TVA Public Lands Offer Much More Than Single “Day” of Activities to Celebrate National Trails Day

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Valley Authority is a proud participant in National Trails Day on Saturday, June 6, but the number of things to see and do on public lands and waters in the Tennessee Valley are far too many to limit to a single day.

With activities ranging from canoe trips to children’s fishing clinics to trail walks, TVA has an array of outdoors events planned across the Valley from Friday, June 5, through Saturday, June 27.

Each explores the natural wonders of specific locations as well as the broader vistas of more than 150 miles of trails maintained by TVA.

To find the time and location of the events nearest you, simply go to the special website at http://www.tva.com/river/recreation/trailsday.htm and click on any map icon.  Activities for each event are described and contact information for TVA organizers are listed.

Those participating are urged to come prepared with water, snacks, insect repellent, sun protection, gloves, closed-toed shoes and long pants when appropriate. Safety always comes first, so life vests are required for any water-based activities and helmets are needed for biking events.

The variety of outdoor activities planned for National Trails Day  ̶ hiking, biking, canoeing, fishing, wildlife education and resource management  ̶  also offer great opportunities to participate in TVA’s summer-themed photo contest. See link for details.

TVA and volunteers maintain an extensive trail network as part of 293,000 acres of protected public lands. Most are convenient and easy to trek, ranging from a third of a mile path at Watts Bar to a 22-mile trail at Tellico.  Maps and information about every TVA trail can be found at http://www.tva.gov/river/recreation/dispersed/trail-table.

National Trails Day, a registered trademark of the American Hiking Society, is a nationally recognized trail awareness program that inspires the public to discover, learn about and celebrate trails while participating in outdoor activities, clinics and trail stewardship projects.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power distributors serving 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.