Spring wildflowers bloom along the trail at Taylor Hollow.
Taylor Hollow Spring wildflowers bloom along the trail at Taylor Hollow. © Paul Kingsbury/The Nature Conservancy

Places We Protect

Taylor Hollow

Tennessee

Taylor Hollow is among the last undisturbed remnants of middle Tennessee’s majestic forest system.

Once a part of the magnificent mesophytic (moderately moist) forest system of middle Tennessee, Taylor Hollow is now one of the last undisturbed remnants of this historic habitat. 

Location
Sumner County

What to See
This 163-acre preserve is an ecological gem of middle Tennessee. The property contains a deeply cut valley and steep slopes divided by a tranquil spring-fed stream. The hollow provides habitat for numerous aquatic creatures, a small waterfall and a hidden cave.

The four major habitats represented throughout the preserve contain state endangered plants such as the Blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia verna) and the Ozark Least Trillium (Trillium pusillum var. ozarkanum), and several state threatened plants such as the Michigan Lily (Lilium michiganese) and the Butternut (Juglans cinerea).

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Taylor Hollow supports more than 380 plant species, numerous aquatic creatures and several cave-dwelling animals. First noted for its ecological value by Vanderbilt University botanists in 1975, Taylor Hollow was purchased by The Nature Conservancy in 1978, shortly after the first Tennessee office of Conservancy was established.

See our Visitation Guidelines under the Visit tab and contact us before entering the property.

See the State Natural Areas page on Taylor Hollow.

Please contact the The Tennessee Chapter of The Nature Conservancy for directions & visitation guidelines. The trailhead is difficult to find without directions.

You can hike the marked trail along the ridge and down into the hollow. It's about 2.5 miles total in length and is moderate in difficulty.

We are trying to minimize the impact on this delicate natural area. Our phone number is (615) 383-9909. Our email address is tn@tnc.org. Note that if you email us, it may take us 2-3 days to get back to you. We respond faster to phone calls.

The following activities are prohibited: Motorized vehicles (ATVs), horses, bicycles, collecting plants and animals, hunting, camping, rock climbing. Dogs are allowed on leash.