Seven Islands State Birding Park

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Tennessee — Tennessee’s first state park dedicated to birding — 416 acres along the French Broad River with over 190 bird species recorded! The park includes restored grasslands, wetlands, and a wheelchair-accessible viewing platform overlooking the river.

Visitor Information

About Seven Islands

Seven Islands State Birding Park in Knox County is Tennessee’s first state park dedicated specifically to birdwatching — located where the French Broad River flows past seven small islands east of Knoxville. The 416-acre park encompasses river bottomland, grasslands, and forest edges that support over 190 documented bird species. The diverse habitats attract everything from bald eagles to warblers.

Things to Do

Birdwatching (190+ species documented — Tennessee’s premier birding destination), hiking on 4+ miles of trails, photography from dedicated blinds and platforms, canoeing, and attending birding programs. Binoculars recommended — this is a birding paradise.

About Seven Islands

Seven Islands State Birding Park in Knox County — Tennessee’s first dedicated birding park — protects 416 acres of French Broad River floodplain near Knoxville. The park’s mix of grasslands, river islands, and forest supports over 190 bird species. The French Broad is one of the oldest rivers in the world — geologically older than the Appalachian Mountains through which it flows, having maintained its course as the mountains rose around it.

Things to Do

Birding for 190+ species (grassland specialties include dickcissels and bobolinks), photography blinds, hiking, kayaking the French Broad River islands, and birdwatching along one of the oldest rivers on Earth.

Insider Tips

Tennessee’s only birding park: Seven Islands is the first and only state park in Tennessee dedicated specifically to birding — 416 acres on the French Broad River near Knoxville. Pro tip: Over 190 bird species have been recorded here — bald eagles, osprey, great blue herons, and dozens of songbird species. River islands: The seven islands in the French Broad create diverse habitat — river, wetland, grassland, and forest birds all visible.

Best Time to Visit

Spring: Migration brings warblers and shorebirds (April-May). Winter: Waterfowl and eagles on the river. Summer: Breeding birds and nesting activity. Fall: Hawk migration and fall migrants.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a birding park different?

Seven Islands was designed specifically for bird observation — trails follow habitat edges (where bird diversity is highest), viewing blinds provide concealed observation points, and habitat management prioritizes bird species diversity. The park maintains grasslands through mowing and burning, manages wetlands for waterfowl, and preserves riparian forest — creating a mosaic that attracts the maximum number of species.