700+ acres of forest, lakes and trails in Fairview, Tennessee
Explore the Treehouse Playground, hike, ride, fish and picnic year round, then meet the animals and exhibits in the Nature Center. Free to enter, open daily 5am to 10pm.
A city's treasure, open to everyone
Bowie Nature Park is in the city of Fairview on Highway 100, about a mile west of the Highway 96/100 exchange in Williamson County. Seventeen miles of winding trail carry you through wetlands, grasslands, pine forest, oak and hickory forest, riparian corridor and lowland bottomland.
Most of the trail system is shared by hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians, and some sections are set aside for foot traffic only. Bicycling, horseback riding, fishing, running, walking and the Treehouse Playground are open every day of the year.
Inside the modern Nature Center you will find exhibits, art, a Discovery Room and staff who can point you toward the right trail. Check the kiosk in front of the restrooms for seasonal hiking guides, wildflower notes and wildlife information.
Before you go
Open every day of the year, 5am to 10pm. There is no charge to enter the park or to walk the trails.
Mon to Sat, 8am to 4pm
Sunday, 9am to 12pm
(615) 799-5544
$2.00 per day for each bicycle and each horse. Fairview residents and residents of zip code 37062 are exempt. All trails are open to day hikers.
Trails may close to bikes and horses at any time in wet conditions. Call (615) 799-5544 ext. 1 before you ride. Riding a closed trail can result in a citation.
Park news
News and notices from Bowie Nature Park. Find more information, flyers, and forms linked below each notice.
October 2026
Fall is in the air at Bowie Nature Park, and we have a very busy and exciting season ahead! From special events and family programs to field trips, there is something for everyone at the park.
Fall Fun Day · October 10
Our second annual Fall Fun Day is just around the corner on October 10th from 10am – 9pm. Join us for a day of fall-themed fun activities including Touch A Truck, pumpkin painting, and a nighttime Paranormal and History Hike beginning at 7pm (ages 16+).
When: October 10th | 10am – 9pm
Location: Bowie Nature Park
Trunk or Treat · October 24
Get your costumes ready for Trunk or Treat on October 24th from 4pm – 6pm! There will be decorated vehicles, treats, and plenty of Halloween spirit.
When: October 24th | 4 – 6pm
Location: Bowie Nature Park
Field trip season
With fall comes field trip season. We’re excited to welcome several school groups and other organizations to Bowie Nature Park. Please keep in mind that Parks Staff may be out of office while leading field trips or programs. If you need to reach us, please call Bowie Nature Center at 615-799-5544 and leave a brief message or email [email protected], and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience as we spend time outside with our visitors!
Yoga in the Park
We are excited to offer a 6-week Yoga in the Park series with Certified Yoga Instructor, Anna Shalray. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring your friends or family and enjoy connecting with yourselves and nature. Whether you’re new to yoga or already have practice, we’d love to have you join us! While this program is free, donations are encouraged to help support this health and wellness program.
When: October 10th, 17th, 24th & 31st | 10am
Location: BNP Playground Gazebo
Please register
One quick but very important reminder: please register for all Bowie Nature Park programs! We have been absolutely thrilled by the success and growth in attendance at our programs. While we love seeing so many people excited to participate, large and unexpected crowds can make it difficult to prepare enough supplies, space, and staff for everyone. Registering ahead of time helps us plan appropriately and ensures that we can provide the best possible experience for everyone.
Thank you
Thank you for continuing to support Bowie Nature Park and for making our programs such a success. We can’t wait to see you at the park this fall!
For more information regarding program updates or events, check out the Bowie Nature Park Facebook page.
Fairview Parks System
Park Guides & Surveys
Pick up the guides you need for homeschool sessions, school field trips or volunteering, and tell us how our programs are doing in the Park Program Survey.
Questions about park programs? Contact the Parks Program Coordinator at [email protected] or call the Nature Center at (615) 799-5544.
Bowie Homeschool: Fall 2026
Session dates, themes, locations and registration deadlines for the fall semester are on the flyer, and every detail is listed below. Download the full Homeschool Guide for everything else you need to know before your first visit.
To register, call the Nature Center at (615) 799-5544 or email the Parks Program Coordinator at [email protected].
About Bowie Homeschool
Bowie Homeschool is specially designed for homeschool families, groups, and co-ops to learn about the fascinating natural world around us. Programs are designed for ages 5 and above, and will be hosted rain or shine.
Two kinds of sessions
This semester, we will continue to offer two kinds of Bowie Homeschool sessions:
- The first session of the month will be Naturalist-led, and consist of a 45-minute rotation period and 45-minute hike (approximately). Registration is required in advance.
- The second session of the month will consist of self-led activities during Open Hours, and registration is not required. You may drop in any time during open hours to complete activities.
Before you come
Please remember to bring appropriate shoes, a water bottle, and dress for the weather, as some activities are held outdoors. Bowie Homeschool is not a drop-off program. For more information please check out our Homeschool Guide, or pick up a copy at Bowie Nature Center.
Fall Picture Day · September 8
On September 8th between 10 and 11am at Historical Village (Triangle School), we will host a DIY photo booth with a vintage desk and chalkboard backdrop to capture special back-to-school memories of our students! Parents may bring any type of camera or props for photos.
Fall 2026 Sessions
September 9 · 10 – 11:30am
Clouds and Climates
Discover how weather is created, forecasted, and measured with Parks Naturalists, then join us for a 45-minute Signs of Weather hike.
September 23 · 10am – 2pm
Sunshine Scholars (Open Hours)
Students will have the option to 1) Create a weather measurement tool, 2) Take a stroll while completing a fall scavenger hunt, 3) Learn about the fall equinox by measuring their shadows over time, and more!
October 7 · 10 – 11:30am
Leaves, Limbs, and Twigs
Identify different types of trees, learn about their growth cycles, and discover how trees provide many benefits to our ecosystems with Parks Naturalists, then join us for a 45-minute Tree ID hike.
October 21 · 10am – 2pm
Forest Friends (Open Hours)
Students will have the option to 1) Make their own tree growth slice based on environmental factors, 2) Create a craft using twigs, 3) Watch leaves change color through a chromatography experiment, and more!
November 4 · 10 – 11:30am
Surviving the Night
Learn how animals use their senses to find food, communicate, avoid predators, and navigate at night with Parks Naturalists, then join us for a 45-minute Senses hike.
November 18 · 10am – 2pm
Senses After Sunset (Open Hours)
Students will have the option to 1) Create a soundscape nature journal, 2) Complete a nocturnal adaptations matching game, 3) Learn how fireflies communicate by replicating bioluminescence with a flashlight, and more!
What's on at Bowie
Programs, hikes, storytimes and seasonal events at the Nature Center and out on the trails. Most programs are free, and some ask you to register in advance.
Bowie Homeschool: Leaves, Limbs, and Twigs (FULL)
7211 Bowie Lake Rd, Fairview, TN 37062
Maps, guides and forms
A forest planted with a purpose
When Dr. Evangeline Bowie bought this land in the 1950s it was so barren and eroded it was losing over 30 tons of topsoil a year. She terraced it, dug lakes, built a hydrology system that still impresses land management experts, and planted more than 500,000 loblolly pines.
Before her death in 1992 she deeded the 722 acres to the City of Fairview and asked that it become a public nature park. The Nature Center opened in 2003, and in 2008 the park was placed in a conservation easement protected by the Land Trust for Tennessee.
