Wildlife Photograph

Park Connections

We hope that Ijams Nature Center will be your favorite outdoor place to visit but there is also a host of other inspiring parks, natural areas, and organizations in the region that we heartily recommend.

Legacy Parks Foundation
Ijams is a committed partner with Legacy Parks Foundation, which works to assure that our community enjoys exceptional recreational opportunities, natural beauty and open spaces, and that those assets exist for generations to come. www.legacyparks.org

Local Parks
There are more local parks, natural areas, and recreational opportunities out there than you might be aware of. Visit the City of Knoxville and Knox County Parks and Recreation websites at: www.cityofknoxville.org/recreation and http://www.knoxcounty.org/parks/index.php

Knoxville Botanical Gardens & Arboretum
Located near downtown, Knoxville, this site is the former property of the Joe N. Howell Nursery and the C.B. Howell Nursery and features distinctive stone walls and buildings
as well as an inspiring natural area within an urban setting. www.knoxarboretum.org

Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge
Located in East Knox County, Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge is Knox County's largest wildlife sanctuary at 400+ acres. The refuge features has rich biodiversity with more than 140 species of birds found at Refuge. Take a canoe trip from the boat launch around Keller Bend for unforgettable natural beauty along the French Broad River. http://www.sevenislands.org/

UT Gardens
The University of Tennessee (UT) Gardens foster appreciation, education, and stewardship of plants through horticulutural gardens, displays, collections, educational programs, and research. http://utgardens.tennessee.edu

 Big South ForkBig South Fork National River and Recreation Area
With far less visitation than the Smokies, Big South Fork makes a fabulous day trip or overnight at Charit Creek Lodge. Miles of scenic gorges, sandstone bluffs, and other natural and historic features. http://www.nps.gov/biso 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Celebrate having a national in your backyard by hiking one of the Smokies many trails or witness the annual firefly phenomena. Also, look out for HP Ijams' passenger pigeon that the Ijams family donated to the National Parks Service which is often on view at the Twin Creeks Science and Education Center. http://www.nps.gov/grsm