At least a half-dozen times a week I pass Aspen Grove Park. You know, that park near the corner of Aspen Grove and Seabord Lane… across from Parkside townhomes at Aspen Grove???
Yeah, it’s there and it’s absolutely worth stopping!
My best friend and I met at Aspen Grove Park the other evening to check it out.
Turns out, there’s a beautifully paved trail that spans about a .8 mile loop around the park. It runs along Spencer Creek part of the way, behind some of the office park and retail strips along Seaboard and Aspen Grove, and through beautifully wooded areas.
There is a pavilion that you can reserve for gatherings, plus restrooms, water fountains, and a few picnic tables along the trail. I even saw some evidence of a frisbee golf course, but couldn’t keep track of its path.
One thing’s for sure… you’d never know you were on the other side of the tree line from the craziness of Cool Springs! And who doesn’t want to take a brisk walk with the sound of a bubbling creek all the way?
After finishing the loop there, we crossed over Aspen Grove and took a stroll down another path, which I thought was part of Aspen Grove Park. Turns out, it’s part of the Franklin Greenway – Harpeth River Project and connects to the park.
To our delight, it took us around the backside of the townhome community of Parkside at Aspen Grove, then all the way to the Vanderbilt Legends Golf Course. (Yes, you can actually see the fairways from the trail.) What a beautiful walk!
The greenway comes to an abrupt halt about ½ mile down, but a sign there tells us that the trail will be completed by the end of 2008, and it will continue along Spencer Creek all the way to Mack Hatcher Parkway — where the creek runs under the parkway.
At that point, we turned around and headed back. There were many other walkers, and even a few joggers. Oh, and a little wildlife to boot… in the form of bunnies and a beaver!
Franklin has so many wonderful city parks to explore, and Aspen Grove certainly is one of them.
Where I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida… sure, we had the beach close by, but there were no parks to speak of where you could walk, run or bike. And, certainly, there were no bubbling streams and golf courses along the path. It’s easy to take for granted some of these treats right in our backyard. So don’t. Take advantage of them and see for yourself… we live in a beautiful place!
By day, I’m a full time residential real estate consultant in Franklin, Tennessee. When I’m not working, I enjoy exploring Franklin with my son, doing yardwork and home improvement projects.
