With 54 state parks and 58 state natural areas, Tennessee is one of the greenest places you can be. And with 86 Metro parks within Davidson County alone, Nashvillians have got bragging rights when it comes to playground space.
So do not think, oh weary (sub)urbanite, that you are stranded in a concrete jungle with no personal Walden to bring you reprieve this summer. In just a few minutes’ travel time, you can be staring up at glimmering leaves with only a few passers-by to interrupt your meditation as you hike.
Here are a few local trails to hit:
Bledsoe Creek State Park
Shoreline, High Ridge, Big Oak, & Birdsong Trails
To get there: Take I-65 N. to Vietnam Veteran’s Blvd. which will end in Gallatin on Hwy. 25 E. Travel approximately 15 miles to Ziegler’s Fort Rd. Turn right and travel .4 mile, then turn right onto Raccoon Creek Rd. You will find the trailhead at the end of this road.
History: Bledsoe involves a short road trip made worthwhile not only by the hiking, but also by the two historic homes—Wynnewood and Cragfont—which stand in close proximity to the park. Built in 1828, Wynnewood is thought to be Tennessee’s largest log structure. Cragfont was completed in 1800 by James Winchester, a former officer in George Washington’s army. The entire trip is an interesting history lesson, as Bledsoe Creek is named for brothers Anthony and Isaac Bledsoe who held forts in the area in the late 1700s. Camping is available at Bledsoe so that the trip can easily be made into a weekend getaway.
Trail description: This hike is great for older kids because of the amount of wildlife you’ll see, as well as the rich history of the area. Certain sections might be difficult for smaller children to traverse. These trails form a 3.1-mile loop which takes you along the shoreline of Old Hickory Lake. There are several wildlife observation areas along the trail as well. You may see wild turkeys and you will almost certainly see deer. Don’t be discouraged as you begin the hike and feel as though you will never leave the campground area—you will soon be crossing streams, climbing ridges, and identifying wildflowers. The trail ends near a ball field; pack some game equipment in the trunk if you go with a group.
Cedars of Lebanon State Park
Hidden Springs Trail
To get there: Take I-40 E. to Exit 238; make a right off the exit, driving south toward Murfreesboro. The park entrance will be a few miles south on your left. Follow Cedar Forest Rd. 1.9 miles to a fork and veer right. The parking area will be on your right near a playground. The trailhead will be on your left.
History: One should not live so close to a recreational area along the Trail of Tears (which is also the largest eastern red-cedar forest in the United States) and not pay homage with a visit. The 831-acre park stands beside the 8,056-acre Cedars of Lebanon State Forest and Natural Area. The city of Lebanon actually received its name from pioneers in the early 1800s because of the vast cedar forest which reminded the settlers of the biblical story of the cedars of Lebanon. By 1910 almost all of Middle Tennessee’s cedar forests were gone, transformed into cabins, furniture, and pencils. It was in the 1930s with the New Deal’s reforestation project that Cedars of Lebanon was saved. For its size, Cedars of Lebanon is actually low on trails, but like Bledsoe, it is also a great weekend getaway offering an Olympic-sized pool, camping sites, cabins, a lodge, and an 18-hole disc golf course.
Trail description: This 5-mile trail allows you to jump along huge limestone rocks, hike through six different plant zones, and peer down into cave openings and numerous sinks. Underground springs abound, as well as exotic plants and wildflowers. Take a plant guide or buy a wildflower guide at the Visitor’s Center. Guided wildflower walks are offered every spring, and a naturalist is almost always on hand to answer questions. The trail is sometimes a bit confusing so pay careful attention to the white blazes marking the way. Parts of this trail are also used for horseback riders, so be careful walking, especially in muddy spring weather. Note: Hunting is allowed along the parts of this trail which enter the forest reserve, so walking the entire trail during hunting season is not advised.
Long Hunter State Park
Volunteer Trail & Day Loop
To get there: Take I-40 E. to Exit 226 (Mt. Juliet) and make a right off this exit, driving south on Hwy. 171 approximately 6 miles to Baker’s Grove Rd. Take a right and follow the signs to Volunteer Trail. The actual park entrance is .7 mile farther south on Hwy. 171.
