Nashville is a great place to run or walk. The city offers a variety of running trails that range from flat to hilly terrain. These trails are perfect for beginners and seasoned athletes alike.
Running trails in and around Nashville is a fun way to exercise and enjoy nature at the same time. If you’re looking for a new way of exercising, try these trails. They offer the opportunity to do different types of exercises such as walking, jogging, biking, and more!
If you’re interested in trying out one of the many trails around town, here are a few suggestions:
Maryland Way Park Brentwood
This park is located at 2300 Brentwood Blvd. This trail runs through the heart of Brentwood and offers amazing views of the city. The park also hosts a variety of events throughout the year.
Hillsboro Village Greenway
This greenway is located on Hillsboro Pike between Woodland Street and Church Hill Avenue. It’s a beautiful trail that winds through the woods and past several parks.
You can find it by heading north from downtown on Woodland Street and turning right onto Hillsboro Pike.
Tanglefoot Trail
This trail starts at Tanglefoot Creek Nature Center and goes all the way up to the Tennessee River. It’s about four miles long and takes about an hour to complete.
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park
If you’d like to take your running outdoors, there are plenty of places to do so in the national park. There are more than 100 miles of paved roads and paths within the park.
Some of these include the Blue Ridge Parkway, Clingmans Dome Road, Cades Cove Loop Road, Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Highway, Little River Canyon, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Sugarlands Visitor Center, and Tunnel Falls.
Powell Park
This park is open daily from 8 a.m. until dusk. Located off of Powell Lane, this park is home to a number of different trails.
These include the 1/2 mile Powell Mill Trail, which is wheelchair accessible; the 2.6 mile Long Run Trail, which is suitable for both beginner and experienced runners; and the 4.4 mile Piedmont Trail, which is mostly flat and ideal for those who prefer a slower pace.
Cumberland River Greenway
This trail is located along the Cumberland River and is part of the Cumberland River Greenway System. It connects to the North Shore Greenway and the South Side Greenway. The trail is approximately three miles long and is suitable for walking, jogging, biking, rollerblading, and inline skating.
For more information on any of these trails, visit the Parks Department website. For more information on local races, check out our Running page.
Lebanon Springs Park
This park is just south of Lebanon and has many great trails. The most popular one is the Spring Run Trail, which is about 0.8 mile long and leads to the waterfalls.
Other trails include the Cedar Creek Trail, which is about 1.1 miles long and is perfect for beginners; the Piney Trail, which is about 2.7 miles long and is also good for beginners; and the Lost Creek Trail, which is only 0.2 mile long but offers some great views.
To reach this park, drive east on I-81 North toward Lebanon. Take Exit 35 and turn right onto US 321 West. Continue straight ahead on US 321 and then make a slight right into the parking lot.
Meeman-Shelby Forest State Natural Area
This state natural area located between Nashville and Memphis is home to several hiking and running trails.
Some of the more popular ones include the Nolichucky Trail, which is about 10.8 miles long and is suitable both for beginners and experienced hikers; the Black Bear Trail, about 6.6 miles long and is suitable mainly for beginners; and the Little River Trail, about 13.2 miles long and is suitable only for experienced hikers.
The trailheads can be found off of I-440 East. Exit at Exit 22B and drive north on Hwy 51 toward Goodlettsville. Continue on Hwy 51 until it becomes Hwy 50. Take Hwy 50 east until it intersects with Hwy 51. Turn south on Hwy 51 and follow it until it meets up with Hwy 40.
Take Hwy 40 east until it reaches I-440. Exit at Exit 23B and head north on Hwy 55. Turn right onto Hwy 51 and follow this road until it ends.
Mt Juliet
There are several parks and trails for running that are located in Mt. Juliet is home to the largest urban forest in Tennessee. These parks are best known for its mountain bike trails, including the 16-mile Red Hills Loop Trail, which was designed by a group of volunteers.
There are also trails that lead to the top of the mountain, where there are fantastic views. To find the trails, take US 41 North and turn right onto Old Dixie Highway.
Follow the road as it turns into S. Main Street and continue past the high school. You will see a sign directing you to the mountain bike trails.
There are other trails available, such as the Blue Ridge Trail, which is about two miles long and is suitable primarily for beginners; the Big Hollow Trail, which is about 3.3 miles long and is suitable mostly for beginners; and the Blackberry Trail, which is about 5.5 miles long and is suitable almost exclusively for beginners.
Tailwaters Access Area Trails
This trail is located near Brentwood and is part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park system. It features beautiful scenery and is very popular with runners. Notably, there is the Old Hickory Trail, which provides a tranquil running experience.
The trailhead can be found off of Hwy 70 East (exit 32) or from Hwy 70 West (exit 25).
Centennial Park
Located in downtown Nashville, Centennial Park is home to several different types of trails. One of these is the Greenway Trail, which is about three miles long and is suitable for all levels of runners.
Another one is the Cane Ridge Nature Trail, which is about four miles long and is suitable predominantly for beginners. The third one is the Overlook Trail, which is about six miles long and is suitable exclusively for advanced runners.
To get to the park, take Broadway Avenue South and turn left onto 7th Avenue South. Go straight through the traffic circle and cross over Interstate 65.
At the next intersection, turn left onto 8th Avenue South and then go straight. The park entrance is on your right.
Shelby Bottoms
This area is located just outside of Nashville City Center and has some great trails for runners. One of these trails is the Shelby Bottoms Greenway Trail, which stretches about five miles and is suitable for both walkers and runners. The trail is flat and easy to navigate.
If you want to run along the river, you should check out the Riverfront Trail, which is about four miles long and is suitable mainly for beginning runners. If you would like to explore more than one trail, you could try
Edwin and Percy Warner Parks
These parks have many trails, but the most well known ones include the Edwin Warner Park Trail, which is about seven miles long and is suitable only for experienced runners. The Percy Warner Park Trail, which extends about eight miles and is suitable for beginner runners.
Other Areas
There are many other areas around Nashville that provide excellent running opportunities. Some of these include:
Brentwood
This city is located south of Nashville and has some great trails, including the Brentwood Creek Greenway Trail, which runs about eight miles and is suited for beginners.
Rutherford County
Rutherford County is located north of Nashville and has some wonderful trails. These include the Lake view Trail, which is about eight miles long and is suitable primarily for beginners.
Final Thoughts
Although there are many nature-based trails in and around the beautiful landscape and city that is Nashville, you will find even just running around the city to be enjoyable. Hopefully this list will have given you a good idea of the different trails around Nashville.
Happy Running!
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So, that is why I have created Run In The Sun. I want to make your running journey as easy as possible so that you can feel these benefits too. I promise you, it will be so worth it!
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