This park is beautiful and very nice atmospherically. They have saved trails and actually there are bunch of trails. They don't have a visitor center however, you can find the traditional al syamp in the hut. There is a small passport stamp box. Trails were nice and there are lots of them ;)
This park is a beautiful, peaceful place to walk, with paved paths and minimal to no elevation gain. The bridge is a highlight and you may also spot deer in the morning or at dusk. I recommend going at sunrise or sunset!
So nice visually and well kept. The bridge overlooking the French Broad River is breathtaking, go early enough and you see some of the Smoky Mountain mist creeping up the river. Seen at least 4 deer on the trail, one was eating grass within 20 ft away from me.
There is a very nice dock with a canoe levy. A single boat launch with plenty of parking. Peaceful area where you can catch several different types of fish.
Beautiful park with easy access, lots of native grasses and plants, benches to sit and enjoy the wildlife. Restrooms available. Check their calendar for events. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there.
Absolutely gorgeous! Good size lot for parking which is free, trails are marked, a bathroom at the beginning of the trailhead. We had a beautiful day there and will definitely be back!
It is an absolutely beautiful park with plenty of walking paths and hiking trails. There are benches and picnic tables along the paths. The bridge to the island is gorgeous. It is worth it to stop at this park.
What a beautiful place! Some paved trails, some mowed grass/dirt trails, but all relatively flat. The paths wind along the river and through the woods for very serene views, and of course, all the bird sounds your heart could want! I saw so many deer, bunnies, birds, and bugs on my walk. And so many beautiful flowers!
The park is also full of Geocaches and Pokemon for those of us who need a little extra something to keep us occupied while we walk ;) there's something for everyone. I will definitely be back.
Incredible view when you get to the top of the mountain. I did end up hurting my SI Joint going up this mountain but it was worth it for the breath taking view. No regrets!
We randomly found this park while on vacation and looking for a good hike with our dog. Over 400 acres with 9+ miles of excellent trails, including one that is ADA accessible. Lots of birds and butterflies.
Be sure to bring LOTS of water during the summer months.
I’m not a birder so I can’t speak to that aspect- but I do hear and see thousands of birds when I’m there! Along with tons of other wildlife. The park is FULL of deer (pictured) who are not skittish and will graze close to the trails. The views and the plant life are incredible.
One of the best features is an ADA compliant trail that is very accessible to wheelchairs and mobility aids of all kinds. It’s evenly paved and goes all the way to a bridge over the river. The rest of the the trails are not disability friendly but offer gorgeous views and peaceful little nooks to bird watch in.
The bobwhites, red-winged blackbirds, and cardinals were singing loudly, and other birds were certainly joining in. It is a great park in which to watch and listen for birds, as long as you keep patient with the people who are loudly using the park for other activities.
This is an excellent park for biking, running strollers, taking photographs, and (seemingly) fishing. Beautiful grasslands and scrublands, with a backdrop of mountains rising precipitously.
One of the most beautiful birding parks I’ve been to. It’s extremely well-maintained, and the staff are all lovely. Couldn’t recommend hiking here enough! Be mindful that shade can be hard to come by.
Beautiful park with multiple paths and trails--some paved and others for the more adventurous! Plenty of parking, water available for dogs (leashed dogs allowed). Great views along river and of mountains!!
Nice warm morning for a walk.
We saw yellow finches playing in a tree.
We saw a Bald Eagle soaring above the river along with several Hawks. Ducks and Geese were swimming in the river. And the Martins were having a blast flying under the bridge, gathering their food.
Quality state park! Plenty of easy parking and options to stay on a relatively flat paved road or venture off. Mostly flat throughout and beautiful river and forest views. Had a great winter walk, you can spend 20minutes or the whole day here. Saw lots of deer.
Visited the park today with my family and spent the day hiking and exploring. The parking lot has you enter through an old barn that is also used for classes and education. It's well maintained and is fun for the kids. Washrooms and water fountains are in this area as well. We took the paved trail about a mile to the French Broad River to use the pedestrian bridge. It has viewing balconies and crosses the river at a fairly wide spot. It takes you to an island that has a large loop trail. The river was still muddy and swollen from the hurricane. It really was a sight to see. We seen lots of birds, insects, wildlife and tons of plants and fauna along the way. There are paved and unpaved trails. They go through woods, prairie, wet lands and river environments. It's a very nice park and not to busy. Dogs are allowed on a leash. It's great for kids and adults. A walk through nature is very therapeutic for the soul. I highly recommend a visit as it's free and is really a hidden gem.
