Beaman Park
Site Directions: Beaman Park is best accessible from Eatons Creek Road in western Davidson County. From I-40 west of Nashville, exit onto Briley Parkway (SR 155) north (Exit 204), or from I-24 north of Nashville, exit onto Briley Parkway west (Exit 43). Take Briley Parkway to Exit 24, Ashland City Highway/SR 12. Exit onto on Ashland City Highway south, away from Ashland City. After 0.4 miles, turn left at the flashing caution sign onto Eatons Creek Road. Go 4 miles to the intersection with Old Hickory Boulevard.
To get to the park nature center, turn left onto Old Hickory Boulevard and watch for the nature center on your right. To get to the trailhead parking area described below in the Birding Beaman Park section, continue northward on Eatons Creek Road for 0.9 miles past Old Hickory Boulevard, and turn left onto Little Marrowbone Road. The park entrance is 0.4 miles farther on the left at 4111 Little Marrowbone Road. Upon entering the gates, make an immediate left turn and continue to the Creekside Trailhead parking area.
Lat-Long: 36.262529,-86.893834, nature center parking lot
Lat-Long: 36.273653,-86.905998, entrance on Little Marrowbone Rd with trail head access.
Hours: daylight hours
Seasonality: year round
Fees: none
Site Description: Located in northwest Davidson County on the edge of the Western Highland Rim, the 1500-acre Beaman Park offers residents and visitors a deep-woods birding experience somewhat different from that in the nearby Nashville Basin. With ridge tops and elevations just under 1000 feet, deep hollows and the clear waters of the Little Marrowbone, Henry, and Bull Creeks , the parks flora includes species not common in the Nashville Basin, such as mountain laurel, wild azalea, and blueberries.
Birding at Beaman Park is best in spring throughout migration and into the breeding and nesting season. Most target species can be observed by following the white-blazed Henry Hollow Loop trail (2.1 miles, rated moderate for elevation change) from the Creekside Trailhead parking area. The Ridgetop Trail (2.2 miles, rated moderate for elevation change) follows old logging roads with view of hilltops and hickory forests.
Wildlife to Watch: Allow about 2 hours for birding the Henry Hollow Loop trail. Before departing on the trail, listen for Northern Parula and Yellow-throated Warbler in the parking area as they seem to be fairly faithful to this location in spring. Both Summer and Scarlet Tanager are also often heard from this area. Breeding populations of Worm-eating Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Ovenbird, and Kentucky Warbler occur throughout the breeding season from April into late June. Interspersed with their songs and calls will be those of Eastern Wood-Pewee, Acadian Flycatchers, Red-eyed Vireo, Wood Thrush, Summer and Scarlet Tanager, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and other forest birds common to Middle Tennessee.
Wildflowers also abound. In addition to the usual Middle Tennessee beauties, one can find the rare lady's slipper orchid as well as Eggert's sunflower, formerly a federally-listed threatened species.
For more information:
Beaman Park web site
Beaman Nature Center
Link to trail maps
Flora of Beaman Park
Friends of Beaman Park
Submit your data to eBird and help us add to the list of birds seen at this site
Be sure to check out our Safety Tips page for important information regarding viewing wildlife in these areas.
