b'Choose Your Shoes:HIKING BOOTS OR WALKING TENNIESBy Sherri Gardner Howell However, they are welcome justGarden Clubs, decides to develop outside the park in Walland at theat walking trail?MARYVILLE-ALCOA-GREENWAY Look Rock Tower Trail. Townsend River Walk is one Theres no excuse for turning intoThe views are pretty incredibleoutcome.a couch potato in Blount County.for two-leggers, too. The Tuckaleechee Garden Club Even if you have no interest inLook Rock Tower Trail starts atand the City of Townsend put sports, running, biking, golfing orthe parking lot of Foothills Park- their heads together and their any physical activities of any kind,way, which opened to the publicbacks to the labor in 2004 when put your earbuds on, downloadin November 2018. the widening of Highway 321 music or a book on tape and takeLook Rock Tower Trail is justthrough Townsend made a two-a walk. beyond the small overlook on thelane road into four-lanes. There are nine miles in thefar end of the parking lot at theThis highway project resulted in Maryville-Alcoa Greenway. It con- Foothills Parkways entrance, atthe establishment of bicycle and nects Springbrook Park in Alcoathe upper end of the parking lot. hiking paths along the highway. with the Bicentennial Green- Signage will give you informa- Those paths remain a favorite with belt and Sandy Springs Park intion on the Observation Towerlocals and tourists alike, especially Maryville, starting at the swimmingand the Air Quality Monitoringfor biking.pool at Springbrook, passing thestation found on the ridge. At one turn, however, the path Alcoa schools, crossing near EdisonThe hike is .9 tenths of a mile.veered toward the main road Road, then following Pistol CreekIts uphill, but not a strenuousand away from the river. Since to Maryville. Theres a lot to see onclimb for most. At the top, there istraces of old Highway 73 were still the greenway, where you will finda 360-degree view of what makesevident in this area, the garden walk-ups to shopping, businesses,East Tennessee so incredible. Theclub and city felt this was a good fitness stations, picnic pavilions andGreat Smoky Mountains span outsite for a quiet walkway along the nature areas. The greenway offersin never-ending splendor on oneLittle River.access to four parks in Maryvilleside as the Tennessee Valley rollsThe garden club has the prima-and two in Alcoa.down to Knoxville on the other.ry responsibility of maintaining the River Walk. The Walk, popular at THE LOOK ROCK TOWER TRAIL TOWNSEND RIVER WALK only 0.3 tenths of a mile, is now Dogs are not welcome in the GreatWhat happens when a seriousalso home to a Butterfly Garden Smoky Mountains National Park.garden club that is a member ofand a Specimen Garden.the Tennessee Federation ofwww.townsendriverwalk.comwww.BlountPartnership.com 27'