Slagle Hollow
Managed by City of Bristol
1,336 acres16 mi of trail
Slagle Hollow TrailLake Ridge TrailSouth Ridge TrailNorth Ridge Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: AppalachianCentrist · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Bristol
Bristol has 2,513 acres of parks, 91 for every 1,000 residents
38 miles of mapped trail cross Bristol, 1.1 per square mile of land. 12% of Bristol’s land is conserved, about 2,450 acres. The biggest trail networks: Slagle Hollow (16 mi), Trinkle Hollow (6.6 mi), Whitetop Creek Park (1.5 mi).
Ahead of 87% of U.S. towns · #2 of 177 in Tennessee. What drives it
Conserved land
12%
2,450 acres · of 32.7 sq mi of land
Trails
38 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,513 ac
91 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
57%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
2.9 mi
0.4 mi lanes · 2.5 mi paths
Highest peak
1,936 ft
Beaver Creek Knobs
Lakes & rivers
4
1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Bristol?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Bristol have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Bristol is ahead of 87% of U.S. towns, #2 of 177 in Tennessee. Park acres per resident hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Bristol’s overall grade.
Conserved land12% of the land · typical TN town 1% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (38 mi) · TN 0.2 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land91 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,513 acres) · TN 10 · U.S. 13AParks close to home57% of residents within a half mile of a park · TN 42% · U.S. 72%B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 87%
LessMore
Tennessee towns of 2,500+ (177)#2 of 177
Few Tennessee towns conserve much land (a typical one, 1%; the U.S., 4%), so Bristol’s 12% is ahead of 91% of Tennessee towns, while its trails per square mile lead 97% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Slagle Hollow, with 16 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Trinkle Hollow
Park
761 acres6.6 mi of trail
East Ridge TrailHickory RidgeRock Cut TrailSinks Way Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Whitetop Creek Park
Managed by City of Bristol, TN
52 acres1.5 mi of trail
Walking Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Steele Creek Park
Managed by City of Bristol
142 acres1.4 mi of trail
Mark Vance Memorial Greenway
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 12 parks & preserves
Slagle Hollow1,336 acres · 16 mi of trail · City of Bristol
DirectionsTrinkle Hollow761 acres · 6.6 mi of trail
DirectionsWhitetop Creek Park52 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · City of Bristol, TN
DirectionsSteele Creek Park142 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · City of Bristol
DirectionsRooster Front at Steele Creek Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Bristol
DirectionsCharlie Robinette Park9 acres · City of Bristol
DirectionsRotary Park5 acres
DirectionsHaynes Field park5 acres
Defriece Park5 acres
Parker Park3 acres
Anderson Park3 acres
Clay Park1 acres
Who protects it
2,450 conserved acres
12% of Bristol’s land. Who manages Bristol’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city2,245 ac
Tennessee Valley Authority205 ac
Local Park · 2,245 acNot Designated · 205 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 12 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Of Bristol Local Park | Town or city | 2,131 | Open |
| Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Not Designated | Tennessee Valley Authority | 205 | Unknown |
| Whitetop Creek Park Local Park | Town or city | 51 | Open |
| Holston View Park Local Park | Town or city | 32 | Open |
| Defriece Park Local Park | Town or city | 8 | Open |
| Charlie Rovinette Park Local Park | Town or city | 7 | Open |
| Rotary Park Local Park | Town or city | 6 | Open |
| Rooster Front Park Local Park | Town or city | 3 | Open |
| Fairmount Park Local Park | Town or city | 3 | Open |
| Anderson Park Local Park | Town or city | 3 | Open |
2 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
11 places to go in Bristol
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Bristol
5 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Bristol
1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Bristol
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Bristol
1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Peaks in Bristol
Beaver Creek Knobs1,936 ft elevation · In Slagle Hollow
DirectionsAyers Knob1,890 ft elevation
DirectionsCampgrounds in Bristol
Bristol Campground & Event Parking
DirectionsTrails & water
22 named trails and 4 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 20.9 miUnpaved · 18.1 mi
Slagle Hollow Trail2.3 mi
South Ridge Trail2.3 mi
East Ridge Trail2.1 mi
Lake Ridge Trail2.1 mi
North Ridge Trail1.6 mi
Walking Trail1.5 mi
Mark Vance Memorial Greenway1.5 mi
Carden Ridge Trail1.1 mi
Hickory Ridge0.9 mi
Cross Rdige Trail0.8 mi
12 more trails
Rock Cut Trail
0.7 miTulip Tree Trail
0.7 miHemlock Hollow trail
0.5 miSinks Way Trail
0.5 miPaw Paw Ridge Trail
0.4 miPowerline Trail
0.3 miWanda Chick Boulevard
0.3 miHigh Ridge Trail
0.3 miHemlock Hollow Trail
0.3 miJim Fern Boulevard
0.2 miManchester Place
0.1 miOverlook Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
2.9 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.4 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
2.5 mi
off-road bike paths
Mark Vance Memorial GreenwayBike route
1.5 miCourts & fields
28Tennis
7Baseball
5Softball
5Soccer
4Basketball
3Pickleball
1Beach volleyball
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →11 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Parlett HouseBuilding · listed 1983
About itParamount Theatre and Office BuildingBuilding · listed 1985
About itFirst National Bank of BristolBuilding · listed 1985
About itUS Post Office-Shelby Street StationBuilding · listed 1985
About itBristol Municipal StadiumStructure · listed 1987
About itBristol Virginia-Tennessee Slogan SignObject · listed 1988
About itEdward Washington King HouseBuilding · listed 1999
About itGammon HouseBuilding · listed 2009
About itFairmount Neighborhood Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2010
About itEast Hill CemeterySite · listed 2011
About itHolston Avenue Neighborhood Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2012
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Bristol: April to June and August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.9 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 14.1 | 14.6 | 14.4 | 13.5 | 12.4 | 11.2 | 10.2 | 9.7 |
| High (°F) | 47 | 51 | 59 | 70 | 77 | 83 | 86 | 85 | 81 | 70 | 59 | 49 |
| Rain (in) | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 4.0 |
September is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 86 °F). 4.7 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in Bristol →
Next door
Bristol and its neighbors
Bristol has the most mapped trails of the 3 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | 12% | 1.1 | 91 | 57% | A |
| Walnut Hill | under 1% | 0.5 | 11 | 32% | C |
| Bluff City | 1% | 0.5 | 5 | 45% | C |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Bristol
Where can I hike in Bristol?
The longest trail networks: Slagle Hollow, 16 miles; Trinkle Hollow, 6.6 miles; Whitetop Creek Park, 1.5 miles; Steele Creek Park, 1.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Bristol is conserved land?
12% of its land, against a typical 1% for a Tennessee town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Bristol’s trails?
Slagle Hollow and Trinkle Hollow don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Bristol?
2.9 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.4 of painted or protected lanes and 2.5 of off-road paths. Named routes: Mark Vance Memorial Greenway.
Is there public land near Bristol?
7,105 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Bristol or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,513 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Bristol have?
Ahead of 87% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #2 of 177 in Tennessee. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Bristol neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →