Ijams Nature Center

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.