Many of us spend our weekends outdoors exploring and making memories. Our favorite spots often require trips down the backroads to remote areas of the state for hiking or camping adventures, but this month’s featured location is a bit different. Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness is a hidden Gem of Eastern Tennessee and the best part is that it’s right in the middle of Knoxville!
Several parks attractions, Civil War sites and natural areas form Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness. It’s the perfect spot for the outdoor enthusiast who loves hiking, biking, paddling, climbing, or even zip-lining. Over 50 miles of trails and greenways weave through 500+ acres; connecting pristine lakes, historic sites, dramatic playgrounds, adventure playgrounds and five city parks. Spring and summer are the perfect time to plan your first (or next) visit to Knoxville. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or looking for a quick 48 hours away, we believe Knoxville is the perfect destination for your next Tennessee adventure! See for yourself as we cover things to do, places to stay and of course places to eat:
Steven Bearden Photography
Narrowing things down for a 48-hour trip was difficult. Seeing everything that Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness offers would require more than our allotted time, so we are highlighting some of the more popular spots. We recommend spending some time planning for your trip. You can find a ton of great maps to help at VisitKnoxville.com.
One of the most popular parks is the Ijams Nature Center. This is a wildlife sanctuary around the original Ijams family home. It includes the Ijams Quarries and over 300 acres. Dating back to the 1960s, this nature center has a rich history of promoting responsible outdoor fun and recreation. If you are into water sports then the Mead’s Quarry is a must visit! You can even rent canoes, kayaks and paddleboards at River Sports Outfitters. I
Be sure to take the paved Will Skelton Greenway along the Tennessee River to connect to the Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area. This active hunting ground allows access to over six miles of natural trails for recreational activities. We highly recommend visiting this area the first few weeks in July to see the sunflower fields. You won’t want to miss it.
Baker Creek Preserve is another popular spot to check out. It’s located just three miles from downtown Knoxville and is a great spot for families to visit. This kid friendly park has plenty of parking to go along with a kid’s adventure play area, kid’s bicycle pump track and loop and several multi-use trails.
Photo by @burkelawrencephoto
For those that love biking, Baker Creek also has five multi-use trails and three downhill mountain bike trails with varying difficulty. It connects to over 42 miles of bike trails in the Urban Wilderness. The most advanced trail is the Devil’s Racetrack and it is the only double-black diamond downhill trail in the area.
History buffs should save some time to visit the Civil War sites, including Fort Dickerson and Fort Higley/High Ground Park. Fort Dickerson is one of the most well-preserved earthen forts from the Civil war era. Union troops constructed it to protect the City of Knoxville. It was critical in the defense of the city during the Civil War battle that occurred November 13-15, 1863.
Biking at Fort Dickerson
Being right in the middle of town makes food and lodging easy for adventures. Knoxville has a wide range of places to stay to match your budget. We always enjoy staying downtown and would recommend it when visiting the Urban Wilderness. Two of our favorite places are the Cumberland House Knoxville and the Graduate Knoxville.
Cumberland House Knoxville Tapestry Collection by Hilton
When it comes to dining, we try to eat local and Knoxville’s food scene is one of our favorites. With over 90 restaurants in one square mile, you can easily find any style food you are looking for. Plan ahead though as some of the popular spots can get busy. A few of our favorites Stock & Barrel, Southern Grit, and The Brass Pearl rank in the top 12 on Yelp.
Fish and Chips from The Brass Pearl. Photo by Melissa Lushbaugh / South Made Marketing
Whatever your jam, Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness is worth a visit!! Get out there and go wander! If this post inspired you to plan a trip, don’t forget to tag us on Instagram @tristaradventures and use the tags #tristaradventures & #instagramtennessee for a chance to be featured on our page!