Displayed prominently in the Visitor's Center is a quote by the great Henry David Thoreau: "A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is the earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature." Indeed, with a visit to Radnor Lake State Park, an oasis from urban hustle and bustle of Nashville, TN, one is profoundly affected by the beauty and peace that accompanies a walk around the lake. Radnor Lake, called the Nashville's Walden, would be at home with some of the most picturesque postcards.
Interestingly, what seems to be a natural lake, due to its beauty, is actually man made. Radnor Lake was originally made to provide water for steam engines and livestock by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. The time of the railroad is well documented, especially if one is to follow the Historic Valve House Trail where one can see the original main valve in the Valve House, which was turned by hand to control the flow of water. According to Friends of Radnor Lake, "At the height of its use around 1,000,000 gallons of water was drained from the lake daily."
Eventually, diesel engines replaced steam and the lake didn't have its original purpose, so the question of what to do with the lake arose. A side effect of having the industrial use of the lake was the discovery of it by the animals and the birds. Birds started to use it as a place of rest during migration. From 1917, Harry C. Monk began birding at Radnor Lake and kept a diary of birds and butterflies for 60 years. People like Monk convinced an executive at L&N Railroad to declare it a Wildlife Sanctuary.
Fawn spotted during winter on Radnor Lake trail. [Photo/Michael Hicks]
Radnor Lake was quietly loved by residents and L&N families until the early 1970s. Then, a developer purchased the land in an effort to make a subdivision out of the area. The effort was met by citizens, scientists, educators, and more with a remarkable effort to preserve the lake. According to the FORL (Friends of Radnor Lake), people organized a benefit folk concert held at Vanderbilt University, a rock concert sponsored by WKDA, cake sales, house to house canvassing and made personal contributions. Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops organized fundraising events. Children sold lemonade and donated the proceeds to Radnor Lake. The collaboration resulted in the raising of $513,000 dollars in a month in order to purchase the land from the developer. The developer himself, perhaps moved by the collaboration, contributed $100,000 to the campaign. As a result, the first State Natural Area of Tennessee was established in 1973.
Now, it is the most visited natural area in Tennessee - about 1.5 million people a year. Perhaps because of its beauty, but also its proximity to Nashville - it is only 8 miles from downtown. The west parking lot and visitor center is tucked away in an expensive part of Nashville and the turn off is very easy to miss. After passing a few grand houses, the road gets smaller and the trees more dense. Finding a parking spot sometimes is difficult on a weekend, however people are allowed to park on the road leading up to the lake during overflow. The walk from the visitor center starts a hiker in the woods and gradually meanders over to the lake. Though there are interesting guided tours on wildlife and canoe programs, the bulk of activities at the lake are photography, wildlife and fauna viewing, and walking.
Due to its purpose of preserving nature, dogs, jogging, and bicycling are not allowed on the trails around the lake in an effort to make the experience as peaceful and natural as possible. As a result, the wildlife viewing opportunities are diverse and often. Many people see wild turkeys, herons, turtles, and ducks. It is also possible to see river otters playing in the water. Coming in with the understanding of it being a wildlife preservation area, folks love the park. One user says, “We got here at 6 a.m. and saw a momma deer and two fawn eating right off the trail. [We] watched the sun rise over the lake. The trails were the best we have ever hiked on; very comfortable with the mulch padding. All the trails are shaded by a tree canopy so even though it was hot, we could stay longer because we didn’t overheat. [We] saw wild turkeys running across the path. I guess we missed the owl by a couple minutes. We stayed about 2.5 hours and can’t wait to go back!”
Birding is a main draw to Radnor Lake. Common birds to see are finches, owls, and woodpeckers. Bald Eagles are also seen, though there are no nests in the park. The Barbara J. Mapp Aviary Education Center is a boardwalk that has non-releasable birds of prey for close viewing. As the park does not want to stress the birds, the Center is only open for public viewing on Saturday and Wednesday.
Radnor Lake has been a treasure to the wildlife since it was made in the early 1900s. In a city like Nashville, which is currently exploding (statistics point to about 100 people a day moving to the city), having an urban oasis is essential to remind us that we share the land with the animals and plants. It’s a place of reflection. Luckily, the people of Nashville have recognized this need for a long time and decided to preserve one of the prettiest lakes in the mid-South.
Destinations, Nature, Outdoors, State Parks, Tennessee, Wildlife