Take Virtual Hikes on Local Trails with Google Trekker

City of Knoxville Press Release:

April 22, 2015
Knoxville - Looking for a new route to jog, stroll or ride your bicycle in Knoxville or Knox County? You can now take 360-degree virtual tours of 137 miles of local greenways, park trails and multi-use paths, thanks to Google Trekker Street View imagery.

Last fall, a team of partners led by the Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission used a Google Trekker backpack camera to photograph trails and attractions throughout Knox County. The available interactive imagery includes many City and County parks, bicycle trails in the Urban Wilderness Corridor, the Knoxville Zoo and the inside of Neyland Stadium on the University of Tennessee campus.

Like other Street View imagery, the photos collected through the Trekker program can be viewed on Google Maps (maps.google.com) or the Google Maps app. Some links to local destinations are also highlighted on the Visit Knoxville website, at www.visitknoxville.com/trekker.

"Not only do the Google Trekker images provide an opportunity to showcase this area's outdoor beauty," said Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett, "they also make it easier for local residents to discover - or rediscover - the outstanding recreational options available to them right here in Knox County."

Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero said, "This is also a great way to reach out to visitors and show off some of our beautiful natural attractions. Now people can really see what we mean when we talk about the Urban Wilderness Corridor and our miles of local hiking and biking opportunities."

Visit Knoxville President Kim Bumpas adds, "This really is an exciting tourism initiative that features Knoxville experiences in real time for our community and visitors. We will all benefit from the Trekker and learn more about Knoxville's vast array of experiences."

Twenty-six people carried the 43-pound Google Trekker camera between mid-September and late November of last year, covering 75 different locations across Knox County.

"From Neyland Stadium to Ijams Nature Center, Knoxville is full of incredible destinations. Now, these places are available for everyone around the world to see, and be inspired to visit in person," said Deanna Yick, Google Maps Street View Program Manager. "Loaning our Trekker equipment to the Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission was the best way create a virtual experience of such a beautiful place."