Nashville Best Of 2026 · Best Nashville Greenway
Shelby Bottoms Greenway
Miles of paved and wooded trails, more than three miles of Cumberland River frontage, and wildlife around every bend, just minutes from downtown. Shelby Bottoms is our pick for the best greenway in Nashville.
The Verdict
Best Nashville Greenway: Why Shelby Bottoms Earns the Title
Nashville has an impressive network of greenways, but none offers quite the mix of scenery and space that Shelby Bottoms does. About 960 acres of bottomland forest, open meadows, wetlands, and streams stretch along the Cumberland River in East Nashville, creating a peaceful escape where you’re more likely to hear frogs and songbirds than traffic.
It works for everyone. More than five miles of flat, paved, ADA-accessible trail welcome walkers, runners, cyclists, and skaters, while more than five miles of primitive trails invite quieter exploring. Cross the Cumberland River Pedestrian Bridge and you can keep going on the Stones River Greenway, turning an afternoon stroll into an all-day adventure.
960
Acres of Protected Natural Area
3+
Miles of Cumberland River Frontage
10+
Miles of Paved & Primitive Trails
Free
Admission & Parking
Things to Do
Ways to Explore Shelby Bottoms
Walk it, bike it, or bring the binoculars. There’s no wrong way to spend a day here.
Bike the Paved Greenway
The flat, paved trail is perfect for riders of every level. No bike? Rent one from the Nashville B-cycle stations near the Davidson Street entrance or at the Cornelia Fort Airpark trailhead.
Explore the Primitive Trails
Leave the pavement behind on more than five miles of unpaved trails through bottomland forest and wetlands. Late winter through spring is prime time for chorus frogs, spring peepers, and migrating warblers.
Visit the Nature Center
Start at the Shelby Bottoms Nature Center at the main trailhead for free exhibits, trail maps, and naturalist-led programs for kids and families.
The Story
A Wild Refuge in East Nashville
Shelby Bottoms takes its name from John Shelby, a pillar of the old Edgefield community that became East Nashville, whose name also graces Shelby Avenue, Shelby Park, and the historic bridge now known as the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. Below the neighborhood, this stretch of Cumberland River floodplain grew into a wild tangle of bottomland forest, fields, and wetlands.
Metro Parks protected it as one of the city’s natural area parks and built the greenway in phases, eventually opening more than five miles each of paved and primitive trails. The Shelby Bottoms Nature Center opened at the main trailhead in 2007, and today the greenway links across the river to the Stones River Greenway, making it a cornerstone of Nashville’s trail network.
“To help protect, preserve, restore and manage the park ecosystem.”
From the Shelby Bottoms Nature Center Mission
Plan Your Visit
Start at the Main Trailhead
The main trailhead and Nature Center are on Davidson Street in East Nashville, with free on-site parking. Other trailheads include Fortland Drive and the Cornelia Fort Airpark.
Location
Shelby Bottoms Nature Center
1900 Davidson St
Nashville, TN 37206
(615) 862-8539
In East Nashville, our Best Neighborhood pick. Pair your walk with a meal or a show nearby.
Nature Center Hours
Tue, Thu, Sat: 9 am – 4 pm
Wed, Fri: Noon – 4 pm
Sun, Mon: Closed
Check Metro Parks for current greenway hours and any trail closures.
Trail Etiquette
Bikes stay on paved trails, with a 15 mph speed limit. Keep right, announce when passing, and leave plants and wildlife undisturbed. Fishing, hunting, and alcohol aren’t allowed.
Hit the Trail
Lace up, grab your bike, and discover Nashville’s wildest stretch of riverfront.
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