Gray Fossil Site
The Gray Fossil Site is an Early Pliocene assemblage of fossils dating between 4.5 and 4.9 million years old, located near the community of Gray. It lies 6 mi north of Jonesborough. Look also at Cherokee National Forest, 24 mi away.
A park & preserve, 6 mi north of Jonesborough
Jonesborough is the nearest base
Jonesborough is 6 miles south, with 6 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep and Oct
April, May, June, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 69–83°. When to go ↓
An airport 8 miles away
Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA (TRI) has airline service, about 8 miles from Gray Fossil Site.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
Picking a season
The weather near Gray Fossil Site shifts through the year, as below.
Gray Fossil Site
The Gray Fossil Site is an Early Pliocene assemblage of fossils dating between 4.5 and 4.9 million years old, located near the community of Gray in Washington County, Tennessee, USA. The site was discovered during road construction on Tennessee State Route 75 by the Tennessee Department of Transportation in May 2000, after which local officials decided to preserve the site for research and education. The site became part of East Tennessee State University, and the Gray Fossil Site & Museum was opened on the site in 2007.
The ancient habitat of the Gray Fossil Site was a pond formed within a sinkhole surrounded by a warm, wet forest. The fossils found at the site represent the ancient plants and animals that lived and died in and around the sinkhole pond.
- Type
- Park & preserve
- Wikipedia readers
- 11K a year
Where to stay near Gray Fossil Site
Close by, places to stay are in Johnson City (34) and Kingsport (27).
Johnson City
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
74,943 people
7 mi southeast of Gray Fossil Site
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Gray Fossil Site | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson City | 7 mi southeast | 10 min | 34 27 hotels · 5 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins | 74,943 | $268K | C− |
| Kingsport | 10 mi north | 15 min | 27 18 hotels · 4 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 3 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 57,530 | $234K | D |
| Jonesborough | 6 mi south | 10 min | 6 2 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 6,990 | $299K | B |
| Bristol | 20 mi northeast | 30 min | 27 9 hotels · 18 campgrounds | 28,107 | $195K | C− |
| Elizabethton | 15 mi east | 20 min | 10 2 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins · 2 RV parks | 14,350 | $173K | C |
| Unicoi | 15 mi southeast | 20 min | 7 1 motel · 2 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds | 3,861 | $244K | B+ |
| Bristol | 25 mi northeast | 35 min | 24 17 hotels · 4 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 campgrounds | 16,418 | $184K | D |
| Hampton | 20 mi east | 30 min | 9 1 inn or B&B · 3 hostels · 4 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 1,883 | $98K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Around Gray Fossil Site
Also within 69 miles are these.
Big draw45 mi MountainMount Mitchell
43 mi MountainGrandfather Mountain
36 mi Ancient siteUnited States Penitentiary68 mi Theme parkGhost Town in the Sky
43 mi MountainBlack Mountain
56 mi MountainMount Rogers50 mi Theme parkTweetsie Railroad
124 mi National forestCherokee National ForestPhoto credits
Mount Mitchell: Unknown, Public domain · Grandfather Mountain: Original uploader was KyleAndMelissa22 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · United States Penitentiary: Nyttend, Public domain · Black Mountain: iLoveMountains.org, CC BY 2.0 · Mount Rogers: USDA-FS, Public domain · Cherokee National Forest: Ryan Rice at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Your questions on Gray Fossil Site
What town is Gray Fossil Site near?
Jonesborough, TN, about 6 miles south.
When is the best time to visit Gray Fossil Site?
April, May, June, September and October, with highs of 69–83°.
What is the closest airport to Gray Fossil Site?
Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA (TRI), about 8 miles away. The nearest big hub is McGhee Tyson (TYS), about 92 miles.
Where should I stay near Gray Fossil Site?
Johnson City (7 mi, 34 places to stay), Kingsport (10 mi, 27 places to stay) and Jonesborough (6 mi, 6 places to stay).
Ask people in Jonesborough
Tips will appear here once someone posts in Jonesborough’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.