Wonderful Winter Hikes in Tennessee

This short, steep trail offers the highest elevation overlook in any Tennessee State Park (Elevation 3,440). Traveling beneath 200-foot quartzite Whitehouse Cliffs, the trail continues upward to a rewarding view of the park atop Whitehouse Knob. The mountains are especially beautiful when covered in a blanket of snow. 

Tip: Download or print out a map with directions to get to and from the park as well as the park map. Cell reception is very limited in and around the park.

Plan Your Hike

This section of the Cumberland Trail winds through the woods past Windlass cave, massive boulder cubes, and stone ruins to several stunning overlooks. On a good day at the southern overlook, visitors can see Mount Le Conte in the Smoky Mountain about 72 miles in the distance. 

A scenic 3.6-mile out-and-back trail starts at Brady Mountain Trailhead and connects to the 1-mile Black Mountain Loop Trail where the overlooks are located. You can also make a shorter hike by starting at the Black Mountain Trailhead which leads straight onto the 1-mile Loop Trail. 

The Cumberland Trail Conference provides detailed information about this hike on their website. 

Plan Your Hike

During the winter at Pogue Creek Canyon, unique rock formations stand out in the forest, icicles hang from rock shelves, and amazing views are revealed atop the plateaus. The quiet overlook provides a peaceful place to sit and listen to the sounds of nature stirring from above and below. 

View a map of Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area here. 

Tip: Plan a cozy stay at one of the nearby cabins at Pickett CCC Memorial State Park. 

Plan Your Hike

Bledsoe Creek is an ideal park for a winter hike near Nashville. The High Ridge Trail offers short but steep climbs, scenic views of Old Hickory Lake, and resting spots as it winds through the woods.  

Tip: Tack on the Shoreline Trail to make it a loop with a total of 2.8 miles. 

Plan Your Hike

One of the best short waterfall hikes on the plateau, this loop leads to three waterfalls, numerous bluffs, and a historic site. The terrain is very rocky under the bluffs and easy above. The trail begins across the entrance road from the Greeter Falls parking lot. 

Tip: Wear shoes with good traction as the rocks near the falls can be wet and slippery.

Plan Your Hike

Old Stone Fort State Park offers a diverse hiking experience with waterfalls, cliffs, and meadows. The park is known for its enclosure site built 1,500-2,000 years ago. The trail follows the perimeter of the enclosure, passing between two pedestal mounds that were designed to face the exact spot on the horizon where the sun rises during the summer solstice. From the trail, you can see Step Falls, Blue Hole Falls, Big Falls, and remnants of an old paper mill foundation. Optional spur trails are available to extend your hike.

Plan Your Hike

This trail meanders gently through cedar woodlands and past glade openings. Along the way, several educational signs explain the unique ecology of the cedar glades and identify plant and animal species found at the park. Interesting in all seasons, a bright array of mosses and lichens on the woodland floor take center stage in winter.  

Tip: Book a cozy stay at one of the park’s cabins.

Plan Your Hike

The flooded cypress forest at Reelfoot Lake often freezes in the winter months creating incredible sculptures of ice on the lake and in the trees. The park is also home to thousands of American bald eagles in January and February. The Boardwalk Loop Trail is a great option for wildlife viewing on the lake. 

Tip: Book a cozy stay at one of the park’s cabins.

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Radnor Lake State Park is a natural oasis in Nashville, TN. The Lake Trail offers a peaceful walk in the woods around the north side of 85-acre Radnor Lake. Several observation points provide excellent vistas of the lake and wildlife. 

Tip: Visit on a weekday for fewer crowds and more parking. 

Plan Your Hike

This paved trail makes a loop around the Native American mounds at the park. Along the trail, interpretive panels speak to the history of the area. Hikers can climb the stairs to the top of Saul’s Mound for a great view of the surrounding woods.

Tip: Stop by the park’s museum, designed to replicate a prehistoric Native American mound, to learn about Tennessee’s prehistory. 

Plan Your Hike

The park preserves and interprets the land’s history as a Union supply depot and a once-thriving railroad town that is now mostly covered by water due to the formation of Kentucky Lake. The park’s hiking trails pass remnants of the past including rifle pits, a railroad bed, and an African American cemetery. In the winter, along the Old Railway Trail, visitors can see remnants of the old town of Johnsonville due to the lake’s lower water levels. 

Tip: Stop by the visitor center to warm up and check out the park’s interpretive exhibits.

Plan Your Hike

While this suggestion is more of a short walk than a hike, its uniqueness makes it worth visiting. Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park provides the opportunity to walk in a green space right in the middle of downtown Nashville! The park’s pathway of history features a wall engraved with significant events in the history of the state from its founding until the bicentennial. 

Tip: Tack on a visit to the Tennessee State Museum or one of the delicious restaurants inside the Nashville Farmer’s Market for a full day of activities. 

Plan Your Hike