* Upcoming events involving our company NEST – Nature Education Society of Tennessee:
Oct. 11, 2025: Conservation in Action Expo at Barfield Crescent Park, Murfreesboro, TN. Visit with natural resource professionals from more than 20 natural resource-focused agencies and organizations about the work that they do, shop for native plants for your garden, learn about Central Basin ecology, take a hike with a naturalist, watch a demonstration, and discover local citizen science projects and volunteer stewardship opportunities — all in one place!
We will have a booth at the event (please stop by and say hello!), and Leslie Anne will be leading a Fall Backcountry Foray nature hike at 10 a.m.
Oct. 18, 2025: We will be joining TennGreen Land Conservancy for a nature hike at Lamar Cedar Glade (private property) at 10 a.m. For more info or to RSVP, contact TennGreen Land Conservancy.
Stay tuned for more NEST hikes, programs, wildflower classes, and more!
* Division of Natural Areas list of hikes: 2025 Natural Areas schedule of events
* Tennessee State Parks calendar: TSP Upcoming Events
* In 2007 I started the Long Hunter Mega-Hike, where participants attempt to hike all of the park’s trails — about 26 miles — in a single day. This foolish event happens every October. Here’s a bit more info: Long Hunter Mega-Hike
The annual Long Hunter Mega-Hike, where participants hike every trail – about 26 miles – in a single day.
* A Long Hunter Mega-Hike video created by my talented, nature-loving friend Melinda Loy Bell: 2011 Long Hunter Mega-Hike
* Speaking of mega-hikes, the Barkley Marathons (also held in Tennessee) is the granddaddy of them all. Here’s a nice piece on the race and its creator, the one and only Lazarus Lake: Good Luck, Morons: Lazarus Lake & His Impossible Race
* Long Hunter’s story trail was the first in Tennessee State Parks and was created by my wife, Leslie Anne: Long Hunter debuts Reading Ranger Story Trail
* One of my favorite annual events at Long Hunter is the Lost Loon Triathlon. Here’s the lowdown: Wild Side TV: Lost Loon Triathlon
While leading hikes, I often pause to talk to shrubs.
The first Tennessee hiking guide I bought, and still my favorite.
* Click on links for upcoming hikes arranged by these organizations: Tennessee Trails Association, Nashville Hiking Meetup, Part-time Adventurers of Tennessee, Tennessee Hiking Group and Mt. Juliet/Wilson County Hiking & Outdoors.
Christmas time in the cedar glades…
LAST TRAIN TO COUCHVILLE 