Cedars of Lebanon State Park

Cedars of Lebanon is a 1,139 acre state park located about 40 minutes east of Nashville. Established in 1955, Cedars of Lebanon is named after the eastern red cedar trees found in the park. Interestingly, these trees are not true cedars but actually junipers, a close cousin. Early settlers associated these trees with the dense cedar forests of the Biblical land of Lebanon and thus began calling them ‘cedars.’ Unique natural ecosystems were also discovered in the area. There are a number of limestone glades (where soil is thin or absent due to limestone rock close to the surface of the ground), sinkholes and even caves here. Due to the area’s unique ecosystem there are well over a dozen species of endangered plants that grow here.

Visitors today can enjoy many different aspects of the park. Plentiful space can be found for relaxing, recreating and picnicking. There are eleven different picnic shelters throughout the park, three of reach can be reserved in advance. The historic Cedar Forest Lodge, built in 1936 during the Great Depression by the W.P.A., is located in the park and can be rented out for events such as weddings. Other reservable buildings include an assembly hall, gazebo and day use cabin.

For those looking to stay overnight, nine charming cabins and a group lodge that can sleep up to 80 people can be reserved. There are also 117 campsites in the park, complete with electric and water hookups, as well as an additional 30 tent and pop-up campsites.

10 miles of hiking trails can be found in the park. These trails lead through beautiful forests and cedar glades. One of the park’s main attractions is Jackson Cave. This cave is over a mile in length and tours led by park staff are often available. Countless other activities are available in the park including swimming, disc golf, horseback riding, etc. If you can think of it, you can likely do it at Cedars of Lebanon!