Bays Mountain constructing easier path to iconic Fire Tower to celebrate 50th anniversary

The best present that a hiker or biker could get was announced Monday as officials at Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium in Kingsport celebrate the beauty spot’s 50th anniversary this year.

A 3.5 mile north ridge trail is under construction that park experts have labeled easy to intermediate. It’s the first new route sculpted in the park in over a decade and has created an easy path to one of the most-sought scenes in the Tri-Cities—the Fire Tower peak.

Donations from Woody Reeves and the Visit Kingsport organization have contributed to the cost of the trail that is scheduled to open this fall.

(IMAGE: Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium, Kingsport)