Bike rides in Tennessee

Explore 34 rail-trail, greenway and park ride options in Tennessee, with route lengths, surfaces, access notes and starting locations. These are selected recreational outings, not an exhaustive trail inventory. Read each guide’s scope and access cautions before choosing a ride.

34 ride guides · alphabetical order

• Barren Fork Greenway

  McMinnville

  2.4 mi · Out & back

  Paved path + boardwalk sections

  A scenic short ride with shade, river views, boardwalks, a historic powerhouse, and downtown nearby.

• Brian Brown Memorial Greenway

  Martin

  3.1 mi · One way / out & back

  Paved multi-use path

  A well-kept small-city greenway through woods and open spaces, connecting downtown Martin with the university area.

• Cane Creek Lake Loop

  Cookeville

  1.8 mi · Loop

  Paved multi-use path

  The easiest no-commitment option: a compact lake lap with bathrooms, shade, and easy bail-outs.

• Clarksville Greenway

  Clarksville

  9 mi · One way / out & back

  Asphalt

  A paved corridor with bridges, bluffs and creek scenery. Difficulty varies by section, with large hills south of Pollard Road.

  Checked October 15, 2026: the city warns of large hills south of Pollard Road and encourages cyclists to dismount there. Choose your section carefully for an easy outing. Use designated parking; the posted trail speed limit is 15 mph.

• Cleveland/Bradley County Greenway

  Cleveland

  4.2 mi · One way / out & back

  Paved multi-use path

  A remarkably low-stress urban route: fully lit, creekside, and carried beneath the major road crossings.

• Columbia Riverwalk

  Columbia

  5 mi · Network / out & back

  Paved walkways and greenway

  A pleasant Duck River option close to Columbia’s downtown square, best for an easy spin and a town stop.

• Cumberland Gap Greenway

  Cumberland Gap → Harrogate

  1.3 mi · One way / out & back

  Paved multi-use path

  A short, scenic rail-trail with covered bridges and easy links into the historic town and national park area.

• Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail

  Ashland City

  6.5 mi · One way / out & back

  Asphalt + natural gravel

  A quiet river-and-wetlands rail-trail with both paved and gravel sections—good when mixed surface is part of the appeal.

• Dresden Green Rail Trail

  Dresden

  1 mi · One way / out & back

  Paved rail-trail

  A tiny but useful West Tennessee rail-trail—best as a short town stop rather than a destination mileage ride.

• Erwin Linear Trail

  Erwin

  4.3 mi · One way / out & back

  Asphalt

  A normally easy creekside greenway through Erwin, currently included for statewide completeness and recovery tracking.

  Temporarily closed due to Hurricane Helene damage. Treat this as a watch-list route, not a ride-ready option.

• Eureka Trail

  Athens → Englewood

  5.6 mi · One way / out & back

  Hard-packed gravel

  A shaded gravel rail-trail through woods and farmland—the strongest unpaved option within roughly 100 minutes.

• First Creek Lower — Ashley Nicole loop: short bicycle return

  Knoxville

  About 0.3 mile per lap · Loop

  Asphalt main bicycle greenway loop

  Walk from the Ashley Nicole public visitor lot on Winona to the signed asphalt main loop in western Caswell Park. Ride one lap around the playground and gardens area, returning to the same junction. Walk any lot interface; stop at barriers instead of using street or future Upper Greenway connections.

• Harpeth River Greenway

  Bellevue / Nashville · Warner Parks → Morton Mill

  6.4 mi · One way / out & back

  Paved multi-use path + boardwalk

  A scenic paved ride beside the Harpeth and Little Harpeth rivers, with wooded stretches, river views, and a boardwalk. Yield to walkers and use care on wet boards.

  Checked October 15, 2026: Metro Parks' October 14 closure list does not list Harpeth, but older trail listings still flag bridge repairs near Harpeth Valley Golf Center. Check current Metro Parks notices before planning the full route; obey posted closures and turn back rather than detouring onto roads. Riverside paths may flood.

• Kingsport Greenbelt

  Kingsport

  10 mi · One way / out & back

  Paved / concrete multi-use path

  A long paved greenbelt following waterways across Kingsport, with many trailheads and an easy casual-riding character.

• Maryville–Alcoa Greenway

  Alcoa / Maryville

  18 mi · Network

  Paved multi-use network

  A broad paved system linking parks, downtown Maryville, and Pistol Creek—with enough branches for a full day.

• Melton Lake Greenway

  Oak Ridge

  5.7 mi · One way / out & back

  Paved waterfront path

  One of East Tennessee’s easiest scenic mileage builders, following the Clinch River shoreline almost end to end.

• Middle Fork Bottoms Main Trail

  Three Way / Jackson

  3.9 mi · Loop / lollipop

  Paved park path

  West Tennessee’s easiest nature ride: flat, paved, accessible, and surrounded by lakes, wetlands, and wildlife habitat.

• Mountain Goat Trail — Sewanee–Monteagle

  Sewanee → Monteagle

  ≈6 mi · One way / out & back

  Paved path

  A paved rail-trail between downtown Sewanee and Mountain Outfitters in Monteagle. Ride back along the same section for a longer outing.

  Checked October 15, 2026: this listing covers only Sewanee–Monteagle. The alliance also lists a separate six-mile DuBose Center–Tracy City section. Do not assume a continuous separated connection across I-24; the bridge trail is described as future work in 2026 or 2027.

• Murfreesboro Greenway System

  Murfreesboro

  17 mi · Network

  Paved trails + bridges + boardwalks

  A network of riverside sections with several trailheads. Choose an open section before riding; total network mileage does not describe one uninterrupted outing.

