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Outdoors South Knoxville

Ijams Nature Center

An outdoor spot in South Knoxville, free to visit and worth about 2 hours. Best time to go: Morning.

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Ijams Nature Center in South Knoxville
Photo: Brian Stansberry (photographer) · CC BY 3.0 · license

Why go

Urban forest with river bluffs and a turquoise quarry lake.

It is one of 8 curated places we feature in Knoxville, alongside 4 sights, 2 places to eat and 1 place for a drink. The closest of our other picks is Tennessee Theatre, 2.9 mi away as the crow flies.

Type
Outdoors · Nature
Neighborhood
South Knoxville
Price
Free
Time needed
2 hr
Best time
Morning

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Knoxville, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Tennessee Theatre

    Restored 1928 movie palace with a Mighty Wurlitzer organ.

    Sight · 2.9 mi straight-line
  2. 2
    Yassin's Falafel House

    Beloved downtown falafel shop run by a Syrian refugee family.

    Food · 3.0 mi straight-line
  3. 3
    Pretentious Beer Co.

    Old City brewery and glassblowing studio pouring beer in its own glassware.

    Drinks · 3.0 mi straight-line
  4. 4
    Market Square

    Pedestrian square with restaurants, patios and a Saturday farmers market.

    Sight · 3.0 mi straight-line
  5. 5
    J.C. Holdway

    Chef Joseph Lenn's wood-fired Southern cooking downtown.

    Food · 3.1 mi straight-line
  6. 6
    World's Fair Park & Sunsphere

    1982 World's Fair grounds with the gold Sunsphere tower.

    Sight · 3.2 mi straight-line

On these curated routes

Ijams Nature Center is a stop on our Smokies Weekend route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More to do in Knoxville

Ijams Nature Center is our only outdoors pick in Knoxville; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Knoxville guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Knoxville run from 47°F in January to 89°F in August; July is usually the wettest month. For Ijams Nature Center itself, we suggest: Morning.

Modelled monthly averages for Knoxville from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Knoxville weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Ijams Nature Center, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
Coordinates
35.95646, -83.86681
Destination
Knoxville, Tennessee

Ijams Nature Center: quick answers

How much time do you need at Ijams Nature Center?

Plan on about 2 hours at Ijams Nature Center. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Ijams Nature Center?

Our pick: Morning. Insider tip: Walk to Mead's Quarry; rentals at Ijams River Rental.

Is Ijams Nature Center free?

Yes, we list Ijams Nature Center as free to visit. Check locally before you go, since special exhibits, parking or tours can carry a fee.

Where is Ijams Nature Center?

Ijams Nature Center is at 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA, in South Knoxville. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Ijams Nature Center?

Ijams Nature Center appears on Smokies Weekend, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Ijams Nature Center to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Knoxville.

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Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.