History: Situated along the shore of J. Percy Priest Lake, the area was once the hunting grounds of Choctaw, Cherokee, and Chickasaw Indians in search of buffalo, elk, deer, and small game. Some of the earliest white settlers to move in also found the area rich in game, and the earliest explorers were called Long Hunters because of the duration of their hunting excursions. Created in 1972, this young park offers 30 miles of lakeshore and 20 miles of hiking trails. The paved Couchville Lake Trail is perfect for walkers, Rollerbladers, and strollers, and is completely handicap-accessible. The park is also a great place for swimming, boating, and fishing.
Trail description: The greatest element of this trail is feeling the water so nearby throughout your trek. Smelling the lake in the air as you begin, the trail teases you before offering a spectacular view of the water from atop a cedar bluff. The Day Loop follows the Volunteer Trail for about 2 miles before turning back toward the parking lot. The Volunteer Trail is actually a 6-mile hike which can be made into an overnight trail, as camp sites are available near the end of the trail. (Free permits are required for camping.) Like Cedars of Lebanon, you will see a variety of plant environments. Also, you will traverse a variety of elevations and perhaps discover a few fox and bobcat dens.
Montgomery Bell State Park
Montgomery Bell Trail
To get there: Take Hwy. 70 W. to the park entrance between Dickson and Nashville. The park road will fork at the visitor’s center. Take a left toward the inn. Take another left into the picnic area, and you will see the trailhead.
History: Named for Montgomery Bell, an eccentric 19th-century tycoon in the iron industry, the park is great for going out and getting several hikes done in one day. (Many of the eight trails are only one mile or less.) In the Visitor’s Center you can learn about Bell and the iron industry. You can see the remains of the Laurel Furnace at the start of the Montgomery Bell Trail. Like Cedars of Lebanon, the park came into being as a result of the New Deal. Also offered are swimming, camping, boating, fishing, golf, archery, an inn, and a restaurant.
Trail description: Once in Montgomery Bell you have exited the Central Basin and entered the Highland Rim. The grades are gentle on these hikes, and you can say goodbye to the cedars and hello to the oaks. (There are actually 11 different kinds of oak trees within the park.) The Montgomery Bell overnight trail is 11.5 miles, offers three separate backcountry shelters, and is intersected by nearly all seven of the other trails at some point. It covers the circumference of the park while most of the other trails make small loops on the northwestern side. Like Bledsoe, hiking Montgomery Bell is a tremendous lesson in history as you will see different ore pits, a log-cabin replica of the home of Samuel McAdow (a founder of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 1810), Hall Cemetery, and a sandstone mine pit. The overnight trail passes by both Lake Acorn and Lake Woodhaven; yet there is also Creech Hollow Lake in the midst of the park which you may pass by, strangely enough, on the Creech Hollow Trail.
South Cumberland State Park
Savage Day Loop
To get there: Take I-40 E. to Exit 111 S. near Cookeville. Continue traveling south to Hwy. 399. Take a right and travel 5.5 miles and make a right to the ranger station.
History: When staff members at both REI and Blue Ridge Mountain were asked for their favorite hiking spots around Nashville, Savage Gulf was their first answer. The place Robert Brandt terms ”the wildest, most untamed place in Middle Tennessee“ is comprised of eight separate parks which total 11,500 acres of Appalachian gorges, otherwise known as gulfs. In this area you can find nearly every mammal common in the eastern United States. The area was not, however, named for its wild nature, but for the John Savage family who owned land in the area in the 18th century. The land’s preservation is due mostly to the efforts of Herman Baggenstoss, who worked for 50 years attempting to acquire the area for the state.
Trail description: There are many fabulous hikes within the park including the overnight Fiery Gizzard, the Savage Day Loop, the Honey Creek Loop, and the Stone Door Trail. All of these trails offer amazing views of the Cumberland Plateau. Hikes range from 1 to 13 miles. All can be occupied by rattlesnakes or copperheads, so be cautious. The Savage Day Loop begins by crossing the Boyd Branch suspension bridge and leads you to the Savage Falls overlook whence you can see some of the many waterfalls formed by Savage Creek. From here you will travel to Rattlesnake Point where you will probably want to grab the camera for a few shots of the gulf. Keep the camera out for all of the amazing wildflowers and waterfalls you will see. As with Cedars of Lebanon, you’ll want to have a wildflower guide on this one. South Cumberland also offers a variety of guided hikes throughout the year.
