Norris Dam Hiking
Notification Alert
Notification
Campgrounds Closed for Renovations
Norris Dam State Park
The East and West Campgrounds are currently closed for renovation with an intended reopening in 2026.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
Notification
Trailhead Temporarily Closed Due to Construction
Norris Dam State Park
Due to construction associated with the campground renovation on the west side of the park, the trailhead at the Canteen Camp Store is currently inaccessible.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, and please contact the park office if you have any questions.
Hiking at Norris Dam
The park has 22 trails offering unique scenery, birding, and wildlife viewing opportunities.
Trails range in length from .5 miles to 6.5 miles and vary in degrees of difficulty, from easy to difficult. These trails traverse ridge tops, valleys, hollows and the lakeshore. Mountain biking and equestrian use is permitted on designated trails. Trail maps are available at the park office.
West Side
Trails
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Standard Cabins Area
Tennis Court Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
0.40 mi.
Difficulty
Easy
Surface
Natural
West Side: Standard Cabins Area Blazed Orange This trail provides an easy, nature-bound experience for the Standard Cabin guest to access the park's Village Green Complex of activities and information. Designated for foot traffic only.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Harmon Picnic Area
Harmon Loop Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
0.95 mi.
Difficulty
Moderate
Surface
Natural
This is a quick and quiet stroll to take when time is limited. Look closely, and one can imagine an old homestead along the trail. Views of sink holes. It is a single track designated for foot traffic only. There is also a spur leading from this trail to the Marine Railway Trail.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Mountain Biking
Marine Railway Spur
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
0.20 mi.
Difficulty
—
Surface
Natural
West Side: Harmon Picnic Area Blazed Black; This trail has some minor elevation changes and is used to connect the Marine Railway and Harmon Loop trail if you want to make your hike a little bit longer. Parking: Please do not park on road shoulders or grassy areas. Parking areas include the canteen, tennis court parking lot, and Marine Railway trailhead off HWY 441.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Mountain Biking
Marine Railway Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
4.00 mi.
Difficulty
Moderate
Surface
Natural
West Side: Harmon Picnic Area Blazed Black This trail is accessible from the cabins area on Village Green Road at 1,360 feet elevation and drops down to the lake at 1,040 feet elevation through oak-hickory forest, an open area along a power line and the lakeshore. This trail is the park’s most diverse trail. Parking: Please do not park on road shoulders or grassy areas. Parking areas include the canteen, tennis court parking lot, and Marine Railway trailhead off HWY 441.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Mountain Biking
East Side Trails
Historic Cabins Area
Storybook Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
0.40 mi.
Difficulty
Easy
Surface
Natural
East Side: Historic Cabins Area Blazed White. The trailhead is located right next to the dam itself. The trail splits, forming a loop. Read a rotating story on the panels marked along the trail. The lower section offers a small fishing area.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
storybook
Christmas Fern Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
0.50 mi.
Difficulty
Difficult
Surface
Natural
East Side: Historic Cabins Area Blazed Purple. Along this path down the hill, you can see a huge variety of species in a short distance. Christmas ferns cover the forest floors, and there's a canopy of Umbrella Magnolia. Also, find random patches of delicious raspberries when in season.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
CCC Access Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
0.60 mi.
Difficulty
Moderate
Surface
Natural
East Side: Historic Cabins Area Blazed Gold. Go back in time while hike this trail and follow the steps once taken by the CCC. This trail leads to the CCC camp once occupied by CCC Camp 494. Take in the history of the foundational structures while reading the interpretive panels within the camp.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Mountain Biking
Tall Timbers Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
0.40 mi.
Difficulty
Easy
Surface
Natural
East Side: Historic Cabins Area Blazed Red. This is part of the CCC trail system and are a series of linear trails that are connected and run between the dam and Historic Cabin #10. Winter months offer views of Norris Lake.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Lake View Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
6.55 mi.
