Photo: Garryharvey · Public domainJackson has 21 miles of mapped trails, 0.4 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: North Park (1.2 mi), Cypress Grove Park (1.1 mi), Liberty Park (0.6 mi). 38% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 704 acres are parks and preserves, 10 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 43% of U.S. towns · #60 of 177 in Tennessee. What drives it
How much outdoors does Jackson have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Jackson is ahead of 43% of U.S. towns, #60 of 177 in Tennessee. Trail miles hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
Few Tennessee towns conserve much land (a typical one, 1%; the U.S., 4%), so Jackson’s 3% is ahead of 68% of Tennessee towns, while its trails per square mile lead 69% of them.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is North Park, with 1.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Shirlene Mercer Park
All 12 parks & preserves
1,279 conserved acres
3% of Jackson’s land. Who manages Jackson’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 279 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Col. Forrest V. Durand Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 379 | Restricted |
| City Of Jackson Local Park | Town or city | 144 | Open |
| West Tennessee Sportsplex Local Park | Town or city | 127 | Open |
| Muse Park Local Park | Town or city | 87 | Open |
| North Park Local Park | Town or city | 69 | Open |
| Kate Campbell Robertson Memorial Park Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 62 | Open |
| Fairgrounds Park Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 41 | Open |
| Malesus Park Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 32 | Open |
| Forest Hills Park Local Park | Town or city | 15 | Open |
| Liberty Park Local Park | Town or city | 14 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
7 places to go in Jackson
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
6 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
1 named trail and 3 lakes & rivers
9.1 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
26 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
14 more on the History page.
The walking year in Jackson
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.0 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 13.0 | 14.0 | 14.6 | 14.3 | 13.5 | 12.3 | 11.2 | 10.2 | 9.8 |
| High (°F) | 49 | 53 | 62 | 72 | 80 | 87 | 90 | 89 | 84 | 73 | 61 | 51 |
| Rain (in) | 4.2 | 4.9 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 5.3 |
August is the driest month (3.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 90 °F). 5.6 inches fall in March, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 90 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Jackson →
Questions about parks and trails in Jackson
Where can I hike in Jackson?
The longest trail networks: North Park, 1.2 miles; Cypress Grove Park, 1.1 miles; Liberty Park, 0.6 miles; Shirlene Mercer Park, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Jackson is conserved land?
3% of its land, against a typical 1% for a Tennessee town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Jackson’s trails?
North Park and Cypress Grove Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Jackson?
9.1 miles of bike routes are on the map: 6.0 of off-road paths and 3.1 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Jackson?
3,318 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Jackson or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 704 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Jackson have?
Ahead of 43% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #60 of 177 in Tennessee. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Jackson neighbors.
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →