Explore A Historic Fort, Paddle, Picnic, And Hike At This Wonderful Tennessee State Park
Fort Loudoun Historic State Park, located just 37 miles south of Knoxville, offers a surprisingly fun and unique day for a family outing.
At this Tennessee State Park, you get to enjoy one of the most beautiful waterfront settings on the shores of East Tennessee’s Tellico Lake and explore a reconstructed 18th-century British fort. Quite the combo!
The kids will love the opportunity to run about the re-created walls of an actual fort and learn a bit of history along the way. Afterwards, have a picnic or rent a kayak or SUP from the park’s Visitor Center. Sounds pretty great, right?
Even better, the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum is located just next door to Fort Loudoun, so you can easily combine the two to make a full day of history and fun.
Because the sites are a bit off the beaten path, these two places tend to be uncrowded and overlooked despite being high quality attractions.
Both have all the hallmarks of places I love to visit again and again- beautiful scenery, educational exhibits that the kids actually enjoy, good picnic facilities, opportunities to hike, and even better, paddleboard. (East Tennessee in the summer can be hot!)
Our families have always enjoyed a day trip here, both kids and adults. Here’s how to spend a fantastic day at Fort Loudoun Historic State Park.
Important Notice From The Park– Due to ongoing construction, the Visitor Center is temporarily closed. Restrooms are not available in the park at this time. Kayak rentals are closed for this season due to ongoing ADA construction at the park. Park guests are still welcome to bring kayaks and put them into the water; however, they cannot drive to these points to drop off kayaks as they normally would. Check the park website for updates.
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Getting Here
Fort Loudoun Historic State Park and Sequoyah Birthplace Museum are located 37 miles from Knoxville, TN. It’s an easy day trip from Knoxville or you could even spend a few days in the area.
In addition to the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum, nearby attractions include exploring the Lost Sea Adventure (America’s largest underground lake) or driving the scenic Cherohala Skyway (rivals the Blue Ridge Parkway).
Both are located within a 35 minute drive of Fort Loudoun Historic State Park.
Fort Loudoun Historic State Park
Fort Loudoun Historic State Park is open from 8am – sunset and is free. The fort itself is located at the very end of the road, where you will find a kayak/SUP dock, a parking lot, a large picnic area, and the Visitor Center.
The Fort
The fort was originally constructed during the French and Indian War and has been thoughtfully rebuilt. Walk down a short, paved path behind the Visitor Center to get to the fort at the very tip of the island, reading the informational plaques along the way.
Explore the ramparts with their cool cannons, notice the differences between the enlisted mens’ quarters and the officers’ much nicer houses, ogle the huge bellow in the blacksmith forge, read the stamps on the barrels in the storeroom, and admire the view from the grounds just beyond the fence.
You could easily spend an hour exploring the fort and its environs.
The kids will love imagining themselves sleeping on the supremely uncomfortable- looking straw mattresses on the soldiers’ bunks, and we had a good time asking them where the soldiers kept their clothes (they kept looking for closets until we pointed out the chests on the floor).
Or you can stump the kiddos by asking how the soldiers could see at night–eventually someone will notice the candle holders on the wall.
Do walk around the outside of the fort along the lake as well. I particularly like the use of locusts trees as an outer wall around the fort, an ingenious use of an otherwise horrible plant.
And be sure to check out the two recreated Cherokee dwellings- one for winter and one for summer. Again, an ingenious adaptation to the demands of the local climate.
*Pro Tip– Check the calendar for “Garrison Days,” when reenactors re-create frontier life during the 18th century. You’ll find blacksmith and medical demonstrations, a Cherokee camp, plus they fire the cannons- always a kid favorite!
Fort Loudoun history tours are also offered throughout the year.
The Visitor Center
Stop in at the Visitor Center on your return to the parking lot and check out the small museum with its collection of artifacts. Mostly, you are stopping for the good 15 minute film about the fort’s history. (And for the AC if you are here in the summer.)
The Visitor Center/Museum is open from 8am-430pm and is free.
Restrooms are available at the Visitor Center and in the picnic area.
Rent A Kayak
SUPs and kayak rentals are conveniently located at the Visitor Center when you are ready for a refreshing break on the lake. Prices are very reasonable and they provide life jackets.
You are also welcome to bring your own kayak or SUP and use their specific kayak launch but there is not a boat ramp.
Most people just do a paddle right around the island, keeping close to shore to avoid the recreational boat traffic on the eastern side of the island.
You’ll find a long fishing pier adjacent to the picnic area but you can also fish from the banks. Don’t forget your permit if you are older than 12- buy one at just about any local gas station or hardware store.
Hiking Trails
There are a few hiking trails around the state park- Meadow Loop (2.3 miles), Ridgetop Loop (1.5 miles), and Lost Shoe Loop (0.5 miles). None are particularly strenuous and you are likely to see deer. Get a free trail map from the Visitor Center if you want to explore the trails.
