Bells Bend Park is one of Nashville’s most peaceful and underrated parks. The 808-acre park is located in rural West Nashville, far away from traffic and city noises, and there’s usually only a handful of other visitors. I love its big open skies and plentiful wildlife. Here’s everything you need to know about the park.
🏞️ About Bells Bend Park
Bells Bend Park is Nashville’s fourth-largest park, and is bordered by the Cumberland River and numerous farms. The city purchased the land in 1989, but didn’t convert it into a park until 2007. The park serves as a vital floodplain and has meadows, pastureland, ponds, and forested knolls. The tall grasses make it an excellent place for birds and other wildlife.
There are two parking areas with trailheads, and six miles of trails total. The main trailhead is at the park’s outdoor center, and a smaller one nearby at the Popular Hollow Trailhead. All the trails intersect and loop back to their origin points. Give yourself an hour or two to hike, or more, though you could take a short hike to the barn and back if you don’t have much time.
There are no paved trails here; it’s all grass. While relatively flat, I wouldn’t recommend hiking with a wheelchair or stroller. Many areas get muddy. However, none of the trails are difficult, and I had my daughter hiking them with me as a toddler. Dogs are welcome, too.
For birders, the field directly behind the outdoor center is a treasure trove. Get there early in the morning or right at dusk to see the most birds, though there are always a lot! The smaller Popular Hollow Trailhead begins in a wooded area, where a turkey once chased me! I’m not sure who was more startled. I also frequently see blue herons and other water birds at ponds scattered throughout the park. My favorites are the bobwhites I’ve spotted a few times in the morning.
✅ Tips for Visiting
- There isn’t a lot of shade, so if it’s a hot day, go in the morning or evening, and bring water.
- It’s tick central, especially in the summer months. Prepare accordingly. Now that it’s September, the ticks should be lessening.
- Bathrooms are by the outdoor center.
- There are lots of picnic tables behind the outdoor center.
🧗 What Else Is There?
- The Bells Bend Outdoor Center has natural and cultural history displays, and is open Tuesday through Friday. They also host numerous events.
- Climbers should check out the boulder by the outdoor center, as well as the climbing wall inside.
- There are 10 campsites throughout the park.
- The park offers a limited number of free mountain bikes and helmets for use on its mountain bike trail.
