Climate change has really jacked things up. It's November and it's a sustained 80 degrees. That's not right. And beyond the terrifying temperature implications of such heat this time of year, the weather patterns have severely impacted one of the rites of autumn: leaf colors. While not the industry found in New England, autumn chasers bring a significant economic bump to Tennessee and this year they've not gotten their money's worth... so they're not coming... so businesses that usually boom this time of year are busting. These are facts.
So it came to pass that I had buddies in town and we wanted to get outside and see some color. Knowing that inside the city limits I wouldn't have much luck, I had the bright idea to drive east. After all, the more eastbound you go, the higher you climb and the higher you climb, the closer to the fall air that photographers capture and song writers write about. Well, I didn't have the time to make it to the Smokies (or, even, the plateau) but I did have the time to reach the Davidson/Wilson County line. Surely there would be some sort of natural beauty found in the hinterland, right?
Right.
While not the majestic color I was hoping for, Stone Hall Park offered a nice chance to get outside, be active and take in some of the natural beauty that makes Middle Tennessee such an enviable place to live. Stone Hall Park is at the mouth of a greenway and abuts the Stone River. Parking is a bit of a challenge. Located on the grounds is a home (Stone Hall) used for wedding receptions, etc. We parked there. On a busy day, I don't know how the park would accommodate non-locals. After walking the house grounds and taking pictures of the river and bridge, we started on our exploration of the green space. You can either take the greenway trail (directly next to the river and enshrouded by greenery) or walk the paved paths of the park (behind a subdivision and reclaimed from an old golf course). We took the paved path. The scenery was fantastic. Dotted with trees and embedded with ponds, the park offered steep hills to climb and wondrous views from the top. There were plenty of clearings so as not to feel frightened by what could be lurking but plenty of green space to remind you that you were in a park. The paths stretch far beyond what the eye could see. If not for my friends wanting to get on with the weekend, I could have spent many more hours walking the paths and seeing where they led. Unfortunately, Stone Hall Park didn't have the vibrant reds and oranges I was hoping for. It did, though, have plenty of yellow and much more color than I have by me. So, there's that.
I'd definitely return for an out-of-the-city nature adventure. read more