Family Friendly Hiking Near Memphis

Memphis is a fantastic city in Tennessee with a population of over 650,000 people. Many associate the location with fabulous food and music, but did you know that there are also some really great family-friendly hiking spots around Memphis? Forget about staying indoors when you can explore the outdoors! Not only are the following spots wonderful, but they give you an excuse to get out and enjoy nature during the most beautiful of days.

Herb Parsons Lake Trails
Not far from Memphis are the Herb Parsons Lake Trails which is a six-mile loop around Herb Parsons Lake. It’s ideal for all ages, it’s open year-round, and in addition to your human family members, you can also bring the furry, four-legged ones as well. Additionally, you can go fishing and boating and there’s a picnic area so you can bring a nice lunch with you if you so desire. Sometimes, there’s just nothing more peaceful than sitting by the water and enjoying all the natural beauty around you.

T.O. Fuller State Park
Head over to T.O. Fuller State Park where it’s not just a great place to hike, but it’s also a place where you can learn quite a bit of interesting history. For example, it was the first state park east of the Mississippi River that was open for African Americans. Located in Memphis, the 1,138-acre park has grills, picnic tables, a pool, a nature center, and more. When it comes to hiking, there are over 8 miles of trails. The Discovery Trail is deemed as moderate and is 4 miles, the Day Use Trail is “easy” and is .5 miles, and the Nature Enhancement Area is moderate and is 4 miles. The Chucalissa Indian Village, which is part of the Discovery Trail, is a must visit. It’s easy to spend an entire day here, go for a hike, cook up a nice lunch, take a swim, and just enjoy being outdoors together as a family. Dogs are allowed in this park, so feel free to bring them along for some family time as well.

Join Memphis Outdoor Adventures
So this obviously isn’t a location, but the Memphis Outdoor Adventures group on Meetup.com frequently has hikes for those who want to get out and enjoy the sunshine. All the details of each hike are listed in the meetup group. You can sign up for the group, join a particular adventure if one is of interest to you, bring along your family, and you can even meet some friends in the process.

As fabulous as the food and music is in Memphis, there’s also a whole lot more to the city that can certainly keep you busy and entertained. It’s not always easy finding something to do as a family that every family member will actually take part in, but the aforementioned spots are sure to have something for everyone. With so many hiking adventures in and around Memphis, there’s no doubt you’re going to find yourself with a desire to get outdoors with the family much more often.