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Almost immediately after its opening, this became the coveted selfie spot for urban paddlers. It’s also designed to be a great spectator spot, with another two acres at street level. Hang out here to watch the Cumberland River Dragon Boat Festival on September 9, which benefits the Cumberland River Compact. For a longer paddle, have a friend drop you off at the boat ramp at Shelby Bottoms and pick you up here. Also, later this summer, a revived McGavock Pike launch is scheduled to be open. Get in there, and take off at East Bank downtown.
Sure, Tennessee is technically landlocked. Luckily we’ve pulled together a cross-section of our seven favorite places to experience water in nature (not just that turquoise stuff with a concrete bottom), whether you want to swim, paddle, fish, or just hike along the shore with epic water views. All of our picks, from east to west, are close enough to Nashville that you’ll spend less time in your car getting there and more time actually at—and on, and in—the water.
East Bank Landing — 2 Victory Ln, Nashville
In September 2015, Metro Parks opened East Bank Landing, a two-plus-acre park on the banks of the Cumberland River in the shadow of Nissan Stadium. Yes, there was a park there before, but now it features a grassy slope and a car turnaround at the top. So, this new version makes it a whole lot easier to load and unload kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards and get into the river, a shimmery view of the skyline in clear sight (when there’s not an event at the stadium, of course).Almost immediately after its opening, this became the coveted selfie spot for urban paddlers. It’s also designed to be a great spectator spot, with another two acres at street level. Hang out here to watch the Cumberland River Dragon Boat Festival on September 9, which benefits the Cumberland River Compact. For a longer paddle, have a friend drop you off at the boat ramp at Shelby Bottoms and pick you up here. Also, later this summer, a revived McGavock Pike launch is scheduled to be open. Get in there, and take off at East Bank downtown.
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Hamilton Creek Recreation Area 2901 Bell Rd, Nashville
Hamilton Creek Recreation Area on Percy Priest Lake is bustling. Managed by Metro Parks, it is the spot where the Nashville Rowing and local school rowing teams practice, and many locals dock their sailboats here. The marina is open to the public; it's a great place to watch the sailboats take off across the water. (The docks, however, are property of the rowing teams.) Because there's no motorized boat launch here, it's popular with kayakers and paddle-boardersand it's where the Nashville Aquatic Club swimmers practice their open-water swims and where Nashville Paddle Co. rents paddleboards and kayaks. Head here to watch the Music City SUP and Kayak race on July 29. Want a boat of your own without the headache? Head a mile north on Bell Road, and check out the Nashville Boat Club at Elm Hill Marina. ×
Long Hunter State Park 2910 Hobson Pk, Hermitage
On the east side of J. Percy Priest Lake, Long Hunter State Park is a favorite destination of outdoor lovers in the area. We're partial to its Couchville Lake, a 110-acre lake inside the park that is reserved for canoes and kayaks and that, just last year, began allowing paddle-boarding. Canoes are available for rent on the lake. There's an easy two-mile paved trail around the lake, too, if you want to go for a stroll, and it is often dotted with wildflowers in summer. Note, however, that while pets are allowed in some parts of the park, they aren't permitted on the Couchville Lake Trail, as this is a walk that is popular with wildlife. Look for heron, deer, and turkey as you take in the views. ×
Marrowbone Lake — 62000 Marrowbone Lake Rd, Joelton
Breathtaking sunsets are a regular sight on Marrowbone Lake, a small 60-acre lake reserved for fishers, just north of Nashville. People come here for trout, bass, catfish, and the scenery, not to mention the opportunity to cast a rod and reel without recreational boaters and paddlers getting in the way of fishing. There’s a bait shop onsite, and you need to check in there before you hit the water. As is the case fishing anywhere in the state, you need a Tennessee fishing license before you bait your hook. The drive itself to Marrowbone from the city is scenic, trailing along back-roads. If you’re lucky, you may see a sandhill crane (but not any of those metal ones that now populate the downtown skyline). ×
Narrows of the Harpeth 1007 Cedar Hill Rd / 1294 Hwy 70, Kingston Springs
Look at a map, and you'll quickly figure out why they call this Narrows of the Harpeth. A 100-foot tunnel at Harpeth River State Park (cut through rock in the early 1800s) allows you to go for a five-mile float down the river, but you take out less than one-quarter of a mile from where you put in, again giving you more time on the water and less time in the car. Lots of commercial outfitters, including Foggy Bottom and Tip-A-Canoe, offer floats down the Harpeth, in case you don't have your own canoe or kayak. Late-summer low water levels mean the Harpeth is best suited for canoes and kayaks rather than paddleboards. The area is just as popular with hikers and picnickers who take in the views and the serene sounds of the water. ×
Old Hickory Beach — 875 Burnett Rd, Old Hickory
Craving some sand between your toes? Old Hickory Beach on Old Hickory Lake offers a beach-like experience only minutes from Inglewood, East Nashville, and Madison. The small, sandy beach has a designated swimming area that keeps fishermen and boats out, and the shoreline features a covered pavilion for shade during picnicking, as well as a playground for kids. To get to this spot, you’ll drive through an industrial area and past the DuPont plant, making the route one of the least bucolic outdoor approaches ever. But, once you get to the lake, you’ll find a grassy expanse of nature with water lapping at your feet. There's a $5 parking fee for the beach area. ×
For the month of June, thea portion of the Stones River will be closed due to construction near Lebanon Pike, but once that's done, you can float up and down as much as you like. Thanks to an acquisition by Metro Parks, there will be a new riverside primitive camping area for those who want to set up a tent for a night under the stars on Ravenwood land along the river just south of Lebanon Pike.
Stones River Greenway 2330 Jackson Downs Blvd, Nashville
Another anomaly of the local outdoor scene is the fact that the launch for one of the quietest, most peaceful outdoor adventures around begins in a Kohl's department store parking lot. Just trust us: This launching point for the Stones River Greenway is one of the prettiest water retreats in the area. Leave the car in the far corner of the parking lot (away from the store and near the Metro Greenways sign) and take your non-motorized boat into the water via an access point under the bridge built by volunteers of the nonprofit Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association. From there, you can head upstream (right) to see the dam, as bicyclists and runners on the Greenway go by. Or, head downstream (left) to Heartland Park or out to the Cumberland River.For the month of June, thea portion of the Stones River will be closed due to construction near Lebanon Pike, but once that's done, you can float up and down as much as you like. Thanks to an acquisition by Metro Parks, there will be a new riverside primitive camping area for those who want to set up a tent for a night under the stars on Ravenwood land along the river just south of Lebanon Pike.