Best Ways to Spend the Day at the Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium

Embark on an exciting adventure at the Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium. Perched on Bay Mountain in Kingsport, Tennessee, this 3550-acre recreational area features a picturesque lake, an adventure course, a state-of-the-art Planetarium Theater, and a wildlife zoo. Discover the magic of Bay Mountain with these three best ways to spend the day.

Fly High on the Adventure Course

Bays Mountain Park is home to three thrilling adventure courses, designed to excite kids of all ages. Explore a variety of stimulating features and guaranteed fun with the high and low rope courses as well as the zip line courses.

Each sequence offers its own set of challenges from The Flying Fox, a controlled fall from a 44-inch high platform, to the two-tiered, high course’s 40-foot Hawk’s Nest. Ride The Flying Squirrel, Bay Mountain’s zip line. It’s an exciting 310-foot race through trees to the landing ramp. But first, you have to scale the 28-foot rope net to get to the takeoff. How’s that for an exhilarating afternoon?

Experience the Planetarium

Stargazers are going to love Bay Mountain’s planetarium. Completely renovated in 2009, this gateway to the stars boasts upgraded surround sound and a Zeiss star projector, thanks to a $1.3 million endowment by the nonprofit Bays Mountain Park Association.

Today the star field is so realistic that visitors use binoculars to see two dozen deep-sky objects on the 40-foot dome that you can’t see with the naked eye. Immerse yourself in the breathtaking imagery as the night sky is accurately reproduced just for your viewing pleasure.

Catch a variety of rotating and exciting shows such as the main feature, “Sunstruck.” Travel back in time and watch the birth of the sun or catch a showing of the whimsical “Planetary Visions,” both playing now through Dec. 31.

Discover the Animal Habitats

Get to know some of the area’s native animals at Bays Mountain. The park invites you to explore the various ecosystems throughout the grounds, featuring a wonderful collection of residents from the favorite wolves to the playful river otters.

In 1992, a family of gray wolves joined the lineup of featured guests at Bay Mountain. They were born in captivity, yet they are not considered tame. See if you can spot an elusive bobcat; the Bobcats are well-camouflaged creatures and blend in with their surroundings.

Visit the park’s Raptor Center, home to birds of prey such as hawks, owls, and falcons. The herpetarium houses the center’s reptiles and amphibians. It also touts America’s only marsupial: opossums.

Visit the watershed exhibit in the lower level of the Nature Center building. Inside you can follow a single raindrop as it falls from the sky and eventually ends up in the Holston River. Finish up your tour with a glimpse of native fish as they go about their busy lives in the showcase’s aquarium.

Offering school programs, miles of hiking trails, and plenty of special events, there’s a little something for every adventure-seeker at Bay Mountain Park and Planetarium. Plan your visit today, and make sure to invite the whole family.

Image by Hans from Pixabay

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