Patriot Lake Trail
Date Hiked: 04/15/11
Park: Shelby Farms Park Conservancy
Address:
500 North Pine Lake Drive
Memphis, TN 38134
Type of Path: paved multi-use trail
Latitude: 35.13789, Longitude: -89.83267
Round-Trip Mileage: 1.65 miles
Other Trails in the Park: Chickasaw Trail, Greenline Connector Trail, Tour de Wolf Trail, Wolf River Connector Trail, Greenline
For Map, Trail Mileage, GPS, and Trail Notes go to Page 2
Pre-Trip Comments
See Chickasaw Trail.
After the Chickasaw Trail, I was going to walk the Patriot Lake Trail. It looked flat and easy. Does a trail seem easier or harder to walk if you can see the entire path while you are walking it?
The Path
Directions: From Walnut Grove Road and I-240 go east on Walnut Grove for less than two miles. Go left at the light on Farm Road. Veer right onto North Pine Lake Drive. The Visitor Center is to the right.
The Visitor Center from the Lower Parking Area
Parking can be at the Visitor Center, behind the building or below the Center near the Lake. Turn into the parking near the Marina. Restrooms are available in the Visitor Center and water is available outside the building.
From the Visitor Center Looking at the Lake
To start go left or away from the main road if you are walking or running, bicyclist and skaters are directed to the right or toward the road.
Benches along the Lake, Looking at one of the Islands
The path is a simple loop. Benches are positioned around the lake.
Heron on the North Shore
There is plenty to see on the north side of the lake as the grasses to the outside of the path and the lakeshore teem with birds.
Gazebo Shelter - .50 miles
A gazebo marks .50 miles from the trailhead. It was built as a Boy Scout Project.
Just beyond the Gazebo the Path Curves Right Parallels the Highway
At the east end of the Lake is a rest stop with a bench. The trash can allows walkers to deposit those water bottles and other trash. Walnut Grove Road is just beyond the path.
Across the Lake from the South Shore, the Visitor Center is on the Left
Along the south side of the Lake as the Path heads west a earthen mounds hide the highway and benches provide rest spots.
A Circle Turnaround on the South Shore - 1.10 miles
A traffic circle, turnaround is located at the end of the road that accesses the south shore of the lake is at .60 miles from the gazebo shelter.
Parking for Assess to the South Shore and Pier
A large parking area and fishing pier are close to the round-a-bout.
A Good View of the Islands
The path ends it's westward trend and heads north toward the Visitor Center as it parallels North Pine Drive (the entrance road.)
Across the Lake to the Marina and Visitor Center
Nearing the end of the loop the Marina and Visitor Center are ahead and the Bison herd are across the road.
Marina, Yes, They Rent Boats!
The path continues following the lake and turns right as the road to the Visitor Center also turns right. Just ahead is a congested area as the path crosses the parking area for the Marina. The bike path is a painted lane. The path then follows the lake side of the road to the parking area below the Visitor Center and the end of the loop. It is .55 miles from the traffic circle, turnaround.