Twelve girls summit the overlook in the River Bluff Wilderness Area.

We had great weather for our February hike this year, with temperatures in the 60s and two new hiking areas to explore, both with great views of the city. Twelve girls, grades 4-6, and five Girls Outside Guides, including four new volunteers, explored two new park areas: The River Bluff area of the Urban Wilderness and the High Ground Park.  Along the way we saw many turtles in the ponds, watched a red-tailed hawk soaring high above, and peeked into a cave perched above the riverside trail.

Snack break at the pond

After learning the principles of “Leave No Trace” the girls were eager to pick up the trash they saw along the trail. Dubbing themselves “the Garbage Girls”, they filled three garbage bags full of litter!

A highlight of the day was hiking to the summit of the bluff, overlooking the University of Tennessee campus and cheering along with the in-progress baseball game. After hiking back to the parking area, we crossed Cherokee Trail to compare the rustic wilderness of the River Bluff to the newly landscaped High Ground Park, built to preserve Fort Higley, the Civil War site. We enjoyed the manicured path and the signs along the way, as well as the additional views of Knoxville from the top.

High Ground Park

More photos from our hike can be found in our Facebook album!