offers an alternative hiking route up to the communication towers area.

How to get there

Refer to the “How to get there” instructions on the Buffalo Mountain Park page. Take the gravel road left to the alternative parking area. The actual lower trailhead is reached from the White Rock Trail by either heading into Hartsell Hollow or heading up the steep gravel service road.

Route Description

The blue blazed Tower Ridge Trail travels between two junctions with the White Rock Trail. The lower trailhead is in the power line right-of-way, while the upper trailhead is behind the communication towers. The steep and narrow trail follows the ridgeline to the west of the service road. At the upper end, it briefly connects to and travels the service road.

A roughly three mile loop hike can be done in couple of hours (plus stops) by hiking up the Tower Ridge Trail and returning by the White Rock Trail. The latter offers views to the east of the I-26 valley.

Typical Conditions

The blue blazes were recently repainted, thus the route is clear once on this trail. It is a narrow and steep path winding along the ridgeline through rhododendron and small trees. Views to the north can be had when the leaves are down. Watch out for the many briars growing along the trail!

This area was not affected by the 2008 fire.

Fees, Permits, etc.

No fees or permits required.

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