Our Favorite Things To Do At Ijams Nature Center With The Family

HIKING, PADDLING, PLAYGROUNDS, BIKING

Ijams Nature Center, a 315 acre park in South Knoxville, is an excellent destination for a little nature time in this busy world. Remarkable not only because of its beautiful scenery but also because it is located just 10 minutes from downtown’s crowded Gay Street and hopping Market Square.

Part of Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness, Ijams offers all kinds of outdoor activities for all ages and a chance for everyone to unplug for a minute. Spend an hour, spend a day with kids young, old, or both-- you won’t be disappointed. Best of all, it is free to visit Ijams (but do consider dropping a donation at the Visitor Center), so go explore the great outdoors!

Why We Like It

CONVENIENT LOCATION

Ijams makes it easy to get outside and unwind a little bit in nature. Close to downtown, the Nature Center is not a super long drive for most people in the Knoxville area.

THERE’S PLENTY TO DO

You can find toddler-friendly as well as more challenging hiking trails, mountain biking trails, a quarry lake to paddle, a greenway, a fantastic kids nature playscape, a huge lawn for blanket picnics, and a river dock for canoe launches.

There is even a ropes course for the thrill seekers (that is privately run and costs money). Whatever outdoor activity you feel like doing, you can probably do it at Ijams.

Ijams has a full calendar of family-friendly events as well, from “Owl Prowls” to movie nights on the lawn. It is a great resource when you have bored kids and you are out of ideas!

IT’S THE GREAT OUTDOORS!

We all know getting your kids (and you) outside for a couple of hours is good for health and wellness. You don’t have to be an expert hiker or a whitewater kayaker to get outside at Ijams; they make it easy for anyone to try an activity like hiking, biking, or paddling.

Our family will often go to simply spend an hour exploring nature looking for frogs and turtles while getting some much needed time unplugged. It puts everyone in a better mood.

YOU CAN BRING YOUR DOG

As long as you keep your dog on a leash and they are up to date on rabies, feel free to bring Fido along to enjoy the fun.

THERE IS GREAT FOOD AND DRINKS NEARBY TO ROUND OUT YOUR DAY

South Knoxville is an up and coming food destination, with inexpensive restaurants and breweries popping up all over and most are very family-friendly. Read our blog “Where to eat near Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness” for our favorite destinations.

Location

Ijams is in South Knoxville, off of Island Home Avenue, about 10 minutes from downtown and 20 minutes from West Town Mall. Most people are probably coming from I-40 so I will give directions from there.

Take the James White Parkway exit from I-40 and stay on it over the river. Exit onto Sevier Ave/ Hillwood Ave and turn left onto Anita Avenue, which turns into Hillwood Avenue. You will see a sign for Ijams Nature Center as you come off of James White Pkwy.

Stay on Anita/ Hillwood Ave until it ends, then turn right onto Island Home Avenue. Stay on Island Home Avenue for about 1.5 miles until you see the sign for Ijams Nature Center on your left. The main parking area for the Wildlife Sanctuary is here, but if it is packed, overflow parking is on your right, just across the street from the entrance sign.

If you want to go to Ijams Quarries, then keep going on Island Home Avenue past the sign for Ijams Nature Center and you will see the parking area by Mead’s Quarry on your right in about 3/10 of a mile. I explain the difference between the two sections below so keep reading.

Getting Your Bearings

Ijams Nature Center is split into two main sections by Island Home Avenue which runs through the middle of it. One section is the Wildlife Sanctuary, centered around the Visitor Center and the old Ijams Family Homesite on the river side of Island Home Avenue. Ijams Quarries is the other section and includes Mead’s and Ross Marble Quarries on the inland side of Island Home Avenue.

There are different parking areas and different activities in each section:

• The Wildlife Sanctuary has the Visitor Center, the old Ijams Family Homesite, the Will Skelton Greenway, the Navitat Ropes Course, the kids playscape, the canoe/kayak launch on the river, and easier hiking trails good for families with smaller children.

