Encompassing more than 2,200 acres, picturesque Steele Creek Park is Tennessee’s third largest municipal park.

The park, which opened to the public on June 6, 1964, has long been one of the region’s most popular outdoor destinations. It includes a 52-acre lake, which attracts thousands of boaters and anglers each year, and is also a popular spot for paddle boating, available for rental on the lake.

Hikers, runners, and bikers descend on Steele Creek Park throughout the year, taking advantage of the more than 24 miles of trails that make up the knob system. Twenty trails range in difficulty from moderate to difficult and span the park, past the dam to Rooster Front Park.

The park also includes a two-story, 5,000 square foot educational Nature Center, which showcases the natural history and beauty of the Southern Appalachians. It houses live animals and educational displays about the natural works inside the park, and around the center, there is a wildflower garden and bird-viewing area.

The Steele Creek Golf Course is attached to the park. It encompasses 65 acres and features a nine-hole, 2,779-yard course that is considered to be challenging, as well as a 300-foot driving range, practice green, and chipping area.

Two of the park’s most popular attractions – especially for children – are the Splash Pad and the Steele Creek Express, a 24-gauge replica of a real steam engine that gives rides to more than 18,000 kids every year.

Steele Creek Park also houses an 18-hole disc golf course, playgrounds with swing sets, a horseshoe pit, a large multi-use field with soccer goals, a lodge with a kitchen and party room, rental shelters, and picnic tables.