2023 U.S. Regional Conference – Field Trips

Stars for All 2023 U.S. Regional Conference

Wednesday Field Trips

General Trail Rating Guide:

Once outside of the animal habitats at Bays Mountain Park, trails tend to be dirt/gravel base. Moderate to expert trails tend to be more single-track trails. Single-track trails are wide enough to allow for single-file hiking or bike riding, double track trail means the trail is wide enough to allow guests to hike or bike side by side.

Easy – A hike that is generally suitable for anyone who enjoys walking. Mostly level or with a slight incline. Trails past the Animal Habitats are dirt/gravel mix.
Moderate – A moderate hike is generally suitable for novice hikers who want a bit of a challenge. The terrain will involve a moderate incline and may have some steeper sections challenging for an unconditioned person.
Advanced – Strenuous hikes will challenge most hikers. The hike will generally be steeper but may be deemed “Strenuous” because of the elevation gain and obstacles within the trail; tree roots or boulders rocks.
Expert – Only well-conditioned and well-prepared hikers should attempt very expert hikes. The hike will generally be long and steep, and may include rock scrambling, stream crossings, and other challenging terrain along with elevation gain.

All field trips are included with conference registration.
If you are bringing a guests, they may participate in a field trip for a $20 fee.

Bays Mountain Park – Kingsport, TN
Bays Mountain History Barge Ride – Length: ~1½ hours – Easy Sit back and enjoy a serene barge ride on a 44-acre lake on top of a mountain! You’ll enjoy stories of the people who settled and lived on Bays Mountain in the 1800s. As a special treat, you’ll see historical artifacts that have been discovered on the mountain. Additional Details: Wheelchair accessible. Please bring your own water and snack.
Bays Mountain History Hike – Length: ~2 hours – Moderate; mostly rolling with some hills Hike the trails of Bays Mountain while you hear stories of its rich past. The Civil War and moonshine are just two very interesting topics to be covered. Plus, see the sites where people lived, loved and died. Additional Details: Suitable clothing for hiking; no sandals. Please bring your own water and snack.
Bays Mountain Yoga Hike and Restore – Length: ~1¾ hours – Moderate; mostly rolling with some hills Enjoy Bays Mountain’s beautiful scenery by participating in a Yoga Hike and Restore as your planetarium conference excursion. This hike features a 2-mile out and back trek on some of Bays Mountain’s Trails. The hike and yoga portion will take approximately 70 minutes. The amphitheater and other stops along the way are utilized to teach standing yoga poses that will challenge your strength while also developing your flexibility and balance. The remaining 35 minutes will further incorporate a rest and restore session that includes stretching and breathing exercises. This will be concluded with a discussion about the benefits of yoga in terms of exercise science as well as how to incorporate a yoga program at your facility. Additional Details: All physicality levels are welcome provided you are able to walk at a comfortable to moderate pace. Pose / exercise modifications will be offered to accommodate various needs. Please wear shoes that can accommodate woodland terrain and comfortable clothing that will allow you to be flexible in your yoga hike. No sandals. Please bring your own water and snack.
Bays Mountain Dolan Branch Hike – Length: ~1½-2 hours – Advanced Join us for a hike down the historic Dolan Branch Trail. This trail follows along the path of the old waterline that formerly carried water from our reservoir to the City of Kingsport. Along the way, we explore some of the old water system infrastructure, including the cast iron pipe, the filter plant and valve house. This is a 3-mile round trip hike. Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack. Participants may be required to walk in water for short periods of time.
Bays Mountain Laurel Falls Hike – Length: ~1½-2 hours – Advanced-Expert; elevation gain and stream crossing The Laurel Run watershed is known for its great beauty and impressive waterfalls. On this hike, you will experience two of these falls, Upper and Lower Laurel Run Falls. On your trek, you will be able to take in the views of the Rhododendron-covered banks of the Laurel Run Creek and the sights and sounds of a mature hardwood forest. This is a 2-mile round trip hike. Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack. Participants will be required to cross Laurel Run Creek and should be prepared to get their feet wet.
Bays Mountain Lakeside Trail Hike – Length: ~1½-2 hours – Moderate; mostly rolling with some hills Take a stroll along the Old Kingsport Reservoir with us and experience the sight and sounds of a Southern Appalachian forest. Along the way, your ranger guide will interpret the ecology and limnology of the surrounding landscape. This is a 1.5-mile round trip hike. Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack.

