Percy Warner Park sits at 2500 Old Hickory Boulevard in southwest Nashville, about 8 miles from downtown. Together with adjacent Edwin Warner Park, it forms a 3,100-acre natural area that qualifies as one of the largest municipal parks in the southeastern United States. Over a million people visit the combined Warner Parks each year.
What’s Actually Here
The park runs 12 miles of primitive hiking trails, nearly 9 miles of paved multi-use trails, 10 miles of horse trails, 8 miles of mountain biking trails, and 2 cross-country running courses. The trail system is open from sunrise to 11 p.m. every day.
The most iconic entry point is the Belle Meade Entrance, where the Allee Steps, massive stone stairs built by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s, lead up a tree-lined boulevard. Locals who run these stairs regularly are doing something substantially harder than they make it look.
The Trails Worth Knowing
Mossy Ridge Trail is the park’s signature hike: a 4.5-mile loop (around 5.1 miles as typically measured) blazed in red, rated moderate, with 830 feet of elevation gain. It winds through hardwood forest over limestone outcroppings, crosses several springs, and includes a small waterfall section about a mile from the Deep Well trailhead. AllTrails gives it a 4.8-star rating from nearly 9,000 reviews, making it one of the most praised local trails in middle Tennessee. Not recommended for small children because of the constant up-down terrain and rocky sections, hiking poles help after rain.
The Paved Loop offers 5.8 and 11.2-mile options through the park’s road system, closed to vehicle traffic except on certain sections. It’s hilly enough to be a legitimate workout and is the go-to for walkers, cyclists, and stroller users. The short spur to Luke Lea Heights, at 922 feet elevation, delivers the best overlook of downtown Nashville skyline you can reach on foot from within the park.
Equestrian Trails cover 6 miles on the Old Beech Trail (shared with hikers) and the Spring Hollow Trail (horses only). No biking or trail running on equestrian routes, pedestrians yield to horses.
Mountain Bike Trails run 8 miles through the northwest section near the Deep Well entrance and Percy Warner Park Golf Course, with skill-level options from beginner to advanced. The SORBA Middle Tennessee chapter maintains these.
The Cane Connector Trail links the entire system, crossing Old Hickory Boulevard to connect Percy Warner’s trails with Edwin Warner Park’s Hungry Hawk Trail.
What to Know Before You Go
Trailheads: The Deep Well area off Highway 100 is the main hub, with maps, parking, and access to the Mossy Ridge, Warner Woods, and Harpeth Woods trails. The Belle Meade Entrance off Belle Meade Boulevard is the most scenic arrival. Chickering Road provides another entrance.
Dogs are allowed throughout the trails (including in the Burch Reserve extension). This distinguishes Percy Warner from Radnor Lake, which prohibits dogs on most trails.
There are no entry fees and no permit requirements for day hiking. Parking lots are free. The Nature Center at Edwin Warner Park (across Old Hickory Boulevard) has trail guides, maps, and educational exhibits and is worth a quick stop.
Why Locals Use It
Percy Warner is where Nashville’s running and fitness community congregates year-round. You’ll find trail runners grinding Mossy Ridge at 7am on a Tuesday, cyclists doing the paved loop for lunch, and mountain bikers on weekends. The Steeplechase, a horse racing event held at the park in late spring since 1981, is one of Nashville’s more unusual social traditions, a rolling party in formal wear that draws 30,000 people to a public park.
For anyone visiting Nashville who wants green space and actual terrain (not just the flat greenway), Percy Warner is the correct answer. The 45-minute drive from Broadway puts it out of range for a casual detour, but for early risers or anyone staying in the Belle Meade or Green Hills area, it’s the best outdoor experience the city has.
Sources:
- Friends of Warner Parks, Trail Descriptions: https://warnerparks.org/visit/trails/
- Metro Nashville Parks, Warner Park Hiking and Trails: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/parks/nature-centers-and-natural-areas/warner-park-nature-center/maps-and-trails
- AllTrails, Percy Warner Park: https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/tennessee/percy-warner-park
- SORBA Mid-TN, Percy Warner: https://www.sorbamidtn.org/percy-warner