As a mom we tend to look for the best parks around our home to take our kids too. Whether it is a playground or a park with a nice trail where your little ones can burn off some energy, parks are always on our lists. I remember doing this exact same thing when I came to live at Clarksville, Tennessee. My goal was to find the most recreational parks with playgrounds that my girls would enjoy. After many visits and fun filled trips I have decided to share with you my list of best parks in Clarksville, Tennessee.
BILLY DUNLOP PARK
Billy Dunlop Park is located off of Needmore Road and it is by far one of our favorite parks around here to go to. This small park has a lot to offer. From the beautiful river where you can go kayaking and swimming at during the summer months, to playgrounds, trails, and even picnic areas. Billy Dunlop Park looks it’s best during the fall when all the leaves are orange and yellow covering the grounds. The views are magnificent and perfect for a fun afternoon.
Read my full Billy Dunlop Park guide here.
LOCATION:
1930 E Boy Scout Rd, Clarksville, TN 37040
CLARKSVILLE GREENWAY
The Clarksville Greenway is one of my favorites for walking long distances. It is a paved path running through the trees and by gorgeous green fields. When I go with my little ones we usually do a good 4 miles. 2 miles out and 2 miles back. There’s another route that has hills which is good for building strength and endurance which I also like to do to get a good workout in. While on the trail you can find birds singing, deers eating, large open fields, and even the river running along side of it on some areas. I highly recommend this park for bike riding, jogging, skating, skateboarding, and other on foot activities. The majority of the trail is also shaded which is a big plus for us.
LOCATION:
1101 Pollard Rd, Clarksville, TN 37042
ROTARY PARK
Rotary Park is one of our all time favorites. They have a newly remodeled area with a playground, clean bathrooms, picnic tables, and trails to hike on that go along this gorgeous creek. Rotary Park has a lot to offer. If you enjoy mountain biking or taking photos of nature then this is the place to go. One of their trails goes all the way to an abandoned tobacco barn which is pretty cool to find. Many of their trails also go alongside these beautiful streams which make fun little splash playgrounds for kids. My girls love coming here to skip rocks and create nature tables.
Read my full park guide on Rotary Park here.
LOCATION:
2308 Rotary Park Drive, Clarksville, TN 37043
MC GREGOR PARK
McGregor Park is another one that we like to visit. Many of the events in Clarksville are held here. This park is also known as Riverside or River Walk Park cause it runs directly on the side of the Cumberland River. This park offers a few things such as a nice playground for the kids to play at, walks alongside the river which connects to the Greenway which has been extended, bathrooms are also available, and much more. My daughters and I like to grab some Wendy’s as a treat and have a little picnic before playing in the playground and going for a walk by the river. It definitely makes for a good afternoon getaway with your kiddos.
LOCATION:
640 N Riverside Dr, Clarksville, TN 37040
LIBERTY PARK
Liberty Park is our favorite park in the downtown area of Clarksville. It is located a little further down from McGregor Park, only a few minutes away from each other. It has a huge playground for the kids to play in which my girls absolutely love. They have swings, a huge “castle,” walkways all alongside the Cumberland River and the pond, and even pavilions and picnic tables to hold events, play dates, and much more. Their bathrooms are very clean and large as well. You can also bring seeds to feed the ducks and geese while you are there.
Don’t forget to stop by Liberty Park Grill for a delicious dinner and then by Dairy Queen for a delicious ice cream treat.
LOCATION:
1188 Cumberland Dr, Clarksville, TN 37040
DUNBAR CAVE STATE PARK
If you are looking for a park to find wildlife at then Dunbar Cave State Park is the place to go. About 80% of the time that we visit Dunbar Cave we always see squirrels and deer. They have two hiking trails for you to do, a short loop and long loop, which both can be rated as an easy level. My youngest daughter (3 years old) does both loops without any help and small breaks here and there. They do not have a playground for kids but it is a great place to do scavenger hunts at or even search for the famous Clarksville Rocks.
Note: Clarksville Rocks are painted rocks that a community in Clarksville lays out for kids to find. They have inspirational messages on them or just cute paintings. Rule is to always lay a rock down for everyone you find but my kids can’t seem to part with some of the awesome ones that they have found. I can’t blame them. Some of them are very cute.
Another cool thing that you can do at Dunbar Cave State Park is visit their museum and gift shop. You can also do their cave tours during the Summer months as well to get a better look of the cave inside.
Read my full Dunbar Cave State Park guide here.
LOCATION:
401 Old Dunbar Cave Rd, Clarksville, TN 37043
FORT DEFIANCE CIVIL WAR PARK
Fort Defiance is found close to McGregor Park as well. You can actually see their visitor’s center from the walking trail at McGregor Park. They have united both trails connecting McGregor and Fort Defiance. This park is very pretty and more out in nature. You can get some gorgeous views of downtown Clarksville from the visitor center. They also have a museum with history of this location from the Civil Wars which is very informative and cool to read. You can also find pieces of history along the trails. There’s no playgrounds but they do have a clean bathroom for you to use. If you are looking for a place that is historical then this is a great place to go to.
LOCATION:
120 Duncan St, Clarksville, TN 37042
VALLEY BROOK PARK
Valley Brook is a much smaller park located in downtown Clarksville, TN. This one is also located near McGregor Park as well. It isvery beautiful and has a small walking path that loops around the park. You can also find picnic benches alongside the creek. They also have a playground for the kids to play at which is always a plus for me. It is not our go to park but definitely pretty and good to come to from time to time.
LOCATION:
213 Crossland Ave, Clarksville, TN 37040
Well that wraps up my list of best parks in Clarksville, TN. I hope you enjoyed it and that this article is beneficial to you and your family. Have you been to any of them? Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below. Would love to chat.
You can check out more of our Tennessee travel guides here if you like. Also, if you enjoyed this article feel free to sign up for our newsletter here or follow our adventures on Instagram so you can stay up to date on upcoming travel adventures, tips, gear reviews, recipes and more. Don’t forget to share or pin to save it. Thank you for reading.