Bays Mountain Park – Kingsport, TN

Bays Mountain History Barge Ride – Length: ~1½ hours – Easy

Sit back and enjoy a serene barge ride on a 44-acre lake on top of a mountain! You’ll enjoy stories of the people who settled and lived on Bays Mountain in the 1800s. As a special treat, you’ll see historical artifacts that have been discovered on the mountain.

Additional Details: Wheelchair accessible. Please bring your own water and snack.

Bays Mountain History Hike – Length: ~2 hours – Moderate; mostly rolling with some hills

Hike the trails of Bays Mountain while you hear stories of its rich past. The Civil War and moonshine are just two very interesting topics to be covered. Plus, see the sites where people lived, loved and died.

Additional Details: Suitable clothing for hiking; no sandals. Please bring your own water and snack.

Bays Mountain Yoga Hike and Restore – Length: ~1¾ hours – Moderate; mostly rolling with some hills

Enjoy Bays Mountain’s beautiful scenery by participating in a Yoga Hike and Restore as your planetarium conference excursion. This hike features a 2-mile out and back trek on some of Bays Mountain’s Trails. The hike and yoga portion will take approximately 70 minutes. The amphitheater and other stops along the way are utilized to teach standing yoga poses that will challenge your strength while also developing your flexibility and balance.

The remaining 35 minutes will further incorporate a rest and restore session that includes stretching and breathing exercises. This will be concluded with a discussion about the benefits of yoga in terms of exercise science as well as how to incorporate a yoga program at your facility.

Additional Details: All physicality levels are welcome provided you are able to walk at a comfortable to moderate pace. Pose / exercise modifications will be offered to accommodate various needs. Please wear shoes that can accommodate woodland terrain and comfortable clothing that will allow you to be flexible in your yoga hike. No sandals. Please bring your own water and snack.

Bays Mountain Dolan Branch Hike – Length: ~1½-2 hours – Advanced

Join us for a hike down the historic Dolan Branch Trail. This trail follows along the path of the old waterline that formerly carried water from our reservoir to the City of Kingsport. Along the way, we explore some of the old water system infrastructure, including the cast iron pipe, the filter plant and valve house. This is a 3-mile round trip hike.

Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack. Participants may be required to walk in water for short periods of time.

Bays Mountain Laurel Falls Hike – Length: ~1½-2 hours – Advanced-Expert; elevation gain and stream crossing

The Laurel Run watershed is known for its great beauty and impressive waterfalls. On this hike, you will experience two of these falls, Upper and Lower Laurel Run Falls. On your trek, you will be able to take in the views of the Rhododendron-covered banks of the Laurel Run Creek and the sights and sounds of a mature hardwood forest. This is a 2-mile round trip hike.

Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack. Participants will be required to cross Laurel Run Creek and should be prepared to get their feet wet.

Bays Mountain Lakeside Trail Hike – Length: ~1½-2 hours – Moderate; mostly rolling with some hills

Take a stroll along the Old Kingsport Reservoir with us and experience the sight and sounds of a Southern Appalachian forest. Along the way, your ranger guide will interpret the ecology and limnology of the surrounding landscape. This is a 1.5-mile round trip hike.

Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack.

