The Tennessee Department of Transportation has recently installed signs for a new “top secret” 465-mile, self-guided driving trail that stops in Oak Ridge.
The brown signs were erected to direct visitors and curious local travelers along this important tourism route, a state press release said. They lead travelers to picturesque views in the Upper Cumberland and the “inside scoop on the state’s biggest secret.”
The Top Secret trail has 111 stops within Knox, Anderson, Campbell, Overton, Fentress, Morgan, Scott, Clay, Roane, and Pickett counties, giving visitors extensive history, culture, music, and cuisine experiences. The trail is part of the 16 Discover Tennessee Trails and Byways, an initiative by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, connecting Tennessee’s 95 counties to encourage guests to travel “off the beaten path” and to explore treasures of the state.
“Start the trip off at the site of the 1982 World’s Fair at World’s Fair Park, home to the world-famous Sunsphere, one of the only two remaining original fair structures,” the press release said. “Travel through the Upper Cumberland region, where guests can find out why Oak Ridge is considered Tennessee’s ‘secret city,’ the smallest library in the United States in Coalfield, and Tanners Café, Sundries & Antiques, housed in a 1906 bank that still has the original vault. Learn the history and culture of the region by stopping off at Old Union Meeting House, which is one of the oldest in the country and the Museum of Scott County, the only one of its kind created and curated by high school students.
“Guests can stretch their legs by hiking, biking, and exploring the 4,000-acre Norris Dam State Park, where scenic valleys, sparkling streams, and wildflower trails can be found. Complete the trail with a visit to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, the only facility in the world of its kind dedicated to women’s basketball. The world’s largest basketball, weighing 10 tons, anchors the building where multimedia presentations, artifacts, and photos can be found.”
In addition to the well-marked trail route, travelers can also access information via TDTD’s comprehensive trail website at www.TnTrailsandByways.com and with trail brochures available at all Tennessee Welcome Centers.
For more information on the Top Secret trail, contact Katy Brown at katy@oakridgevisitor.com.
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