Step into Knoxville’s wild past on The Gunslingers, a 1.5-hour walking tour that uncovers the city’s violent shootouts and notorious outlaws. Each route reveals fresh stories framed by historic downtown streets.
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Difficulty
easy
Duration
1.5 hours
Fitness Level
Suitable for all fitness levels; minimal exertion required.
Wildlife
History
Knoxville’s violent episodes once rivaled those of the Old West, with multiple infamous shootouts and family feuds shaping the city's early identity.
Conservation
Knoxville Walking Tours emphasizes responsible tourism by encouraging visitors to respect historic sites and minimize impact on the urban environment.
Knoxville Walking Tours
Step into Knoxville’s wild past on The Gunslingers, a 1.5-hour walking tour that uncovers the city’s violent shootouts and notorious outlaws. Each route reveals fresh stories framed by historic downtown streets.
Knoxville Walking Tours offers guided, on-foot experiences that explore the city’s history, culture, and hidden stories. Operating in Knoxville, Tennessee, the company leads themed tours across downtown, the Old City, and other notable neighborhoods. Guides present a mix of historical facts, local lore, literary connections, and ghost stories drawn from documented events and well-known local figures.
Tours vary in length and focus: several experiences run approximately 1.5 hours (90 minutes), while select walks extend to two hours for deeper historical context. Popular itineraries include literary-focused walks highlighting authors such as Cormac McCarthy and Nikki Giovanni, ghost tours that cover historic hotels and haunted streets, Civil War–era walks that include vantage points like the Sunsphere observation deck, and neighborhood tours of sites such as the First Presbyterian Graveyard, Blount Mansion Gardens, and the Old Courthouse.
Knoxville Walking Tours also offers specialized themes including Black history, music history, suffrage and women’s history, cemetery walks, criminal-history narratives, and botanical explorations. The Literary Heritage Tour can be tailored to emphasize particular writers or works when requested. All descriptions are grounded in the documented history and local records referenced during each walk.
Visitors should review individual tour summaries and select the experience that best matches interests in history, literature, the supernatural, or local culture. Tours are conducted on foot and navigate historic streets and public sites throughout Knoxville.
Tours Offered
13
Guided walks across Knoxville
Typical Length
1.5 hours
Most tours last 90 minutes
Location
Knoxville, Tennessee
Historic downtown and Old City routes
Themes Covered
History & Ghosts
Literary, Civil War, Black history
Choose a themed walk — history, ghosts, literature, or local culture — and secure a spot on an upcoming departure.
Wear sturdy walking shoes
The urban route covers paved and uneven sidewalks; comfortable footwear ensures a smooth walk.
Bring water
Though the tour is relatively short, staying hydrated is important, especially in summer months.
Arrive early
Tours start promptly; arriving 10 minutes beforehand secures your spot and gives time to settle in.
Prepare for limited seating
The tour is a walking experience with standing talks; bring a lightweight folding chair if needed.
Comfortable walking shoes
Essential for navigating city streets and uneven sidewalks during the tour.
Water bottle
Helps keep you hydrated, especially in warm months.
summer
Light rain jacket
Useful for sudden spring showers that can occur during the walk.
spring
Warm layers
Keeps you comfortable during cooler autumn temperatures.
fall