Nashville’s cascade of stone steps entices nature lovers, exercisers
By Tom Adkinson
December 10, 2021

Climbing up the steps at the Allée in Nashville. Image by Tom Adkinson

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Ask a Nashvillian for directions to the Allée, and you may get a blank stare. However, if you ask for directions to the big stone steps in Percy Warner Park, you’ll get an instant spark of recognition.

The Allée, called one of Nashville’s most important public spaces, is a steep set of stairs and terraces that create a major entrance to 3,187 acres of woodlands less than 10 miles from the state Capitol. It is at the end of Belle Meade Boulevard, a route through some of Nashville’s older and grander homes.

Walking out to Belle Meade Boulevard. Image by Tom Adkinson

Walking, running or trudging up the steps, which were built during the Great Depression and restored through a $3 million project in 2020, is a popular activity for locals and visitors alike, regardless of the season. At the top is access to the 2.5-mile-long Warner Woods Trail.

Percy Warner Park and the companion Edwin Warner Park, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, have 16.75 miles of hiking trails, scenic drives, equestrian trails, a steeplechase, a golf course, picnic areas and a nature center.