Long Hunter State Park is such a gem. I ran the Couchville Loop, which is about a 2-mile loop, and it was perfect for an easy, scenic run. The trail is mostly flat with just a few small hills, so it feels very accessible for people of all ages and fitness levels. The views of the lake are beautiful, and the bridges you get to walk or run over add a really nice touch. I went in January when it was cooler, and it was not crowded at all, super peaceful and relaxing. Parking was free, which is always a win, and there are bathrooms and a water bottle refill station on site. There's also a park ranger station and a boardwalk that goes out to the lake (though it was closed when I went). Other visitors mentioned they sometimes see wild turkeys and other animals along the trail. No wildlife sightings for me this time, but still an amazing experience. If you're looking for a scenic, low-stress running or walking spot, this place is absolutely worth a visit! read more

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Love this trail, a nice 2 mile loop trail around the lake. It's an easy trail and I get to bring my dog.

Hesitant to do a review, because this is our hidden gem. However, since plenty of other folks know about it, as evidenced by the numerous visitors on the weekend, thought we would go ahead. Long Hunter state Park is free like most state parks. Lots of places to explore. Areas for you to bring your dogs, as well pet free areas. Trails and picnic areas are well maintained. There are areas you can walk right down to the water's edge, or take in the views from a bluff. Lots of parking, grill, and picnic tables available as well. Yes they have some places with Bach to sunbath and swim in the summer. also a visitor center and bathroom open all tray round. Best place to hide away from the city buzz :) read more

Long Hunter State Park - Parks Near Me - Hermitage, Tennessee

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The park is named for frontiersmen, though it is characterized by a very modern artificial lake. Several trails encircle the multiple bodies of water around the lake, as well as playgrounds, a boat launch, and some other facilities. Wildlife was plentiful on my visit, including numerous deer but also some very impressive wild turkeys. They were so large the first I saw of one I thought I must be back in Australia because we don't get birds that big here. Unfortunately, they decided not to pose for photographs. The visitor center was not that substantial, but it had decent facilities, and the park was free and not that far from Nashville. read more

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Hard to believe this place is only a half hour from Broadway. They have fishing and boating but we came to do a little hiking. It wasn't very crowded on a Friday around noon and we did the two mile pretty flat paved loop around the lake. We saw a couple of deer fairly close up and that was about it for wildlife encounters. Free admission and parking, or at least i hope so since I didn't see any signs or places to pay. Lots of parking so I'm thinking it might get crowded on the weekend. This place is worth a look to do some fishing, boating or hiking. read more

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We hiked about 4 miles on the trails today. The trails are wide and well maintained winding through the woods. Many of the larger trees exhibit burn scars and most have healed indicating that the fire was 30+ years ago. It's a pretty place with the forest canopy thick enough to keep the lower brush in check. The result is a park like setting. read more

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We came here for a little post Christmas daytime excursion and we really loved it. There's about three picnic areas, one boat landing area and few different walking/hiking trails in the park. We walked along the beach for bit before heading over to the deer loop trail. This trail is super easy and is just about one mile long. The perfect trail to let the younger kiddos run around to get rid of that excess energy. Apparently there's a bridge here, but we didn't find it on this inaugural trip, but I can definitely say this park has not seen the last of us! read more

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Since it's not posted anywhere: NO DOGS ON BEACH. Parked, walked to the beach and was about to step in when a ranger loud speakered that no dogs are allowed on beach for health reasons. I directly walked back to my car and left. In the 3 minutes I was there I ended up with 2 ticks on me. read more

I came here with my aunt for a tea class and hike/walk and it was really nice. Our guide knew the trails around her and her information -- it was a lot of fun! The park is well-kept and everything is clearly marked. So many stunning views and I wouldn't be concerned taking some of the easier trails by yourself, if you'd like. read more

Did the Bryant Grove Trail (4 miles one way, not a loop). Nice, early walk. Must have been the first on the trail because I kept getting cobwebs all over me. Some parts of the trail appear have been recently flooded and there is some debris on the trail as a result of that. It is sad that there is also so much trash around. Did see four turtles (3 on the trail, one by the side of the trail), decent amount of wildflowers, and the trail is nice and flat. Swimming spot on at least one of the ends of the trail. Unfortunately it didn't smell all that great though. Overall a solid hike. read more

