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Sharps Ridge Memorial Park

Birding Seasons:

Spring A+

Summer B-

Fall A+

Winter B

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Site Description and Habitats

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.

The attraction is passerine migration in spring and fall. Birding can be hit or miss, but when it is good, it can be phenomenal.

Bird species of interest

Spring and Fall Migration: Tennessee, Magnolia, Orange-crowned, Cerulean, Chestnut-sided, Blackpoll (spring only), Nashville, Cape May, and Bay-breasted Warblers, Yellow-bellied and Least Flycatcher, Philadelphia Vireo, Veery, Gray-cheeked and Swainson's Thrush, among numerous other migrants. Merlin make periodic passes through here. Just about anything can drop in here.

Summer: Brown Thrasher, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Parula, Pine Warbler, Common Grackle, Eastern Bluebird, Chimney Swift, and Eastern Wood-pewee.

Winter: Hermit Thrush, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-throated, Swamp, and Fox Sparrow.

Year-Round: Red-headed and Pileated Woodpecker, Great Horned Owl, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Cooper's Hawk.

Species list via eBird Hotspot Explorer

Submit your data to eBird here

Detailed directions for birding Sharp's Ridge Memorial Park
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. Park at designated parking areas and walk the road along the ridge top.

Lat-Long (GPS) coordinates
Turn off to go up the ridge: 36.0090, -83.9343

Fees and Hours
No fees are required to access these areas. The areas are accessible during daylight hours year round.

Facilities
There are no restroom facilities.

Info for other sites
Tennessee's Watchable Wildlife web site