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Dunbar Cave State Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,539 Google reviews · Running trail in Clarksville, Tennessee · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Dunbar Cave State Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Home to a historic cave, this park offers bank fishing, 3 hiking trails & diverse wildlife.
What runners say about Dunbar Cave State Park
“Great trails that were easy to access, the park was well maintained and my two littles absolutely loved exploring the park”
“It was an absolutely peaceful and beautiful location to enjoy a nice stroll with gorgeous scenery with a coffee in hand!”
“It was an absolutely peaceful and beautiful location to enjoy a nice stroll with gorgeous scenery with a coffee in hand!”
“Hiking and easy trail, and the cave is pretty historic.”
Visited with my husband, two daughters, and our son, and it was lovely. The park is beautiful and peaceful, with scenic trails and a great outdoor atmosphere that the whole family enjoyed. We didn’t get to do the cave tour this time since it’s seasonal, but that just gives us a reason to come back.
Off season for the Guided Tour when we visited; no hike was needed. The Virtual Reality seated experience was proper compensation because of the excellent arrangement. The staff were extremely courteous and demonstrated excellent patience with our out-of-state dumb questions.
It is a nice place for a small walk or hike. They have a trailer across the park that takes you through the lake and beautiful views. There a quite a few ducks in the lake. They also have cave tours that run from May to September. I could not see it but will come next time for it. They have plenty of parking out here.
Majestic view as you get to the cave and notice the formation of rocksxand the gigantic trees on top of an open space. Incredible. Nice little walk from the park to the cave and back. We did not adventure us into the longer walk into the woods.
Trail conditions & character
“It was an absolutely peaceful and beautiful location to enjoy a nice stroll with gorgeous scenery with a coffee in hand!”
“It was an absolutely peaceful and beautiful location to enjoy a nice stroll with gorgeous scenery with a coffee in hand!”
“Pet friendly and a great place to bring children to get exercise.”
“Nice little picnic area, and clean with bathrooms at the gift shop.”
Plan your run at Dunbar Cave State Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- LightingRunners report lights on the path — useful for pre-dawn and after-work miles. Lighting and opening hours are separate things, so check both.
- At the trailheadrestrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websitetnstateparks.com
- Phone+1 888-867-2757
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 8 am–4:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 8 am–4:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 8 am–4:30 pm |
| Thursday | 8 am–4:30 pm |
| Friday | 8 am–4:30 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am–4:30 pm |
| Sunday | 8 am–4:30 pm |
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