Trail Review: Warner Woods Trail (#16)

Yes, it’s September. No, it’s not fall – yet. And in Tennessee, early September still means temperatures into the 90s some days. It can be hard to motivate yourself to hike when stepping outside for more than 30 seconds leaves you drenched in sweat. Fortunately for those of us in the Nashville area, we’ve got the Percy Warner Park trail system.

The Warner Woods trail is ideal for those hot, sweaty days of summer. It’s a 2.5-mile loop trail, sharing its approach with the longer, more technical Mossy Ridge Trail at the Deep Well trailhead. It is blazed white, and though it was a little busy mid-day Saturday, I’ve been the only person on this trail before during the week.

It’s an easy hike – mostly flat, with a surface of dirt and occasional roots. The best part about this trail is all the shade the huge old trees provide. It was in the 80s, but in the shade with a nice breeze, it felt wonderful.

The Warner Woods trail crosses a few of the paved scenic roads that go through the park (look both ways!) and is intersected by some of the park’s many bridle paths/horse trails. During winter and spring, sometimes a small stream flows along part of the trail, but in late summer, it was dried up.

It’s a short hike, too – perfect for squeezing in a little outdoor time as you try to adult and take care of all those weekend errands. With a husband, a friend, and two dogs in tow, it only took us a little more than one hour, complete with short water breaks. And remember: the Warner Parks are the only ones in Nashville that don’t close at dusk! You can stay until 11 pm, so if you are absolutely opposed to the heat of summer, throw on a headlamp and explore these great trails at night!