Nashville is likely one of the greatest locations to remain in the US for mountain climbing, but most individuals understand it as ‘music city’. As a lot as we love the Nashville music scene, it’s time for mainstream tourism to begin seeing the town as a extra rounded vacation spot – and these high 15 hikes close to Nashville are the proper place to begin. There are many waterfalls hikes close to Nashville and lovely inexperienced areas like Percy Warner Park, Long Hunter State Park, and extra. For all its full of life beats and partying, Nashville shouldn’t be wanting mountain climbing alternatives.
15 Top Hikes Near Nashville, Tennessee
Whether you need inexperienced area in Downtown Nashville or simply hikes close to Nashville, Tennessee, that you would be able to go to as a day journey, this information has received you coated. We’ll whisk you thru an inventory of the very best mountain climbing trails close to Nashville, Tennessee.
1. Cane Creek Waterfalls
Cane Creek Falls is likely one of the most stunning waterfall hikes close to Nashville. The falls drop 85 toes as a single-drop waterfall into an enormous plunge pool beneath. Cane Creek Falls are located in Fall Creek Falls State Park and are one in every of its six completely different waterfalls, however this waterfall stands out for its quantity. You’ll be mountain climbing this waterfall path for its attractiveness – not a exercise, because it takes lower than 15 minutes to finish. However, when you additionally embrace the suspension bridge in your route, it’s a extremely partaking brief hike close to Nashville.
Distance: 0.4 miles Difficulty: Easy Elevation achieve: 25 meters Driving time from Nashville: 2 hours
2. Radnor Lake Trail
Radnor Lake is a good looking vacation spot for out of doors fans. The state park encompasses 1,368 acres and is a thriving hotspot for river otters, beavers, and white-tailed deer. Consider Radnor Lake Trail because the wildlife-watching alternative amidst these greatest mountain climbing trails. And the serene lake is an enormous added bonus, with ranger-led canoe floats out there for these wanting a extra adventurous likelihood to attach with Radnor Lake.
This path takes roughly an hour to finish and is a big loop that laps across the lake’s edge. Take your time, although, to get essentially the most out of wildlife watching, and brings some binoculars to identify animals from a distance.
Distance: 2.7 miles Difficulty: Easy Elevation achieve: 37 meters Driving time from Nashville: 17 minutes
3. Narrows of the Harpeth Trail
The Narrows of the Harpeth Trail is an absolute breeze to hike. If you desire a brief however candy mountain climbing journey from Nashville, add this to your checklist. The Narrows supplies upstream and downstream path entry, and this space is legendary for its slim part of river flowing via lush forest and towering cliffs. The Narrows of the Harpeth Tunnel are gorgeous; image a man-made waterfall cascading out of the cliffs.
The Narrows of the Harpeth River is simply half an hour’s drive from Nashville’s metropolis middle – perfect for a fast afternoon journey. Situated in a chosen state park, this hike is ideal for these wanting a trek via dense forest and a singular river setting.
Distance: 1.1 miles Difficulty: Easy Elevation achieve: 68 meters Driving time from Nashville: half-hour
4. Montgomery Bell Trail
Montgomery Bell is extensively described as a pure oasis. Picture three green-tinted lakes surrounded by 3,850 acres of forest and pure magnificence – actually, it’s no marvel that folks from Nashville flock to make the 40-minute drive to Montgomery Bell State Park. The Montgomery Bell Trail is a reasonable path of over 10 miles, taking roughly 4 hours to finish, plus longer when you cease for swimming. However, it is likely one of the most enjoyable and peaceable locations for mountain climbing close to Nashville. Most guests spend the day lounging on lake shores or paddling in shallow waters.
Distance: 10.3 miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation achieve: 320 meters Driving time from Nashville: 40 minutes
5. Volunteer Trail Day Loop Trail
Volunteer Trail Day Loop is a reasonable hike that latches on as an additional problem from the Volunteer Trail that loops Long Hunter State Park. It pays to get off the crushed observe as soon as in some time, and on this path extension, you permit Volunteer Trail at its halfway level and detour to Percy Priest Lake. You can truly camp on this path. In truth, a preferred option to expertise it’s to arrange at Percy Priest Lake’s campsites after which watch the sundown – ending the hike the next day. This is a good looking path to tick off for lakeside mountain climbing close to Nashville.
