Park Happenings

Event Details

Center! 

During these scheduled open house hours, visitors can hike up to the Barbara J. Mapp Aviary Education Center between 10am-1pm on Wednesdays for self-guided tours to view our captive birds of prey along the 550' boardwalk. 

The Barbara J. Mapp Aviary Education Center is 3/4-mile hike from the East Parking Area and 1 1/4-mile hike from the West Parking Area/Walter Criley Visitor Center. 

All our captive birds of prey are non-releasable, meaning they have sustained an injury that prevents them from surviving on their own in the wild. Our aviary center is fully occupied with 1 Great Horned Owl, 1 Red Tailed Hawk, 1 Black Vulture, 1 Golden Eagle, and 2 mature bald eagles. 

Visitors can enjoy viewing our captive snakes and turtles inside the Education Center as well as spending some time in the Ann Tarbell Library where we have recently added a digital library inventory to review-search for specific areas of interest while visiting.

No registration required. All ages. Pets are not allowed on the boardwalk of the aviary center due to stress on our captive birds of prey but are allowed inside the Education Center. 

Please note: Open House Hours are self-guided. Birds of Prey Glove Programs are unscheduled during these open house hours and will be conducted periodically when park visitation allows. Also, glove programs are not conducted w/our raptor ambassadors when temperatures exceed 90 degrees or below 30 degrees. 

Any visitors with specific needs or for sign language assistance for any of our interpretive programs please contact Park Manager Steve Ward at Steve.Ward@tn.gov