Welcome to Jonesborough Parks and Recreation! Our department is committed to enhancing the quality of life in Tennessee’s oldest town by providing safe, accessible parks and a wide range of recreational opportunities for all ages. From ballfields, playgrounds, and scenic trails to community events, athletic leagues, and year-round programs, we strive to create spaces that inspire wellness, connection, and adventure. Whether you’re looking to stay active, explore nature, or enjoy time with family and friends, Jonesborough Parks and Recreation has something for everyone.
Contact
| Chris Kudera | Parks and Recreation Director | 423.753.1030 |
| Matt Townsend | Maintenance Supervisor | 423.791.3732 |
Chris Kudera
Parks and Recreation Director
Town of Jonesborough, TennesseeOur mission is to enhance the quality of life by ensuring diverse recreational opportunities for citizens of all ages and providing the highest quality staff, services, facilities, parks and programs possible.
The Recreation Department responsibilities cover a number of areas within the Town’s services and facilities offered for use to its residents. Those include: parks, open spaces and trails, athletics, seasonal special events, and Wetland Water Park.
The Jonesborough Recreation Advisory Committee is made up of eleven (11) members including: the Jonesborough Mayor, the Washington County Mayor or designee, one Alderman from the Jonesborough Board of Aldermen, the president of the Jonesborough Little League Association, the president of the Persimmon Ridge Soccer Association, and six (6) additional at-large members. The Recreation Advisory Committee meets monthly, every fourth Thursday of each month at 6 pm.
Matt Townsend
Maintenance Supervisor
Town of Jonesborough, Tennessee
William Russell
Parks and Recreation Maintenance
Town of Jonesborough, TennesseeJonesborough Parks, Trails, & Open Spaces
All Jonesborough parks are available to the general public on a first come first serve basis, however, we do provide the option for rentals.
Depot Street Park
Depot Street Park located at 400 Depot Street offers a basketball court, pavilion, restrooms and playground for children ages 5-12 years. This is a perfect area for birthday parties and letting the children play within a fenced area.
Golden Oak Park
Golden Oak Park located at 277 Goldenrod Drive. Located just north of Persimmon Ridge Park and includes a walking trail (a portion of the Lost State Scenic Walkway), playground equipment for children ages 2-12 years, pavilion and restrooms. The pavilion can accommodate up to 45 people and is available for birthdays and special events.
Mill Spring Park
Mill Spring Park located at 111 Fox Street includes a portion of the Lost State Scenic Walkway, restrooms (open year round) and a gazebo available for public use and rentals. Those interested in renting the park for a special occasion can call the Visitors Center at 423.753.1012.
Persimmon Ridge Park
Persimmon Ridge Park located at 1523 Persimmon Ridge Road is a 130 acre park that features biking and hiking trails, a portion of the Lost State Scenic Walkway, ball fields, playground for children of all ages, basketball court and a family friendly Water Park. An 18 hole Disc Golf Course is now open and is a popular feature of the park.
Landscaped/Green Spaces
Landscaped/Green Spaces throughout town have been designated as sustainable landscaped areas. The Parks and Recreation Department has been designated with the task of implementing these landscape projects and maintaining them. These areas include: medians on 11-E, Veterans Park, Downtown Washington County Courthouse parking lot, Stage Road Park, Wetlands Water Park and McKinney Center. Plans are to continue the design and implementation of landscape areas in order to improve the appearance of green spaces and improve the quality of life in Jonesborough. The department is also responsible for the maintenance of the planters throughout downtown as well as the seasonal decorations.
Barkley Creek Park
615 W Main Street
The park was donated by Ben Parrish and Rebecca Isbell with the intent to develop the property into a larger park, including soccer fields. Plans changed due to the presence of wetlands areas, resulting in creating more of a passive park that makes a connection from Persimmon Ridge Road to downtown via the development of the Lost State Scenic Walkway. The pond is 50% owned by the Town and 50% by the residents of the adjacent houses. The park is dawn to dusk. We ask all patrons to please respect the private property and stay on the public side of the pond. We also ask to catch and release all fish.
