Although it is not too long, this is a very scenic and beautiful trail. In the 2nd week of November, I rode from the Mark's Creek Trailhead (near Ashland City) all the way to the Cheatham Dam Campground. Although the fall color was, unfortunately, well past its peak, at least you had much better views of the river with all the leaves gone.

There is a steep embankment of high hills which run along the river. This trail is generally about halfway up with tall rock outcrops on one side of the trail and nice views of the river on the other. Being a rail trail, it is very flat and doesn't gain (or lose) much elevation throughout. There are small trestles/bridges over several side streams with one large trestle over Sycamore Creek. From here there are beautiful views of both the creek and the Cumberland River.

About a half mile north of Sycamore Creek, the paved portion of the trail ends at Chapmansboro Road. There is a parking area there at the Eagle Pass Trailhead. If you continue north, the trail is hard-packed gravel. It is not recommended for road bikes but fat tires can make it without much problem.
The 2 ½ mile section of trail for Eagle Pass to the Cheatham Dam Campground is similar to the paved section. Just north of Eagle Pass, there is an interesting structure that I wasn’t sure what it was. It looks like a small stone/mortar arch shaped room with a wooden door. It looked very old and I guessed that it was some type of storage shed for the railroad.

One word of caution: About a half mile from the north end of this section of trail, there is a bridge missing. It looks like it has been gone for a long time. The trail veers toward the river and goes down to the creek bed (which was dry when I saw it) then goes back up to the old railroad bed and the rest of the trail. It is not really hard to get by this section but there is no warning and the trail down to the creek bed is fairly steep and rocky. I made it ok but next time I will walk my bike through this section. It really isn’t bad but it can surprise you if you aren’t looking for it.

At the north end of the trail is the Cheatham Lake Lock A Campground. It was closed when I came through so I had to ride another couple of hundred yards to get to a point where the roads were open. The campground is part of an Army Corps of Engineers Recreational area here. If you keep going north from the campground, past the swimming area (in the river), you will reach Cheatham Dam. It is about a mile and a half from the campground.

All in all, the Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail is a very pretty rail-trail. I look forward to riding it again in the spring when the flowers are in bloom. I just wish it were a little longer.

What a lovely trail! I rode in early fall of this year and so the density of foliage was low enough I was able to catch glimpses of the water. I like riding trails where the view is constantly changing ("Ooh! I wonder what's around this corner?") and I didn't get much of that on the CRBT so I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars.
For those wishing to extend their ride by 2 or so miles I highly recommend riding past the campground on the road to the lock and dam. The view of the river is totally unobstructed. I saw several great blue herons fishing as well as in flight, and I've heard that bald eagles have been known to nest on the bluff. Along the road are many picnic tables with grills, as well as a day use area with a small fishing dock, swimming area/beach, and playground. I would suggest packing a picnic and starting your ride here. When you finish the roundtrip you can tuck into a sammy or grill some burgers as you sit on the riverbank. There is also a nice restroom situation near the boatramp.

We rode the extended trail from the Mark's Creek trailhead to Cheatham Dam Lock A campground. The first 4.3 miles is asphalt paved and the remaining 3 miles is finely packed gravel, almost as smooth as asphalt.
A nice rest room area is about 1/2 mile from Mark's Creek Trailhead. The campground has restrooms & showers and a boat ramp. In summer, much of the river view is obscured by foliage. Wonderful ride or jog!

I rode this trail in August 2007. I rode the 4 mile paved section. I then turned left toward the Cumberland river and rode back on a parallel county road. You can see the RR bridge from the county road.

Jay Nicks

Beautiful tree canopy full of Fall colors. Topo is river bottom to high bluffs. Waterfalls and old bridges add to the enjoyment.
I highly recommend this walk.

"I live nearby so I walk the trail quite a bit. The first four miles have completely been paved which does make it easier for bike riders and strollers. There is another 2 or so miles that goes from the parking lot on the far end of the trail from Ashland city to Lock A Campground that isn't paved. Not many people walk this part, which is a shame since it runs right beside the river and offers wonderful birdwatching. Look for the eagles nest across from the Kemps sign!"

"Floridian visiting family in Pleasant View. Very nice, enjoyable, scenic shady trail. Good pavement and fun to ride, especially across the bridges. Might be nice to trim back some low branches, etc. to provide views of the river along the trail. Only complaint: too short!"

The Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail was a great ride even though trail didn't appear to be regularly maintained (the port-a-john at the south end needed to be emptied). The rest area with a local garden being built is very nice.

"First rate trail that offers something for everyone. Natural setting and land surrounding it is remarkable. I admire the folks who believe in this project and who dedicate their time to maintain it so well. They've managed to create one of my favorite walking trails in Middle Tennessee. This trail is kept very clean, too. Nice going!"

A wonderful walk! What a great use of our natural resources.

"I took my daughters and their friend (ages 12) on the 8 mi. R/T and we all thought it was beautiful. Saw many wildflowers and critters along the bluffs. The trail is shaded, great for a hot summer day."

"Great bike ride! Smooth to moderate trail surface for first 3 miles, then long bridge and onto asphalt for the 4th mile. The newer section is considerably rougher and likely suitable only for mountain bikes.

Restroom facilities interspersed along trail, several parking options along trail route.

I have ridden a number of bike trails in other states, but this is far and away the most scenic. Overall a fantastic and beautiful ride!"