Cycling in Nashville

Forget the Nashville with the guitars — this one is Indiana’s mountain-bike capital. Just outside the little arts town of Nashville, Brown County State Park holds the best purpose-built singletrack in the Midwest: nearly 30 miles of trail across 17 named routes, from the beginner-friendly North Gate loop to the advanced Hesitation Point run and expert lines like Hobbs Hollow, all threading roughly 400 feet of ridge-and-ravine terrain. Trails above beginner require a cheap off-road cycling permit ($5/day or $20/year), bought at the gatehouse or online.

This is a destination for riders who want dirt, not a casual paved greenway, so the town is built around it. Brown County Bikes, right in downtown Nashville, rents full-suspension mountain bikes and e-MTBs by the day, requires a waiver, and will even organize guided or shuttle rides in the park — reserve ahead on weekends. Q’s Bikes at eXplore Brown County is a second rental-and-guided-tour option a few minutes out of town.

Lodging keeps you close to the trailhead. The Brown County Barn Burner is literally connected to Brown County Bikes in the same downtown building — walk out of your room and into the shop — making it the natural pick for a group riding trip, while the boutique Cornerstone Inn sits a couple of blocks away in the heart of Nashville’s shops and restaurants.

Ride May through October; the clay-based singletrack drains slowly, so skip the day or two after heavy rain to protect both the trails and your rims — check the park’s trail status before you drive out.

Just north of Nashville in Bean Blossom, Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Festival runs each June at the Bill Monroe Music Park, billed as the world’s longest continuously running bluegrass festival.