Ijams Public Programs
EDUCATION • RECREATION • EXPLORATION
Ijams' Public Programs combine science, art, and experiential environmental education to instill a sense of wonder in both adults and children alike! Ijams naturalists meet participants at their level, ensuring that everyone comes away from a program with the knowledge, understanding, and fun they desire.
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From caving and kayaking, to bird banding and guided workshops, each season brings new experiences and natural phenomena to explore.
WINTER FUNGI ID
Ages: 14+ | 2 hrs.
Between oyster mushrooms, lion's mane, and different species of jelly fungus, there are so many unique species to find and forage for in the colder months. Join an Ijams naturalist for this beginner workshop where you'll discuss the best places to find these species, their anatomy and function, and fungi's larger role in our diverse ecosystem.
January
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1/3: 3:00 - 5:00 PM
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1/10: 1:30 - 3:30 PM
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1/24: 2:00 - 4:00 PM
February
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2/14: 2:30 - 4:30 PM
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MOSS MEANDER
Ages: 16+ | 1.5 hrs.
Whimsy and wild, moss to many of us as children meant fairies were afoot. Moss, however, is a gateway to much more than childhood fantasy; it's an extremely important organism that holds the story of the forest within its structure. Join an Ijams naturalist to rediscover the wonders of moss, learn how to identify different species, and understand its importance within the vast ecosystem.
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December
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12/6: 10:00 - 11:30 AM
January
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1/4: 2:30 - 4:00 PM
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1/17: 10:00 - 11:30 AM
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WINTER TREE ID
Ages: 14+ | 1.5 hrs.
Having trouble identifying local trees now that the leaves have fallen? With a little guidance, you won't be-leaf how easy it can be! Join an Ijams naturalist for this immersive workshop where you'll learn the basics of tree identification, species histories, and leave with a larger understanding of tree phenology.
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December
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12/6: 1:00 - 2:30 PM
January
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1/10: 4:30 - 6:00 PM
February
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2/14: 12:00 - 1:30 PM
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TRACKS & SCAT! ANIMAL ACTIVITY IN WINTER
Ages: 14+ | 2 hrs.
Who's been making all those tracks? Time to find out! Join Ijams naturalists to uncover various signs of animals that are still very active in winter, even if they often go unnoticed. During this 2-hour workshop, you'll learn to identify common tracks, scat, various types of animal homes, and read the landscape for other signs of activity and wildlife. This program will begin indoors, where you'll learn about different identification methods before taking your newfound skills outdoors and applying them!
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January
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1/11: 1:00 - 3:00 PM
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1/18: 1:00 - 3:00 PM
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1/24: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
February
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2/7: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
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2/21: 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
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ROCKS ROCK! GEOLOGY WORKSHOP
Ages: 16+ | 2 hrs.
Explore the geologic history of the Tennessee River Valley on this naturalist-guided program! Over two hours, you'll decipher the landscape through the eyes of the rock cycle, learning to identify rock types by performing various geologic field tests. You'll get to test the chemical reactivity of different rocks, take a core soil sample to visualize soil layers, and more!
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February
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2/7: 2:30 - 4:30 PM
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2/15: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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WOODCOCK WALK
Ages: 12+ | 1.5 hrs.
It's Woodcock season! Join an Ijams naturalist at Forks of the River WMA to witness the miraculous flight display put on by these absurd, football-shaped birds. Throughout the evening, participants will learn how to identify these ridiculous feathered friends by sight and sound, understand their history and life cycle, and finally answer the question on everyone's mind: why do they look so darn silly? (And yes, there are good reasons!)
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February
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2/7: 5:30 - 7:00 PM
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2/8: 5:30 - 7:00 PM
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2/14: 5:30 - 7:00 PM
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2/20: 6:00 - 7:30 PM
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2/21: 6:00 - 7:30 PM
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FULL MOON HIKE
Ages: 10+ | 1.5 hrs.
Get ready for a beautiful evening out on the trails under the full moon! Join Ijams naturalists for a 1.5 hour, guided walk to uncover the secrets of Ijams Nature Center after dark and learn about the beautiful night sky, all while searching for unique plants, animals, and geologic features along the way. Blacklights and headlamps will be provided!
