Radnor Lake's Biggest Fall Changes Are Happening Off the Lake Trail

Radnor Lake is adding two things this fall. One is a bald eagle that federal wildlife officials had once slated for euthanasia. The other is a nine-acre corner at Franklin Road and Old Hickory Boulevard where two private homes stood when the land was bought. Neither one is on the Lake Trail. Both sit on the east side of the natural area. Both still have work ahead: a permit for the eagle, and cleanup and restoration for the land. Radnor's next chapter is being built in the places a typical loop walk never reaches.

The Eagle Who Was Supposed to Be Put Down

NewsChannel 5 reported on September 25 that Radnor Lake State Park is getting ready for a bald eagle "nearly euthanized because of her injuries before U.S. wildlife officials reversed that decision." She is currently outside Knoxville. Her arrival in Nashville is expected by the end of the year, once permits are approved.

Ward calls her Phoenix in the NewsChannel 5 story. At Radnor that name goes away. She will become Eagle Number 3, matching how the park refers to all its raptors, and she will serve as a park ambassador. She will share an enclosure with one of the eagles already living at Radnor.

That shared enclosure is why the arrival took a whole season of work. Park Manager Steve Ward told the station that "the flighted aviary was damaged from the ice storm," and that volunteers have spent months zip-tying, digging, and building enrichment perches.

"We have to make sure the facility is safe and we can care for this bird at a very high standard." — Steve Ward, Park Manager, to NewsChannel 5

Much of the final push happened in late September. Friends of Radnor Lake reports that 30 Nissan volunteers spent a Friday at the Barbara J. Mapp Aviary Education Center. They put new gravel in three raptor enclosures, mulched around the Education Center and amphitheater, and worked on the Flighted Enclosure ahead of a state inspection planned for the following week. In its September 28 update, the Friends group said the renovation was "nearing completion." Once the enclosure permit is approved, "there's still some paperwork to complete." The year-end date is a forecast. It is not a confirmed arrival.

Getting to the Aviary Takes a Walk

The aviary is the one part of Radnor you cannot drive to. Tennessee State Parks places it "at the top of Hall Drive, off of Otter Creek Rd." It describes the trip as "a walk/hike to destination, no vehicle access." Which lot you park in decides how long the walk is.

From either lot, the park warns that the climb up Hall Drive "is paved but steep." Otter Creek Road is closed to motor traffic inside the park, so the walk in is on the old roadbed.

Up top, a 550-foot boardwalk passes the non-releasable birds of prey. The Education Center holds snakes, turtles, and the Anne Tarbell Library. The park's aviary page lists a Great-horned Owl, a Red-tailed Hawk, a Black Vulture, a Golden Eagle, and bald eagles in residence. Open house hours are self-guided. Glove programs with the birds have no fixed schedule and happen "periodically when park visitation allows." No registration is needed. Dogs can come into the Education Center but not onto the boardwalk, because they stress the birds.

The aviary page lists open houses on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The state parks events calendar shows these Saturday dates for the rest of the fall, all from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.:

• Saturday, October 10
• Saturday, October 17
• Saturday, October 24
• Saturday, October 31
• Saturday, November 7
• Saturday, November 14
• Saturday, November 21

The event listings say schedules can change. Those November Saturdays may be the last chance to see the rebuilt Flighted Enclosure before its new resident moves in.

The Same Eastern Edge, One Road Over

Head east from the aviary and the park's second fall project sits at the corner of Franklin Road and Old Hickory Boulevard. Friends of Radnor Lake says this acreage has been on its acquisition list since 2015 as part of the Harris Ridge Trail Project. It did not come up for purchase until 2024.

The deal came together in two steps. In January 2025, Friends bought the first three acres from Mantra LLC. The owner agreed to hold six neighboring acres while the State of Tennessee worked to buy them. The state closed on those six acres in October 2025 with a $3 million federal Land and Water Conservation Fund matching grant. Friends committed $1 million to the nine-acre project, plus land worth $3 million that transfers to the state as the grant match.

