Percy Warner Park Trails

Percy Warner Park is the home of two of Nashville's most pupular trails for canine and human hikers. The Mossy Ridge and Warner Woods Trails provide moderate hikes through beautiful forests that feel far removed from the city even though they're just a short distance from downtown Nashville. Both trails begin at the Deep Well Trailhead just off of Highway 100.

The Warner Woods Trail is the shorter of the two trails. The 2.5-mile loop starts in a deeply wooded section of the park where tall trees provide refreshing shade in the summer. About two miles in, the Warner Woods Trail loops close to paved roads you can cross to access two scenic locations: the overlook on the crest of the 900-foot-tall hill at Luke Lea Heights, and the Allée, also called the Belle Meade Stairs, a series of beautifully landscaped stone-and-turf stairs built into the side of a hill.

You and your pup are likely to come back panting after hiking the Mossy Creek Trail. You'll ascend over 700 feet as you climb the steady series of moderate hills along the course of the 4.5-mile trail loop. It's a popular exercise trai,l but is also a rewarding choice for its scenery. On your hike, you'll see the ruins of an old cottage and Dripping Springs Falls, a waterfall that has carved interesting shapes into the surrounding limestone. Moss carpets hillsides and rocks, keeping the area around the trail green even when the trees are bare.

Trees that grow on the ridges the trail include oak, beech, hickory, and pawpaw. Wildflowers like trillium, Dutchman's breeches, larkspur, and trout lilies grow in the light that filters through the forest canopy. Park wildlife includes deer, turkeys, bobcats, and owls.

Bring any essentials, such as water to share and clean up bags, to make your day out puptastic.

The Percy Warner and the attached Edwin Warner Parks cover just under 3,000 acres, making them one of the largest park areas located within any major city in the United States. The ample natural space they provide to both two-legged and four-legged Nashvillians are part of what makes Nashville such a dog-friendly city. Whether you're living in Nashville or just visiting, make sure that you spend some time hiking the trails in Percy Warner Park with your pup. You'll end your day feeling more connected to nature and to each other.