It’s hard to say which is more beautiful, a sunrise or sunset in Anderson County. There is just something special about seeing the sun over top of the mountains and lakes in East Tennessee. With so many great places to catch the beautiful sight, we’ve compiled a list to make it easy for you. Check out our top 5 places to watch a sunrise or sunset in Anderson County –

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Windrock Park Overlook aka “Top of Windrock” – The overlook tops our list and for good reason. It is absolutely worthy of a visit to watch the sun rise or set. You can reach the overlook by atv (rentals are available) or in your 4×4 vehicle. Not only will you witness a magical sunrise or sunset,  but on a clear day from 3,100 feet, you can even see Mt. LeConte and downtown Knoxville. (Directions – from the General Store you go approx 3 miles up P1 to G2. Follow G2 approx 2 more miles to G9. Turn left on G9 and go 1/2 mile to overlook.

Trip Idea: Make it a weekend trip- stay in a cabin or yurt at Windrock Park and rent a side by side for the day. There are over 350 miles of off-road trails to explore

Norris Dam Overlook – The scenic overlook at Norris Dam provides a gorgeous view of Norris Lake, the Clinch River and the 265 foot high dam.Plan your visit around a sunrise or sunset and you’ll witness the beautiful sight of crystal blue water shimmering under the golden sun. It’s hard to top that view!

Trip idea: Plan to watch the sunrise and then hike on one of Norris Dam State Park’s fifteen different trails. You can meander along the beautiful Clinch River or if you want to get that heart pumping, you can choose a more difficult trail and climb high into the hills. There are some great places to picnic along the way, so pack a lunch and make a day of it. The park has two campgrounds and a variety of cabins, so you can even make a weekend out of it and explore all that the park has to offer.

Melton Hill Lake Marina – Melton Hill Lake is beautiful any time of the day, but if you want that picture perfect moment we highly recommend going at sunrise or in time for a sunset. One of our favorite places to catch a sunset along Melton Hill Lake is at Calhoun’s.Sit on the outside patio, enjoy a glass of wine and soak in the views of the river and a sunset. In other words…the perfect evening! The marina is also a favorite place for runners. With 5.6 miles of paved greenway along the waterfront, it’s a great place to catch a sunrise and get your sweat on!

Norris Lake – Whether you’re on a boat or land, it’s hard to top a Norris Lake sunset. There are hundreds of secluded coves where you’ll get a private viewing of the beautiful sun setting over the clear blue water. Don’t own a boat? That’s ok. Both Sequoyah Marina and Stardust Marina offer rentals. The marinas also provide two of the best outdoor dining areas on Norris Lake. Good food and beautiful views on Norris Lake is pretty hard to beat.

For all you fishermen out there, did you know there’s over 56 species of fish on Norris Lake? Not only will you catch a beautiful sunrise, but you  may even get the catch of a lifetime!