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I had a really lovely Saturday with friends at Long Hunter State Park this past weekend. We decided to rent kayaks on Couchville Lake to enjoy the sunny and warm summer day. The employees at the kayak rental shop on the dock were SO nice and helpful. The rental rates were super reasonable: $15/hr for a single kayak and $20/hr for the double kayak. The lake was pretty quiet on a Saturday around 10am-noon, and we had no trouble finding parking. We saw several beautiful birds, turtles, and some fish swimming in the lake. In addition to the serene Couchville Lake, there are some excellent trails at Long Hunter that go along Percy Priest Lake. I really enjoy the Day Loop Trail and the Volunteer Trail. The park is well maintained and usually isn't too crowded. read more

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My husband and I while in Nashville did some hiking. I love that TN's state parks are all free to get into. There is plenty of parking while we were there and we picked our own adventure for trails. Overall the trails are marked so it would be hard to get lost. read more

This place is amazing and has tons of stuff to do for kids and adults. We didn't get to go kayaking since it was flooded but we will come back soon read more

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Such a fun area with lots of activities for all ages. A small playground area, eating pavilion, boat rentals, as well as boat slip, and small beach area of swimming and fishing There is a paved trail loop that goes around the whole lake and a more rocky Volunteer Trail which could be more challenging. Lots of great views! read more

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The crown jewel of this park is the two mile paved trail which circles the lake. The entrance sports a decent playground and enough ground for some limited sporting. Near the visitor entrance is another well-maintained trail leading to a rocky beach. Here you can relax on the rocks and enjoy a lunch before a short 1/2 mile hike back to your car. For those up for a tougher, but worthwhile hike take the Volunteer Trail. By taking the long haul, you'll come upon a campsite. Overall, plenty of trail options around a nice body of water further compliment Tennessee's large inventory of State Parks. read more

Long Hunter State Park - Parks Near Me - Hermitage, Tennessee

Long Hunter State Park is a 2,600-acre park along the eastern coast of J. Percy Priest Lake. I visited yesterday to check out the Volunteer Trail, which I had heard was really beautiful. The Volunteer Trail is a 11/12 mile hike (5-6 miles out and back - ONE WAY) that follows the shore of Percy Priest Lake for most of its length. Full disclosure: I didn't do the whole 12; I got too hungry and turned around around mile 5 and probably did 10 of 12. The trail was well-marked (with all of the fall foliage on the ground, I lost the trail a couple of times for a minute or two but quickly found white markings on nearby trees that mark the Volunteer Trail) and really beautiful (lots of great scenic lake views). I saw several deer as well as a blue heron. I got some really great photographs along the trail! The trail is mostly flat (not a super strenuous hike), but it can be a bit rocky (pay attention to where you're walking). The Volunteer Trail shares the path with the Day Loop for the first 1.4 miles or so. After the Volunteer Trail split off the Day Loop, I saw hardly any people (maybe only 1 or 2 over the next couple of hours) - but I was hiking on a Wednesday afternoon (Veterans Day is a holiday from my job) - so it may be crowded on weekends. The parking lot at the trail head was large and had a porta potty. (FYI: my iPhone directed me incorrected - it had me turn right on the street, when the parking lot and trail head were left, but I could see the parking area, so it was an easy fix.) Overall, it was a great hike, and I plan on returning soon to finish the whole 12 miles! read more

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The trail around Couchville Lake in Longhunter State Park is a beautiful serene place for a walk. The trail around the lake is paved and well maintained. You often encounter deer and squirrels along the trail. It is a family friendly place to enjoy nature. read more

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Beautiful spot to have a panic or just to get away from the city. Lots of trees and a beautiful lake. A must go-to for the family or alone. read more

Long Hunter State Park - Parks Near Me - Hermitage, Tennessee

Beautiful state park in the fall! Easy walking paths with scenic views of the lake. Lots of wilderness you can get lost in for hours. Spotted acorns, spiders spinning webs, deers grazing, colorful autumn leaves and even cactus growing! Parking is free and clean bathrooms on site. read more

Long Hunter State Park - Parks Near Me - Hermitage, Tennessee

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Nice park , great walking path . You can rent boats and kayaks for a reasonable rate . The path is in the shade almost the whole way so you can stay cool read more