• Ijams Quarries has boat rentals for Mead’s Quarry, mountain biking trails, and more challenging hiking trails.

*Tip: Buy a trail map from the Visitor Center-- it is well worth the $1. Or download the map to your phone before you leave the house.

Lingo Note- Many locals refer to the Visitor Center or the Wildlife Sanctuary as Ijams Nature Center and the quarries as just that, the quarries, or as Mead’s Quarry. That’s because for years, Ijams was just the Wildlife Sanctuary and the quarries were owned separately. The Ijams family donated their family home and land to the city as a park way back in the 1960s and it became incorporated as Ijams Nature Center in 1976. After the quarries were abandoned in the 1970s, they eventually became the property of Knox County who gave it Ijams to manage in the 2000s. Nowadays, Ijams Nature Center includes both parts- the quarries and the Wildlife Sanctuary but you will find that people still think of them as distinct entities.

Our Favorite Things To Do At The Wildlife Sanctuary

Visitor Center

Start at the Visitor Center. It is a small but neat place where you’ll find a few animal exhibits, visitor information, a gift shop featuring artisan crafts, greenway bike rentals (for adults only), nice restrooms, water fountains, and snacks for sale.

The animal exhibits feature common animals from the area. Shellene the snapping turtle is always a kid favorite - you’ll be humming Jolene all day after reading the sign by her tank.

Just outside the Visitor Center, you will find 2 bird enclosures for a red-tailed- hawk and a turkey vulture, plus a large frog pond. We could easily spend our whole time at the frog pond when the kids were younger as they loved trying to spot the frogs and toads in the reeds. I think the amphibians were messing with them and would always “ribbit” right after they walked away from a spot.

In front of the Visitor Center is a huge lawn good for picnics and games of tag. They do have a few covered tables next to the lawn plus some seating on the back deck of the Visitor Center.

Jo’s Grove

From the large lawn in front of the Visitor Center, look for the arch made of sticks that marks the entrance to this beguilingly simple nature playscape that will entertain your kids for far longer than you thought possible. It will make you wonder why you spent so much money on fancy playground equipment when all you needed was some sticks, tree stumps, and large logs apparently.

Our Favorite Hiking Trails In The Sanctuary

Most of the trails in the Wildlife Sanctuary are fairly short (less than a mile) making them particularly good for families with little kids. Or you can link several together for a bit more of a walk. These aren’t speed hikes as you are generally looking for animals or otherwise enjoying the scenery.

* Pro Tip- Grab a scavenger hunt sheet from the Visitor Center before your hike. There are different sheets for different hunts, eg. insects or wetlands or birds.

NORTH COVE + RIVER TRAIL + TOWER TRAIL

(this loop is approx 1 mile and 30-45 minutes to walk)

This is my favorite loop in the Wildlife Sanctuary as it sees a nice variety of terrain and incorporates the fantastic River Trail with its super cool boardwalk. It is a great family hike.

Look for the North Cove trailhead behind and to the right of the Visitor Center. Take it down to the River Trail and turn right at that intersection. After a little bit, the trail becomes a boardwalk jutting out over the Tennessee River. This is hands down the best part of this loop.

Just after you get off the boardwalk, you will pass some steps and a sign that says “Geologic Fold.” Do take the time to climb up the one flight of stairs to see the waves in the rocks formed when Africa crashed into North America 230 million years ago, forming the southern Appalachian mountains.

After the geologic fold, take the stairs cut into the rock on your right to continue onto Tower Trail. This is a bit of a climb but very doable and it has great views of the river below, especially in winter. You will eventually reach the highest point in the Wildlife Sanctuary before you descend a short way back to the Visitor Center.

*Before the kids get excited about seeing a big tower at the top of the Tower Trail, I will warn you that the tower referred to is not a fire tower or something you can climb, but a small cell tower that isn’t very impressive. It is a very anti-climatic landmark for the kids.

