Home » Blog » Food & Travel » Travel Tips & Guides » Dreamy Sunflower Fields at Knoxville’s Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area

Dreamy Sunflower Fields at Knoxville’s Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area

If you love sunflowers and taking walks in nature, the Sunflower fields at Knoxville and the Sunflower Festival is for you. About 40 minutes from our house is one of the most stunning sights I’ve seen. Well, there are several sights like that near me but this one is like no other.

Knoxville sunflower field

Knoxville Sunflower Fields

Knoxville sunflower field

For the past couple of years my daughters and I have visited the Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area near Ijams Nature Center which has over 70 acres of sunflowers in South Knoxville. It’s breathtaking, to say the least.

Knoxville sunflower field

The flowers usually bloom in early July. It’s a sea of golden yellow.

Knoxville sunflower field

There are a few different varieties, some as tall as 6 feet!

Knoxville sunflower field

Others are 3 – 5 feet with smaller flowers and more delicate petals, like the ones above and below.

sunflower fields at Knoxville
Knoxville sunflower field

These are the giant 6′ tall flowers.

sunflower fields at Knoxville

There’s so much pollen! If you suffer from allergies, make sure you’re aware of the amount of pollen these flowers produce and take any medications needed.

Knoxville sunflower field

Where are the sunflower fields at Ijams Nature Center?

The fields don’t have an official address. They’re adjacent to the Ijams Nature Center in South Knoxville. There are two parking areas available. Look for the one that’s on McClure Lane, close to Mead’s Quarry and Ijams.

sunflower fields at Knoxville

What to bring to the sunflower fields:

  • Water bottle
  • Sunscreen
  • Camera
  • Hat
  • Comfortable shoes – there are over 70 acres of flowers! 
  • Wear lightweight, light colored clothing
  • Be patient, sometimes there are a lot of people there and parking is very limited
sunflower fields at Knoxville

When is the best time to see the sunflowers?

The sunflowers are usually in bloom during late June or early July when it’s very hot in this area. So the best times to view them are early in the morning.

NOTE: The fields at the Forks of the River are getting a break in 2023 and the sunflowers won’t be there. But here are some other beautiful sunflowers in the area for you to visit.

  • Nightfall Acres in Philadelphia, TN – Sunflower Festival from June 30th through July 23
  • Smith-Perry Berries in Ooltewah, TN – details about their sunflower fields and visiting hours are on their Facebook page
  • Narramore Farms in Kingston, TN – visit their Facebook page for more information

The best thing to do when you go? Have fun and enjoy the view!

Knoxville sunflower field

Have you ever been to this or any other sunflower fields? I’d love to know where you’ve been. Leave me a comment below and let me know!

Want a free patriotic sunflower printable? Scroll to the bottom of the post to subscribe to our free newsletter and get yours. 

Knoxville sunflower field

8 Comments

  1. I have never got to go to a Sunflower field before. I have been wanting to take my daughter for the longest cause she loves Sunflowers due to her nickname from my parents was sunshine. My father passed away a year ago and I'm wanting to take her to one and take pictures. I know nothing about these fields. Do they cost to visit?

  2. That's such a sweet nickname. These sunflowers were on public land and were free to visit. I'm not sure about any other ones but I hope you get to visit some.

    1. Hi Erica. As far as I know it’s open to the public but I don’t think they’re in bloom yet. They usually start to bloom sometime in late June through mid-July. Check with Ijams nature center to find out for sure.

  3. Went to both North and South Dakota last year and loved the flowers . I live 2 hours from you so plan to be there next week. Are the flowers in full bloom yet? So looking forward to our visit.
    Mary

    1. Hi Mary.

      The sunflower fields at the Forks of the River won’t be in bloom this year. They give the fields a break every few years and this is the year. There are a few other sunflower fields you can visit that are within an hour from Knoxville. I’ve updated the post and added links to their information. Enjoy your visit!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *