Sharp's Ridge Memorial Park
Site Directions: From I-640, take Exit 6 - Broadway/US 441. From the exit ramp, go south on Broadway (towards downtown). If you are coming from the west, turn right onto Broadway. If you are coming from the east, turn left. Go 0.7 mile on Broadway until you reach Ludlow, where you will turn right. This intersection is a short distance past a Shoney's Restaurant on the left side of Broadway. Stay on Ludlow for 0.5 miles until you reach a gap on the ridge. Go to the left at this gap; you are now on the main road along the top of the ridge.
Bottom of the ridge - Lat-Long: 36.0090, -83.9343
Hours: daylight hours
Seasonality: year round
Fees: none
Site Description: Sharp's Ridge Memorial Park is a 1.5 mile section of ridge on the north side of Knoxville. It is one of many parallel ridges running northeast to southwest in eastern Tennessee. Unlike most of the others, it is very easily accessible with a paved road along its crest.
The site is a limestone ridge with a hardwood/pine forest in an urban setting. Undergrowth varies from dense privet to open understory with scattered wildflowers. The area has several paved and unpaved parking areas, and two covered picnic table/shelters.
Wildlife to Watch: Sharp's Ridge Memorial Park is one of the best places in the Knoxville region to observe migrant songbirds during the spring. It is well known and popular with birders, and birders are usually present weekend mornings during April and early May, and, especially in late April and early May, many weekday mornings. At this time, it is common to record 15 or more species of wood warblers, and, on occasion, 20 or more warblers. Vireos, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, thrushes, tanagers, Indigo Buntings, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and orioles are regularly present. Sharp's Ridge can also be a good place to find fall migrants, although it is less consistently productive during the fall than in the spring.
For more information:
Birds of Sharp's Ridge from eBird submissions
Submit your data to eBird and help us add to the list of birds seen at this site
Be sure to check out our Safety Tips page for important information regarding viewing wildlife in these areas.