Distance: 4 miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation achieve: 82 meters Driving time from Nashville: half-hour
6. Twin Falls and Down River Trail
Ready for an additional one in every of Nashville’s close by waterfall trails? Twin Falls and Down River Trail is a reasonably simple hike close to Rock Island State Park. But its profitable issue is the cascading Twin Falls – a good looking waterfall that appears to tumble out of the timber and dozens of white streaks. The path takes round 40 minutes to finish and is located in Rock Island State Park. This park sits on the confluence of three rivers; Caney Fork River, Collins, and Rocky River.
Distance: 1.6 miles Difficulty: Easy Elevation achieve: 68 meters Driving time from Nashville: 1 hour 40 minutes
7. Burgess Falls Trail
Burgess Falls Trail is a unbelievable mountain climbing journey to mix a number of waterfalls into one brief stroll. The path passes 4 enormous waterfalls alongside the Falling Water River – offering unequalled views of highly effective crashes of water. Don’t be fooled; this route is labeled reasonably difficult regardless of solely taking 40 minutes to finish. There is a few rocky terrain in sections alongside some delicate inclines that push up the problem degree. Bring some water, and also you’ll be effective.
Distance: 1.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation achieve: 64 meters Driving time from Nashville: 1 hour 15 minutes
8. Greeter Falls Loop
Greeter Falls is fairly well-known. You’ve most likely seen this waterfall earlier than, and its pristine single drop is unimaginable to neglect. To go on an out of doors journey mountain climbing close to Nashville, the Greeter Falls Loop is likely one of the most photogenic choices. You stroll via a shaded forest for a lot of the path earlier than rising onto an iconic spiral staircase to get near Greeter Falls. The hardest half is the elevation achieve, however the stroll takes roughly an hour and a half.
Distance: 3.2 miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation achieve: 158 meters Driving time from Nashville: 1 hour half-hour
9. Hidden Lake
Remember Harpeth River State Park from earlier? Well, it has a second trial it’s essential find out about. The Harpeth Hidden Lake is one in every of our shortest trails, taking simply 25 minutes to finish as a loop. However, it is likely one of the most scenic trails to hike from Nashville and has a surprising lookout level. With little youngsters, the ‘hidden aspect’ can be a terrific supply of pleasure.
Distance: 1.3 miles Difficulty: Easy Elevation achieve: 14 meters Driving time from Nashville: 20-minute drive
10. Foster Falls Base Trail
Foster Falls is a spectacle to be witnessed up shut and private. The 60-foot waterfall drops right into a deep plunge pool beneath, surrounded by mountain laurels and azaleas. While it’s tucked away on the Cumberland Plateau in the South Cumberland State Park, the hike is easy. Ideal for out of doors fans with out the power or health degree for a protracted stroll.
Distance: 0.6 miles Difficulty: Easy Elevation achieve: 47 meters Driving time from Nashville: 1 hour 40 minutes
11. Gorge Overlook Trail
The Gorge Overlook Trail is a round route in Fall Creek Falls State Park – which ought to sound acquainted since we’ve simply coated its different path, Cane Creek Falls. Instead of whisking you to Cane Creek, this path takes you on a more difficult pure impediment course. You’ll discover rocky terrain all through and sections of the path that require mountain climbing. And regardless of solely being a couple of miles lengthy, it takes round 2 hours to finish due to intense elevation achieve. But your strenuous efforts are rewarded with dramatic gorge views.
Distance: 3.1 miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation achieve: 217 meters Driving time from Nashville: 2 hours
12. Fiery Gizzard Trail to Raven’s Point
Fiery Gizzard Trail is a celeb amongst out of doors adventures. This path even hits lists naming the highest mountain climbing trails in the US, a massively weighty declare in a rustic filled with such iconic mountain climbing trails. Fiery Gizzard Trail comes into its personal with its variety and sights. There are waterfalls, stunning swimming holes to dip in, unstable terrain to maintain you in your toes, and gorgeous forest surroundings. It is a problem, however excellent for the formidable hiker visiting Nashville.
