Category: 60 Hikes

Trail Review: Beaman Park (#23)

Great hike for groups with a mix of fitness levels

[First, yes, I realize I’m laughing in nearly all my pictures. Instagram model = no, happy woman = yes.]

Beaman Park is a beautiful hiking area nestled in the foothills just north of Nashville (near Whites Creek and Joelton).

Beaman Park is a great place to take a group because you can choose your own adventure for varying fitness levels or time constraints. The “entire” hike is actually made up of three trails. The first is a .6 mi out-and-back trail that connects to the second trail, a 2-mile loop. The 2-mile loop is interrupted by the third trail, a 2.1-mi one-way trail. Completing the third trail, joining back with the second loop, and going back out the first trail adds up to about 6.5 miles. The trails are marked with yellow, white, and red blazes, respectively.  Continue reading “Trail Review: Beaman Park (#23)”

Trail Review: Barfield Crescent Park trails (#39)

Little-known gem close to MTSU

Nestled on the outskirts of Murfreesboro, and fewer than six miles from Middle Tennessee State University, the Barfield Crescent Park trail system offers paved and earth trail combinations through forest and meadow – a sure cure for those mid-term and finals blues.

Suitable for all hiking skill and fitness levels, trail combinations range from a 1.5 mile there-and-back paved trail to 4.5 miles of trail combinations (paved, main trail loop, two side trail loops). This park was a great place to take my senior dogs for a little day excursion, and would be perfect for a mid-day escape.   Continue reading “Trail Review: Barfield Crescent Park trails (#39)”

Trail Review: Volunteer Trail at Long Hunter State Park (#15)

Beautiful path tarnished by boater trash

I hiked the 5.5 mile in-and out (11 miles roundtrip) Volunteer Trail at Long Hunter State Park to scout it out as a location for one of my beginner backpacking groups since there are two backcountry campsites at the end. The trail is one of the easiest I’ve ever hiked: flat, totally shaded, by the water, well-blazed and signed, great places to take a break, and less than 30-minutes’ drive from my house.

It is also the most trash-covered trail I’ve ever hiked.  Continue reading “Trail Review: Volunteer Trail at Long Hunter State Park (#15)”

Trail Review: Mossy Ridge Trail at Percy Warner Park (#9)

Nashville’s backyard backpacking conditioning trail

The 4.6 mile Mossy Ridge trail loop at Percy Warner Park is one of my favorite trails in the city. Most people would rate it as a moderate trail; it has some rocky sections and hills and winds through varied scenery and trail difficulty. Want to get into backpacking shape for the upcoming fall? Load your pack and hit this trail.  Continue reading “Trail Review: Mossy Ridge Trail at Percy Warner Park (#9)”

Trail Review: Twin Forks Trail (#48)

The worst trail ever. For real.

Oh, my. Where to start.

I hated this trail.

I came across this trail years ago in a book called 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Nashville, by Johnny Molloy. (There’s also one for Denver and Boulder sitting on my shelf; you can find them for several other cities and areas.) I didn’t hike it at the time, and a week ago I decided it was time to check it out.

There have been very few times in my life that I regretted taking a walk in the woods. This was one of them.   Continue reading “Trail Review: Twin Forks Trail (#48)”