Warner Parks
Mossy Ridge Trail
To get there: Take Hwy. 70S west to the 70S/100 split. Go west on Hwy. 100 for 1.7 miles and you will see a stone entrance on your left.
History: Set in the midst of the Harpeth Hills, the Warner Parks rise up to 600 feet above the surrounding area and act as connectors for the Highland Rim and Central Basin. In 1926, businessman and nature enthusiast Percy Warner persuaded his son-in-law, Luke Lea, the developer of Belle Meade, to donate 868 acres at the end of Belle Meade Blvd. as a natural preserve. When Percy died in 1927, his brother Edwin dedicated himself to the park system until he died in 1949. The limestone entrances are the work of the WPA, as is Steeplechase, which is the only racetrack in history to have been built by the federal government. Guided hikes are available throughout the year, and you can pick up activity books and Purple Packs, which contain binoculars, a compass, and a magnifying glass, for the kids at the nature center. At Warner you can bring your dog—something you can’t do on trails at Radnor Lake and some other parks.
Trail description: The perfect trail for afternoon runs or a nice hike with a good bit of elevation along the Harpeth Hills. Mossy Ridge offers the most exhilaration as far as grade is concerned, and feels like the mountains on parts of the trail. The longest of the Warner trails, Mossy Ridge is named for the mossy ridge that you will cross on your trek. Take note of the many tulip poplars—our state tree—along the trail. At Quiet Point, which overlooks the Deep Well Hollow, a bench is provided for rest or meditation. You will also pass Dripping Springs, a two-tiered waterfall, as well as an old chimney—the remains of a Boy Scout cabin built in the 1930s. The park offers a tree guide for its tree trails, which can be used on other trails as well for identification purposes.
Some local hiking clubs to contact:
Tennessee Trails Association, 367-7881 or http://www.tn-trails.org
Sierra Club, 792-1812 or http://www.sierraclub.org/chapters/tn
Team Green, 242-5600 or http://www.wrlt.com.
Additional Sources:
Hiking Tennessee by Kelley Roark (Falcon, 1996)
Middle Tennessee on Foot by Robert Brandt (John F. Blair, 1998)
Note: The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (781-6500) provides general information on Tennessee wildlife, fishing, and boating; wildlife, aquatic, and environmental education programs; and a sportsman’s license that includes all permits. Also a comprehensive list of all state parks in Tennessee may be found at http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/.
Another good site to try for maps and information is the Great Outdoor Recreation Pages at http://www.gorp.com/gorp/location/tn/tn.htm.
The following is an abridged list of Tennessee State and National Parks:
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Rte. 3 Box 401, Oneida 37841 (931) 879-3625; 423-569-9778
The 113,000-acre site on the Tennessee/Kentucky border includes 150 miles of hiking trails and 130 miles of horse trails and mountain-biking trails. The park also offers fishing, white water sports, and backcountry camping. The terrain includes rock formations, rivers, and waterfalls.
Bledsoe Creek State Park, 400 Zieglers Fort Rd., Gallatin, 452-3706, http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/bledsoe/index.html.
A 164-acre site next to Old Hickory Lake (Bledsoe Creek). Three hiking trails along shoreline, bluffs, and forested ridges form a 3.1-mile loop.
Burgess Falls State Natural Area
Sparta (Directions: Tenn. 135 south from I-40’s Exit 286 at Cookeville) 931-432-5312, http://www.state.tn.us/environment/ parks/burgess/index.html.
Site of one of Tennessee’s most dramatic trails, along the rim of Falling Water River Gorge and past a series of waterfalls including the 130-ft. Burgess Falls.
Cedars of Lebanon State Park and Forest
Lebanon (Directions: I-40 to U.S. Hwy. 231, then six miles south)
443-2769, http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/cedars/index.html.
