Whether you’re searching for a Black Friday alternative or wish for a post-shopping outdoor adventure, Tennessee State Parks is bringing back its annual Day After Thanksgiving Hikes on Friday.
Many of the free, guided hikes are suitable for all ages and abilities and range from peaceful strolls to off-trail excursions. If you want to embark on a self-guided hike with friends and family — we have tips for that, too.
Strap on your hiking boots and check out nine hikes within a ~1-hour drive of Nashville. Pro tip: Individual hikes typically fill up quickly, so be sure to register in advance.
🥾 Join a guided hike
- Radnor Lake, Nashville | 7-9 a.m. | This 2-hour moderate hike (1.5 miles) involves pulling invasive-exotic plants at the park’s new 12-acre tract.
- Long Hunter State Park, Nashville | 1 p.m. | Bring the family for a short 1-mile hike on the Inland Trail as Ranger Jeremy shares about survival skills and life of the 1700s.
- Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, Nashville | 2-3 p.m. | This hike is on a flat and paved sidewalk and is suitable for all ages. Bonus: You’ll learn about the park’s monuments and hear unique stories about Tennessee.
- Harpeth River State Park, Kingston Springs | 9-10 a.m. | Meet at the Harris Street Bridge parking lot for a “moderately difficult” 1.6-mile hike through the Narrows of the Harpeth.
- Edgar Evins State Park, Silver Point | 9 a.m. | Meet at the Millennium Trail parking area for this 2.5-mile hike.
- Dunbar Cave State Park, Clarksville | 9:30-11:30 a.m. | Join Ranger Adam for a 2.75-mile loop hike to discover how the landscape has been altered by the various cultures that have utilized it throughout the centuries.
- Henry Horton State Park, Chapel Hill | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Meet at the Ronnie Bowers Wetland Parking Area for this 3-mile hike on the Wetland trail and Outer River Trail.
- Bledsoe Creek State Park, Gallatin | 2-4 p.m. | This 2-mile, all-ages hike will highlight some of the changes park wildlife undergoes getting ready for the winter months.
- Cedars of Lebanon State Park, Lebanon | 3:30-4:30 p.m. | Hike the paved Cave Creek Trail accessible for wheelchairs and strollers — leashed dogs are welcome in the back of the hike.
🥾 Plan your own hike
Tennessee offers 57 state parks, including four parks within the borders of Davidson County — Radnor Lake, Bicentennial Capitol Mall, Long Hunter, and a portion of Harpeth River. State parks are open 365 days a year and offer a variety of activities and camping opportunities.
Bonus: Tennessee residents receive a 10% discount for most campsites, cabins, and lodge rooms throughout the state.
