Bays Mountain Park is a 3,500 acre nature preserve that is a wonderful day trip for the entire family that’s just a short distance from Jonesborough. The Park has an excellent Nature Center that includes a Herpitarium, natural history exhibits, and a spectacular Planetarium Theater. Another great feature of Bays Mountain Park are the Nature Programs that are based on the animal enclosures that include a pack of grey wolves, white tail deer, bobcats, river otters and raccoons. Also, the kids love the snake program in the Herpitarium, and the birds of pray in the Raptor Center. There is plenty of native wildlife within the park as well, like deer, wild turkey and grouse, waterfowl, and even beavers.
If you have children less than 16 years of age, you may want to take them fishing in Bays Mountain Park’s 44 acre lake. The lake is full of Blue Gill, Bass and Catfish.
After you spend the morning and early afternoon at Bays Mountain, it’s great to return to Jonesborough to take advantage of the half-price afternoon discount at Wetlands Water Park.
Directions from Main Street, downtown Jonesborough - turn left on Boone Street – pass Visitor Center and Town Hall to traffic signal at US-11E. Go straight through signal - road becomes SR-354 and travel approximately 6 miles to I-26. Go up entrance ramp to the left onto I-26 going northwest towards Kingsport. Continue on I-26 to Kingsport and take Exit 3 (Meadow View Parkway). At end of exit ramp, turn left at traffic signal onto what becomes Reservoir Road. Continue on Reservoir Road for three (3) miles, and turn right onto Bays Mountain Park Road. Keep to the left at fork in road for the Park entrance.
To return to Jonesborough - Come out of Park entrance on Bays Mountain Park Road, turning left onto Reservoir Road. Reservoir Road takes you back to I-26. Take I-26 entrance ramp towards Johnson City. Take Exit 17 (Jonesborough and brown sign – International Storytelling Center); turn right at end of exit ramp on SR-354 which takes you back to Jonesborough.
Bays Mountain Park is open year round except New Years Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Park:
Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday: 8:30 am - 8:00 pm
Sunday: 12 noon - 8:00 pm
Nature Center:
Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday: 12:00 noon - 7:00 pm
Park:
Monday - Saturday: 8:30 am - 8:00 pm
Sunday: 12:00 noon - 8:00 pm
Nature Center:
Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday: 12:00 noon - 7:00 pm
Park:
Monday - Saturday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Nature Center:
Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Fishing Hours: Year Round
Monday - Saturday: 8:30 am - 12:00 pm
Youth Ages 12-15 must have a youth fishing license
Park Entrance Fee: $3.00 per car
Program Tickets: Nature Programs & Barge Ride: $1.50 per person
Planetarium Show: $3.00 per person - 6 & above
Free - 5 & under
Native Program - tickets are purchased at the Gift Shop inside the Nature Center. Tickets are available on the day of the program and on a first come, first serve basis (no reservations).
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