River Bluff Trail
A riverside-and-ridge loop in a protected wild area below Norris Dam, known as one of the area's best spring wildflower hikes.
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- Length
- 3.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 210 ft
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Route
- loop
Trail conditions
No recent condition reports. Hiked it lately?
Report current conditions →Elevation
2.7 mi · 523 ft of climbing · high 1,229 ft · low 826 ft
Find the trailhead
Parking
Small hiking-only lot at the end of Dabney Lane off Norris Freeway (US-441), on the west side of the dam.
Directions to parkingWeather at the trailhead
71°FClear now
Sunrise 6:18 AM · Sunset 8:55 PM
- TodayOvercast80° / 58°F1% precip
- WedMainly clear87° / 61°F1% precip
- ThuThunderstorm81° / 69°F75% precip
Forecast from Open-Meteo. Mountain conditions change fast; check again before you go.
Half the loop runs flat along the Clinch River with views of the dam and its aerating weirs, while the other half climbs to follow a ridge crest on an old road grade left from the 1930s dam construction. Spring brings strong wildflower displays of bloodroot and trout lilies, concentrated near the river. It is a quiet, forested loop a short drive from Knoxville.