Foliage at Sumner parks: Don't miss the peak of fall colors

Katie Nixon, Nashville Tennessean
·4 min read

After being cooped up inside the last two years due to the global pandemic, families are eager to get outside and enjoy the fall season.

And what better way to grab some fresh air and capture those brilliant fall foliage views than to visit local parks.

But knowing when those beautiful red and yellow fall colors peak can be more difficult than you think, as several factors like rainy and windy weather and sunlight can affect the brilliancy of the colors and how long families have to enjoy them each season.

Deciduous trees – giant flowering plants that shed their leaves each fall – generally begin to form fall colors mid-October, peak by Halloween and look bare by the Thanksgiving holiday for middle and west Tennessee, according to Tennessee State Parks.

With just a few weeks left to take in those fleeting fall colors, families may be left wondering what parks and greenways may be nearby before time runs out.

One such park – Bledsoe Creek State Park – features more than six miles of scenic hiking trails through the forest and along the lakeshore, a campsite that draws visitors nationwide, two boat launch ramps and other outdoor activities such as fishing at Old Hickory Lake, picnic facilities and more.

“It’s a beautiful park,” Sumner County Tourism Executive Director Barry Young said, noting his family’s love of the outdoors and recreational use of the park each fall.

Bledsoe Creek State Park, Gallatin, Tennessee.
Bledsoe Creek State Park, Gallatin, Tennessee.

And like so many other families that visit Bledsoe Creek State Park each year in the fall, Bledsoe Creek State Park Manager Chris Thurman shares a love for the park during peak fall season.

“Fall time is always my favorite time,” Thurman said, noting that he and his wife married on Halloween.

And as for the species responsible for such brilliant fall foliage, Thurman – serving as park manager since 2018 – shares a few of his favorites that visitors can find throughout the park.

“My favorite (species) in the park are going to be the Red and Sugar Maples that turn a vibrant color this time of year,” he said. “We’ve got some dogwoods that turn a good color as well.”

Looking to take a trip out to the park?

Planning ahead could make a world of difference, as more than 1.1 million people visited Sumner County in 2021, according to Arrivalist, a visitation intelligence company, up from just over 830,000 the year prior.

And while May, June and July marked the highest tourism traffic months that year, October followed closely behind with nearly 102,000 visitors – many of whom visit Bledsoe Creek State Park.

Hoping to beat those weekend crowds?

Plan a mid-week trip to beat the rush of park guests on Saturdays and Sundays.

Wanting to make the most of your trip?

Participate in other park activities such as hiking, biking, fishing and more.

Bledsoe Creek State Park offers year-round, family-friendly park activities.

Some upcoming events in the park include Haunted Coasters on Oct. 28 – where families can create coasters from recycled wood – Axe Throwing and a Carving Party on Oct. 29 and a Night Hike on Oct. 30 – where visitors can experience the park after hours and explore the effects of darkness on the human imagination.

For more information on park events, visit tnstateparks.com.

Where else can you see the leaves change color in Sumner County?

View the local parks, greenways and recreation areas below for a list of outdoor spaces nearby.

Castalian Springs

  • Bledsoe’s Fort Historical Park

Gallatin

  • Cages Bend Recreation Area

  • Clearview Park

  • Lock 4 Park

  • Municipal Park

  • Nat Caldwell Park

  • Station Camp Greenway

  • Sumner County Veterans Park

  • Thompson Park

  • Triple Creek Park

Goodlettsville

  • Brooks Park

  • Gateway Park

  • Mansker Creek Park

  • Moss-Wright Park

  • Peay Park

  • Pleasant Green Park

Hendersonville

  • Avondale Recreation Area

  • Drakes Creek Park

  • Hendersonville Greenway

  • Lock 3 Primitive Boat Ramp and Recreation Area

  • Memorial Park

  • Rockland Recreation Area

  • Sanders Ferry Park

  • Veterans Park

  • Volunteer Park at Arrowhead

  • Walton Ferry Arboretum

Portland

  • MeadowBark Park

  • Meadowbrook Park

  • Richland Park

Westmoreland

  • Dr. Thomas F. Carter Midtown Park

  • Mayor Ricky Woodard Community Park

  • Warrior Bike Trail

  • Westmoreland Veterans Memorial

White House

  • Farris H. Bibb, Jr. Municipal Recreation Complex

  • Michael L. Arnold Municipal Park

  • Rover's Ridge Dog Park

  • White House Greenway and Arboretum

  • W.L. Anderson Sports Complex

Katie Nixon can be reached at knixon@gannett.com or (615) 517-1285.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Foliage at Sumner parks: Don't miss the peak of fall colors