Harpeth River State Park expands staff, programs; Plans new visitor center at Gossett Tract

Harpeth River State Park is in a season of growth — from new rangers and programs to plans for a long-awaited visitor center at its Gossett Tract site.

Park Manager Bill Morton, who has led the park since 2022, said the expansion marks a new chapter for one of Middle Tennessee’s most visited state parks, which draws roughly 750,000 visitors annually across its 12 sites in Cheatham and Davidson counties.

“This is a really exciting time for us,” Morton said. “We’ve been able to add new team members, grow our programs and we’re getting close to seeing real progress on a visitor center that’s going to make a big difference for both visitors and staff.”

Earlier this year, the park welcomed several new hires — Park Ranger Jack Foresman, Interpretive Ranger Sydney Hale and maintenance technician Dave, who filled a long-vacant position.

“Before these additions, there were just four of us doing everything — maintenance, programming, law enforcement, crowd control,” Morton said. “Now, with the extra hands, we’ve been able to bring back programs that were hard to manage before.”

Hale, who holds a degree in archaeology, has been instrumental in expanding public programming, including guided hikes, educational events and hands-on history sessions.

“As you’ve probably noticed, our programs have skyrocketed since they came on board in February,” Morton said. “Sydney has been phenomenal. Her background in archaeology ties in perfectly with our park’s history, especially with Mound Bottom.”

The park now hosts regular night hikes, guided kayak trips, and even astronomy nights, all part of a push to reconnect visitors with the land and history that defines the Harpeth. Morton said night hikes at Mound Bottom and Hidden Lake are among the park’s most popular offerings — often filling up weeks in advance.

“We each have our favorites,” he said with a laugh. “Mine are the [Narrows] tunnel and Hidden Lake. Doing those at night gives people a completely different perspective of the park.”

A visitor center years in the making

The new visitor center at Gossett Tract — currently in the final stages of construction planning — will serve as a future hub for education, recreation and conservation.

“It’s going to be a full-on visitor center,” Morton said. “It’ll have offices, a meeting room with projection for school groups, a gift shop and school bus parking. There’ll also be two picnic pavilions and a detached restroom facility that stays open beyond regular hours.”

The facility will include a small museum designed in partnership with the state’s Interpretive Programming and Education Department and will emphasize the park’s archaeological and cultural history.

Morton said he understands that some residents worry the project could increase traffic, but he believes it will improve visitor management.

“The traffic’s coming regardless — we’ve become a very popular destination,” he said. “Having a centralized place for people to ask questions, learn about river safety and understand where they can and can’t go will help us tremendously.”

The park also plans to make canoe ramps at Gossett and Harris Street more ADA-accessible as part of the project. Construction on the visitor center is expected to begin once final bids are approved, likely within the next year.

Programs that connect and educate

In addition to events at the park, staff have ramped up outreach to schools, libraries and homeschool groups, offering programs that align with Tennessee’s curriculum.

“Jacob and Sydney recently went to Harpeth Valley’s Career Day with one of our snakes and talked to every student in the school,” Morton said. “We’re really working to get out there more and bring the park to the community.”

Winter, Morton added, is one of the best times to experience the park’s programs. “You don’t have the heat or the bugs,” he said. “It’s the perfect time to explore the history and quiet beauty of the Harpeth.”

As Harpeth River State Park continues to evolve, Morton said the mission remains the same — to protect the area’s natural and cultural treasures while helping Tennesseans reconnect with them.

“Whether it’s a night hike, a kayak trip or just a walk through history, we want people to leave here with a sense of how special this place is,” he said.

A full list of all of Harpeth River State Park's upcoming events can be found here.