THE LOTUS POND AND THE DISCOVERY TRAILS

(no more than 0.5 miles and 30 minutes)

Over near the Ijams Home Site, you will find a series of intertwining trails called the Discovery Trails. Depending on the loop, you can do just 0.2 miles around the Lotus Pond and back to the parking lot or you can wander around the Discovery Trails for a 0.4- 0.5 mile loop. This is a great section to head to if you have toddlers or for animal sightings around the pond.

WALK THE ENTIRE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

(about 2 miles and about 60 minutes)

No joke, you can do a loop around almost the entire Wildlife Sanctuary and still only do about 2 miles. Start at the Visitor Center and take North Cove Trail down to the river, then turn left onto the Discovery Trails and do a loop around that side of the preserve, seeing the Lotus Pond and the old Home Site. Then backtrack to the River Trail and take it to the other end of the preserve. Incorporate the fun little loop around Toll Creek before taking Tower Trail back to the Visitor Center.

Navitat Ropes Course

If you’re feeling more adventurous, check out Navitat, a two hour tree-top adventure course involving climbing, ziplines, and suspended bridges. There are 6 trails, ranging from beginner to difficult, with varying heights so even I can do it and I am fairly acrophobic.

Check their website for current hours and rates. Generally open from March to November. Book online at least 2 days ahead of time to get a discount.

Greenway Biking

If you would rather be on two wheels rather than two legs, rent a greenway bike from the Visitor Center at Ijams. (They only have adult bikes as of yet but the lady at the Visitor Center told me they are looking at renting kids bikes this summer, so keep an eye out.)

You can ride the 3.6 mile long Will Skelton Greenway from its start in Island Home Park all the way to the end in Forks of the River. Ijams is just over 1/3 the way from the start at 1.4 miles. The scenery along the greenway is marvelous as you follow the Tennessee River and it is mostly far removed from roads. The Will Skelton Greenway crosses right by the main parking area near the Visitor Center so it is a breeze to hop on.

*Pro Tip- If you have little kids, stick with the section of the Will Skelton Greenway going from Ijams out to the end in Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area. It is much less hilly than the other section of the greenway going from Ijams to Island Home Park.

Paddling On The River

The River Landing at Ijams is a free public canoe/kayak/SUP launch on the Tennessee River. You can drive down the wide gravel section of the River Trail to the River Landing and park there. The launch itself is a little ways down the River Trail from the parking area but not too far for most people to carry their board or kayak.

*** The River Landing is closed currently for flood damage. No word yet on when it will reopen. You can use the free launch at nearby Suttree Landing in the meantime.

Our Favorite Things To Do At Ijams Quarries

Our Favorite Hiking Trails At The Quarries

THARP TRACE

(1.1 miles long, 30 min, steep)

Hike up to the overlook on top of the cliffs at the far side of Mead’s Quarry from the parking lot. Tharp Trace is not a great hike for little kids as it is steep and the overlooks at the top aren’t all that reinforced. But if you have older kids, you can get some wonderful views from the top, especially in the cooler months when the haze is gone. You can even see Mt. LeConte if you are lucky.

You can hike either way from the parking lot; clockwise is a more gradual incline while counter-clockwise gets you to the top faster but steeper.

*Be sure to stop in at the small cemetery on the way back down to the parking lot (or up depending on your direction). There is a sign with a photograph of the Johnson family whose members are buried here and an interesting tidbit about Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey Johnson who were buried head to head as they were divorced in life.

IMERY’S TRAIL

(1 mile long, 20-30 minutes, moderate)

A rocky path that leads through the heart of this section of Ijams, this trail is mostly useful as it connects to the other interesting trails. But it does have one cool overlook at about 0.75 miles that makes you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere. You can admire the mountain bike trails running down the super steep slope on the other side of the overlook.

KEYHOLE AT ROSS MARBLE LOOP

(0.25 mile loop, easy)

The coolest thing to see at Ijams Quarries is the huge “keyhole” in the giant blocks of Tennessee Marble in this old quarry. The keyhole is actually formed by the rock bridge overhead that the workers built out of unneeded stone so they could get from one side of the quarry to the other. This is definitely worth the short hike out to it and one of our kids’ favorite things to do.

