The best kept secret in the Smokies, as far as my boys and I are concerned. Don’t be intimidated. The Wye in Townsend is just a swimming spot in the mountains. It is very easy to find. All of Knoxville should take advantage of having this beautiful destination at our fingertips. It feels like a vacation, but you can return to your own bed at night. We just drive straight down Alcoa Highway, past the airport, past Maryville, and through Townsend, following the signs to the National Park. 50 minutes after leaving downtown Knoxville, the Wye will be on the left-side of the road. There is a parking lot right in front of it. You just pull up, park, gather your gear and head down to the river for the most relaxing and free day of fun.
As long as I bring the essentials, we can pass the entire day without noticing where the time went. I always bring a chair to sit in (but none for my kids, to ensure they stay in the water), a cooler with drinks, snacks, and lunch, shovels, buckets, nets, water guns, life jackets, hats, goggles, river shoes, and sometimes little tubes or rafts. My kids are in heaven up there. Much to my amazement, they can play in the river for hours and hours without bickering once. They skip rocks, dig rocks, paint faces with wet rocks, catch minnows, swim, build pools, and everything else children can do with water and rocks, as I sit there in a trance. No alcohol needed. In fact, a drink would probably put me to sleep.
The temperature is dreamy. The cool mountain water streaming past keeps the temperature on the beach just perfect. During the June heat wave, we beat the 100+ degree heat with an escape to the Wye. It was so cool by the river that we didn’t even break a sweat.
Several times this summer I have taken the boys to the Little River BBQ restaurant in Townsend afterwards (because I avoid cooking on stay-cations, as much as possible). There is a big screened-in porch out back that overlooks the river. Being from Memphis, I can attest that the BBQ is suprisingly good. The kids were pleased to get mini-corndogs from the kids menu. Plus, eating on the back porch allows the kids and parents to relax in a kid-friendly environment. Over the past two summers, we have introduced lots of friends to the Wye, and all of them have fallen in love and been amazed at how close by this little slice of heaven is to home. One little friend even thanked me for inviting him to our river party!
Swimming at the Wye is one of our favorite things to do in the Smokies in the summertime. We look forward to it all year long. My youngest son even jumped in the frigid water last November when we stopped at the river on our way to Cades Cove. I can’t imagine a better way to seize the day than soaking up the innocence and happiness of my children in such a beautiful setting. So pack your car and get on your way!
