Close Best Natural Wonders in the Knoxville Area
Knoxville, Tennessee, is a beautiful city with thousands of acres of parks, nature areas, and open spaces. For people who love spending time outside in the fresh air, they can do it in this part of Tennessee. Check out these best natural wonders in the Knoxville area.
Mayor Bob Leonard Park
Mayor Bob Leonard Park has something for every sports lover in the area. With 10 different playing fields, including a sand volleyball court and a lighted playground, everyone can have some fun at this local park. All but one of the fields even has lights so the games can continue into the evening. At the heart of this park is the beautiful wetlands area with a lighted trail winding through it, a boardwalk, and an observation deck. It also features four paved greenway trails looping through different sections.
Norris Dam State Park
Visit Norris Dam State Park if you want to walk along the Norris Lake shoreline, hike some of the many trails, or get out on the water in a kayak or canoe. This state park has two camping areas for overnight stays, a swimming pool, and several sports fields. The multi-use trails connect to the Norris Watershed Trail System, and you can also easily access the River Bluff Wild Area from this state park.
In the spring, park rangers lead guided spring wildflower hikes, and both Norris Lake and the Clinch River offer great fishing. Anglers can catch anything from brown and rainbow trout to striped bass and largemouth bass.
Ijames Nature Center
It doesn’t take long to discover why people love Ijams Nature Center so much. The 315-acre nature center features hiking, biking, paddling, and climbing for visitors of all ages and abilities. Ijams is a wildlife sanctuary with environmental education programs, guided trail walks, and paddle programs.
You can also visit Ijams for a unique canopy adventure at the tree-based adventure park. This includes zip lines, bridges, nets, and even tunnels to explore while safely strapped into the necessary equipment. Some of the other things you can see during a visit to Ijames is the Keyhole at Historic Ross Marble and Jo’s Grove.
Mead’s Quarry Park
Mead’s Quarry Park offers visitors a look into the quarrying of East Tennessee where workers used to quarry for the pink marble used locally and around the country, You can even see some of the marble in the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.
The park features several multi-use trails for both hikers and bikers who are up for the challenge. Those who head up on the trails will be rewarded with beautiful views and will get to explore historic cemeteries, rock bridges, and gorges. There are several scenic overlooks along with an Interpretive Plaza and a lake observation deck.
There are several natural wonders to visit in the Knoxville area. Ross Marble Quarry is now listed on the National Register for Historic Places, and visitors who head to the Rock Bridge get to see some extraordinary views.
“Ijams Knoxville TN 6959” via Flickr by bobistraveling. Used with permission via CC BY 2.0 / cropped from original