House Mountain State Natural Area
| House Mountain State Natural Area | |
|---|---|
| |
| Park Type | State Natural Area |
| Located | Knoxville, Tennessee |
| External Links | Official Website |
| Entrance Fee | None |
| ActivitiesThings to do at the park |   |
| Park AmenitiesThings built to enjoy or use at the park |  |
| FeaturesNatural things to see at the park |  |
| Park Trails |
5 Trails / Total of 4.00 miles6.437 km <br /> |
| Lodging Types | None |
| Park Area | 500 acres2.023 km² <br /> |
| Operated By | Knox County Department of Parks and Recreation |
| Main Location | 36° 6' 17.10" N, 83° 45' 45.90" W Map |
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| Show In Google Maps | |
Download KML / Upload new version / KML File Page
Trail Overview[edit]
House Mountain is a two mile long sandstone spine north of Knoxville. Trail heads up to the 2,100' highpoint of Knox County for overlooks to the Cumberland Mountains and Smokies.
How to get there[edit]
From Kingsport, TN
- South on I-26.
- West on I-40 to Exit 392 for US 11W (Rutledge Pike).
- North along Rutledge Pike for about 10 miles.
- Just after the brown House Mountain information sign, turn left onto Idumea Road for 0.6 mile.
- Take another left onto Hogskin Road.
- Parking is on the right with covered picnic area and pit toilets. Overflow parking is back 0.3 mile on Hogskin Road.
Alternatively, take US 11W past Rogersville, Bean Station, and Rutledge to turn onto Idumea Road.
Park Trails[edit]
The park offers the following trails to explore:
| Park Trails | Distance | Difficulty | Marking | Usage | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crest TrailThis trail is a "stub" either because of its short length, lack of significance, or the page hasn't been created yet. The page can be created, but then delete the stub reference from this park. | 1.50 mi | Easy | Red | ||
| Left Sawmill LoopThis trail is a "stub" either because of its short length, lack of significance, or the page hasn't been created yet. The page can be created, but then delete the stub reference from this park. | 0.30 mi | Easy | White | ||
| Mountain TrailThis trail is a "stub" either because of its short length, lack of significance, or the page hasn't been created yet. The page can be created, but then delete the stub reference from this park. | 1.00 mi | Medium | Blue | ||
| Right Sawmill LoopThis trail is a "stub" either because of its short length, lack of significance, or the page hasn't been created yet. The page can be created, but then delete the stub reference from this park. | 0.40 mi | Easy | White | ||
| West Overlook TrailThis trail is a "stub" either because of its short length, lack of significance, or the page hasn't been created yet. The page can be created, but then delete the stub reference from this park. | 0.80 mi | Medium | White |
Typical loop hike would be to take Mountain Trail up to Crest Trail out to the NE overlook to see the Cumberland Mountains, back along Crest Trail to the SW overlook for the Smokies and parts of Knoxville, and finally down West Overlook (former Turkey) Trail to the parking lot. The reverse direction can also be taken. Some of the trails are very close to the nature preserve boundary, thus a private ATV path might be seen lower on the mountain.
Typical Conditions[edit]
The access trails (West Overlook and Mountain) are steep, rocky/rooted, and badly eroded in places. The lower third of the Mountain trail renovated almost a decade ago, thus decent path passing some large boulders. However, further up the climb is very strenuous. The Crest trail follows mostly a jeep road, but also has spur routes onto private property. The overlooks have no railing, thus steep dropoffs. Can be crowded on peak fall weekends.
Fees, Permits, etc.[edit]
No permit or fee. The nature area closes at dusk.
Misc. Information[edit]
A nice gallery of photographs from a hike has been posted by Kris Light.
The official TN.gov House Mountain webpage including map.
Gallery[edit]