Tiger Park
Tiger Park is Jonesborough’s most versatile recreation space, offering a wide variety of amenities for families, athletes, and outdoor enthusiasts. The park features four playgrounds, eight pickleball courts, a baseball field, softball field, multi-purpose field, and a dedicated football field. Visitors can also enjoy a rubberized walking track and a network of walking trails that wind throughout the park.
Due to its shared-use agreement with Washington County Schools, Tiger Park is closed to the public during school hours but is fully open for community use after school, evenings, and weekends. Whether you’re looking to play, practice, or simply enjoy the outdoors, Tiger Park provides a vibrant space for year-round recreation.
Stage Road Park
Stage Road Park located at 188 Stage Road is a three and a half acre park that includes a portion of the Lost State Scenic Walkway, tennis/pickleball court, pavilion that can accommodate up to 35 people, restrooms and playground for children ages 2-12 years. The pavilion is available for birthdays and special events.
Jimmy Neil Smith Park
Jimmy Neil Smith Park, named in honor of International Storytelling Center founder and President Emeritus, is located at 111 W. College Street, just behind the Storytelling Center in downtown. The park is extensively landscaped and includes walking trails and lends the perfect location in the heart of downtown for enjoying nature. The park is available for rental for events by calling the International Storytelling Center at 423.913.8234.
The Storybook Trail
The three-acre park recently underwent an extensive relandscaping and rejuvenation campaign. The paved walking trails throughout include a special path, Storybook Trail, that promotes childhood literacy, family bonding, and gentle exercise. Semi-permanent placards that line the trail tell a story from a children’s book. The placards are changed several times a year to feature new text and illustrations.
Funding for the Storybook Trail was provided by local Jonesborough residents, Harold and Dr. Nancy Dishner. The park also features a Little Free Library that contains books for visitors to take home and enjoy.
Friends of Jimmy Neil Smith Park campaign provides support for the upkeep of the park and fund new placards for the Storybook Trail.
The book on display in the park currently is The Pig Who Went Home on Sunday, written by Donald Davis and illustrated by Jennifer Mazzucco. The presentation of the book is made possible by Jonesborough locals Darrell and Susan Fowler.
If you would like to support the efforts and upkeep of the park by becoming a Friend of Jimmy Neil Smith Park with a tax deductible gift, please visit https://www.storytellingcenter.net/friend-of-the-jimmy-neil-smith-park/.
Veterans Park
Located at 117 Boone Street and adjacent to the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center, Veterans Park was constructed to honor Washington County Military Veterans who have served in the United States Military from 1776 through the current date.
Vines Farm Park
Located in Vines Farm Subdivision, this park offers scenic views, walking trail and green space.
Wetlands Water Park
Wetlands Water Park is located within Persimmon Ridge Park. Wetlands is opens around Memorial Day through the end of September offering fun for the whole family! Enjoy the water slides, lazy river, zero depth wading area, water bubblers and much more! Wetlands also offers a full service café and sand volleyball court. The Water Park is also available for birthday parties and private parties. For more information, visit www.wetlandsjonesborough.com
Season passes and private rentals are purchased exclusively online through RecDesk. More information can be found at www.wetlandsjonesborough.com.
W.C. Rowe Park
W.C. Rowe Park is adjacent to the Chuckey Depot Museum and features a walking trail connecting downtown to the Lost State Scenic Highway.
The Lost State Scenic Walkway
The Lost State Scenic Walkway spans approximately 3 miles of trail that begins in downtown Jonesborough at Mill Spring Park and ends at Golden Oak Park within the Meadows and Mill Creek subdivisions. The multi-use trail, perfect for walking, biking or running, is moderately hilly in some areas and provides a scenic view of the many facets of Jonesborough. Plans are underway to extend the walkway east along East Main Street, from First Baptist Church to Jonesborough Elementary and Middle Schools.
Lincoln Park
Located directly behind the Jonesborough Senior Center, Lincoln Park is a welcoming community greenspace that serves both daily senior center programs and the wider public. The park features raised garden beds that support the Senior Center’s meal programs, along with a playground, picnic shelter, and open grassy areas for relaxation and play.
