The University of Tennessee Arboretum is a 2,260-acre tract of land in Oak Ridge that is headquarters for the UT Forest Resources Research and Education Center. More than 30,000 visitors enjoy the Arboretum’s scenic beauty and educational resources annually.
Established in 1964, this forest is unique in that, other than the traditional function of conducting forestry and wildlife research on the total property, 250 acres are identified as part of the Arboretum's mission of public education and public service. This area features interpretive nature trails and ecological points of interest. The Arboretum is a research, education and demonstration project with a collection of more than 2,500 native and exotic woody plant specimens.
Walking Trails
There are several miles of trails for walking enjoyment at the UT Arboretum. The trails are part of four self-guided walking tours designated by color-coded trail markers. Interpretive signs describe points of interest along the way. The tours range in length from .5 miles to 1.4 miles.
Plant Collections
The UT Arboretum has 2,500 plant specimens, representing over 800 species, varieties, and cultivars. Most of the plants are displayed as groups of associated plant species as found in their natural habitat. These groupings, known as forest association models, include: Central China, Southern Coastal Plains, California Forest, Heath Forest, Polish Forest, and Cumberland Gorge. Also, there are over 20 different plant collections. Some of the major collections are as follows: Elmore Holly Collection, Magnolia Garden, Dogwood Collection, Azaleas & Rhododendrons, Dwarf Conifer Collection, Juniper Garden, Shrub Garden, Viburnums, and Wildflowers.
More information can be found at http://utarboretum.tennessee.edu/arboretum.htm.
Comments
Well this site says pet friendly but after driving there. The signs state NO OETS. Which is it?
Yes, is it pets or no pets? We checked online to make sure our dog was welcome here only to see the no pets signs when we got there. We drove a long time to get there so we went ahead and walked the trails anyway.
Pet owners - pets are indeed allowed in the park, but must remain leashed at all times. For more information, visit http://utarboretum.tennessee.edu/index.html.
I'm very confused. Administrator in another comment says that pets are allowed in the park as long as they're leashed yet he or she points us to a web site that has a link to the Arboretum Home Page at http://utarboretum.tennessee.edu/arboretum.htm which in no uncertain terms says "No pets" without any exception. I'm going to take my dog today but I'm also going to email Kevin Hoyt, the Center Director, to get clarification. I'll post his response here when I get in.
Pets are not permitted in the UT Arboretum per the posted signs and long established rules. Thanks
Pets are absolutely NOT allowed. I just visited the arboretum with my dog (leashed), and got severely chastised by a man in an arboretum truck, being told "there are signs saying No Pets posted all over the place." I showed him this website and he said this is not their official website, but just one for tourism. So pet owners be advised, this site is wholly incorrect on that score. Enjoy the arboretum, but leave your dog at home.
Many apologies to those of you impacted by the outdated "pet" information listed here. This page has now been updated to reflect the "no pet" policy as sited on the Arboretum's website.