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I love this trail. It has a wonderful day trail that goes along the lake and loops back to the parking lot without much overlap. My dog can jump in the lake and cool off and the forest is pretty dense that you feel like you are one with nature. Weekdays are the best time to come since the weekends can get pretty crowded and there isn't much parking. Please be mindful of the signs warning that you have to park in the parking lot- parking along the street will get you a ticket. (I have seen many cars ticketed there.) I would have given this park 5 stars, but I had an incident there last month in which my car was broken into. Someone stole my wallet and tried putting over $1000 on my credit card within 30 minutes of me being on the trail. (I received an alert from my credit card company about halfway into my hike.) The park rangers are well aware of the problem and are working on it. The experience definitely lessened my enjoyment of the park, but I still feel safe enough to return. It is a highly enjoyable park- I just wish things like this didn't happen! read more

Went with the better half of the "Yelp Couple" to Longhunter for a nice afternoon walk. In addition to several smaller trails, it has one large 2.2 mile trail around J. Percy Priest which is quite nice. There is a lot of tree cover so its very rare that the sun would be in your eyes, and there is lots of nature to see. (Though hopefully no foxes or snakes). I would happily return here for another hike around the lake sometime read more

Long Hunter State Park - Parks Near Me - Hermitage, Tennessee

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I honestly didn't even notice that this was the same park. I had so much fun hiking the other day and it was so beautiful out. This place was great. I went to the PowWow here and I really enjoyed myself. I would go to the PowWow again at this park read more

Long Hunter State Park - Parks Near Me - Hermitage, Tennessee

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This park is a beautiful place. It has sprawling woods and open fields. There is great access to Percy Priest Lake and beautiful views of the water. There are walking trails galore all around the park and great restroom facilities placed throughout... however, be careful not to slam the bathroom doors too hard, I've gotten myself stuck in one before and no one was around and I had lousy phone signal. I thought it was going to be my new home! Ha At any rate, it's a beautiful park and great for just taking in nature and seeing some wildlife! read more

Long Hunter State Park has some good hiking trails. We only went on two of them due to some being 'pet free' and I never go hiking without my pooch. The volunteer trail 4.0mile loop was my favorite for views. It was a very well traveled trail and we certainly crossed paths with multiple people and their pooches while on this fairly easy hike. There were plenty of overlook spots you could sit and enjoy a little picnic or relax and get away from the noise of the city. I think it's great they have an overnight backpacking trail added on to this as well. The other trail we did was the Jones Mill Mountain biking trail. This was also a great loop - completely different from the other, but still really cool. Lots of different fauna to see and very quite compared to the other. We started with our car being the only one in the parking lot and when we left there were 3 more. We only saw two of the bikers during our return section. I'd love for this park to open more trails up to people with their pups! read more

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This place has changed a lot over the years, but it always brings me back home to come and listen to the waves crash against the rocks! Although the state could take better care of it with their allocated resources. read more

Nice trail. Day loop is perfect for all. Not too steep... mostly stays closer to water. Lots of cool looking moss and mushrooms.

A three star review may seem harsh for this state park, but stay tuned. I thought this park was in a great location close enough to Nashville where we were staying and also far enough out to enjoy nature full on. However, my draw backs came in the form of fully concreted paths (at least the two that I went on). The paved paths would be great for those looking to get a run in around the lake or parents with strollers, but for someone who I truly looking to embrace the great outdoors, I would skip the walking path in search for true hiking trails. read more

I came with my dog. I read the reviews so I knew she wasn't allowed everywhere. But what I wasn't expecting was the fact that all of the fun places were exactly the places she wasn't allowed. There was ample parking, which was great. There is also a little beach area where people were fishing (swimming isn't allowed.) We were allowed to go sit by the water, but that stretch can't be more than a quarter mile, so don't expect a big nautical hike. But those cool Lakeside hiking loops everyone is talking about? No pooches allowed. Instead, we stuck to the "Inland Trail," which is only a mile around. It was wooded and honestly kind of boring (no offense if this was your Boy Scouts project.) I guess if I go back, I will sadly leave my pup at home. read more

This beach was very sub par. Such a small access. Not maintained well. There aren't many swimming beaches here. So the ones that are available should be kept well. I won't come back to this "beach" until they redo it. There's no reason for it to be such a narrow opening. The lake is huge! The beach should be huge! And have a restroom near by. read more