Make sure to go thru the keyhole and explore around the other side because there is a hidden spring in the rocks of the far side of the quarry. Good for all natural AC in the summer. Also, from the bottom you can really admire what is known as “God’s Chair,” the cutouts in the side of the quarry that look like huge steps to me but apparently a chair to others.

To get to the keyhole, take Imery’s Trail about 0.4 miles then look for the signs to the right for the Ross Marble Loop and the “Rock Bridge.”

HAYWORTH HOLLOW

(o.1 miles, easy, moderate elevation change)

Most people that aren’t biking just explore Ijams Quarries far enough to see the keyhole and then are done. I like to keep walking another 0.1 miles down Imery’s Trail to see Hayworth Hollow, a beautiful and often quiet place surrounded by greenery and tall rock walls. If you happen to find yourselves completely alone here, you can easily imagine it miles from civilization.

Mountain Biking In The Quarry Area

Most of the trails in the Ijams Quarries area were built by the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club as multi-use trails and you will probably see a few bikers during your visit.

If you have never biked before, I would say head to nearby Baker Creek Preserve (also part of the Urban Wilderness) as it has a great beginner trail and the trails at Ijams can be a little rocky. But if you have biked a few times or are pretty adventurous and in shape, then Ijams Quarries can be lot of fun.

I don’t love Imery’s Trail on a bike as it is pretty rocky which I find difficult to pedal uphill on, but I do love coming down Flow Trail. This is probably my favorite trail in Ijams Quarries. Ross Marble Trail and Burnett Ridge are a part of the South Loop Trail that connects most of the parks in the Urban Wilderness and they are nice singletracks.

River Sports Outfitters rents a few adult mountain bikes at their kiosk by Mead’s Quarry when they are open, generally spring- fall, Mon-Fri: 2pm-7pm |Sat: 10am-7pm | Sun: Noon-6pm. Hardtail mountain bikes are $25/2 hours, $35/4 hours or $50/day.

Paddling At Mead’s Quarry

This is what many people come to Ijams Quarries to do- kick back on a paddleboard or kayak and wile away an hour on a hot afternoon in the cool, clear waters of Mead’s Quarry. And they are on the right track, the quarry is a fantastic way to spend time. You might even get to see the tiny, non-stinging, freshwater jellyfish if the temperatures are right!

Paddling is easily our kids activity of choice at Ijams, although they mostly just take their paddleboard out to the middle of the lake and jump on and off for the duration of the hour rental. But they are outside and not on an electronic device, so I can’t really complain.

I would definitely go for the SUPs over the canoes or kayaks. If you have never paddleboarded before, then no fear. Most everyone gets the hang of it pretty quickly, especially on Mead’s Quarry since it has no current or waves (unless it is super windy). You get too hot in the canoes and kayaks and most people get a little bored after an hour in them as the lake isn’t all that big.

River Sports Outfitters rents SUPS, kayaks, and canoes at their seasonal kiosk right by Mead’s Quarry. Everything rents for $12/hour and there is often a one hour limit due to demand. Especially on a summer Sunday afternoon, there can be a 2 hour wait for paddleboards. So put your name down first, then go for your hike or bike ride. The kiosk is open spring- fall, Mon-Fri: 2pm-7pm |Sat: 10am-7pm | Sun: Noon-6pm.

* Tip- You cannot bring private boats to Mead’s Quarry, only rentals from River Sports. I believe this is to keep it from getting too busy on the lake, although it is a controversial rule. If you want to explore a quarry lake with your own boat, then head over to nearby Fort Dickerson which is also part of the Urban Wilderness.

Ijams Nature Center is a large and fabulous place for the whole family to spend a day convening with nature. Whether you are into hiking, biking, or paddling, Ijams provides a great opportunity to try something new or enjoy an old favorite in a beautiful and easily accessible park only minutes from downtown Knoxville. Since the 1960s, Ijams has been a favorite of Knoxvillians and with its recent expansions, it looks to be well on its way to another 40 years of fun in nature!

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