The plan for the corner is laid out plainly. In December 2025, Friends said the tract's two houses would be demolished in 2026, paid for by a family foundation grant. The land will be cleared of invasive plants, planted as native grassland, and eventually become "the future site of a 100-car parking area and trailhead for the Harris Ridge Trail Project." The Harris Ridge route is planned as a strenuous trail of 3.5-plus miles from this trailhead west to Otter Creek Road near the east end of the Lake Trail.

That route ties the two projects together. The eagle is arriving near the eastern stretch of Otter Creek Road. The planned Harris Ridge Trail would end on that same stretch. The East lot already puts walkers closest to the aviary. On paper, the new trailhead would put a second parking area on the east side.

Where the Corner Stands in October

The timeline has been slower than the first announcements suggested. When NewsChannel 5 covered the acquisition in December 2025, it reported hopes that the new property would open "sometime in 2026." Here is what the record shows since then.

1. January 10, 2026. Twenty-eight volunteers cleaned up the tract, recycled material, and staked two chestnut trees "prior to the demolition of two residences."
2. March 17, 2026. A Friends hike announcement said participants could see progress on the tract, "including demolition of two residences."
3. March 21, 2026. Rangers led a moderate hike onto the property, including Park Manager Steve Ward and Ranger Brandon Jarratt. Twenty-one people came and spent about 45 minutes picking up trash on the parcel and along the road.
4. June 15, 2026. The Friends Spring 2026 newsletter came out. It described a planned 2.5 to 3.5-mile Harris Ridge Trail and a one-acre parking area, and it still said cleanup and demolition "will take place throughout 2026." Neither post confirms that both houses are gone.
5. Late September 2026. Twelve Sierra Club Middle Tennessee Group volunteers hiked the Mantra Tract, learned about future plans for the Harris Ridge Trail, and removed invasive plants from a new tract "as we prepare for our fall land acquisition hikes."

No construction date or opening date has been published for the lot, the trailhead, or the trail. The project page lists the remaining steps: invasive removal, trail design and construction, a bridge at Lakemont Drive, and the 100-car lot. It expects volunteer trail work to continue through 2026 and 2027. The newer land is closed to the public outside ranger-led hikes. Friends says those hikes are posted on the Tennessee State Parks events page, with registration. As of early October, that calendar's Radnor listings show only the aviary Saturdays. Fall hike dates have been mentioned but not yet posted.

Planning a Fall Visit Around What Exists Today

For now, Radnor runs on the same two lots. The park says parking is allowed only in marked spaces, and those spaces "often fill quickly" in good weather. Trails are open daily from 6 a.m. until 20 minutes after sunset. On a clear Saturday open house, getting there early means a lot space and more daylight for the uphill walk on Hall Drive.

A few other current notes:

• EV charging. The park's chargers are temporarily unavailable while upgrades are pending. No return date has been posted.
• Walter Criley Visitor Center and gift shop. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed 1 to 2 p.m. for lunch, and closed Sunday and Monday.
• Radnor in the Round. The Friends of Radnor Lake fundraiser is Sunday, October 18, at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory, 1000 Oman Drive in Brentwood. It is sold out, with a waitlist for car passes.

Coffee after a walk is a short drive east on Old Hickory Boulevard, past the corner where the future trailhead is planned. The Well Coffeehouse is at 690 Old Hickory Blvd #104 in Brentwood. It is open 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.

Friends of Radnor Lake says it will post updates as the eagle's arrival gets closer. That page and the state parks events calendar are the two places where the next date, either the eagle's arrival or the first fall hike onto the Franklin Road corner, will appear first.

For Forest Hills and Oak Hill homeowners near Radnor's eastern edge, a planned trailhead at Franklin Road and Old Hickory Boulevard is a real long-term change to the area. Angela Peach follows projects like Harris Ridge closely and can talk through what it may mean for a home near the park, whenever the time is right for you. Request a private consultation.