Long Hunter State Park - Bryant grove - Parks Near Me - Hermitage, Tennessee

With the beautiful weather this past weekend, I was determined to get out of the house and explore the great outdoors. After doing some research, we decided to check out Long Hunter State Park with our dog. Unlike some other parks, this one had a lot of different trails that dogs can go on. I think there are only about 3 trails that dogs aren't allowed on. We decided to try the Day Loop Trail which is about 4.0 miles long. We have a pug, so we knew we wouldn't actually be able to do the whole 4 miles. But what we were able to do was great. Nice clean trail (besides all of the mud, but that's not the parks fault!). It goes along the lake so there are a few nice spots to check out the water. The trail connects to a few others so you can choose which path you want to take. Our pug was getting tired about a mile in so we had to turn around. Next time we will have to do a full loop though! I was very happy with the trails and the scenery of the park. Lots of people walking and enjoying the beautiful weather. This place will be even better in the spring! read more

Great hike. Really easy actually it didn't even feel like like hike. 2 miles long and the nature/surroundings are beautiful. I saw about five deers and some birds during the hike. There is a long yellow bridge that goes over the lake, very good place for pictures. Unfortunately it rained so suddenly that I had to rush my hike and wasn't able to really take my time but overall I recommend this place!!! read more

Long Hunter State Park - Long hunter state park - Parks Near Me - Hermitage, Tennessee

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Actually went here for the first time to hike, but there's a lot more to it thank just that...Although I fell in love with the relaxed, 2.0 mile lake loop! There were deer just lounging peacefully everywhere! Went there and one of the 4.0 mile one way trails, it was an okay walk but not very challenging for those who are looking for more of a hike. They also had boats on the lake and kayaks and (maybe) paddle boards too! There seems to be a lot to this place if you're looking for an active/leisurely time. read more

I've been coming to this park for as long as I can remember and it is simply beautiful. Long Hunter is a relaxing park in which to hike, watch boats pass on the lake, write poetry, spot deer and turkeys, have a family picnic, or walk your dog (only on the dog friendly trails of course). I've used this location for photo shoots for my friend's maternity pictures and for artsy pictures of my sister by the lake. The two mile lake trail is the most popular and is paved. The other trails are dirt/gravel and are typically less crowded but still worthwhile. There are a lot of programs here for all ages and you can rent kayaks. There are also docks on the lake trail for fishing. There never seems to be a time I go that I don't see deer. The short trail by the water with the cliff is beautiful in the fall with the changing leaves and in the winter the water is lower which exposes giant rocks to walk on and explore. I would definitely recommend checking this park out in each season. read more

Long Hunter State Park - Exploring the rocks across from the Inland Trail. - Parks Near Me - Hermitage, Tennessee

Love it love it! Great hiking trails where you actually forget that you're so close to Nashville. Not too much elevation, which I appreciated. Particularly enjoyed the Day Loop. Plenty of other amenities, including boat launch, fishing and beaches. Only thing keeping it from 5 stars is that there are a handful of trails where dogs aren't allowed. Since my dog is my hiking buddy, it means that I can't fully explore the park. read more

Wanted a hike not too far from Smyrna and found this one on Yelp. They have many different hikes you can do. We stopped by the park office and got a map of the different routes to choose from. Since we have two small kids, we decided to do the 2 mile lake loop. Paved trail and awesome trees! Leaves for days! It was a nice easy walk, we had a picnic, then the kids played in the playground afterwards. Looking forward to coming again and trying the other trails read more

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Absolutely love to run here! No matter the time of year both the trails and the paved path are very inviting. If you enjoy seeing some deer during your walk or Run this is the place to do it! read more

I love going for walks around the lake at Long Hunter. They have a mile and a half trail that is beautiful. There's plenty of wildlife to see as well as a beautiful bridge. read more

I love coming here on a beautiful day to take a walk around the lake! I would have given this park 5 stars, but I don't like that you can't take your dog on the trail around the lake with you. I've never used any of the other amenities here, just for walking around the lake so my 4 stars is just based on the beautiful views. read more

Beautiful trails that run right by the lake. Well marked with lots of signage. Paved trails and dirt trails available. Dogs allowed on some trails. No rangers available (when I was there) but wasn't needed. Day loop trail has beautiful overlooks of the lake! Lots of different lengths of trails to hike. Fall foliage looks nice too!! read more