Metro to Mountain Journal

Saturday, we hiked Mossy Ridge Trail in Percy Warner Park. We have hiked the trail numerous times; but still wanted to ‘record’ the hike before the leaves were full.

The weather was nearly perfect on Saturday as we started the hike from the Nature Center. Judging from the parking area, we knew we were not going to be hiking alone. The Nature Center was a bustling hub of activity. Leaving the crowds of the trailhead, we began by hiking the one mile Connector Trail before joining the Mossy Ridge Trail.

All the trails, much like the trailhead, were crowded and most of the hikers seemed to have brought their dogs, including us. So it was a crowded, happy dog, kind of hike.

A good trail is fun to hike if it is the first time or the hundredth. Mossy Ridge is a good trail.

A few trail notes ...

• The trails were in good shape despite the recent rains.
• The Mossy Ridge Trail uses red blazes.
• The Cane Connector Trail uses red and white blazes.
• There are two Mossy Ridge mileage signs - one claims the distance is 4.5 miles and the other 4.9 miles.
• The Cane Connector is 1 mile in each direction.
• The Mossy Ridge Trail is rated as moderate. There are some good, steep hills. The Cane Connector is rated as easy.
• We enjoy doing the Mossy Ridge Trail in either direction clockwise or counter-clockwise.
• The trails are easy to follow.
• Be careful crossing Old Hickory Blvd on the Connector Trail.
• Dripping Springs is almost always slick. There is a bypass underneath the slippery rocks.
• The trails can be crowded on weekends in perfect weather.
• Many runners use the trail.

When I first moved to the area in the 80s, very few people used the trails. They were not hard to follow, but the trails were overgrown. I ran the trails often. My legs bore the scratches of the brambles. Rarely did I see anyone else on the trails. If I remember correctly most of the hikers in the Park were either walking the roads or the horse trails.

Now days, the once overgrown, rarely used trails, have developed into double-wide pathways. Benches have found their way to the tops of many of the hills. The trails seem easier and more civil, than when I first walked them; but they still offer a bit of the wild to all those who venture.

Happy dog hiking trails!