Distance: 11 miles Difficulty: Challenging Elevation achieve: 445 meters Driving time from Nashville: 1 hour half-hour
13. Jackson Falls Trail
Jackson Falls Trail is a tiny path that snakes previous a collection of streams and deep swimming pools earlier than reaching one most important plunge pool on the base of the falls. While it takes simply 10 minutes to finish, it loops down a steep concrete path, making it extra of a reasonable hike than a simple path. Watch your footing in moist climate since it may get fairly slick. But in any other case, don’t bat an eyelid tackling this path, and produce a picnic to get pleasure from on the backside.
Distance: 0.4 miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation achieve: 15 meters Driving time from Nashville: 1 hour
14. Cummins Falls Trail
Dropping 75 toes, Cummins Falls is definitely Tennessee’s eighth-largest waterfall. The falls have two important drops and a good looking swimming gap on the base, and it’s positioned on the Blackburn Fork River in the 306-acre Cummins Falls State Park. People have been mountain climbing the Cummins Falls Trail for over 100 years to get pleasure from its swimming gap on the backside. So if you wish to escape the inner-city warmth in Nashville, Cummins Falls is a refreshing reward.
Distance: 2.4 miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation achieve: 107 meters Driving time from Nashville: 1 hour 15 minutes
15. Mossy Ridge Trail
Mossy Ridge Trail is in Percy Warner Park, one of many closest parks to Nashville’s metropolis middle. The undeniable fact that it’s located in Percy Warner Park doesn’t make this a simple path, although, and you may count on scrambling sections and steep hills to navigate. Mossy Ridge Trail is ideal for a hiker trying to push themselves bodily with out venturing too far out of Nashville. The spotlight of this path is the non-obligatory detour it has to an overlook going through a rocky ridge. There are even little benches to take a seat down and sit back with a picnic or chilly drink.
Distance: 5.1 miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation achieve: 253 meters Driving time from Nashville: half-hour
Hikes Near Nashville: FAQs
Hiking close to Nashville is unimaginable – particularly with the variety of waterfall hikes. Fall Creek Falls, Blue Hole Falls, and Virgin Falls are unbelievable waterfall choices, simply to call a couple of. In summer season, nothing is healthier than discovering a swimming gap or plunge pool for a dip. But what else do it’s essential find out about mountain climbing close to Nashville? Check out these important snippets of knowledge.
Does Nashville Have Good Hiking?
Nashville has glorious mountain climbing trails and is surrounded by hills and waterfalls. Nashville is a unbelievable break for newcomers and mid-level hikers, with loads of mid-length and easy-to-moderate trails.
What Are The Closest Hikes to Nashville?
Warner Park is positioned simply outdoors Nashville metropolis middle (20 minutes by automobile or an hour by bus) and has 9 mountain climbing trails. Warner Park has an enormous Nature Center the place you’ll be able to choose up path maps or use Google Maps to information the best way.
What Mountains Are Close to Nashville?
The closest mountains to Nashville are the Great Smoky Mountains. However, the town is usually surrounded by hills – that are higher choices for extra accessible day journeys. The Great Smoky Mountains are 4 hours away from Nashville by automobile, so we advocate visiting them as a part of a protracted weekend fairly than a day journey.
To Conclude: Hikes Near Nashville
Hiking close to Nashville, Tennessee, is completely chic. You’ll discover gorgeous mountain climbing trails whether or not you head to East Nashville or go on a extra distant out of doors journey. It has among the greatest mountain climbing in the US, which isn’t any menial feat. Don’t simply tick off music sights and name it a day – carve out time for these 15 greatest mountain climbing trails in and round Nashville. Hiking trails are the proper option to steadiness out the depth of a metropolis break.
Still, in search of Nashville inspiration? Check out our information on the place to remain in Nashville for the lowdown on the very best neighborhoods and lodges. Have an exquisite mountain climbing journey.