Ellington Agricultural Center Trail System

Date Hiked: 10/09/11

Location: Ellington Agricultural Center

Address: 440 Hogan Rd, Nashville, Tennessee 37211

Latitude: 36.06353, Longitude: -86.74872

Trail Rating: moderate

Round-Trip Mileage: 1.7 miles, plus connectors and greenway

Pre-Hike Comments

The Ellington Agricultural Center is on the grounds of the old Caldwell Estate, Brentwood Hall. Around the perimeter of the 207 acre campus is the main trail Rogers Walk.

Before our visit, we had never hiked the trails; but had visited the Ag Center.

The Trail

Directions:
(1) From Franklin Pike and Harding Place/Battery Lane - go south 1.4 miles to Hogan Road (traffic light). Go left (east) and continue another 1.4 miles to the entrance. Iris Gardens Trailhead is a gravel lot on the right.
(2) From Franklin Pike and Old Hickory - go north 2.2 miles to Hogan Road, then go right to the Ag Center.
(3) From Nolensville Road and Edmondson Pike follow Edmondson Pike 1.4 miles to Marchant Drive (and signs to the Ag Center). Go right and follow Marchant .6 miles through the Ag Center Campus and down a hill to Hogan Road. Go right to enter the Ag Center.

Rogers Walk

The Iris Gardens Trailhead is located in a gravel lot to the right of the entrance road. A trail kiosk is at the east end of the parking area.

From the kiosk, the Rogers Walk Trail contours below the road to the Iris Garden. The trail trail crosses a small ornate bridge and enters the woods at .10 miles from the trailhead.

A sign indicates the next section of trail is the Eagle Trail. This is still the Rogers Walk Trail, the section just has a different name. Climb a moderate slope through the woods for .10 miles.

At the top of the slope is the Museum and the Pioneer Village, .20 miles from the trailhead.

The trail goes through the village and then bears right to a trail kiosk near the corner of the parking area. Signs help with the trail directions.

Continue along the side of the parking area for .10 miles to Marchant Drive. Carefully, cross the road and hike along the left edge of the overflow parking area. A restroom is located on the left side of the overflow lot.

Just after the restrooms, the trail re-enters the woods (a sign marks the trail) and descends a moderate slope.

At .40 miles (from the trailhead) the trail makes a sharp switchback from right to left around an old fence opening.

A small wooden bridge is crossed and then near the bottom of the hill is a wooden bridge over a drainage.

The trail reaches an old dirt road in .10 miles. Follow the dirt road for .20 miles to another crossing of Marchant Dr.

The road crossing is also the start of the Campus Connector Trail. The connector goes up the hill, alongside the Ag Center road (not Marchant Dr), next to the fenced pasture.

The Rogers Walk Trail crosses the Ag Center Road and follows Seven Mile Creek. A good creek access point is available in a few hundred feet.

The trail continues along the creek and enters a field after .25 miles, 1.05 miles from the trailhead. The kiosk maps show the trail going left and following the trees on the south side of the field.

There is also a trail that continues to follow the creek and goes around the outside of the field adding almost .10 miles to the total distance (all cloudhiking mileages follow the slightly longer, north field route.) There are no signs that indicate the trail options.

On the far (west) side of the field the north and south field trail options join and just beyond a kiosk marks a trail junction at 1.40 miles from the trailhead. The Campus Connector Trail intersects Rogers Walk. From the Marchant Drive crossing near the corner of the pasture and the start of the Campus Connector (South Junction) it is .65 miles by the Rogers Walk to the North Junction of the Connector. The Connector is .40 miles.

There is a good creek (Briarwood) access at this junction.

Rogers Walk leaves the junction and contours an easy slope as it stays near a drainage until in crosses the main entrance to the Ellington Agricultural Center off Hogan Road, .25 miles from the Campus Connector Junction.

Cross the road, just inside the gates, and walk between the wall and the Ag Center Road for .05 miles to return to the Iris Garden parking area and trailhead.

The total distance of the Rogers Walk is 1.70 miles (taking the outside path in the north field).

Connector Trails

The Campus Connector Trail bisects Rogers Walk Trail.

Starting at the crossing of Marchant Drive the connector follows the Ag Center Road to the top of the hill. The pasture is on the left.

After .10 miles the fence line and trail go left at the corner.

Continue following the fence for .05 miles to the junction of the Museum Connector Trail.

The Campus Connector makes a right turn and crosses behind the Ed Jones Auditorium parking area (a barn like meeting facility).

Crossing the Ag Center Road the trail contours down and to the left across a field.

At .30 miles from the start of the trail, a cemetery is to the left of the trail behind the Holeman Building of the Ag Campus.

After the cemetery, the trail descends .10 miles to the Rogers Walk Junction. The Campus Connector is .40 miles. Going right on the Rogers Walk it is .65 miles to return to the start of the connector. Turning left on Rogers Walk it is 1.05 miles to return to the the start.

The Museum Connector Trail branches off the Campus Connector at .15 miles. Instead of taking the sharp right turn near the Ed Jones Auditorium (barn-like) continue straight along the fence.

The trail follows and old road and tees into one of the Ag Centers roads in .10 miles.

Turn left on the road and go .05 miles.

The Museum is last building on the right.

To join the Rogers Walk, turn right past the Museum. Rogers Walk is along the west edge of the parking area.

The Museum Connector is .20 miles.

Seven Mile Creek Greenway

From the end of Marchant Drive at Edmondson Pike, turn left and go to the first light, .25 miles to enter Whitfield Park and the Seven Mile Creek Trailhead parking area.

The greenway is a paved path for a half of mile and a mowed path for .45 miles.

Leaving the trailhead it is .25 miles to Marchant Drive. Cross with care.

South of Marchant Drive, the paved path continues for another .25 miles.

After the paved path ends, the mowed path continues and is easy to follow. There is a good creek access point a short distance beyond the end of the paved path.

The mowed path ends before reaching Oakley Drive. Total distance of the path is .95 miles - one way.