Trail Review: Cedars of Lebanon State Park Hidden Springs Trail

Wizard habitat…?

This is the first of what I hope to be many more posts forthcoming. I've benefitted from others' trail reviews and info, so I figured I'd pay it forward and offer some brief notes on trails, campsites, parks, etc. as I visit them. My goal is to get out A LOT this spring and summer with my camera in tow. So here goes, a brief review of the Hidden Springs Trail at Cedars of Lebanon State Park outside of Nashville, TN.

I should note that despite living in Nashville, only a short drive away, I have long neglected Cedars of Lebanon. It seemed like a small state park that got little attention. It was only on an unexpectedly warm day on February 1st that my girlfriend and I decided to load up the dogs and spend a few hours there. I had read a bit about the sinkholes on the trail but they didn't necessarily sound too interesting. I was wrong. While these features can't compete with mountain bluffs, winding rivers, or expansive lake shores, the beds of limestone and exposed under-earth can be both beautiful and fascinating. These hobbit-like environments are found throughout this trail, and they are much more interesting than your typical woods foliage found in the region. Despite temperatures in the low 60s, ice formations lingered in the earthen holes and stone beds throughout. The opportunity to see root systems and the layering of rock formations typically underfoot is worth the trip. (Please click "read more" below for more trail information and several photographs with notes.)