Edwin and Percy Warner Parks

Just a few miles west of downtown Nashville, you’ll find Edwin Warner and Percy Warner parks, which combined cover almost 2,700 acres of middle-Tennessee countryside. This is one of the largest municipally managed parks in America, offering miles of hiking trails, bridle paths, scenic drives and picnic shelters.

Two golf courses are here, too – Percy Warner and Harpeth Hills. There are many structures here that were built in the 1930’s as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), including 2 stone bridges, 7 limestone entrances, miles of retaining walls of stone, along with the drives, overlooks and trails, and even a steeplechase course.

Nashville’s oldest model plane flying field, dating from the 40’s is here, as is a short stretch of the Natchez Trace, a historic network of ancient trails used by early Native Americans.

This is a great place to walk, ride a bike, hike, picnic, and just enjoy the great outdoors, just a hop, skip and jump from downtown Nashville.

Located at 7311 Highway 100, the Nature Center at Edwin Warner Park is an environmental education center that’s open all year. Here you may enjoy the museum of local natural history, a library, an organic vegetable and herb garden, beehives, and a wildflower garden.  Hikers can go to the trailhead at the Nature Center for maps.