Take A 2-Hour Drive Through Nashville To See This Year’s Beautiful Fall Colors
Finding fall foliage in Nashville isn’t too difficult come autumn, but there are a few places that are a cut above the rest. This two-hour drive will take you through and around the heart of Nashville, from beautiful parks to engaging hiking trails rife with wildlife. From one end of the city to the next, you’re bound to find a new favorite place to wander amongst the orange, yellow and red trees. Nashville is never as beautiful as it is in the fall time. It’s a true local treasure!
If you’re looking for our map below, you can follow it on your own right here.
Located right outside of Nashville's bustling downtown core, Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park was built to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Tennessee's statehood. It's an urban park, one that offers paved walking trails, grassy lawns for running, and a splash pad during the warmer months. Oh, and those trees you see above? Explode with fall time color.
The beautiful Cheekwood Estate & Gardens is made up of a historic estate house as well as an impressive 55-acre botanical garden that's decorated and honed seasonally. Visit for the Cheekwood Harvest event and take in all the stunning decorations and autumnal fun.
Edwin Warner Park and Percy Warner Park are collectively known as the "Warner Parks" in Nashville, and they're great public pars to visit when it comes to wandering foliage-strewn hiking trails. There's plenty of green space and hiking trails, and we'd highly recommend grabbing your bicycle if you're looking to spend a solid amount of time amidst the orange and yellow trees.
Radnor Lake is popular all year-round, but it's best known for its autumnal colors. We'd recommend walking the Lake Loop, at close to two-miles it's perfect for leaf crunching and wilflife spotting.
Pack a lunch and head to the 2,600 acre Long Hunter State Park! Rife with hiking and camping opportunities, it's also a great place to wander the lakefront and take in the colors of the foliage across the water.
Peeler Park is tucked away in the bend of the Cumberland River, and is only accessible from the aptly named Neely's Bend Road in Madison, Tennessee. Although it's a bit rural, the river access and great hiking trails will provide you with a beautiful respite from the rush of the city.
Don’t miss out on the chance to see all the beauty a Nashville autumn has to offer! You can follow our map right here, folks. Two hours is all you need!
If you’re looking for a bit more fun, make sure to check out this Nashville bierhaus in preparation for Oktoberfest.
Address: Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, 600 James Robertson Pkwy, Nashville, TN 37243, USA
Address: 1200 Forrest Park Dr, Nashville, TN 37205, USA
Address: Percy Warner Boulevard, Percy Warner Blvd, Nashville, TN 37205, USA
Address: Radnor Lake State Park, 1160 Otter Creek Rd, Nashville, TN 37220, USA
Address: Long Hunter State Park, 2910 Hobson Pike, Hermitage, TN 37076, USA
Address: Peeler Park Greenway, Nashville, TN 37115, USA
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Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a degree in English, and has worked in the digital marketing realm with companies such as Apartments.com, USA Today and HarperCollins Publishing.