The largest eastern red-cedar forest in the country, the park features cedar glades—dry, rocky barrens between rows of cedars that are unique to Middle Tennessee. The 831-acre park includes 8 miles of hiking trails, including the 5-mile Hidden Springs Trail, 12 miles of horse trails, mountain bike trails, Jackson Cave, an ”Olympic-plus“ sized pool, and the Cedar Forest Lodge.
Dunbar Cave State Natural Area
Clarksville (Directions: turn on Dunbar Cave Rd. from U.S. 79 between downtown Clarksville and I-24 Exit 4) (931) 648-5526, www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/dunbar/index.html.
A mineral-springs resort at the turn of the century, this natural area now offers diverse habitats for wildlife, a lake, a 2-mile trail network,a visitor center, and tours of the cave during most of the year.
Edgar Evins State Park
Silver Point (on Tenn. 96 between I-40 Exit 268 and Center Hill Dam) 931-858-2446; 800-250-8619, http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/edgar/index.html.
A 6,000-acre park featuring steep bluffs and high ridges on the Eastern Highland Rim at Center Hill Lake. Features fishing, boating (boats can be rented from the marina), picnicking, and hiking on the Highland Rim Trail, a 1.5-mile loop around the lower Central Basin ridge and down to the lake.
Fall Creek Falls State Area
Rte. 3, Pikeville 37367 423-881-5298; 800-250-8610, http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/ fallcrek/index.html
At 256 feet, Fall Creek Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Rockies. The park has five other major waterfalls, plus 35 miles of hiking trails (two with overnight camping by permit only), a 3-mile paved path, and bike trails. Trails range from a beginner .2-mile trail,to the challenging 12- and 13-mile Cane Creek Lower Loop and Upper Loop. Fall Creek Falls Pool is a short but difficult descent toward the base of the falls. The park also offers golf, tennis, boating, fishing, an Olympic-sized pool, horseback riding, plus cabins, campsites, and a 72-room inn. Reserve accommodations well in advance.
Henry Horton State Park
Chapel Hill (931) 364-2222; (800) 250-8612
http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/henry/index.html.
A 1,135-acre park on the Duck River, on the site of the estate of one of Tennessee’s former governors. Hiking (two easy loops; the longer is 2.75 miles), swimming, golf, canoeing, trap and skeet shooting, and other activities. The parks also includes a 72-room inn and a restaurant.
Land Between the Lakes
100 Van Morgan Dr., Golden Pond, Ky. (800) LBL-7077, www.lbl.org
(Directions: follow Route 12 through Clarksville to 79 W. Pick up maps at the visitors center along The Trace.)
Located on the Tennessee/Kentucky border between Kentucky Lake on the Tennessee River and Lake Barkley on the Cumberland River. This United Nations-designated International Biosphere Reserve features The Nature Station environmental education center, an elk and bison prairie, The Golden Pond Planetarium & Observatory, and camping areas with hookups and showers; 200 miles of hiking trails; bike trails (mountain bike trails include Energy Lake and Jenny Ridge); hunting; fishing; canoeing; horseback riding (including campground with stalls and tack shop); a retreat center; and an off-highway all-terrain vehicle area. The Homeplace-1850, a living history museum and working 19th-century farm, hosts special events and festivals. Beware of hunters in hunting season.
Long Hunter State Park
2910 Hobson Pike, Hermitage 37076 885-2422
http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/longhunt/index.html.
A 2,400-acre park on the east side of Percy Priest Lake. Thirty miles of lakeshore and twenty miles of hiking trails, including a 2-mile paved trail around the adjacent Couchville Lake. Hike eight good trails on a Priest Lake peninsula, some short walks, or the 6-mile overnight Volunteer Trail complete with back country campsites.
Montgomery Bell State Park
(Directions: off U.S. 70 between White Bluff and Dickson) 797-9052, http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/montbell/index.html.
A 3,782-acre park in Dickson County featuring 20 miles of trails through forests, streams, lakes, and historic sites linked to the region’s iron industry and the founding of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Also offers boating, fishing, golf, tennis, swimming, archery, group campsites, and back country camping shelters (permit required), plus a visitor center, picnic area, arts & crafts shop, and an April wildflower festival.