Difficulty
Difficult
Surface
Natural
East Side: Historic Cabins Area Blazed Yellow. This trail provides scenic views of the lake, places to rest and eat lunch, and a variety of plants and other historic features. This trail will take you directly to Backcountry Campsites 1 and 2.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Mountain Biking
PawPaw Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
0.70 mi.
Difficulty
Difficult
Surface
Natural
East Side: Historic Cabins Area Blazed Green. Take in the scenery of pawpaw trees, along with others, as you hike. This trail offers distant views of the lake when it connects with the Lake View trail. This trail offers a great connector between the High Point and Lake View trails and can be utilized with the Homestead Trail to make a loop.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Mountain Biking
Homestead Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
1.00 mi.
Difficulty
Difficult
Surface
Natural
East Side: Historic Cabins Area Blazed Green. See if you can find the areas where you think a homestead would have once resided. This trail offers a great connector between the High Point and Lake View trails and can be utilized with the PawPaw trail to make a loop.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Mountain Biking
Highpoint Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
2.45 mi.
Difficulty
Difficult
Surface
Natural
East Side: Historic Cabins Area Blazed Orange. This trail follows the undefined boundary between the City of Norris Watershed and Norris Dam State Park. It runs parallel to the contour of the lakeshore.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Mountain Biking
Highway 441 Area
Camp Sam Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
1.50 mi.
Difficulty
Difficult
Surface
Natural
East Side: Highway 441 Area Blazed Blue. This trail is easy to enter and explore the CCC Camp. If you wish to complete the trail in its entirety, the backside becomes rather difficult as you steeply traverse up to the first junction and kiosk on High Point Trail at this trail's highest point. 0.4 miles to a CCC Camp that once stood in this hollow from 1933-1942.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Mountain Biking
Shelter 1 Area
Holly Grove Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
1.00 mi.
Difficulty
Moderate
Surface
Natural
East Side: Shelter 1 Area Blazed Pink. This is one of the park's newest trails and offers a great hike or bike ride to take in views of the Norris Dam. Parking: Please do not park on road shoulders or grassy areas. Parking areas include the Tea Room Parking lot, Horse Trailer Parking lot, Shelters 1 and 2 parking lots, and TVA Visitor Center parking lot.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Mountain Biking
Neighboring Trails
Norris Watershed
Clear Creek Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
1.40 mi.
Difficulty
Easy
Surface
—
Neighboring Trails
This trail follows Clear Creek from the Rice Grist Mill to the water treatment plant. During Spring, several varieties of wildflowers are found.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
TVA
TVA Songbird Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
2.00 mi.
Difficulty
Easy
Surface
Natural
This trail is paved with crushed, packed, limestone gravel making it a great trail and is also a birder's paradise. Over 180 species of birds have been observed throughout the year. Along the trail are various tree orchards and several different species of birds. For walking or running use only.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Mountain Biking
TVA River Bluff Trail
Norris Dam State Park
Distance
2.70 mi.
Difficulty
Difficult
Surface
Natural
This trail also follows Clinch River and then up the hillside to the ridge top. Approximately 30 different species of wildflowers are found on the lower sections during the season.
Open
Allowed
Hiking
Mountain Biking
Trail Definitions
Discover More at Norris Dam
Visit the Gift Shops
Norris Dam State Park has two gift shops.
-
Grist Mill Gift Shop
The Grist Mill Gift Shop is the perfect place to pick up a map, learn about the park, or find a souvenir. You’ll find an assortment of apparel and keepsakes to remember your trip to the park.
Address:
Lower Clear Creek Rd, Norris TN, 37828Hours:
Seasonal -
Park Headquarters Gift Shop
The Park Headquarters Gift Shop is the perfect place to pick up a map, learn about the park, or find a souvenir. You’ll find an assortment of apparel and keepsakes to remember your trip to the park.
Address:
125 Village Green Circle, Rocky Top TN, 37769Hours:
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Happenings
No events are scheduled at this time, but there's always more to explore.
