Norris Dam Storybook Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Lake

There are restrooms at the visitor center close to the parking area at the start of the trail.

The trail is free from most obstacles and can be linked up with other trails in the area to make a nice, easy hike.

The trail begins at the parking lot at the entrance to the East Campground area of Norris Dam State Park. From the parking lot, the trail follows the road for a short distance before crossing a power line right of way that may be slightly overgrown depending on the time of year you run this trail.

There are some views of the lake and the marina in this section since the power line right of ways are maintained to keep trees down. The trail enters the woods and there are panels that line the trail that tell the story of Oliver's Tree by Kit Chase. While the illustrated panels tell the story, they also answer questions for kids to think about as they continue on the trail.

At a quarter of a mile, the trail splits. You can choose to drop down the hill to an old boat access area where there is an old staircase that leads down to the water where you can enjoy nice views of Norris Lake. If you continue straight ahead, there are a couple of more panels before you arrive at a bench where you can rest and grab a snack if you need to.

This is the junction with the Christmas Fern Trail. From here, you can continue to enjoy the lakeshore by following the Christmas Fern Trail to the left or turn around and make your way back to your vehicle.