Imery's Marble at Ijams Quarry

Legacy Parks negotiated the donation of 104-acres of abandoned quarry land adjacent to Ijams Nature Center. The Imerys Marble Quarry property now serves as a major trailhead for Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness South Loop Trails and is a popular addition to the Ijams Nature Center. This was the first land donation to Legacy Parks Foundation in early 2007.

The history of the site is evidenced by two large quarry pits surrounded by intact stone bluffs – many bearing drill marks – and several walls created from stacked waste blocks of marble, including the iconic Key Hole bridge created to connect the two sides of the quarry pit.

The property is now a beautiful addition to Ijams Nature Center and boasts miles of natural walking and biking trails and an abundance of wildlife.