About a 10-minute drive to the west from Señor Trail’s home is Timberland Park. This county park is located at mile marker 437.2 along the Natchez Trace Parkway just south of the bridge over Highway 96. Timberland Park is a 72-acre nature park managed by the Williamson County Parks and Recreation district. It was the first “passive” or nature-based park in Williamson County—distinguishing the park from the county’s traditional portfolio of sports and activity-based facilities.

Forestry and Logging

The recorded history of the land on which the park sits stretches back to the 19th century, when it was once dense forest with notable hardwoods, used for timber harvesting by early settlers.

Trees were hand-cut, hauled by mules, and used for construction of homes, barns, and fences throughout the region—hence the park name “Timberland.” These early land uses left a patchwork of old logging roads that now form the foundation of the park’s trail system.

Among the hardwood species in the park are the Shagbark Hickory.

The textured bark of the Shagbark Hickory tree provides nesting material for squirrels and houses insects and small animals. The wood is popular for adding a distinctive, pleasing flavor when smoke-curing meat. Interestingly, the sap from the Shagbark Hickory can be used to make a syrup similar to Maple Syrup,

Another hardwood common in the park is the Yellow Poplar (or Tulip tree)

The Yellow Poplar can reach exceptional heights, towering above many other trees and creating a canopy habitat for many bird and insect species. It grows swiftly and its durable, decay-defying wood was revered for crafting canoes, furnishings and homes in colonial times.

How the Park Came to Be

The property on which Timberland Park sits was owned by the Maxson family until 1975, when the family sold approximately 80 acres to the State of Tennessee. The state initially intended to develop a folk arts center on the site, but the project was never realized. In 1996, the land was declared surplus, opening the door for local acquisition. After extensive negotiations among community leaders, state agencies, and county officials, Williamson County obtained the deed in May 1999. The county’s vision was to create a nature-focused park emphasizing conservation, education, and passive recreation.

Over the following years, plans were developed to restore the land and design a network of trails and interpretive spaces.

Timberland Park officially opened to the public on November 1, 2014. The initial facilities included a visitor and interpretive center constructed from reclaimed wood, ADA-accessible trails, scenic overlooks, and a series of hiking routes built along the old logging roads.

Visitor and Interpretive Center

The visitor and interpretive center is completely self-contained, using solar panels and batteries for energy, rain water collection for irrigation and a septic system for waste.

The interior of the visitor center contains natural history exhibits as well as an extensive collection of logging and other artifacts that have been found during the development of the park. Additionally, walking sticks made by a local craftsman from fallen branches are available in the visitor center for use by hikers.

Trails in Timberland Park

Since its opening, Timberland Park has continued to expand its trail system to the current network of about five miles of trails. Below is a map of the trail network in the park as of Summer 2025, current trail maps are available for free in the visitor center:

Hiking in the Park

Walking the trails in the park, one can appreciate the history of the land as well as the beauty and sounds of the forest, its native plants and its wildlife .

The Trails in the park are patrolled and well-maintained by park staff. Benches are positioned alongside the trails at various locations offering a pleasant place to rest or to simply sit and enjoy the visual and audio tapestry of the park.

Below is a 360° video of the short hike on the “Still Hollow” trail in the park. Note: You can pan the image left/right or up/down to “look around” while enjoying the virtual hike.

To learn how to improve the playback quality of 360° videos, visit this page: Improve 360° Video Playback Quality

Note that “Still Hollow” gets its name, not from its peaceful vibe, but from the fact that when the trail was being developed, the remains of an old moonshine still were found in the creek bed! Lots of history there!

While the trails are monitored and maintained, the forest and the natural processes in it are allowed to continue to function as they have for millennia.

Timberland Park as a Recreation Base

While bicycle riding is not allowed on the trails in the park, Timberland Park is adjacent and connected to the Natchez Trace Parkway. This allows cyclists to use it as a base or a waypoint when riding on the Natchez Trace. Here is Señor Trail using Timberland Park as a base for a bicycle ride on the Natchez Trace.

Timberland Park as a Model

Timberland Park represents a two-decades long journey of perseverance, cooperation and vision by Williamson County Parks and Recreation.

Williamson County Parks and Recreation has used its experience with Timberland Park to create as second park, Peacock Hill Nature Park in southeast Williamson County. Peacock Hill also provides an informative visitor center and an increasing network of hiking trails in a different, natural setting.