Stones River Dog Park at Percy Priest Dam is a 2.5-acre fenced off-leash area in Nashville. The single shared enclosure has natural grass, benches, a water fountain and waste-bag stations beside the Stones River Greenway trailhead.
Plan your visit
- Address: 3778 Bell Road, Nashville, TN 37214.
- Hours: Metro Nashville lists the dog park as open from dawn to dusk.
- Play area: One 2.5-acre fenced enclosure serves dogs of all sizes; Metro does not list a separate small-dog section.
- Surface: Natural grass with worn or gravelly areas near the fountain and entrance.
- Water: Metro dog parks have fountains, but winter shutoffs and maintenance interruptions can occur. Bring backup water.
- Parking: Use the Percy Priest Dam trailhead parking near the Bell Road entrance.
Find the dog park entrance
Approach from Bell Road and follow signs for the Stones River Greenway and Percy Priest Dam trailhead. The fenced dog park is near the parking and greenway access. Keep your dog leashed through the trailhead and use the gated dog-park entrance before allowing off-leash play.
A shared grass enclosure
The open 2.5-acre field gives dogs room to run, fetch and socialize. Because there is no officially listed small-dog section, handlers of small, elderly or cautious dogs should assess the dogs already inside before entering. Benches provide seating, but visitors describe limited shade across much of the field.
Water and surface conditions
The fountain and small splash tubs shown in the existing park photo help dogs cool down, but service can be seasonal. Water and heavy use can turn the area near the fountain muddy or worn. Bring a towel, check paws and carry drinking water during winter or maintenance periods.
The Stones River and Percy Priest Dam are outside the dog-park fence. Do not treat the river, dam area or greenway as off-leash swimming access.
Rules before entering
Metro Nashville requires current rabies and identification tags, one leash per dog and no more than two dogs per handler. Dogs must be leashed before entering and after leaving. Pick up waste, supervise continuously and remove an aggressive dog immediately.
Children under 10 are prohibited inside Metro dog parks. Puppies under four months, dogs in heat, food, glass containers, spiked collars and unattended dogs are also prohibited.
What park visitors say
Park goers frequently praise the open running space, dam views, convenient greenway access and generally relaxed crowd. Reviews also mention limited shade, occasional fountain shutoffs, worn ground and isolated conflicts between dogs. These are individual experiences, so check the water, surface and group already inside.
Check current information
Metro Nashville’s official dog-parks page provides the current address, dawn-to-dusk hours, acreage, surface, amenities and rules. Use the city’s parks finder and closures page for current access notices before traveling.