Laurel Run Falls. On the back side of Bay's Mountain.
Short hike. Sweet little pools and falls. Lots of shallows for playing.
The Hike. This is a great little kid, big kid, any-kind-of-kid hike. Babies can easily be toted and preschoolers can probably walk most of the way. It is not technical, or "all up" but it is muddy so wear old shoes and bring a towel or some kind of plan for your car afterwards. At the start, in the countryside just outside Church Hill, TN, you are in Laurel Run Park. This is a lovely, well-kept play park with adult-sized see saws, porch swings, and an old-school metal sliding board. There are lots of picnic tables, pavilions, and a restroom. We ate our picnic right there with our boys playing on and off in the playground. When you are ready to hike, head out the far end of the parking lot, to a grassy area and the trail proceeding beyond. There is a crazy red sign there warning people of "dangerous wild animals!" Hike on! About a mile in, you will see the falls pictured below. Two additional falls follow up the trail as you go. They are super accessible falls with plenty of places to get close and play in the water.
Directions. We got these directions from Appalachian Treks, which provides a detailed description of this hike at: http://appalachiantreks.blogspot.com/2009/03/laurel-run-park.html. Take I-26 toward Kingsport, TN to Exit 1 (Stone Drive - 11W), head west on 11W 8.5 miles until you reach Church Hill, TN. Turn left on Goshen Valley Road (Rt. 2367) go 0.8 miles and turn left on River Road. Continue 2 miles and turn left on Laurel Run Park Road and continue 1.3 miles to the park.