Enjoy A Picnic
Fort Loudoun is a lovely place for lunch with a nice view, so I would definitely picnic if you can.
There are quite a few picnic tables near the Visitor Center at Fort Loudoun State Park, with several tables right on the banks of the lake.
You’ll find bathrooms (and some vending machines in case you forgot your food) nearby in the more wooded section of the picnic area.
If the weather is not cooperating or you just don’t like to picnic, you can always head back into the nearby town of Vonore for lunch-it is only 5 minutes away by car.
Your choices are fairly limited, however, as Vonore is a very small town.
Two good restaurant options include Mexican food at Cielito Lindo and the pizza at Pizzeria Venti, both of these places are within a few miles of the state park, on Highway 411.
If you need picnic supplies, Sloan’s is a small hardware store at the corner of State Highway 360 and Highway 411, right where you turn to get to Fort Loudoun. It has a small selection of groceries and a deli, and it also has fishing licenses if you want to take advantage of Fort Loudoun’s great fishing pier.
Sequoyah Birthplace Museum
After you’ve finished your tour of Fort Loudoun, hop in the car and drive 1 mile across the road to visit the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum (Open 9am-5pm Monday- Saturday and 12pm-5pm on Sunday.)
Admission is $5 for adults and kids under 12 are free.
The museum is operated by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee and does a nice job of explaining Sequoyah and telling his story.
The exhibits cover a lot of information, but you’ll find interactive portions that the kids will enjoy. The small size is perfect for smaller kids as well.
Tip- You might want to start your day here if you have young kids as it will require the most focused attention. It is a really neat place, and covers a small but important part of our area’s history.
It takes about an hour or less to go through the museum, depending on how in depth you read the exhibits. Afterwards, you can stroll the grounds to see some of the recreated 19th century buildings on site, such as the dog-trot cabin and the blacksmith.
Sequoyah invented the Cherokee alphabet, enabling his people to read and write in their own language, a difficult quest that took him years to accomplish, especially as he was illiterate himself.
It was a phenomenal feat and one of the few times in all of human history that a preliterate person created an effective writing system.
*Trivia Alert! The giant sequoia trees on the west coast were named in honor of Sequoyah.
Tip: Do be sure to walk to the far end of the grounds on your stroll and check out the burial mound.
When Tellico Lake was created in 1979, much of the surrounding land was inundated, including Cherokee burial sites found at the nearby archaeological site at Chota village. They were re-interred here in 1986.
The burial mound has plaques for the different clans of the Cherokee Nation and the kids were fascinated by the names- Paint Clan, Long Hair Clan, Wolf Clan, Deer Clan, Blue Clan, Bird Clan, and Wild Potato Clan.
*Pro Tip– The big amphitheater will probably be the most appealing thing on the grounds for some kids, especially of those who love to put on a show. I sat through a few “performances” before we were able to move them on from the stage.
Where To Stay
If you want to make a weekend of it, the closest and most attractive lodging is just a few minutes away at the Cherokee Outdoor Resort. This marina offers lakefront cabins for rent in 3 sizes, sleeping 6-8.
Since the marina also offers pontoon boat rentals and has a good restaurant onsite, you could easily spend most of your weekend here and have a great time.
There’s more things to do in this area like the Lost Sea Adventure and the scenic Cherohala Skyway. Our families enjoy both of these nearby stops–see details in our blogs below.
Unfortunately, you won’t find many hotels in the area, unless you head north to nearby Maryville, TN or towards Sweetwater, TN, both are about 30 minutes away by car.
There are, however, lots of vacation rentals in the area as many people have lake houses on Tellico Lake.
So find a house perfect for your family, rent a boat, bring some kayaks with you, and spend a gorgeous weekend enjoying the lake, area golf courses, and nearby hiking trails.
If you bring your own watercraft, you will find numerous public boat launches on Tellico Lake and nearby Fort Loudoun Lake.
Here are some examples of nearby vacation rentals:
Located on a Deep Water Cove on Tellico Lake This 4 BR/3 BA house is large enough to let the kids invite some friends and everyone can spend their days jumping off the beautiful dock in the backyard. Averages $265 a night.
Farmhouse on 5 Acres, Many Attractions and Destinations Nearby This 1 BR/ 1 Ba charming cottage is immaculately decorated and can sleep up to 7 with 2 pull-out sofas and an inflatable mattress. Averages $87 a night.
Allegheny Falls Mountain Escape- Maryville TN This 3 BR/ 2 BA house sleeps 7 and has a private waterfall behind the house. It is a little farther away from Fort Loudoun (about 30 min) but also closer to the shops and restaurants of downtown Maryville (about 25 min). Averages $156 a night.
I hope you enjoy your family day of fun at Fort Loudoun Historic State Park and the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum. Happy Trails!- Amanda
