KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Knox County Parks and Recreation has big plans for a quiet park in the Northwest corner of the county. The Knox County Commission approved $135,000 for the design and infrastructure planning phase of the project Monday. That includes a plan to add water and electricity to the campgrounds.
The "Melton Hill Outdoor Resort" will provide camping facilities like covered wagons, yurts, cabins, and normal places to camp with a tent. Other additions include a floating inflatable playground, kayak launches, a dock for kayaks and paddleboards, and bring a swim beach back to the park.
Joseph Mack, a Senior Director for the Knox County Parks and Recreation Department, said the money for the project in part comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, designed to help communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the first phase is budgeted for around $1.2 million and additional costs may be covered by grants in the future.
"I think one of the most underutilized parks we have in our park system is Melton Hill," Mack said. "It's also one of the most beautiful parks we have in our park system."
After construction starts in 2026, Melton Hill Park will become the only Knox County park where people can camp. However, RVs will not be part of the camping experience, due to the structure of the road to access the park.
"Once you get in the park, it's pretty spacious, but the road leading to the park is small," Mack said. "So we wanted to avoid any possible traffic incidents there."