Struggling in the shadow of civilization

Walking along mile after mile of hiking trail, it is quiet. Eerily quiet. The only sounds stem from the occasional breezes and the gnats or other bugs buzzing close to your ear. The twilight hours of a Tuesday afternoon offer up a little bit of wildlife. A bug here. A fish or two there. The multiple species of turtles in aquariums next to stuffed Ivory-billed woodpeckers and passenger pigeons in the visitor center.

The lack of sound is relaxing. It is calming. After a day of class from eight in the morning almost until 3:25, the idea of escaping to a nature center, to an oasis, is quite nice to the average Knoxville resident. 

The North Cove Trail, leading out from the front door of the visitor center, is the first stop for the average traveler or visitor to Ijams Nature Center and Wildlife Reserve. From here, the artery-like highway system of trails and loops and connectors interweave within the dense forests across the 275-acre wildlife sanctuary and nature area. Trails head uphill, downhill, through natural tunnels of trees and across wooden bridges, connecting all parts of the park. The little trails that leak off of the main trail give access to spots on the Tennessee River, while also providing cool shortcuts or detours for the curious hiker. 

The colors are vibrant all over the place. There are the vivid reds of berries on a tree branch, the purples, yellows and a flurry of other colors in the flowerbeds by the greenhouse, the former Ijams-family homesite, the blue from the sky peeking through the cracks of the brown and green canopy and under layers of the trees in what appears to be an untouched environment. Sure, the occasional wooden plank tied down by a metal bar latched into the ground isn't natural, but one can turn the other cheek and chalk that up to safety precautions. 

Within a mile of walking, the shaded forests open up to a boardwalk, just downstream from the beginnings of the Tennessee River. The views are just simply gorgeous and the quiet atmosphere continues to impress a first-time visitor like myself. There a serene tranquility to this area and little human traffic or human distractions whatsoever. A lone paddler glides across the water and a person walking her dog or a fellow classmate trying to grasp the importance and beauty of this place makes for a great setting.

And then a speedboat zooms down the river. 

It is almost startling. The sound from the boat cruising towards downtown Knoxville, along with the succeeding waves heading toward the coastline, puts a lot into perspective. As much as the average person wants to get away from the crazy, hectic life of a city like Knoxville, going just five or ten minutes out of the way does not fully present the feeling of isolation and serenity.  

If the speedboat does not do it, then it is the airplane flying high above the Tennessee River, landing at nearby Island Home Airport or over at McGhee-Tyson Airport, just 10 to 20 miles to the south. If it's not that, then it's the industrial facility right next door to the edge of the park. If it's not that, then it's the power lines that cut through the eastern end of the park, adding an odd feel to this area.

The nature center is a great idea and a great attraction for those that want to take a step out of downtown Knoxville and enjoy some serene peacefulness. It is a nice place, don't get me wrong. And it is certainly off the beaten path--driving across the train tracks and through the run-down residential areas of South Knoxville is required to reach this hidden destination.


One of the only things regarding Ijams is that it plays little brother almost to the huge--and isolated--Great Smoky Mountains National Park, about 40 miles south of Knoxville city center. Where Ijams deals with power lines and speedboats, the national park makes up for with authentic peacefulness in the mountains, where little or no outside forces affect the atmosphere.

Ijams is still a solid attraction that the immediate Knoxville area can call their own. It is certainly a lot closer to downtown and it provides a more close-up, personal view of area plants and wildlife and historic sites than GSMNP provides. No need to deal with the tourists in the Smokies or the long drive it takes to get there. Despite its little flaws, Ijams is a great destination to spend a few hours and simply relax.