It’s no secret that Roane County has incredible waterways for recreation and tourism. Because of this, Roane was just announced as one of five communities in the region (only 2 in Tennessee) chosen for the Tennessee RiverLine Pilot Program!
What is the Tennessee RiverLine?
The Tennessee RiverLine is a vision for a continuous, multimodal system of trail experiences along the Tennessee River from its formation in Knoxville, TN, to its confluence with the Ohio River in Paducah, KY.
Complementing the numerous river access initiatives already established or underway along the river’s reach, the Tennessee RiverLine seeks to…
Celebrate the beauty, diversity, and history of the Tennessee River Valley
Connect the people and communities of the valley to each other, to our river heritage, and to the Tennessee River landscape
Catalyze new investments, economic opportunity, social health, and ecological stewardship
Roane County certainly believes in this mission and is a great fit for the program.
With more than 43 miles of the Tennessee River flowing through our county, our government understands the importance of using this asset to our advantage. Roane County has made river accessibility a priority in recent years with various projects providing numerous canoe/kayak launches, docks, bridges to connect to hiking, etc.
The Tennessee River is also instrumental for tourism in Roane. Many visitors choose to stay on the banks of the Tennessee River at Riley Creek Campground or venture out to Thief Neck Island which is the River’s largest island boasting 750 acres of wildlife, camping, kayaking and many more recreation opportunities.
If ever there was a beautiful, diverse and historic section of the Tennessee River, it’s right here in Roane!
The rich river history of Kingston’s steam boat companies, Fort Southwest Point and Rockwood’s ironworks all work together to paint a beautiful picture of our legacy and our landscape.
As this post goes live, several additional projects are in the works that will allow Roane County to seek economic opportunity through new investments, and it’s our belief that the Tennessee RiverLine Program will help to connect those dots.
Roane County Grant Administrator Jamie Kinard was instrumental in completing the pilot program application. Like us, she’s very excited about the possibilities this partnership can bring to Roane County. Jamie says, “I believe Roane County was named a TN RiverLine Pilot Community for its shared vision and belief in connecting communities by utilizing its natural resources, sharing its rich history and celebrating its unique culture. Roane County has a lot to offer and is honored to be selected!”
To learn more, visit www.tnriverline.org.
