Natural Tunnel State Park
Panther Creek State Park is located on the Cherokee Reservoir north of Morristown, Tennessee. Available activities include hiking, mountain biking, camping, fishing, boating, horseback riding, and swimming.
<googlemap lat="36.209377" lon="-83.409576" type="terrain" zoom="14"> 36.209377,-83.409576,Panther Creek State Park </googlemap>
How to get there
From Kingsport, TN:
- Take I-81 South to Exit 12 (Lowland/Morristown).
- At bottom of exit ramp, turn right (north) onto Enka Highway TN-160, and drive for 11.3 miles.
- Turn right (east) onto Andrew Johnson Highway US-11E.
- Travel 1.2 miles and turn left (north) onto Panther Creek Road.
- Park entrance will be reached in 1.6 miles.
Trailheads are at several points in the park.
Trails
The trails are in short segments, thus the following are some suggested loop hikes to explore the park.
| Trails | Distance |
| TBD | 3.7 mi |
| Loop - TBA | 4.5 mi |
Hiking and Biking Trail Descriptions 1. & 2. Old Farm Trails are easy 1.0 or 1.5 mile loops. 3. Trout Lily Trail is a 2.0 mile loop developed by the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club. It's for experienced bicyclists. 4. Deer Run Trail winds back and forth for 0.8 miles 5. Piney Cove Trail after 0.6 mile, connects with either Old Wagon Trail or Panther Path. 6. Panther Path starts near the park entrance. It quickly joins Piney Cove Trail which leads to all other bicycle trails. 7. Norris Blackburn Trail is a 0.2 mile uphill to a wildlife observatory. 8. Old Wagon Trail is great for youngsters. It's flat for 0.8 mile and connects with Deer Run Trail which is more difficult.
Hiking Trail Descriptions - Open to hikers only 9. Nature Trail is an easy 1.2 mile loop. The self-guided nature trail was developed by Friends of the Park. 10. Ore Mine Trail is a hilly 1.5 mile loop with a scenic wooden bridge. 11. Sink Holes Trail is a 0.6 mile loop that runs by seven limestone sink holes. 12. Point Lookout Trail is a 1.2 mile loop. After climbing a long steep hill, there is a scenic overlook 400 feet above Cherokee Lake. 13. Ridge Crest Trail descends 0.7 mile to Cherokee Lake. It's steep - and so is the climb back.
Maps
Panther Creek State Park website Friends of Panther Creek State Park trail descriptions Trail map