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TRAILS & GARDENS

Knoxville’s iconic Dogwood Trails date back to 1955 and today cover more than 90 miles in 13 neighborhoods throughout the city. Take a drive, a walk, or a bike ride and enjoy the scenic natural beauty of our region! As the foundation of our organization, our Trails & Gardens program celebrates the vibrancy and beauty of the Historic Dogwood Trails every year thanks to the commitment of the homeowners who live along the trails working tirelessly to prepare their neighborhoods for the spring season. But the program has also expanded to include other initiatives that celebrate the natural beauty of our area, share private gardens in other parts of our city, and ensure that the Dogwood blooms remain plentiful throughout East TN.

History: What began as a neighborhood beautification project in 1955 has blossomed into one of the longest-running nonprofit organizations in our region. Our story began in 1947 when a journalist visited and wrote, “Knoxville is the ugliest city I ever saw in America, with the possible exception of some mill town in New England. Its main street is called Gay Street; this seemed to me to be a misnomer.” Upon reading his account, the Knoxville Garden Club led by Betsy Creekmore, Martha Ashe, and Betsy Goodson decided they would prove him wrong and showcase the natural beauty of the city they loved so much. Thus, the seeds of the very first Dogwood Trail were planted.

Thank you to the 2023 Trails & Gardens Sponsors:

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DOGWOOD TRAILS & GARDENS GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION: 
Wednesday, March 29th from 5-7PM
2800 Gibbs Drive, Knoxville, TN 379918

Join us on Historic Gibbs Drive for the Dogwood Trails & Gardens Opening Celebration! Come out and help us cut the ribbon and celebrate the opening of the Dogwood Trails as we welcome another blooming East TN Spring! Gibbs Drive (from the Broadway entrance to Stanton Drive) will be full of entertainment for the entire family from 5-7PM. Don't miss: food trucks, live music, kid's activities, and more. Huge thank you to the Fountain City community and our Trails & Gardens Committee members who have worked so tirelessly to make this event happen!

 

  • Ribbon-Cutting at 5:30PM

  • Music: Fountain City Ramblers

  • Treats & Coffee: Wrenhouse Bakery & Cultivate Coffee

  • Food Trucks: Top Bun & Uncle Mike's Cafe

  • Flowers & Plants: Flourish Flower Truck & Plant Curators

  • Kid's Activities: Fountain City Library

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! 

BLOOM WATCH

13 TRAILS

90+ MILES

67 YEAR HISTORY

DOGWOOD TRAILS

DA TRAILS

2023 FEATURED TRAILS: 
NORTH KNOXVILLE

North Hills

This charming historical neighborhood is abundant with dogwood trees and a wonderful mix of unique classic homes. As a Level 1 Arboretum, a great diversity of trees is exhibited.

Fountain City

This historic neighborhood boasts charming Craftsman style homes and cottages amid prolific flowering dogwoods.

Halls/Timberline

Mature native dogwoods fill the woodland areas and mix newly planted trees with an eye to the future on this blooming trail. 

There are Dogwood Trails in all four corners of Knoxville! 

Choose from the list below to start your Springtime Adventure

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Download a copy of the 2023 Open Gardens & Camera Sites Guide! 
Want us to mail you a copy? Click HERE.

Check out these additional Open Gardens & Camera Sites (off Dogwood Trails)
Fourth & Gill/Broadway Corridor, Downtown, South, Outside of Knoxville

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

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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 14,500 new dogwoods in 14 years.

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BIKES & BLOOMS

Experience the Dogwood trails the lean, green way – on a bicycle by way of
an organized ride.

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DOGWOOD TRAILS, OPEN GARDENS & CAMERA SITES
APRIL 1-30, 2023 

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 15-16, 2023

Select properties with distinguished and remarkable gardens open their grounds
to the public for one weekend only.

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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. 

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