UT Arboretum 3-Mile Loop

Dogs No Dogs

Features Fall Colors · Wildlife

This loop is mostly on a gravel road which is closed to automobile traffic with a few tenths of a mile on singletrack trail.

This track starts on the gravel road near the entrance to the UT Arboretum where you turn right towards the City of Oak Ridge. The gravel road parallels Hwy 62 for about 0.5 miles before it turns up the hill leaving most of the road noise behind. The gravel road winds through a grassy area with many plantings of shrubs and trees, many of which are labeled.

Once the road passes the open air auditorium, the Heath Cove Trail heads down through a short valley area to the Valley Road. At this gravel road, turn left and start looking for the Oak Hickory Trail on the right. This trail is a singletrack portion of the trail that works its way up to the Lost Chestnut Trail. The Lost Chestnut Trail climbs up onto the top of the ridge. Once you reach the ridge, turn left on the N. Forest Loop Road.

Stay on the N. Forest Loop Road until you reach the Backwoods Trail. The Backwoods Trail continues steeply down the ridge and circles around to the S. Forest Loop Road where you once again turn left. Stay on the gravel road for 0.1 miles and turn left on the Cemetery Ridge Trail.

The Cemetery Ridge Trail climbs back up on the ridge above the Oak Ridge Memorial Park. During the winter months, you can see the cemetery and the highway down below. The trail circles around to once again connect to the S. Forest Loop Road. Continue straight on the S. Forest Loop Road and then turn left on the N. Forest Loop Road which returns you to the parking area.

Lots of varieties of trees and shrubs, many of which have been identified and labeled.