Rocky Fork State Park – Unicoi County, TN
Rocky Fork Stream Ecology Walk – Length: ~2 hours – Easy to Moderate Join us for a creek life discovery walk. We’ll wade out into the stream to observe and learn about the unique aquatic macro-invertebrate fauna of Rocky Fork. Nets and other apparatus will be used! Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack. We will be wading in the creek, so wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet and a bit dirty, and bring a change of shoes & socks. Please no bare feet in the creek (risk of sharp objects).
Rocky Fork Off Trail Waterfall Hike – Length: ~2 hours – Advanced-Strenuous This two mile hike will veer off the beaten path and head up Rocky Fork Gorge. From there, we will cross streams and boulders up the creek. This out and back hike will visit Rocky Fork Falls. This challenging, quick-paced hike will reward you with numerous crisp, cool, freestone pools teaming with trout with our midpoint being the 35′ waterfall. Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack. Participants will be required to ford creeks up to 1.5’ deep and should be prepared to get their feet wet.
Rocky Fork Flint Creek Battle Site Hike – Length: ~2 hours – Moderate-only due to distance This two mile hike will follow the path of Tennessee’s first governor, John Sevier, as he led his military troops up Rocky Fork Creek to an encampment of Cherokee and Chickamauga peoples. This bloody battle marked the beginning of the Cherokee Wars, the end to our first Statehood bid, and the eventual forced removal of our native people. There will be an abundance of stops along the creek leading up to the battle site. Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack.

Rocky Fork State Park – Unicoi County, TN

Rocky Fork Stream Ecology Walk – Length: ~2 hours – Easy to Moderate

Join us for a creek life discovery walk. We’ll wade out into the stream to observe and learn about the unique aquatic macro-invertebrate fauna of Rocky Fork. Nets and other apparatus will be used!

Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack. We will be wading in the creek, so wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet and a bit dirty, and bring a change of shoes & socks. Please no bare feet in the creek (risk of sharp objects).

Rocky Fork Off Trail Waterfall Hike – Length: ~2 hours – Advanced-Strenuous

This two mile hike will veer off the beaten path and head up Rocky Fork Gorge. From there, we will cross streams and boulders up the creek. This out and back hike will visit Rocky Fork Falls. This challenging, quick-paced hike will reward you with numerous crisp, cool, freestone pools teaming with trout with our midpoint being the 35′ waterfall.

Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack. Participants will be required to ford creeks up to 1.5’ deep and should be prepared to get their feet wet.

Rocky Fork Flint Creek Battle Site Hike – Length: ~2 hours – Moderate-only due to distance

This two mile hike will follow the path of Tennessee’s first governor, John Sevier, as he led his military troops up Rocky Fork Creek to an encampment of Cherokee and Chickamauga peoples. This bloody battle marked the beginning of the Cherokee Wars, the end to our first Statehood bid, and the eventual forced removal of our native people. There will be an abundance of stops along the creek leading up to the battle site.

Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack.

Gray Fossil Site – Gray, TN
Gray Fossil Site Tour – Length: ~1½ hours – Easy This excursion will include a tour of the Paleo exhibit hall, introduction to the lab and archaeology specimens on display, a tour of the dig site and a micro-fossil picking activity from an Ice Age marine site in Aurora, NC. We’ve also arranged for a special, behind-the-scenes tour, just for you! Additional Details: None. Wheelchair accessible. Participants should come prepared with drinking water and snack.

Gray Fossil Site – Gray, TN

Gray Fossil Site Tour – Length: ~1½ hours – Easy

This excursion will include a tour of the Paleo exhibit hall, introduction to the lab and archaeology specimens on display, a tour of the dig site and a micro-fossil picking activity from an Ice Age marine site in Aurora, NC. We’ve also arranged for a special, behind-the-scenes tour, just for you!

Additional Details: None. Wheelchair accessible. Participants should come prepared with drinking water and snack.

Rocky Mount State Historic Site – Piney Flats, TN
Rocky Mount State Historic Site Tour – Length: ~2½ hours – Easy. One of the many structures is a 200+ year old historic house with stairs. This program offers the opportunity to interact with the Cobb and Massengill families in the year 1791. It includes a video orientation, a brief guided museum gallery tour and 18th century clothed interpretation through the historic site. A make-N-take 18th century craft activity is included. Additional Details: None. All buildings outside of the main structure are wheelchair accessible. Participants should come prepared with drinking water and snack.

Rocky Mount State Historic Site – Piney Flats, TN

Rocky Mount State Historic Site Tour – Length: ~2½ hours – Easy. One of the many structures is a 200+ year old historic house with stairs.

