The Longest Biking Trail in Tennessee

Tennessee is a beautiful southern state known for its hospitality and rolling hill landscape. The state is filled with hiking and biking trails going through urban areas, and nature. Biking is one of the best ways to get an up-close view of the state’s scenery and also get some exercise. In this article, you will learn about the longest biking trail in Tennessee and interesting things to learn about it.

The Longest Biking Trail in Tennessee

The Murfreesboro Greenway System is the longest biking trail in Tennesee and is around 15 miles in length. Historical sites, parks, neighborhoods, and shops in Murfreesboro TN, are connected by this system. Biking is not the only use of the Murfreesboro Greenway, and it is also a great spot for walking, hiking, running, fishing, or even birdwatching.

The Murfreesboro Greenway System takes you around many attractions in the heart of Tennessee, Murfreesboro. Made up of several trail segments, as you ride you will pass through forests, farmlands, and urban areas. 

There are around 16 trailheads that make up this bike path. Parking, picnic areas, restrooms, water fountains, and access to the river are the different amenities found at some of the trailheads.

Rules of the Murfreesboro Greenway System

It is important to follow the rules of the Murfreesboro Greenway when biking the trail. Opening at daylight, the trail closes 30 minutes before the sun sets.

Some of the rules to follow on the trail include:

• Keep to the right, and do not block the trail
• Use the left section of the trail for passing
• Faster travelers yield to slower ones
• No damaging the wildlife, or structures
• Animals on the trail should not be harassed
• Helmets are required for riders under 16 
• Do not stray from the paved trail while riding
• Dispose of trash and other waste in proper bins
• Keep pets on a leash and clean up after them
• No alcohol or drugs
• NO skateboards, motorized vehicles, or horses

The Murfreesboro Greenway is free to visit, and following these rules ensures the upkeep of the areas and the safety of its visitors. Other ways to stay safe on this path are to use reflective gear to be more visible and ride with a buddy. 

Volunteers of the greenway help upkeep this path and keep it clean, by doing things like removing invasive plants, picking up trash, and reporting places on the trail that need maintenance. 

Navigating the Murfreesboro Greenway

The Murfreesboro Greenway is the longest biking trail in Tennessee and has around 16 trailheads that connect, but the Central Valley and Walter Head trailheads are separate from the rest of the segments. The path altogether is over 15 miles, and biking this trail takes for a round trip takes a bit over 7 hours. An easy route to follow, the path keeps a gentle grade of 5% or less for most of it.

Possible to do it in segments, using a map of the Murfreesboro Greenway can allow you to navigate around the Tennessee city. Here are the trailheads, and the mileage between them:

• Thomspon Lane to Broad Street Trailhead: 0.9 miles
• Broad Street to General Bragg: 0.5 miles
• General Bragg to College Street: 0.1 miles
• College Street to Redoubt Brannan: 1 mile
• Redoubt Brannan to Manson Pike: 0.3 miles
• Manson Pike to Overall Street: 0.7 miles 
• Overall Street to Cannonsburgh: 1.1 miles
• Cannonburghs to Fortress Rosecrans: 1.7 miles
• Fortress Rosecrans to Old Fort: 0.1 miles
• Old Fort to  Cason: 2.8 miles 
• Cason to Barfield Road: 4 miles 
• Barfield Road to Southridge Boulevard: 0.4 miles 
• Southridge Boulevard to Barfield Crescent Park: 2.2 miles 
• Central Vally to Walter Hill: 1.3 miles

Where is the Murfreesboro Greenway System on a Map?

The Murfreesboro Greenway System is located on the west side of the city of Murfreesboro Tennessee. This city, just southeast of Nashville, is home to Middle Tennessee State University. It’s got a rich American Civil War history, with the Stones River National Battlefield located there, along with the Stones River Cemetery, where 6,000+ Union soldiers are buried. 

Wildlife on the Murfreesboro Greenway System

Riding the Murfreesboro Greenway allows you to witness some of the wildlife that Tennessee has to offer. The majority of this path follows the West Fork Stones River and has multiple access points to the water along the way, with places to canoe, or fish. The Murfreesboro Springs Wetlands Trail, and Stone River Trail segments are some of the best places to view wildlife in the Murfreesboro Greenway System. 

Hardwood forests and limestone rocky areas are the types of landscapes you may ride through. Wildlife in Tennessee like deer, bobcats, and foxes are just a few of the animals that live nearby. The Murfreesboro Greenway is also an excellent area for bird watching in Tennesee, with the possibility to see species like owls, or blue herons. 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/LuckyBusiness