Trail Review: Volunteer Trail, Long Hunter State Park

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Trail: Volunteer Trail 
Location: Long Hunter State Park; Hermitage, TN
Trail Length: Apprx. 12 miles (including the 4 mi. Day Loop)
Difficulty: Easy
Solitude: Moderate to crowded (often busy on weekends)

My first solo backpacking trip was on this trail, and for good reason. The Volunteer Trail is especially well-suited to beginners or those looking for an easy, pleasant overnight wilderness trek. Well, “wilderness” hardly applies. Long Hunter is a very pretty, well-managed and well-maintained park, but given it is only a thirty-minute drive from downtown Nashville and sits on the very popular and populated Percy Priest Lake, this park is not secluded. As far as I’m concerned, that should be viewed as the charm of this trail. Given I only live a mile east of downtown Nashville, I’m grateful for the opportunity to hop in my car late in the afternoon, enjoy a 12 mile hike, sleep under the stars, and still make it home for lunch the next day. Let’s get into the specifics and features of the trail.

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