Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Managed by National Park Service
1,268 acres0.5 mi of trail
Vee Hollow Access TrailTownsend Trail
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 2.5–Not graded
Outdoors in Townsend
Few parks or trails are on the map in Townsend
The biggest trail networks: Great Smoky Mountains National Park (0.5 mi). 0.5 miles of mapped trail cross Townsend, 0.3 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
under 1%
0 acres · of 2.0 sq mi of land
Trails
0.5 mi
0.3 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
1,522 ft
Rocky Knob
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 Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with 0.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Things to do
1 places to go in Townsend
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Peaks in Townsend
Rocky Knob1,522 ft elevation · In Great Smoky Mountains National Park
DirectionsTrails & water
2 named trails
Named trails
Vee Hollow Access Trail0.1 mi
Townsend Trail0.1 mi
History along the way
History →4 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
When to get out
The best walking months in Townsend: April to June
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) | 10.0 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 14.0 | 14.6 | 14.3 | 13.5 | 12.3 | 11.2 | 10.2 | 9.8 |
| High (°F) | 49 | 53 | 61 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 88 | 87 | 82 | 72 | 61 | 51 |
| Rain (in) | 4.8 | 4.9 | 5.2 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 4.5 | 5.1 |
October is the driest month (3.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 88 °F). 5.4 inches fall in June, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 88 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Townsend →
Questions about parks and trails in Townsend
Where can I hike in Townsend?
The longest trail networks: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 0.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Townsend’s trails?
Great Smoky Mountains National Park doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Townsend?
122,984 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Townsend or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), almost none of it inside the city line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Townsend 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 →