8 Best Hiking Areas Around Columbia

Columbia, Tennessee, is a vibrant Southern town filled with charm. Less than an hour from Nashville, Columbia is a popular destination for a weekend retreat from the city. Meanwhile, Columbia natives enjoy easy access to the highlights of Nashville and the surrounding area.

If you’re looking for an engaging place to hike, you’ll find a wealth of options in and around Columbia. Below are just a few of our favorite trails in the area.

Radnor Lake State Park

Image via Flickr by mikerhicks

1160 Otter Creek Road, Nashville, TN
Radnor Lake State Park features a total of 7.75 miles of trails. All are accessible for hiking. The Otter Creek Road Trail allows pets and bicycles, and the Lake Trail is accessible for wheelchairs. The majority of the trails connect in a series of loops so you can customize your hike to include all of the available trails in one extended hike, or only a few short walks.

Nature lovers will find the park especially engaging with its abundance of wildlife including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, wildflowers, trees, and other highlights. Also available within the park are a visitor center and the Barbara J. Mapp Aviary Education Center.

Three Hickories Trail

12230 Old Hickory Blvd., Hermitage, TN

The Three Hickories Trail is a 1.6-mile loop in the Cook Recreation Area. This is an informative nature trail that’s ideal for families who want an easy hike and plenty of learning opportunities. The trail features several stops that explore elements like cave development, flooding, tornados, and the effects of humans. The trail passes cedar groves, wildflowers, a karst landscape, and a picturesque lakefront complete with turtles and other wildlife. Admission to the Cook Day Use area is $5, and parking is available at the picnic shelters near the trailhead.

440 Greenway

3531 West End Ave., Nashville, TN

The 440 Greenway connects Centennial Park and Elmington Park in Nashville, making it a great choice when you want to add a short bit of hiking to a family day. Those in nearby neighborhoods are also able to hop onto the trail and enjoy the connections it offers to these parks as well as to other neighborhoods that were formerly divided by Interstate 40 and Interstate 440. The trail is currently just 1.25 miles, but there are plans to extend it to 7 miles.

Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail

Chapmansboro Road, Ashland City, TN

The Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail features two adjoining segments that provide a total of 13.3 miles of hiking if you go out and back. The riverside trail is open year-round and is accessible for jogging, hiking, and leashed dogs. It is completely paved and wheelchair accessible, making this a great option for a long hike that isn’t too strenuous. You’ll find dogwood blooms, a designated waterfowl area, a railroad bridge, and gentle waterfalls that you can enjoy along the walk.

Mill Creek Greenway

Antioch Community Center, 5023 Blue Hole Road, Nashville, TN | Ezell Park, 5135 Harding Place, Nashville, TN

The Mill Creek Greenway features two separate sections. The Blue Hill Road section is a 1.8-mile wooded loop around Antioch Park. You’ll begin and end at the Antioch Community Center. The Ezell Park section is 1.25 miles following the creek from the park to McGavock Pike. The trails are open year-round and accessible for walking, trail running, and leashed pets.

Cheeks Bend Bluff View Trail

Columbia, TN

Running along part of the Duck River, the Cheeks Bend Bluff View Trail is a loop that covers almost 2 miles. It winds through cedar groves and past eye-catching rock formations. It offers some bluff views of the river as well as a small cave. Leashed pets are welcome along this popular hiking route. The terrain is flat and easy, so this is a great hike for people of all ages.

There is no easy GPS address for this trail, but you’ll find it within the Duck River Complex State Natural Area. You can find the trailhead on Cheeks Bend Road to the right of the sign for the Duck River Complex, just across the dirt road. The trail has a kiosk at the trailhead, but this isn’t visible until you head back into the trees.

Mossy Ridge Trail

Percy Warner Park, Nashville, TN

The Mossy Ridge Trail is a popular loop that’s about 4.5 miles in length. You can extend the trail by another 1.5 miles if you include the Cane Connector Trail. This trail is moderate to difficult with steep hills and rocky paths to navigate. It’s more than worth these tricky spots, however, for the waterfalls, rocky ridges, and picturesque vistas. There’s a kiosk at the trailhead that’s visible in the parking area. Take a right at the T and follow the red blazes throughout.

Henry Horton State Park

4209 Nashville Hwy, Chapel Hill, TN

This state park offers an abundance of trails, making it the perfect destination for a full day or weekend of hiking. A lodge, cabins, and campsites are available within the park so you can easily extend your adventure over several days.

This park has several trails which range from just a quarter of a mile to 1.65 miles. The trails connect to one another, so you can cover them all by carefully tracing out your route and making several loops as you work your way across the park.

Trails in the park include:

• Wilhoite River Trail Loop: 1.65 miles, moderate.
• Hickory Ridge Loop Trail: 1.5 miles, easy.
• Hickory Ridge Outer Loop Trail: 1.25 miles, moderate.
• Henry Horton Greenway: 0.25 miles, easy.
• Wetland Trail: 0.95 miles, easy.
• Wild Turkey Trail: 1.7 miles, easy.
• Wilhoite Mill Trail: 0.7 miles, easy.

These are among our favorite hiking trails in and around Columbia, Tennessee. Stop by one or several and enjoy the beautiful landscape of this area. Where are your favorite spots? Share your top trails with us at Stan McNabb Chevrolet of Columbia so we can keep our list updated and make sure we’re always offering the best recommendations around.