Whether you’re looking for a place to play with the kiddos or to decompress with some off-screen time, Knoxville features 15+ parks and recreational spots for you to enjoy.
Ready to plan your trip to the park? Grab your shades and trusty water bottle — here are some of The Marble City’s best.
Family parks
Lakeshore Park, 5930 Lyons View Pike
1 million. That’s how many annual visitors this 185-acre recreational area sees, making it the most-visited public park in Knoxville. There’s a lot to do, so make sure you check the map — we don’t want you to miss the Hank Rappé Playground, fit for kiddos of all abilities, or The Lin Christenberry Marsh Garden.
Concord Park, South Northshore Dr.
You could pack up the whole family for a day spent at this park that surrounds Fort Loudoun Lake + is so vast, it’s broken into four different access points. Do you want to play sports, swim, have a picnic, play on the playground, or take a stroll? You can do it all right here. There are also accessible trails for all abilities.
World’s Fair Park, 963 World’s Fair Park Dr.
The name says it all — this park holds a lot within its 10 acres, including a splash pad, amphitheater, and two lawns. You’ll likely happen upon local events happening here, plus fishing, biking, and other water sports.
Safety City, 165 S. Concord St.
This playground brings an element of educational fun for kiddos. Your children can learn hands-on bike, pedestrian, and road safety when experiencing the paved streets and sidewalks + working traffic signals and traffic signs all built for a life-size town (well, life-size to the little ones, we should say).
Don’t forget the tennis balls when you head to these dog parks.
Photo by @the_chill_bill_
For the dogs
PetSafe Village Dog Park, 10424 PetSafe Way
Knoxville has been working with PetSafe since 2009 to become the “Most Pet Friendly Community” in the nation — your pups can make new friends in this one-acre park featuring off-leash hours, a pond, agility equipment, walking trails, and more. The Village was the first PetSafe dog park, but now there are eight others across Knoxville.
The Bark, 601 Lamar St.
Doubling as a daycare facility and dog park, there’s 18,000+ sqft for your doggos to play around, separated into three areas based on different sizes and energy levels. Plus, your dogs won’t be the only ones kicking back — you can relax with a cold beverage from the beer garden.
Dogwood Park, 4901 Bradshaw Rd.
Located inside of Victor Ashe Park, this was Knoxville’s first off-leash dog park. Within the fenced park, you can have a seat while canines take off to play on an inclined hill, in a tunnel, a puppy jump, and cool down with the fountain.
Plumb Creek Park, 1517 Hickey Rd.
With paved + natural trails, a disc and foot golf course, and an eight-acre dog park, this park is open and accessible to all — including our furry friends. The dog park is a part of the PetSafe network.
Sports parks
Fountain City Skatepark + Dog Park, 2540 Maple Dr.
A space where skaters and dog owners unite — the next generation’s Tony Hawk can test out tricks on stair sets, pyramid, corner quarter pipes, and more in the 7,200-sqft paved area. You can also take your pawed companions to the dog park that has two sections for large + small pups.
Victor Ashe Park, 4901 Bradshaw Rd.
Spanning ~116 acres, this park quite literally has it all — there’s soccer and football fields, an 18-hole disc golf course, sand volleyball, and water access for fishing. Kiddos can also play on the playground, and the greenways are perfect for a leisure stroll or biking + skating adventure.
Baker Creek Preserve, 3700 Lancaster Dr.
There are 7.1 miles of hiking and biking opportunities with multi-use trails + three designated mountain bike downhill trails for extreme bikers. You can even get practice by using the asphalt pump tracks suited for your skill level.
Knox County Sportspark, 8050 Oak Ridge Hwy.
Baseball and softball players can use one of the four fields + there are three practice football fields. Kayakers can also launch off into the water from an access point. Bonus: The Karns Senior Center is located next door.
Tyson Park, 2351 Kingston Pike
There are 14 lighted tennis courts, six pickleball courts, a baseball/softball field, and a partially accessible playground you can play on. This park is also home to Knoxville Skate Park, the city’s first-ever skate destination that holds a bank pool, a flow pool, and a peanut pool for skaters of all skill levels.
Nature parks
Fort Dickerson Park, 3000 Fort Dickerson Rd.
Sitting on almost 100 acres, this park is a way to explore a historic Civil War fort via an interpretative trail + multi-use trails that take you to different outlook points. Our favorite part has to be Augusta Quarry, which opened for public use this summer.
Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave.
The park’s history really begins in 1910 with 20 acres, but it wasn’t dedicated until 1968. Now, there are 318 acres of forests, meadows, wetlands, and creeks where you can see 40 species of animals + walk, bike, and hike on trails. Parking is $5 a day — check out how to get free parking.
William Hastie Natural Area, 1302 Margaret Rd.
Mountain bikers flock to this site that features four miles of wooded trails for cycling. Plus, those who love a leisurely stroll can explore more than 110 acres — including a connection to the Urban Wilderness South Loop Trails.
IC King Park, 3412 Alcoa Hwy.
Try fishing across 219 acres of the Tennessee River, from one of the docks or by boat. This spot is also a great destination for biking, walking, or hiking on the easy-to-moderate trails — make a full day out of it by packing a picnic.
Your park grab bag
Picked your perfect park? Make the most out of your experience with our favorite items for a relaxing day outside:
- Is there anything quite like sitting in the shade and enjoying a good book? Check out our guide to books by local authors to help choose your next great read.
- The Kindle Paperwhite is a lightweight e-reader option that stands up to bright sunlight.
- A good water bottle keeps you hydrated — we’re big fans of the best-selling Owala FreeSip.
- Heading to the park with kids? Check out the Owala FreeSip for kids.
- Don’t forget the travel-size bug spray and sunscreen.
- These sunglasses from Nordstrom Rack are available at discount prices + have a style for everyone.