Area was pretty. We brought our boats to do some kayaking but started with a walk to help get some energy out of the pups. We were hoping for a kayak launch area but that didn’t happen. The boat ramp wasn’t horrific to load/unload from.
Seven Islands is one of the best outdoor adventures in Knoxville. From a hiking/trail running perspective, the trails are mostly flat depending on where you want to go but there's some elevation if you're looking for views. The crosshatched nature of the park means you can easily choose to extend your trip or head back to the car from just about anywhere on the map.
If bird watching/photography is your goal, then you will find a huge variety of subjects from tiny hummingbirds to majestic herons no matter the time of year.
There are also several historical landmarks, publicly accessible areas of active avian research (sometimes interactive if you happen to come on a day when the field scientists are at work), Cambrian era fossils on Hickory Ridge, and even a large herd of deer (20-50 depending on the season) that inhabit the area year round. For white-tails, that is uncommon and always proves a treat.
In a part of the country saturated with outdoor treasures, this spot less than 30 minutes from downtown Knoxville somehow manages to stand out. It's a fantastic option for locals and visitors alike! AND, like all of Tennessee's state parks, it's 100% free. Skip at your own risk 😁
We went here on a day trip. This is a beautiful bird sanctuary. We heard lots of birds. But didn't see a lot. We dud see lots of beautiful flowers, butterflies, deer, and a snake. One trail is easily wheelchair accessible. There is no charge to go here.
Delightful stop as we exited Tennessee. We stopped on a sunny morning after many cloudy and rainy days.
There are many trails with access from a main paved trail to a bridge. The bridge is wide with bump outs and goes to an island. The island also has many natural trails and accommodates a lot of visitors.
The parking lot was packed and we didn't feel 'crowded'. We saw deer, butterflies, birds (even eagles and a crane), tadpoles, plus the spring blooming trees, bushes and wildflowers.
There is great signage and many benches. There are signs for the trees, plants and bushes that share which birds are attracted.
Great place for families, as we witnessed dogs, strollers, bikes, picnics, canes, and cameras of various sizes. Plenty of space for all!
Beautiful and not too far away from the main roads, nice parking, feels safe, clean restrooms at the entrance, great boat area / dock / kayak area, benches placed throughout the park, there’s a seating area with tables at the entrance, and the park has a nice mix of paved and dirt paths. These pics were taken at the very end of winter going in to spring. 5⭐️
Nature and it’s beauty is right here. The trails were enjoyable, watching the French Broad river flow was so relaxing. My Doodle even enjoyed it. We walked 2.5 miles.
Restrooms were clean, park Ranger was polite.
Hope to come back some time.
Beautiful park with lots of walking trails, facts about the birds you may see along those trails and a cute playground as you enter. We went on the most perfect fall day and enjoyed the bridge over water scenery while visiting. We walked about two miles of trails, but there is plenty more to explore for our next trip. Will definitely be going back!
This is a very pleasant place. You can take a long walk or a short one if you prefer. The flowers and trees are beautiful and many specimens are labeled so you'll know what you're looking at. I'd say the paths ranged from easy to moderate. There is a good deal of elevation on most pathways so be prepared and take some water with you. There are benches throughout and a couple of tables also. I noticed several people with dogs and most picked up behind them but not all. I recommend this for a nice quiet time without many distractions. There's no playground equipment really so not a place to bring the kids to play.
Awesome spot! Main trail to the bridge is paved so you can take a stroller if need be. Decent bathroom/s by the park entrance area. Slide / See-saw for the kids to play on as well. Beautiful park - we went in the morning and saw a bunch of different birds, about 12 deer, and a baby rabbit! The bridge over the river was neat, spotted a bunch of carp rooting around on the bottom - kids loved seeing all the wildlife. Worth checking out for sure!
This place was a great place to take the kiddos for a walk. They brought their bicycles and were able to ride on the paved path. Once we hit the end of the paved path there was a bicycle stand for them to put their bikes on and we took of on the trails on foot. It was a lot of fun and we will definitely be back.
What a beautiful park! There isn't much shade until you get to the end of the main trail, but the views and landscape are worth it. The main path had various paths off of it, but we only went down one. It led to a beautiful, secluded rock inlet. This is one of my new favorite hikes.
