Biking

The first destination for bikers around Nashville [1] is the Natchez Trace Parkway (www.nps.gov/natr [2]), a two-lane 444-mile blacktop scenic drive that originates in Nashville and journeys south through Tennessee and Mississippi countryside, eventually terminating in Natchez, Mississippi. The parkway is closed to commercial traffic and the speed limit is strictly enforced, making it popular for biking.

Biking the Trace can be an afternoon outing or a weeklong adventure. The National Park Service maintains three campgrounds along the Trace, plus five bicyclist-only campsites with more modest amenities. The northernmost bike campsite is located at the intersection of the Trace and Highway 50, about 36 miles south of Nashville [1].

When biking on the Trace, ride in a single-file line and always wear reflective clothing and a helmet. Pack food and water, and carry a cell phone, ID, and emergency information.

Short paved trails good for biking can be found at Radnor Lake State Natural Area [3], Warner Parks [4], and in any of Nashville’s greenways, including those at Shelby Bottoms along the Cumberland River.

Nashville’s [1] only dedicated mountain bike trail is at Hamilton Creek Park (www.hamcreek.com [5]) on J. Percy Priest Lake [6], on the east side of the Nashville airport. This 10-mile bike trail consists of an eastern trail better for beginning bikers and a western trail for advanced bikers. The two trails meet at a tunnel that crosses Bell Road.