  Checked October 15, 2026: TDOT bridge work at North Thompson Lane affects a greenway section and closes the Thompson Lane canoe ramp. Its September 25 notice schedules the closure after October 1; exact trail limits and reopening remain unconfirmed. Check TDOT project updates before using this trailhead or planning a through-ride.

• Obed River Park Trail

  Crossville

  1.5 mi · Loop / lollipop

  Paved riverside path

  A shady, low-stress riverside spin with historical markers—better for an easy outing than a mileage day.

• Richland Creek Greenway: short McCabe east-side return

  Nashville

  Up to 1 mile return · Out and back

  Paved public greenway along McCabe Park’s east edge

  From the McCabe trailhead beside the clubhouse, take the public greenway south along the east side of the golf course, past the Sloan Road walk-up connection. Retrace after half a mile or before the first Richland Creek bridge, whichever comes first. Do not ride golf-cart paths or continue around the full golf-course loop.

  Use the McCabe start at 4617 Sloan Road and the short east-side return. The 22 White Bridge Road access and Colorado Avenue–51st Avenue boardwalk have active closures elsewhere. Turn before the first creek bridge; do not attempt the full park loop.

• Shelby Bottoms Greenway

  Nashville

  5.5 mi · Network / out & back

  Asphalt

  A flat Nashville greenway through wetlands and river bottom forest. Stay on paved paths and avoid the closed boardwalk connector.

  Checked October 15, 2026: Metro still lists the boardwalk near the observation deck closed for repairs. Its map marks the connector southeast of the deck, before the riverside-path junction. Check current Metro notices and map and choose an open return route; do not assume every loop or connector is available.

• Shelby Farms Greenline

  Memphis → Cordova

  12.9 mi · One way / out & back

  Paved urban rail-trail

  West Tennessee’s essential paved rail-trail: long, direct, service-rich, and connected to Shelby Farms Park.

• South Carthage Rail Trail

  South Carthage

  4.2 mi · Out & back

  Asphalt

  A smooth, simple rail-trail when you want a change of scenery without a long drive or big hills.

• South Chickamauga Creek Greenway

  Chattanooga / East Ridge

  11 mi open · Open section / out & back

  Paved path + boardwalk

  A beautiful creek corridor with extensive boardwalk—currently best ridden from the Tennessee River side because of the long-term closure.

  Trail work closes 1.5 miles between Camp Jordan and Brainerd Road through summer 2027; the city lists about 11 miles north of Brainerd as open. Separate Oct. 14 city water advisory: avoid creek water downstream of the greenway pedestrian bridge; Tennessee River access is restricted. This water notice does not identify the whole cycling trail as closed. Follow local barriers and city updates.

• Stones River Greenway

  Nashville

  8 mi · One way / out & back

  Asphalt + long boardwalk

  A river corridor between Two Rivers and Percy Priest Dam, with bridges, woodland and boardwalks. Current closures affect through-riding.

  Checked October 15, 2026: Metro lists a riverside closure by Jackson Downs and an alternate route through the commercial area. Separately, construction near Ravenwood/Lytle Bend is scheduled October 7–30 with intermittent closures. Check Metro’s closure maps; the full eight-mile corridor is not an uninterrupted separated ride. Turn back at barriers if the detour does not suit you.

• Tennessee Central Trail

  Cookeville → Algood

  8.5 mi · Out & back

  Asphalt + short concrete/sidewalk links

  A full-length ride with downtown, Tennessee Tech, open rail corridor, and services at both ends.

• Tennessee Riverwalk

  Chattanooga

  16 mi · One way / out & back

  Paved urban river path

  The state’s standout urban river ride: long, paved, scenic, and stitched through Chattanooga’s waterfront districts.

• Town Creek Greenway

  Gallatin

  2.1 mi · One way / out & back

  Paved multi-use path

  A compact urban rail-trail linking Triple Creek Park, historic neighborhoods, and downtown Gallatin.

• Townsend Historical Trail

  Townsend

  9 mi · Loop / out & back

  Paved multi-use path

  A mellow Smokies gateway ride with Little River glimpses, history stops, and easy access to Townsend services.

• Tweetsie Trail

  Johnson City → Elizabethton

  9.5 mi · One way / out & back

  Compacted crushed stone

  Tennessee’s signature long gravel rail-trail, connecting two downtowns across seven bridges on a forgiving grade.

• West View Greenway — short paved loop: short bicycle return

  Knoxville

  About 0.26 mile per lap · Loop

  Asphalt main loop

  Walk from the designated Keith Avenue city visitor lot to the signed asphalt main loop. Follow one lap and return to the same junction. Walk the lot interface and stop at any barrier. Do not use roadways or the planned regional connections to complete a circuit.

• Will Skelton Greenway

  Knoxville

  3.6 mi · One way / out & back

  Paved riverside path

  A wooded Tennessee River ride connecting Island Home Park, Ijams Nature Center, and the edge of the Urban Wilderness.

  Checked October 15, 2026: city rules give dawn-to-dusk hours and warn of some steep slopes. Hunters may be present from the fourth Saturday in August through February; bicycle use off the greenway is prohibited during hunting season. Earlier Forks access-repair notices have not been confirmed resolved; check current postings and obey barriers.

• Wolf River Greenway

  Memphis / Germantown

  14 mi · Segmented network

  Paved multi-use sections

  A growing river corridor with 14 open miles—excellent for combining with Memphis riding, but not yet one continuous route.