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December
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12/4: 6:30 - 8:30 PM
January
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1/3: 7:00 - 8:30 PM
February
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2/1: 7:30 - 9:00 PM
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CELESTIAL EXPLORATIONS
Ages: 16+ | 1.5 hrs.
As the leaves fall to the ground and the sun sets earlier each day, the night sky illuminates with constellations, planets, and meteors more easily seen during the colder months. Join an Ijams naturalist to discover the secrets of the night sky, walking around the Nature Center after dark while learning the mythology and science of the stars. Hot chocolate and tea included!
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December
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12/5: 7:00 - 8:30 PM
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12/12: 7 - 8:30 PM (Member Only)
January
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1/9: 7:00 - 8:30 PM
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1/30: 7:30 - 9:00 PM
February
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2/13: 8:00 - 9:30 PM
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FAMILY OWL PROWL
Ages: 10+ | 2 hrs.
Meet some of Ijams' resident owl ambassadors before heading out on the trails after dark in search of these beautiful birds! Participants will learn about unique owl adaptations that help them rule the night. We'll go out in search of Barred, Eastern Screech, and Great Horned owls, all while practicing their calls and putting our own senses to the ultimate nocturnal test.
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December
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12/7: 5:30 - 7:30 PM
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12/14: 5:30 - 7:30 PM
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12/19: 5:30 - 7:30 PM
January
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1/4: 5:00 - 7:00 PM
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1/10: 5:00 - 7:00 PM
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1/24: 5:00 - 7:00 PM
February
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2/6: 6:30 - 8:30 PM
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GEMINID METEOR SHOWER VIEWING PARTY
Ages: 16+ | 1.5 hrs.
Witness the marvelous Geminid Meteor shower during its peak, with a potential for 120+ meteors per hour! Go hiking with Ijams naturalists, uncovering midnight wonders of the woods while taking breaks to talk all things stars, constellations, and the beautiful night sky!​​​
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December
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12/13: 10:30 PM - 12:00 AM
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WINTER SOLSTICE WANDER
Ages: 10+ | 3 hrs.
The Winter Solstice leaves us with just under 10 hours of sunlight this year! In all of this darkness, it can be easy to forget that the first day of winter is truly a night of beginning.. Join Ijams naturalists for a night hike to experience the forest on the longest night of the year and celebrate the promise of longer days to come with hot chocolate and s'mores by a campfire with friends.
December
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12/21: 5:00 - 8:00 PM
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WILDERNESS BASICS: BEGINNER OUTDOOR SKILLS
Ages: 14+ | 3 hrs.
Outside can be a scary place! With unknown critters, bears, winter storms, and mountains to face, it can be hard to jump right in to outdoor adventures. In this introductory course, you will learn how to prioritize your needs in a survival scenario, build a shelter, build and maintain a fire, acquire and store food, use a compass, and other necessary skills to survive in the wild!
February
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2/28: 1:30 - 4:30 PM
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FOLKS IN NATURE HIKING CLUB
Ages: 18+ | Registration Opens February 1st, 2026
The Folks in Nature Hiking Club is a welcoming and inclusive space where everyone is empowered to show up as their authentic, unfiltered selves while exploring the joy that nature has to offer. We welcome those who have been historically excluded or discouraged from finding community in and with natural spaces, as well as their friends, to gather together on monthly hikes throughout Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness.​
KAYAKING PROGRAMS
Ages: 14+ | 2 hrs.
Looking for a unique adventure on the water? Join an Ijams naturalist for a guided paddle on the Tennessee River! Look out for a variety of paddles throughout the season.
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Look out for future Kayak Program Dates in March 2026!
CAVING TRIPS
Ages: 18+ | 2.5 hrs.
Experience a morning of underground exploration in Ijams’ cave system! Join a team of Ijams naturalists to navigate this unique ecosystem as you search for creatures that call the caverns home.
Caving at Ijams is a very rewarding activity, but also physically and mentally demanding. Participants must expect to navigate slippery, muddy hills, knee-deep water, and cool temperatures during a majority of the program.
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Look out for future Caving Trip Dates Here in March 2026!
