Explore Nashville's Famed Natural Beauty At This Underrated State Park
By Meghan Kraft|Published July 13, 2022
×
Meghan Kraft
Author
Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a degree in English, and has worked in the digital marketing realm with companies such as Apartments.com, USA Today and HarperCollins Publishing.
Nashville is known for its pretty location right in the heart of Tennessee’s mid-state, but its prettiest enclaves tend to be overlooked in light of the city’s multiple large parks and natural areas. Couchville Cedar Glade State Natural Area is located just beyond Antioch, a Nashville suburb, and it is a great place to experience a field of one of the nation’s close-to-extinct flower populations. If you’re seeking exquisite seclusion, then you don’t have to look beyond Couchville Cedar Glade. Bring your kids, bring your dog, and prepare for a natural respite at this hidden park in Nashville.
Couchville Cedar Glade State Natural Area consists of 140 acres of well-preserved local beauty in the greater Nashville, Tennessee area. The natural expanse borders Long Hunter State Park and straddles both Wilson and Davidson Counties.
Not many locals know about the Couchville Cedar Glade, mainly because it is swiftly overshadowed by popular spots like Percy Priest and even Centennial Park, Nashville's popular gathering space in West End.
The Couchville Cedar Glade does have a reputation, though, one that tips toward a floral theme. The area is known to encourage one of the largest populations of Tennessee coneflower. There are many rare plants that live in the Cedar Glade, including shagbark hickories and post oak trees.
The area initially was protected by the Nature Conservancy of Tennessee back in 1994, and the next year it was designated as a state natural area. Supplementary land was eventually added to the area to encourage the continued growth of the Tennessee coneflower.
There are not many hiking opportunities in the area, mainly because Long Hunter State Park consists of more nearby land suited to meandering walks through nature. The Couchville Cedar Glade Natural Area Loop is an easy hike at just under a mile long, and it's great for kids!
Have you ever been to Couchville Cedar Glade Natural Area? Have you heard of this park before? This Nashville park is one of the city's best local treasures, and you won't find it overrun with visitors. Flowers, however, will most likely be everywhere.
