South Holston Dam

Trail Name South Holston Dam Nearest City Bristol State Tennessee Trail Marking None Trail Use/Features Difficulty Rating Easy Hiking Time 1.51.5 Hours <br />0.0938 Days <br />90 Min <br /> Distance, round-trip 3.43.4 mi <br />5.472 km <br /> Climb/Descent Elevation 265265 Feet <br />80.772 Meters <br /> / {{{Elevation Loss}}}"{{{Elevation Loss}}}" is not a number. High Point 19031,903 Feet <br />634.333 Yards <br />580.034 Meters <br /> Nearest Medical Bristol, TN Trip Reports Click Here Loading map... {"type":"ROADMAP","minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"types":["ROADMAP","SATELLITE","HYBRID","TERRAIN"],"mappingservice":"googlemaps3","width":"270px","height":"180px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"visitedicon":"","wmsoverlay":false,"zoom":8,"layers":[],"controls":["zoom"],"zoomstyle":"DEFAULT","typestyle":"DEFAULT","autoinfowindows":false,"resizable":false,"kmlrezoom":false,"poi":true,"cluster":false,"clustergridsize":60,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clusteraveragecenter":true,"clusterminsize":2,"imageoverlays":[],"kml":[],"gkml":[],"searchmarkers":"","fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":false,"locations":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":36.5174099999999981491782818920910358428955078125,"lon":-82.0899500000000017507773009128868579864501953125,"icon":""}]} Show Large Map

Trail Overview

Probably better known as the South Holston Spillway Trail, this is an easy family hike with views of South Holston Lake.

How to get there

From Kingsport, TN

1. Take I-81 north to Exit 69 (TN394/Blountville).
2. Turn right/east onto TN394 and travel 12 miles (passing Bristol Motor Speedway).
3. Take right/south onto US421 and travel 3 miles.
4. Turn right/south onto Emmett Road (South Holston Dam sign) and travel 1 mile.
5. Veer right/south onto Holston View Dam Road and travel 1 mile.
6. At base of dam, take sharp right onto South Holston Dam Road up the right side.
7. Pass a small picnic area on left (Note: This is not the main, large picnic area near the visitors' center.)
8. Parking is at the small gravel pulloff on the right before reaching the top of the dam.

Space for half dozen correctly parked vehicles, else park uphill no grassy shoulder or back down in picnic area.

Route Description

Starting at the parking area, walk past boulder and cable barrier onto gravel roadway. Follow road south up and over ridge to walk along the lake shore until it ends at the spillway. Return by same path. No blazes or signs.

Miles	Elevation	South Holston Spillway
0.0	1640	Trailhead
0.9	1900	Highpoint
1.7	1760	Spillway

Family idea: When the water level is down, the shore below the spillway has lots of smooth, flat shale rocks, which are great for skipping across the lake. Challenge the kids to a "number of skips" contest.

Typical Conditions

Shaded gravel road, generally dual tracks, thus suitable for bikes or walking. Forest Service appears to run a bushhog up and back to keep the grass cut low.

Fees, Permits, etc.

No fee to use.

Before/After the Hike

Visitors' Center on north side of the dam offers a nice view of the lake - and very basic bathroom facilities.

Misc. Information

The reservoir is created by a TVA dam on the South Fork Holston River. Construction of the dam was started in 1942, but halted due to WWII, and finally completed in 1950. The earth-and-rock fill dam is 285 feet high and 1,600 feet long. The purpose of the spillway is to protect the main earthen dam in case the lake level rises quickly.

Maps

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Photos

• 

  Spillway viewed from upon rim

• 

  Viewed from shore

• 

  Lake as seen from along trail

• 

  South Holston Spillway Trail

• 

  Trailhead at parking lot