This program offers the opportunity to interact with the Cobb and Massengill families in the year 1791. It includes a video orientation, a brief guided museum gallery tour and 18th century clothed interpretation through the historic site. A make-N-take 18th century craft activity is included.

Additional Details: None. All buildings outside of the main structure are wheelchair accessible. Participants should come prepared with drinking water and snack.

Roan Mountain State Park
Roan Mountain State Park and Rhododendron Gardens Exploration – Length: ~2 hours – Moderate; natural terrain with elevation change. Explore the beauty and history of 6,285′ Roan Mountain on this two-stop field trip. The first stop will be at the Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center where you will meet Park Ranger Phil Hylen for a 45-minute History of Roan Mountain Hike along our 0.3-mile Peg Leg Mine Trail. Participants will learn what puts Roan Mountain on the map while stepping back in time to see what brought – and still brings – people to this mountain since before colonial times. Ranger Hylen will give a brief program introduction at the Visitor Center porch before leading hikers on a moderate difficulty hike to the Peg Leg Iron Ore Mine on natural terrain tread with an elevation gain/loss of ~200′. Guests not interested in the guided hike are welcome to explore our Visitor Center gift shop and museum while enjoying the porch-view of the Doe River. Restrooms and refreshments are available at the Visitor Center. The second stop will be at the top of Roan Mountain where guests will explore the 0.5-mile (easy-difficulty, paved surface trail ADA-accessible) Rhododendron Gardens, the world’s largest natural garden of Catawba Rhododendrons in bloom. This rare spectacle brings people from all over the world to view the blooms in mid-June. This area also offers views of the surrounding mountain ranges of North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia through the openings in the Spruce-Fir Forests surrounding the gardens. Public restrooms and picnic facilities are available to guests in this area. Weather at Roan Mountain can be unpredictable, so guests are encouraged to bring layered clothing, especially for the top of Roan Mountain. Rain is also common in the mountains, so be sure to pack an umbrella or rain jacket. Water bottles are recommended. The Visitor Center has a water bottle refill station available for free use. Finally, bring those cameras as Roan Mountain offers famous views from every direction. Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack. Due to the high elevation and potential of rain, a rain coat and modest layers of clothes are recommended.

Roan Mountain State Park

Roan Mountain State Park and Rhododendron Gardens Exploration – Length: ~2 hours – Moderate; natural terrain with elevation change.

Explore the beauty and history of 6,285′ Roan Mountain on this two-stop field trip.

The first stop will be at the Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center where you will meet Park Ranger Phil Hylen for a 45-minute History of Roan Mountain Hike along our 0.3-mile Peg Leg Mine Trail. Participants will learn what puts Roan Mountain on the map while stepping back in time to see what brought – and still brings – people to this mountain since before colonial times. Ranger Hylen will give a brief program introduction at the Visitor Center porch before leading hikers on a moderate difficulty hike to the Peg Leg Iron Ore Mine on natural terrain tread with an elevation gain/loss of ~200′. Guests not interested in the guided hike are welcome to explore our Visitor Center gift shop and museum while enjoying the porch-view of the Doe River. Restrooms and refreshments are available at the Visitor Center.

The second stop will be at the top of Roan Mountain where guests will explore the 0.5-mile (easy-difficulty, paved surface trail ADA-accessible) Rhododendron Gardens, the world’s largest natural garden of Catawba Rhododendrons in bloom. This rare spectacle brings people from all over the world to view the blooms in mid-June. This area also offers views of the surrounding mountain ranges of North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia through the openings in the Spruce-Fir Forests surrounding the gardens. Public restrooms and picnic facilities are available to guests in this area.

Weather at Roan Mountain can be unpredictable, so guests are encouraged to bring layered clothing, especially for the top of Roan Mountain. Rain is also common in the mountains, so be sure to pack an umbrella or rain jacket. Water bottles are recommended. The Visitor Center has a water bottle refill station available for free use. Finally, bring those cameras as Roan Mountain offers famous views from every direction.

Additional Details: Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes, drinking water and snack. Due to the high elevation and potential of rain, a rain coat and modest layers of clothes are recommended.