In your backyard, on your commute to work, at the park – birds are everywhere.  Whether you are a beginner looking for easy birds to identify or an experienced birder, there are many places to start exploring. Great half day experiences: Sharp’s Ridge Between April 10th and May 10th, your first choice should be a morning trip to Sharp’s Ridge in north Knoxville.  Sharp’s Ridge is an important migratory stopover point for migrating warblers and other songbirds.  An easily walkable one-mile long road traverses the ridge. Local birders are usually present, and most are willing to l ..read more

Knoxville’s Track and Field Club (KTC) is among the largest track clubs in America, so it’s no surprise that this is a great road running town. Races such as the Expo 10K and the Knoxville Marathon have invited thousands of people from all over the region to explore Knoxville’s roads, greenways, hilly streets, and shady paths. But there’s more to it… behind the trees, along the rivers and streams, cresting the wooded hills, are trails! In fact, you can throw a stone to more than 50 miles of trails from the bustling downtown streets. Here is a sampling of some of our favorite trails to trod les ..read more

Legacy Parks has unveiled its Oak Ridge Natural Assets Guidebook, a collaborative project created at the request of the City of Oak Ridge, Roane County and Anderson County civic and business leaders in response to recommendations from the Oak Ridge Blueprint Plan that urged the exploration of both recreational opportunities and enhancement of the area’s natural assets. “The Guidebook is intended to be a living, working document that will serve as a philosophical and practical set of guidelines for how to maximize the area’s natural assets so that they provide a sustainable foundation to engag ..read more

A comprehensive guide for outdoor activity in the East Tennessee region – the Get Out and Play! Guide is a complete directory of all parks, trails, and greenways in Knox and surrounding counties, and includes major regional parks and trails. The post Get Out and Play Guide appeared first on Outdoor Knoxville ..read more

Title: Ijams Preschool Summer Camp - July 6-10 Location: Ijams Nature Center - Knoxville Category: Hiking Date: 08 Jul 2020 - 9:00am - 08 Jul 2020 - 12:00pm Description: Ijams Nature Preschool Day Camp will focus on child-led, age-appropriate, and experiential learning for children ages 3-5. Most of the day will be spend outdoors, exploring nature and making a strong connection with the environment. Children will learn through play, discovery, and inquiry. Not only will children develop a solid foundation for lifelong learning, but they will also cultivate a love of nature that is the basis fo ..read more

Title: Cycology Bicycles' Weekly Group Ride Location: Cycology Bicycles - Maryville Category: Bicycling Date: 07 Jul 2020 - 10:00am - 07 Jul 2020 - 12:30pm Description: Intermediate pace group ride from the shop rolling out at 10am on Tuesday and Thursday. Route and pace determined by leader and group. Generally the route length is 30 to 35 miles at a 15 to 17 MPH average pace with regrouping along the route. https://www.facebook.com/cycologybicycles/ https://www.cycologybicycles.com/events.html ..read more

Title: CBC Tuesday Night B Group Ride Location: Cedar Bluff Cycles - Knoxville Category: Bicycling Date: 07 Jul 2020 - 6:20pm - 07 Jul 2020 - 8:00pm Description: Season will start with the short route around 26 miles and as daylight extends, progress to 35-45 miles. Average speed 20.5 mph. "A" riders are welcome. Bring lights. Weather permitting, check for updates on Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/CEDARBLUFFCYCLES ..read more

Title: West Bikes Tuesday Shop Ride Location: West Bicycles - Farragut Category: Bicycling Date: 07 Jul 2020 - 6:00pm - 07 Jul 2020 - 8:00pm Description: Join us on Tuesdays for our social ride for fitness and skills. 14 miles at around 13+ mph. Weather must be 45°ish and dry. Call shop to confirm. Strave map link online. https://www.facebook.com/westbikesknox/ https://www.westbikes.com ..read more

Title: Survival of the Fittest - Nature Adventure Camp - July 6-10 Location: Ijams Nature Center - Knoxville Category: Program Date: 08 Jul 2020 - 9:00am - 08 Jul 2020 - 4:00pm Description: Do you have what it takes to survive in the wild? Plants and animals utilize some of the most creative approaches to get ahead in the game of life. Campers draw inspiration from these wild strategies as they learn and practice wilderness survival techniques of their own, including fire and shelter building, water purification, basic navigation skills, knot tying, and more. Campers also tackle challenges des ..read more

Title: Intro to Climbing - Tuesday Class Location: Onsight Rock Gym - Knoxville Category: Climbing Date: 07 Jul 2020 - 6:00pm - 07 Jul 2020 - 7:30pm Description: Learn the basics of top rope belaying, knot tying, and climbing technique in this hands-on class. Designed for those with no previous climbing experience, this course teaches the necessary skills required to climb independently at Onsight Rock Gym. Upon completion of this class and after proper demonstration of learned skills, you will be receive a temporary Top Rope Belay Tag for the day. You are then free to climb for the remainder ..read more