Middle Tennessee
Montgomery Bell State Park
1020 Jackson Hill Road
Burns, TN 37029
615-797-9052
800-250-8613
Located in Dickson County, the 3,782-acre park was named for the industrialist who manufactured iron from the land. The park contains remnants of an iron furnace as well as a replica of the first Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which was established on the land.
Recreation:Picnicking, hiking, camping, biking, swimming, boating, fishing, golf.
Links:
Tennessee State Parks – Montgomery Bell State Park
Narrows of the Harpeth
Hwy. 70
Kingston Springs, TN 37887
615-797-9051
This site is home to the Narrows Tunnel, one of the oldest man-made tunnels in the United States. Designed by Montgomery Bell and built by his slaves, this 290-foot tunnel provided waterpower for Bell’s iron manufacturing operation.
Recreation:
Hiking, boating, fishing.
Links:
Tennessee State Parks – Narrows of the Harpeth
Natchez Trace Parkway
The Parkway Visitor Center
Milepost 266 (near Tupelo, Mississippi)
800-305-7417
The 444-mile parkway follows the general route of the Old Natchez Trace, the frontier road, linking Nashville to Natchez, Mississippi.
Recreation:
Scenic drives, hiking, camping, biking, swimming, boating, fishing, horseback riding.
Links:
National Park Service – Natchez Trace
Radnor Lake State Natural Area
1160 Otter Creek Road
Nashville, TN 37220
(615) 373-3467
Radnor Lake is located eight miles south of downtown Nashville. In 1914, the L & N Railroad Company created the 85-acre lake to provide water for steam engines and livestock at nearby Radnor Yards. In 1973, 747 acres of the property were preserved, making Radnor Lake Tennessee's first protected eco-system.
Recreation:Hiking.
(Biking, jogging and dog walking are allowed on the roadway by the lake.) Links:
Tennessee State Parks – Radnor Lake
Tennessee Natural Areas – Radnor Lake
Friends of Radnor Lake
Rock Island State Park
82 Beach Road
Rock Island, TN 38581-4200
931-686-2471
The 883 acre park is located on the Caney Fork River and is adjacent to the TVA Great Fall Dam and hydroelectric plants. A highlight of the area is the Twin Falls, an 80-foot tiered waterfall, which can be viewed from an overlook across a limestone gorge (or gulf).
Recreation:
Picnicking, hiking, camping, swimming, boating, fishing.