Ijams Nature Center
Ijams Nature Center
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
Ijams Nature Center is a 315-acre member- and visitor-supported nonprofit organization, where people of all ages can hike, bike, paddle, climb, learn, explore, or simply enjoy nature in Knoxville, TN. The grounds and trails are open every day from 8:00am until dusk. The Visitor Center, including exhibits, gift shop, offices, and restrooms are open during regular business hours. Admission to the park is free, and we gladly accept donations. Fees for programs and special events vary. Established in 1910 by the Ijams (pronounced "EYE-ams") family for bird-watchers and nature-lovers, Ijams Nature Center has been ranked one of Knoxville's top three attractions by TripAdvisor, winning their 2016 Certificate of Excellence . Your generous support is needed to continue the ongoing legacy for generations to come!
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What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
871 reviews
Excellent
627
Very good
205
Average
28
Poor
9
Terrible
2
H bug
1 contribution
Mar 2024 • Family
Great place to walk/hike! Can’t wait to pander board at the Quarry! Great place for families, and solo travelers!!!!!!
Written March 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
time travee
2 contributions
Sept 2023 • Family
we had good fun walking on the trail. it was perfect weather in september.it was our family gathering and we had so much fun.
Written January 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lilith
Knoxville, TN7 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
We were pleasantly surprised by this park. It's very unassuming. It's one of the cutest most beautiful places I've ever seen. You really must go see for yourself. It's free too so seriously u can't beat that. It's also got some live animals you can look at including a hawk, and various species of turtles*I think they're turtles*
Written November 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lovetravel2
896 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
This is awful. The trails are all grown up, no signs. You can't even tell where the trail starts or ends. The keyhole part of the park is neat. The supposed hard trace trail is not hard at all, unless you count traipsing through weeds. The staff is not friendly, they just sit and stare. The water is nothing I would swim in. There are lots of bugs, be sure to bring tons of spray. I would not recommend this. It has tendencies to be excellent, if someone gets to clearing the trails and clean it up.
Written August 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
318bks
Vinita, OK171 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Nice walk through the woods, kind a of surprising green space in a city.
A map of the trails would have been nice, but Pokemon Go came to the rescue.
A map of the trails would have been nice, but Pokemon Go came to the rescue.
Written August 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicholas M
2 contributions
May 2023 • Family
The Navitat Canopy Adventure in the Ijams Nature Center is a must do when in Knoxville. We’ve done many similar adventures around the world (I work in the travel industry) and really like this one. Great staff, safe and secure equipment, and at a beautiful location. Highly recommend!
Written May 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bhargav P
6 contributions
May 2023
Beautiful place with plenty of trails. easy to do with small kids. There is also a quarry near by where you can go swimming if it gets to hot.
Written May 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kristen M
Cumming, GA10 contributions
May 2023 • Family
Beautiful park! Animals inside to look at, play areas for the kids, beautiful boardwalk on the river. The map was a little difficult to navigate but we made it!
Written May 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Claude B
Atlanta, GA354 contributions
Mar 2023
Great place to walk to spend a few hours. Great trails in the forest and a nice boardwalk. Very well maintain and clean. A very peaceful place.
Written March 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dave S
Nashville, TN234 contributions
Feb 2023
Lots of trail length, with a nice boardwalk that runs along the river. There are also plenty of bike paths.
Written February 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rick H
Sherrills Ford, NC
Admission price?
ctrussler
Westland, MI9 contributions
Admission to the park & center is FREE. If you want to do the Adventure/Canopy course, there is a cost. We didn't do it, so don't know how much. They have a donation box near the register. I was there over Labor Day weekend. I highly recommend going there & taking the walk to the river boardwalk. It can get busy, so take a mask!
Cdsurfer
Scottsdale, AZ17 contributions
How is the cell service? I will be in town for 2 days and planned on getting Uber/Lyft to take us here but want to make sure we can request a ride back!
William D
2 contributions
Easy to use Uber or Lyft
We used Lyft to get picked up and had less then a 5 minute wait. The visitor center is a reasonable facility with a coffee shop, gifts, restrooms ect.
Are the 'beginner' canopy tours too intimidating for a just turned 7 year old? I have a 7 and 10 who are adventurous but I don't want it to be too much for them.... Thoughts?? Any younger kids who have done it?
AppalachianWanderers
Knoxville, TN348 contributions
No, 7 would be fine for this activity.
wanetaboots
Greensburg21 contributions
Can a handicap person us a scooter
mtngirldesigns
1 contribution
I believe there is at least one paved trail. Most are dirt or covered in wood chips. You could definitely use the scooter inside the nature center, and there is handicapped parking available. I would call Ijams to be sure,
okbroncosfan30
Crawfordsville, IN
Is it free? Are the trails kid friendly?
Carrie M
Knoxville, TN24 contributions
Yes and yes. Bring bug spray. It is a very wooded area near water and depending on the time of year, can be buggy.
katerob30
mount pleasant, MI
Do we have to be out of the park by 5pm?
macdaddydan40
Knoxville, TN17 contributions
Technically, in the Fall and Winter the park closes at 5. You might be able to hang out longer but it’s not really an area that I would feel safe being after dark. Don’t get me wrong, the Park is not high crime, but is is close to downtown and there are some nearby lower income neighborhoods where drifters and homeless tend to congregate. So, the opportunity for crime is present.
Fitisit57
Little River, SC15 contributions
Is the visitor center a nice trip without hiking
MaizeBlueVA
Fairfax, VA250 contributions
The Visitors' Center is a an interesting museum and information type of place to visit. It's not large but it is certainly worth an hour of you time to take a look things as well as the views of the Tennessee River and the surrounding woods from the deck of the Center.
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Claim your listingIjams Nature Center - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions about Ijams Nature Center
- Ijams Nature Center is open:
- Sun - Sun 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Mon - Fri 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Sat - Sat 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Hotels near Ijams Nature Center:
- (4.40 km) Hyatt Place Knoxville/Downtown
- (4.83 km) The Tennessean
- (4.58 km) The Oliver Hotel
- (4.46 km) Embassy Suites by Hilton Knoxville Downtown
- (5.07 km) Cumberland House Knoxville, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
- Restaurants near Ijams Nature Center:
- (4.39 km) Five Thirty Lounge
- (4.53 km) Yassin's Falafel House
- (4.80 km) Chesapeake's Downtown
- (4.53 km) The French Market Creperie
- (4.18 km) Calhoun's On The River