Visitors can enjoy a variety of recreational amenities, including a pickleball court, bocce ball court, and horseshoe pits. Lincoln Park is open to everyone, and its courts and pavilion are available to rent for gatherings, programs, and special events.
Jonesborough Athletics
Though a small community with a relatively small recreation staff, Jonesborough has been able to create many recreation and leisure service opportunities for children and adults by combining efforts with community organizations to achieve common goals. Some of the athletic programming is listed below and currently all take place at Persimmon Ridge Park.
Jonesborough Little League Association
In 1979 the Board of Mayor and Aldermen entered into an agreement with the Jonesborough Baseball and Softball Association to undertake a comprehensive baseball/softball program for youth. The town built new ball facilities and provided staff for mowing, etc. This partnership has continued for thirty + years. Additional ballfield facilities have been developed and there are a large number of Washington County youth involved in Jonesborough’s program. The Association finds coaches and umpires, provides equipment, develops sponsors, and establishes the schedule under the oversight of Recreation staff.
Jonesborough prepares fields and undertakes on-going maintenance and improvements with facilities. This relationship is stronger than ever, and the Little League President is a member of the Jonesborough Recreation Advisory Board. The Town of Jonesborough also has an agreement with the Little League Association for use of the Town’s concession stand at the ballfields. Signups for 2019 season are complete.
Jonesborough Youth Soccer Association
The Recreation Department has an agreement with the Persimmon Ridge Youth Soccer Association similar to the Little League Association (Baseball & Softball Association). Over 500 youth participate in a soccer program in which the Association provides equipment, coaches, referees, etc. and the Recreation Department provides facilities and the on-going care of fields. The Town also has a concession agreement with the Soccer Association in an effort to help them generate revenue to support the program.
Teams are grouped according to age: 4 – 5 years, 6 – 7 years, 8 – 9 years, 10 – 12 years and 13 – 15 years old. For additional information call 423.791.3732. Practices begin in September.
Adult Co-Ed Softball
Softball programming for adults 18 years and up is offered every summer at Persimmon Ridge Park. Teams are COED and follow USSSA rules. Registration begins in May and the season runs from July to August.
Recreation Advisory Committee
The Recreation Commission was established in 1976 by ordinance, and in 1996 the BMA amended the body to be the Jonesborough Recreation Advisory Committee (JRAC). The Jonesborough Recreation Advisory Committee is made up of eleven (11) members including: the Jonesborough Mayor, the Washington County Mayor or designee, one Alderman from the Jonesborough Board of Aldermen, the president of the Jonesborough Little League Association, the president of the Persimmon Ridge Soccer Association, and six (6) additional at-large members. Terms for the Recreation Advisory Committee were not formally determined in the 1996 restructuring; however, traditionally members have served five (5) terms as established in the enabling ordinance for the Recreation Commission in 1976. The Recreation Advisory Committee meets monthly, every fourth Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm. All policies and procedures related to the operation of the Jonesborough Parks and Recreation Department are reviewed by the JRAC and recommendations are provided to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for adoption. The Town Board has authorized the Jonesborough Recreation Advisory Committee to establish and administer the Jonesborough Parks and Recreation Fund. Through procedures approved by the Town Recorder, the Recreation Advisory Board raises money to support recreational activities and they determine how the funds raised are spent. These funds are not part of the Recreation Department’s normal operating budget. The Recreation Advisory Committee adopts the five year work plan for the Department including Mission Statement and Goals & Objectives. The JRAC initiates annual reviews of the Mission Statement, the 5-year Plan and the BMA’s Two-Year Work Plan.
5 Year Term
4th Thursday each month
6 pm at Visitors Center
| Jimmy Rhein | |
| Mark Merriman | Chairman |
| Dr. Jason Davis | |
| Adam Dickson | Alderman |
| Carla Weems | |
| Bryan Barnett | |
| David Barnette | |
| Lori Rosenoff | |
| Chris Kudera | Parks and Recreation Director |
