Bowie Park is a diverse park, with so much to offer.

Bowie Nature Park is just outside of Nashville (about a 30-minute drive) in Fairview.  It has over 700 acres of forest, lakes and 17 miles of trails.  We spent a lovely Sunday fall morning there.  It offers bicycling, horseback riding, fishing, running, and walking.

We noticed a Nature Center right when we drove in and signs to an outdoor classroom.  They offer classes, group hikes, nature strollers (for ages 18 months to 5 years old), and even Camp Bowie (during summers).  Across from the nature center are three colorful sculpture figures: a squirrel, a turtle, and a mushroom my kids enjoyed climbing on (see pictures)

We headed past the Nature Center down to the Lake Van and walked on the path that circles it.  The morning we visited there was steam rising over the lake, the geese were loud, plentiful, and pleasant, and the atmosphere with the changing leaves was serene.  The path that circles lake van is fairly short and very flat and hugs the shore of the lake for most of the way.  You'll pass a few picnic tables, a pavilion, and towards the end, you'll find a basic swingset with swings for infants and for kids.  This was a good path for my kids who weren't in the mood for a strenuous 'hike' but we all enjoyed the outdoors.  We passed a few families fishing.

There is a bathroom near the lake.  Maps for hiking were past the dam of Lake Van.