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The Bluffs

4.7 ★★★★★ 71 Google reviews · Running trail in Knoxville, Tennessee · Hours vary

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Not reported

We have not been able to confirm the surface, distance or shape of The Bluffs yet from its own listing, the park's website or runner reviews — so those cells stay blank rather than guess. What is below comes straight from the listing and from reviewers' own words. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

ScenicDog-friendlyTrailhead parking

Easy hiking trails, plus a bluff overlooking the Tennessee River and downtown Knoxville.

What runners say about The Bluffs

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (71 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏞️ beautiful scenery 6 mentions

“And the lower trail is beautiful as you go down and has a cool cave along the rock wall eventually”

👟 good for all levels 2 mentions

“Easy trail, the turnoff for the parking lot is easy to miss.”

Nice very short walk to the top..you can take the Longer..muddier..less traveled path there and it's to your left a few hundred feet after you start..never crowded when I go..so dogs get to have fun..

★★★★☆ — Jennifer , Feb 2022

Easy trail, the turnoff for the parking lot is easy to miss. It's a big gravel lot by an apartment complex, look downhill off the side of the road and that big pit with the eroded clay is where you park to start the walk up.

★★★★★ — Hope , Jun 2025

I love this little place. The view from the upper trail is a nice view of the city. And the lower trail is beautiful as you go down and has a cool cave along the rock wall eventually

★★★★★ — Graham , Apr 2024

It is a nice trail with an amazing view at the end. There is a lot of garbage though.

★★★★☆ — Aiden , Jan 2022

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 71 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 22 mentions

“Close to downtown, easy and quick hike, and the view is decent (tough competition in a state with many mountains!”

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🅿️ Trailhead parking 6 mentions

“A little hard to find the trailhead if you don't know what you're looking for, but worth the stop for a short hike to the edge of the bluff.”

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🐕 Dog-friendly 4 mentions

“Great place to take the dogs on a walk in to see a nice view of the river”

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Plan your run at The Bluffs

The practical stuff

  • AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
  • DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.

Where to find The Bluffs

1028 Cherokee Trail, Knoxville, TN 37920

Get directions

Running trails near Knoxville

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

River Bluff Wildlife Area

4.7 ★★★★★ 42 reviews

Knoxville, TN

MixedLitScenicDog-friendly

Landscaped park offering trails for hiking and gravel pathways, along with views of the city skyline and river.

under a mile away

High Ground Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 155 reviews

Knoxville, TN

MixedScenicDog-friendly

Civil War-era park with wooded trails and views of the city and Smokies.

under a mile away

Fort Dickerson Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 1,186 reviews

Knoxville, TN

Natural surfaceLitScenicDog-friendly

Expansive 1,000-acre city park featuring hiking trails, a swimming quarry & Civil War sites.

under a mile away

River Mountain Park

4.2 ★★★★☆ 13 reviews

Knoxville, TN

Scenic

1.3 miles away

Baker Creek Preserve

4.8 ★★★★★ 113 reviews

Knoxville, TN

LoopMixedLitDog-friendly

Park featuring wooded and landscaped areas for hiking and mountain biking trails.

2.1 miles away

Third Creek Greenway Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 299 reviews

Knoxville, TN

MixedShadedLitScenic

Peaceful greenway for walking and jogging amongst the trees, plus biking.

2.2 miles away

All running trails in Knoxville, TN →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.