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Pride Journey Outdoors: Knoxville, Tennessee

Tennessee is known for having some of the most beautiful natural wonders in the country, and Knoxville is no exception. In fact, its proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains makes it a perfect place for outdoor adventure seekers.

Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness is a spectacular outdoor adventure area where you can hike, bike, climb, paddle, or just wander in the woods – all within the heart of the city. Over 50 miles of trails and greenways connect you to a beautiful nature center, pristine lakes, historic sites, dramatic quarries, adventure playgrounds, five city parks, and a 500-acre wildlife area.

The crown jewel of the Urban Wilderness is Ijams Nature Center. This wildlife sanctuary is just minutes from downtown and provides more than 300-acres of beautiful, gently sloping woodlands flowing southward from the Tennessee River. Ijams contains an array of habitats and exhibits, a museum store, miles of natural trails, the Navitat Canopy Adventure, a climbing crag, and access to a quarry lake and the river for paddling and fishing activities.

Baker Creek Preserve is another popular outdoor destination for families and adventurers located in the Urban Wilderness. A wide range of offerings includes convenient parking, a kid’s adventure play area, a kid’s bicycle pump track and loop, and easy multi-use trails. For experienced adventurers, Baker Creek offers five multi-use trails and three downhill mountain bike trails, which range in difficulty and connect to 42 miles of Urban Wilderness trails. The most advanced trail, Devil’s Racetrack, is the only double-black diamond downhill trail in the region, drawing expert riders to its intense gaps and drops.