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April 2024 by Brandon Moebes
Spending a few days in Knoxville for the first time and ijams was probably one of the most recommended activities. It did not disappoint. SO many trails. Very nice views of the Tennessee River and Mead Quarry Lake. Multiple places to put in boats. Some cool animal exhibits at the visitor center. People were very helpful in advising which trails to take. Definitely check it out if you're looking for an outdoor activity in the Knoxville area.
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April 2024 by Paul Damerell
Definitely worth the visit if you are in Knoxville. For me, the river boardwalk trail is a unique element. You need to hike a trail down hill to get to the boardwalk, and it's worth it. Admission is free, but there is a charge for parking ($5). There are other trails around the main office. For me, the scenery around the quarry was not as appealing, but I hear there are several trails around the quarry (which I did not walk) that are nice. There are also boat activities on the quarry, which were not in operation when I visited (late March).
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March 2024 by EM
All-time favorite hiking location near downtown Knoxville! I’ve been coming here for years, just exploring around, and continue to be amazed each time. I highly recommend going to the Nature Center to pick up a map first, as there’s so much to see. Each trail has an incredibly cool feature on it, and some trails took me years to find. Some are paved or have gravel, while others are full-on hikes. There are two locations to park at - the nature center, which has most of the shorter hikes, most with pavement or gravel, plus high ropes course (the Navitat). Or at the quarry down the road on the opposite side, which has the quarry/water, longer hikes, two hidden quarries behind the main one, mountain biking, natural rock climbing, etc. They just recently started charging for parking, but only a couple of bucks. Very dog and family friendly!
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March 2024 by I A
I’ll always hold fond memories in my heart of Ijams & how it once was—the quiet gem, a getaway right in the city.But I’m broke, y’all.I can’t be a member of every place I like—children’s museums, the zoo, the Muse, and on and on—and have a subscription to every streaming this and that, etc. With parking costs, I’ll seldom visit, if at all. Not because it’s too much money but because we have so many wonderful nature places to explore in our vicinity that are free (with our taxes we already pay) and quiet or off the beaten path, like our newest state park: Seven Islands. Also my Smokies National Park parking pass will take priority in my very limited budget that keeps getting tighter as costs go up and income remains the same.
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March 2024 by Jeff Mullins
One of best spots in Knoxville, hiking and nature at its best. Historically, the quarry was originally known as the John M. Ross Quarry and operated by the Knoxville Marble Company beginning in the early 1900s'. The operation involved drilling marble to form large blocks, prying the rocks from the rock face and lifting the blocks using derricks and cables. Rocks were transporting to the mill for cutting and polishing and later for heating in the kilns to form quicklime or calcium carbonate. Large marble blocks were transferred to rail cars and moved to the nearby Tennessee Rivervia rail spurs. Please consider liking my review/pictures and follow along on all my adventures. Jeff Mullins Photography. It's All About the Adventures!
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March 2024 by Leah Miller
I used to love coming here with my dogs to let them explore the various trails and swimming areas. Unfortunately, I cannot pay to park every single time I go--especially because our trips are usually pretty short, as my dogs tire quickly in the heat. Super disappointing to have nature taken away by fees.
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March 2024 by Joshua Landi
Was looking for a hike near knoxville so we didn't have to drive all the way down to the smokey mountains and this didn't disappoint!The attendant was superhelpful, the sights were incredible, and the trails we went on were well taken care of.
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February 2024 by Madison Taylor
We had our wedding at Ijams Nature Center and were so happy with how it turned out! We received many compliments from guests and Katie and other staff were amazing to work with and helped us plan a wonderful event.
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November 2023 by Sara O
Ijams is a wonderful space that's free to visit located right on the border of Knoxville. All I did during my visit was walk the river trail and added a few of the shorter trails on as I wandered around the grounds. There's climbing, a canopy adventure area, kayak rentals, and children's activities. If you're just passing through like I was, this is somewhere I'd highly recommend even if it's just to stretch your legs. The grounds and trails are very well maintained and bathrooms were clean.
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September 2023 by Tucker Lundquist
There are tons of trails here. You could walk around them for hours. There are a few quarries here. Nothing too big to jump off that I could see though. It is a good place for children to swim. Most people come here to walk around the park.
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September 2023 by Faith Leon
Beautiful place to visit. Nice walking along the river, seeing the boats and kayaks go buy. The wildlife all around. Love being so connected to nature. Trails are well kept. Peaceful and quiet. Very enjoyable, easy walk.
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July 2023 by Kate Wiggeringloh
Relaxing and rejuvenating public park with plenty of trails to hike and enjoy. This is an all ages family friendly space with many events and activities for all to enjoy. There are plenty of reasons why Ijams is great: educational events, movies under the stars, spring fashion show, an art gallery at the welcome center and much more. If you visit on a weekday it will be quiet and calm. If you're coming on a weekend, be prepared to be around a lot of people. Wear comfy shoes that are okay to get muddy. There is a space to refill your water bottle, so don't forget to bring one and stay hydrated :)
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June 2023 by Tim Casper
On of the best hikes of my life. Clearly lots of love and care have been continually put into this place. Incredibly clean and well maintained. I wish I lived closer!
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June 2023 by Joe Whiting
The place was nice enough, if a bit unkempt. My issue is that my wife was told - after the fact - that her own paddle board was not allowed. There was only one tiny sign saying as much. Nothing on the kiosk with the rules and pic of happy paddle boarders. We were told it was a safety issue, which is clearly BS. You can see in my pic that a giant pink thing is ok, but not a high end paddle board. Also you can see the kiosk says nothing about this. It’s clearly just a way to make money, which is fine, but they need to be far more clear. Plus, if safety was a concern, they’d be renting high end mountain bikes, too.
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June 2023 by Amber Gibbs
Stopped by for a quick visit while in Knoxville to see what the nature preserves had to offer and I was blown away by the variety of trails and how well maintained and beautiful this place is! We only did a section of the quarry loop because we were running short of time but what I saw was enough to know I will be coming here whenever I am in knoxville!
