With more than 320 acres of forests, meadows, wetlands and streams, Ijams Nature Center is a distinctive natural feature of Knoxville. It also offers more than 14 miles of natural-surface trails. If you’d rather plan a water activity than focus on trails, you can paddle on Mead’s Quarry Lake at Ijams. Trails and paddling offer two different ways to spend time outdoors. Equipment availability may change, and trail conditions can vary seasonally. Check conditions before your outing.

Nature Trails, Water and Greenways

Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness connects more than 50 miles of trails and greenways with lakes, historic sites, distinctive quarries and adventure playgrounds. The area is defined by more than the length of its trails: its varied landscape features and sites also shape this recreational area. If you’d like to consider more than trails on an outing, lakes and historic sites are just as much a part of the picture as quarries and adventure playgrounds.

The scale of Knoxville’s trail network offers another point of reference: the city currently has more than 125 miles of paved greenways and natural-surface trails. This total may change as new projects are added. The Knox/Blount Greenway is used for walking, running and cycling. These details answer different planning questions: the figure indicates the scale of the city’s offerings, while the Knox/Blount Greenway is associated with specific activities.

Art, Landmarks and Events

The Sunsphere is a landmark from the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee. The observation deck on the 4th floor offers 360-degree panoramic views of downtown Knoxville. If you plan to visit the deck, check current access conditions beforehand, as the access policy may change.

The Knoxville Museum of Art features the permanent exhibition Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in East Tennessee. The title reflects its focus: visual art in East Tennessee over a century. Admission to the museum is always free. Since admission policies can change, it’s a good idea to check them again before your visit.

Market Square combines a marketplace with a cultural events calendar. The Market Square Farmers Market offers products grown, raised and/or made by vendors within a 150-mile radius of Knoxville. Seasonal products and vendor participation may vary, so the selection isn’t the same at all times. Market Square is also a venue for outdoor concerts and Shakespeare on the Square. If you’re planning your trip around a particular event, check the dates in advance.

When choosing where to stay, you can first consider which side of Knoxville matters most to you: trails and paddling, art and local history, or a visit centered on events.

Explore more destinations: Strawberry Plains, Heiskell, Powell, Farragut.

For the main travel overview: Knox.