Johnson City, Tenn (WJHL) – For hikers, part of a hike is the drive out to a trailhead, but for this hike, adventurers will be staying in Johnson City.
Sitting at 725 acres, Buffalo Mountain City Park offers easy to strenuous hikes that will make even some of the most experienced hikers stop and catch their breath.
One of those hikes is up to the Tip-Top, which runs around for miles round trip. However, to get to the top, hikers will have to take multiple trails, so it’s important to bring a park map and study your route before you start.
While making the trek up to Tip-Top, hikers need to also be prepared for a very strenuous hike.
Uphill almost the whole way, this hike offers a great outside workout in the heart of Johnson City that will take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours.
Along the trail to the Tip-Top, hikers will come across all sorts of plant life. Connie Deegan, the Naturalist with Buffalo Mountain City Park, explains what you could possibly expect to see.
During the last 100 yards to the final destination, hikers will have to be careful. There is a lot of poison ivy in this portion and, despite efforts to cut it back, it continues to grow into the trail.
If you do get poison ivy on your skin, it is advised that you wash that section with soap and water within 4 hours of being exposed.
Once you reach the end of the Tip-Top trail, you’ll notice there are picnic benches, making it the perfect spot to sit and have lunch after a long hike up.
