Brentwood: Trails, Parks and History

Brentwood offers several ways to plan your visit: trails throughout the city, distinctive features of individual parks, historic buildings, and a concert series appeal to different interests. When planning activities, it’s worth distinguishing trails designed for multiple uses from the specific trails in individual parks. The historic sites also each have their own character: alongside buildings with specific construction dates, the Boiling Spring Academy offers a virtual 360° tour.

Trails and Cycling in Brentwood

Within the city limits, Brentwood has more than 25 miles of trails for walking, running, or cycling. Marcella Vivrette Smith Park also has more than six miles of challenging hiking trails. The city’s trails therefore accommodate three types of use; the hiking trails at Marcella Vivrette Smith Park are specifically described as challenging. If you’re choosing based on activity or hiking difficulty, these two points of reference offer a clear distinction.

There are also different points of reference for cycling. The mountain bike trail system at Marcella Vivrette Smith Park opened in April 2024. Primm Park connects to the Brentwood Bikeway, extends it, and serves as an access point. So at Marcella Vivrette Smith Park, the focus is on the mountain bike trail system, while at Primm Park, the connection to the bikeway and its role as an access point are relevant.

Historic Sites and Their Stories

Primm Park includes five mounds associated with the “Mound Builders” and dated to around 1200 AD. Tours take place on the third Sunday of each month from April through December. If you’d like to include a tour in your travel plans, check this schedule against your travel dates in advance.

The Boiling Spring Academy brings together architectural history and educational use: the one-room schoolhouse was built in 1830 and originally opened as a private school in 1833. These are two distinct historical milestones—the building’s construction date and its original opening as a school. On the virtual Boiling Spring Academy 360° tour, you can explore each level of the schoolhouse on your own.

The ways to explore these historic sites also differ when planning: the Academy tour is virtual and self-guided, while tours at Primm Park are held on the third Sunday of each month from April through December.

Ravenswood Mansion was built in 1825. The original two log rooms of the Cool Springs House were built by James and Penelope Barfield Carothers in 1830 at what is now the intersection of Mallory Lane and Cool Springs Boulevard. The home’s history includes not only its construction date, but also its original rooms, its builders, and its present-day location at this intersection.

Events

The Brentwood Summer Concert Series takes place at Crockett Park. If the concert series is a reason for your trip, check the specific dates against your travel dates in advance.

Discover more destinations: Franklin, Thompson's Station, Fairview

Return to the regional travel guide: Williamson.