Baker Creek Play Forest
An adventure playground within Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness
Aimed at increasing physical activity among middle-school aged youth, the Baker Creek Play Forest features large structures for climbing, sliding, swinging, and socializing tucked underneath towering trees. Connected by trail to the adjacent Baker Creek Preserve and South Doyle Middle School, the Play Forest creates a unique activity center amid the many different locations and trails in the Urban Wilderness.
Entrance: 3700 Lancaster Drive
Park Size: 100 acres
Natural Trails: 7.1 miles
Type: single track and double track
Difficulty: easy to advanced
Features: kid-friendly, playground, mountain biking, hiking, trail running, leashed dogs, restrooms
Directions: Take I-40 to the James White Parkway across the river. Take the Moody Ave exit (last exit) and turn left onto Sevierville Pike. Go 0.5 miles and turn right onto Lancaster Dr. and the parking area will be on the left adjacent to the church building.
Parking and Trailhead: Baker Creek Preserve
The Adventure Play Area includes natural and interactive features that accommodate kids of all ages. Among these fun features are a giant hanging bamboo chime for kids to run through and make music, log rounds for balancing, a miniature climbing wall, slides, and a climbing play net. Beautiful landscaping and natural seating areas made of logs and stone make a great place for parents to watch kids and for families to enjoy together.
The asphalt mini bicycle pump track was built to introduce children – and their families – to the sport of mountain biking. The addition of a kids loop trail within a few hundreds yards of a world-class double-black diamond downhill trail, and seven additional trails of varying degrees of difficulty in between, makes Baker Creek a unique place to learn outdoor recreation skills from the very beginning. The design of this trail system works to advance mountain bikers through a progression of trails and skills.
The Play Forest features large structures for climbing, sliding, swinging and socializing. The play space was designed specifically to encourage increased physical activity among middle school aged children and is easily accessible to South Knoxville students, their families and the surrounding neighborhoods. Trails connect the Play Forest to Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness giving kids the chance to progress through different levels of challenge.
Trail Map
