Ijams Nature Center, Knoxville

4.8

#1 of 23 in Parks in Knoxville

Wildlife Area · Hidden Gem · Nature / Park

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Ijams Nature Center is a nonprofit, 315-acre educational nature center for all ages, abilities and walks of life. Ijams’ mission is to encourage stewardship of the natural world by providing an urban greenspace for people to learn about and enjoy the outdoors through engaging experiences.

Located three miles from downtown Knoxville, Tenn., Ijams features 12 miles of hiking and mixed-use trails, a public access river dock, swimming, boating, biking and more. The center offers hundreds of educational programs annually, from school field trips and off-site programs to on-site outdoor and classroom education programs that focus on topics from birding and wildflowers to yoga hikes, cooking classes and art programs.

During the warmer months, Ijams partners with River Sports Outfitters to provide kayak, SUP and canoe rentals on Mead's Quarry lake and the Tennessee River. Ijams also partners with Navitat Knoxville, which provides the Ijams Canopy Experience, a fun, tree-based adventure featuring six trails of varying difficulty that boast ziplines, bridges, nets, tunnels and more.

More than half of Ijams Nature Center's funding comes from donations and memberships from individuals, families, foundations and businesses. Please help Ijams continue to educate and inspire people of all ages to protect the earth now and for future generations.

The Ijams grounds and trails are open every day from 8 a.m. until dusk. The Visitor Center is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit Ijams.org or call 865-577-4717.

To visit Ijams Nature Center on your trip to Knoxville, use our Knoxville online holiday planner.
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Ijams Nature Center reviews

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TripAdvisor traveler rating

863 reviews

Google

4.8

By DaveS996

Lots of trail length, with a nice boardwalk that runs along the river. There are also plenty of bike paths.

Lots of trail length, with a nice boardwalk that runs along the river. There are also plenty of bike paths. more »
By 01SeasonedTraveler

Smiling employees, decently marked trails of varying difficulty and length...well maintained and a great hike.

Smiling employees, decently marked trails of varying difficulty and length...well maintained and a great hike. more »

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Google

By Amy Justine

I love my visit to this site! There is so much to see and do at this location. There’s no way I think anyone could hike it all in one day. Is you like to hike and be in nature, this is a great place to do it. The only reason I am not giving this place 5 stars is because of how hard it is to navigate around the center and on the hiking trails. All the different trails are not clearly marked, and it can get easy to get turned around. I definitely recommend buying a guide map for $1 in the visitor’s center and keeping it with you, because even the map can be a little confusing. As long as you keep your wits and have a good sense of direction you’ll be fine. It’s well worth the visit!

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By Amber Turner

Very nice place for a nature hike. They have added so much to this place over the years it's amazing. Tons of trails. Amazing play structures. Kayak rental, treetop rope course, and so much more. Beautiful views, if you are a nature lover or looking to teach your kids more about the great outdoors it's a wonderful place to visit. Very helpful staff also and if you are just looking to hike it's free but they do accept donations to help run the place. They also have a nice little gift shop here.

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