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BIRDHOUSE BUILDING WORKSHOP
All Ages | 2 hrs
Looking for the perfect gift to satisfy the bird nerds in your life? Come on out this holiday season to create and decorate your very own customizable bird nesting box. During this 2-hour course, knowledgeable Ijams staff will walk you through each step of the building, decorating, and mounting process! All materials and tools needed during this course will be provided. Each bird box will be a similar design, but you'll get to pick the size of the entrance to attract different species! You'll also get an exert presentation on where to place your bird box, how to increase the change of it being used, and more!
December
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12/13: 4:30 - 6:30 PM
January
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1/16: 7:00 - 9:00 PM
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HOLIDAY CARD MAKING: CYANOTYPE, LINO, AND GELLI PRINTING
Ages: 12+ | 2.5 hrs
Welcome the winter holidays by making cards for loved ones through three super fun art mediums! Each participant will get to make numerous holiday cards, each with a different art style: a cyanotype showcasing various natural materials, a colorful Gelli printed leaf scene, and a custom hand-pressed lino print that each person gets to carve themselves!​ All materials for this course are provided by Ijams Nature Center.
December
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12/14: 1:00 - 3:30 PM
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12/17: 6:30 - 9:00 PM
RESCUE & REUSE: BLOCK PRINTING ON FABRIC
Ages: 12+ | 2.5 hrs
Breathe life into your old clothing by creating and adding beautiful block prints! You'll get to make two 4x6 inch designs and carve them into blocks before inking them up with various colors and hand-pressing them onto your clothing.
January
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1/17: 1:00 - 3:00 PM
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1/23: 6:30 - 8:30 PM
SOMETHING FORAGED: HOLIDAY COCKTAILS AND MOCKTAILS
Ages 21+ | 2 hrs
Learn to craft your very own nature-inspired cocktails and mocktails during this 2-hour course from forage-able ingredients! You'll make (and drink!) 2 mocktails or cocktails, learn what to forage during this time of year for drink ingredients, and create either simple syrup or bitters to add to you at-home mixology adventures!
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December
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12/12: 7:00 - 9:00 PM
February
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2/13: 7:00 - 9:00 PM
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BIRD BANDING AT IJAMS NATURE CENTER
Ages: All I 1.5 hrs.
Join the Ijams Community Science team for a day of bird banding, getting an intimate look at migratory and resident songbirds as they're safely captured, banded, and released after the banding team collects necessary data to help better understand the health and productivity of birds in our vicinity. Participants will have the opportunity to see these birds up close, release them after banding, and join the team on net runs to see what birds have been caught before being brought to the banding table.
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Look out for future Bird Banding Dates Here in March 2026!
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CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT: GUIDED BIRD HIKE
Ages: 12+ | 3 hrs
The Christmas Bird Count has been conducted by the National Audubon Society for over 100 years! It's a critical tool to understand how bird populations change over time, and these data can only be collected with your help! Join this fun winter tradition and help report on the bird species at Ijams Nature Center's main campus, Meads Quarry, and Forks of the River. No prior bird knowledge is required; each group will have an Ijams staff member to help with identification.
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December
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12/20: 8:00 - 11:00 AM
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IJAMS WEED WARRIORS NATIVE LANDSCAPE CERTIFICATION
Ages: 18+ | Ongoing
Fight invasive species foes where you live and work as part of this new Ijams Weed Warriors program for homes and businesses!
TENNESSEE NATURALIST PROGRAM
Ages: 18+ | 2x a month, March - July
Ijams is proud to offer a chapter of the Tennessee Naturalist Program (TNP) to East Tennessee! Over 10, 4-hour courses taught by naturalist, professors, and local experts, participants learn about the plants and animals that live in this region from local experts to become better naturalists and stewards for the environment.
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2026 Registration opens on January 11, 9AM EST.
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Future participants can learn more and register for the Ijams chapter through the Tennessee Naturalist Program website. This program typically fills on the first day of registration. Filling out an interest form does not guarantee a spot in the program.
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​Cost: The 2026 TNP fee is $400
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IJAMS JUNIOR NATURALIST
Grades: 5-8 | 6 sessions, 3 hrs each
The Ijams Junior Naturalist Program brings together experiential nature education and scientific environmental concepts to create an immersive opportunity for middle schoolers to gain a deeper understanding of the world around them. Through fun-filled 3-hour sessions, students will get to explore various disciplines in ecology while finding a sense of place and connection to East Tennessee.​
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*Fall Registration Opens in June 2026