TRAILS & GARDENS
Knoxville’s iconic Dogwood Trails date back to 1955 and today cover more than 85 miles in 12 neighborhoods throughout the city. Take a drive, a walk, or a bike ride and enjoy the scenic natural beauty of our region!
History: In 1947, New York newspaper reporter John Gunther came into town, checked out the area, then returned to New York and wrote “Knoxville is the ugliest city I ever saw in America, with the possible exception of some mill towns in New England. Its main street is called Gay Street; this seemed to me to be a misnomer.” Thus, in 1955, members of the Knoxville Garden Club, led by Betsey Creekmore, Martha Ashe and Betsy Goodson, along with a group of concerned citizens with a vision began a civic beautification–the Dogwood Trails.
Bloom Watch
The Dogwoods in Knoxville, TN will be in full bloom before we know it! Follow along here as we track the buds on a Dogwood tree in Downtown Knoxville so you can plan your springtime visit and enjoy the blooms at their peak! We'll post updates 2-3 times per week throughout the season.
MARCH 18, 2021
MARCH 23, 2021
MARCH 30, 2021
APRIL 3, 2021
12 TRAILS
85 MILES
65 YEAR HISTORY
DOGWOOD TRAILS
2021 FEATURED TRAIL:
HOLSTON HILLS
Established in 1956, the Holston Hills Dogwood Trail is located in an architecturally diverse neighborhood that offers sweeping views of the Holston River alongside panoramic vistas of the rolling East Tennessee hills. Here you will find an eclectic and historic mix of estates, cottages, and ranch homes which were built between 1920 and 1960. Beautiful lots in this neighborhood tend to be situated on big, rolling hills with old growth trees and an abundance of spring flowering dogwoods.
The neighborhood was created alongside the development of the Holston Hills Country Club and is home to the golf course designed by Donald Ross, who is widely held in esteem as the best architect of golf courses in the world.
Holston Hills is situated just moments from the University of Tennessee and the Knoxville Zoo.
THE PINK LINE STORY
THE PINK LINE STORY
FOLLOW THE PINK LINES
Pink lines are painted along each Dogwood Trail, directing you through roughly 85 miles of blooming neighborhoods. The City of Knoxville uses roughly 100 gallon of custom-blended paint each year to make sure the Trails stay bright pink throughout the spring season.
"We'll have about three to four days with two crews doing the actual stripping, and another three or four days for the arrows and iconic dogwood bloom," signs and markings supervisor Bryan Gilbert says.
TRAILS PROGRAMS
BAZILLION BLOOMS
Bazillion Blooms is our annual tree-planting campaign where we sell bare-root dogwood trees to Keep Knoxville Blooming. Dogwood Arts along with corporate
and community support has planted more than 12,000 new dogwoods in 12 years.
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BIKES & BLOOMS
Experience the Dogwood trails the lean, green way – on a bicycle by way of
an organized ride.
DOGWOOD TRAILS, OPEN GARDENS & CAMERA SITES
APRIL 1-30, 2021
Explore the natural beauty of our region along more than 80 miles of trails as
you enjoy a walk, bike or drive on the iconic Dogwood Trails throughout the Knoxville area.
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FEATURED GARDENS
APRIL 17-18, 2021
Select properties with distinguished and remarkable gardens open their grounds
to the public for one weekend only.
HIKES & BLOOMS
These interpretive hikes will highlight interesting facts, features, and flora about unique locations.
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WALKING TRAILS
Focusing on the idea of stepping out into our community, the trails are at least
one-mile in length and folks are encouraged to walk, run, or bike these trails.