Laurel Run Trail

Laurel Run Trail (log in to submit report)
Park	Bays Mountain Park
Land Owner	City of Kingsport
Located	Kingsport, Tennessee
Trail Marking	White
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.	3.0 hrs0.188 Days <br />180 Min <br /> round trip
Distance:	1.89 mi3.042 km <br /> trailStrict non-repeating trail length / 3.78 mi6.083 km <br /> round tripTypical or shortest length from the car, hike the trail, and return to car
Trail Type	In-and-Out
Low / High Point	1,168 ft389.333 Yards <br />356.006 Meters <br /> / 1,750 Ft583.333 Yards <br />533.4 Meters <br />
Elev. Gain/LossSee link for details of calculation. Gain/Loss is direction dependent.	618 Ft188.366 Meters <br /> / (37 Ft11.278 Meters <br />) – West-to-East
Trip ReportsFrom user "hiked it" submissions<br />Recent is within last 90 days	6 logged hikes (0 recent)
NearbyWithin 5 mi<br />Click link to view list	30 trails / 36.6 mi of trail
Parking	36° 29' 48.44" N, 82° 40' 50.27" W Map
Trailhead	36° 29' 41.75" N, 82° 40' 46.63" W Map
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Download KML / Upload new version / KML File Page / Create Profile Chart / gpsvisualizer Map
Laurel Run Trail in Red, optional Overlook in Orange, Kiner Hollow Trail in Yellow.

Trail Overview

Note! Parking location for this trail is set to Laurel Run Park, not the typical parking spot for Bays Mountain Park, the park the trail mostly resides within.

When folks say they are going hiking at Laurel Run Park, they generally mean taking Laurel Run Trail up Kiner Hollow to the waterfalls. Laurel Run Trail is actually mostly in the Bays Mountain Park system, but the description and details will be maintained here.

How to get there

Street address: 364 Laurel Run Park Rd, Church Hill, TN 37642

1. Take Highway 11W through Church Hill.
2. Turn left (south) at Goshen Valley Road.
3. Cross the bridge over the Holston River.
4. At just under a mile, turn left (east) at River Road.
5. After just under two miles, veer left onto Laurel Run Park Road.
6. Continue into the park (warning - several speed bumps after entering gate)
7. Once the park road tees, turn right toward the amphitheater parking lot.
8. Trailhead is past the shelters starting with the gravel road.

Route Description

Starting at the green "Walking Trail" sign, follow the gravel road around the bend and across the new footbridge (which greatly improves this stream crossing). Continue following the roadway up the hill. The tread will become very muddy in places - especially after rain even days before. The trail climbs on the old logging road rising above the creek, and then coming back down.

Overlook Trail: An option exists for a strenuous extension on your right upon hike departure to take a steep climb to an overlook spot above the Holston River looking towards the Clinch Mountains. Its kml has been posted on the above map, but a separate trail wiki page has not been created. The path follows a forest road loop to rejoin with the Laurel Run Trail. However, the 0.9-mile Overlook Trail is not formally maintained, but generally passable.

The second creek crossing does not have a bridge, thus is either rock hopping or wading. The trail then rises another ridge up to the lower falls (see photo in banner). For most folks, this waterfall is their destination.

Just past the lower falls, there is a basin that is commonly used as a swimming hole. The white-blazed trail soon makes a sharp switchback up the hill. The climbing path passes above the small upper falls. The route wanders past a few abandoned homesteads until it finally intersects with the Kiner Hollow Trail.

Miles	Laurel Run Trail	Miles	Elevation (ft)
0.0	Start at gravel road past shelters at Laurel Run Park	2.0	1147
0.1	New footbridge across creek	1.9
0.1	Old house	1.9
0.3	Junction with Overlook Trail - signed lower end heads steeply uphill to view above Holston River	1.7	1231
0.5	Junction with Overlook Trail - unmarked upper end heads uphill	1.5	1327
0.7	Bridgeless creek crossing - enter Bays Mountain Park (no sign)	1.3
0.9	Waterfall	1.1
1.0	Switchbacks	1.0	1436
1.1	Kiner Falls off and below trail	0.9
1.3	Abandoned Morrison family house - stay out!	0.7
1.6	Abandoned Asa Simpson house - stay out!	0.4
1.7	Abandoned Alex Wallen house - mostly torn down - stay out!	0.3
2.0	Junction with Kiner Hollow Trail at creek	0.0	1760

Typical Conditions

One significant creek crossing. Sections of the trail can be very muddy thus not recommended after rain even several days before. Mostly up and up and up.

Significant erosion of the main path as seen in a picture in this local newspaper editorial. The funding requested, however, is for shoreline erosion along the Holston River.

Fees, Permits, etc.

None needed.

Laurel Run Park Hours

Months	Opens	Closes
January through March	8:00 a.m.	4:00 p.m.
April	8:00 a.m.	7:00 p.m
May through August	8:00 a.m.	8:00 p.m
September	8:00 a.m.	7:00 p.m.
October	8:00 a.m.	6:00 p.m.
November to December	8:00 a.m.	4:00 p.m.

After the Hike

Laurel Run Park has multiple areas for picnicking, a paved walking path, a playground, a frisbee golf course, tennis courts, basketball court, and softball field.

Misc. Information

Mountain biking is allowed on the upper section of the trail, but too difficult so never seen anyone on a bike.

Photos

• 

  Trailhead for Laurel Run Trail - photo by Vic Hasler

• 

  Overlook Trail sign

• 

  Overlook Trail - Holston River with Clinch Mtns

• 

  Cascading creek below the Laurel Run Trail - photo by Vic Hasler

• 

  Lower Kiner Hollow Falls - photo by Vic Hasler

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