Memphis Parks runs 150-plus sites; Shelby Farms has 40-plus miles of trails, Tom Lee Park opens at 6 a.m. and the Wolf River Greenway has 14 miles open. Hours and access.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Facts on this page come from Memphis Parks, Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, Memphis River Parks, Overton Park Conservancy, the Wolf River Conservancy and Big River Crossing.

Memphis Parks manages more than 150 sites covering more than 5,600 acres: parks, community centers, trails and playgrounds. The biggest green spaces, Shelby Farms Park, Overton Park and the riverfront parks, are run by nonprofit conservancies with the city or county. Shelby Farms is open sunrise to sunset every day (901-222-7275), and Tom Lee Park on the river opens at 6 a.m. Report a problem in a city park to Memphis 311, 901-636-6500.

Who to call

The big parks

Park Hours What is there
Shelby Farms Park Sunrise to sunset, 365 days 40-plus miles of paved and unpaved trails, the Greenline, the Outback Off-Leash Dog Park
Tom Lee Park 6 a.m. to 30 minutes after sunset 31 acres on the Mississippi, Sunset Canopy, playground, misting fountain, basketball
Big River Crossing Sunrise to 10 p.m. daily, free Nearly mile-long walking and cycling bridge to Arkansas
Overton Park See the conservancy Old Forest State Natural Area, the Overton Park Shell

Shelby Farms Park

Shelby Farms Park has more than 40 miles of trails, paved and unpaved, for walking, biking, running and hiking. Its Shelby Farms Greenline, a 10.65-mile paved trail, links the heart of Memphis to Cordova through the park. The Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, a nonprofit, runs the park and Greenline and raises 75% of the park’s operating budget. The main entrance is off Great View Drive; the visit page posts each day’s sunrise and sunset hours and advisories, such as water-quality notices for the lake in the Outback Off-Leash Dog Park.

Tom Lee Park and the riverfront

Tom Lee Park, 31 acres at the foot of Beale Street, reopened on Labor Day weekend 2023 after a $61 million rebuild. It has the Sunset Canopy, a 15,000-square-foot space for concerts, yoga and pickup basketball, a hammock grove, a large playground, a misting fountain and public art. It is open 6 a.m. to 30 minutes after sunset. The park honors Tom Lee, who could not swim but saved 32 people when a steamboat capsized on the Mississippi.

The five-mile River Line walking and biking trail connects the riverfront parks, and Memphis River Parks posts its programs on its events calendar.

Big River Crossing, at nearly a mile, is the longest public pedestrian and cycling bridge across the Mississippi. It is free and open daily from sunrise to 10 p.m. and is part of a 10-mile corridor linking Main Street in Memphis with Main Street in West Memphis, Arkansas.

Overton Park

Overton Park in Midtown, founded in 1901, holds the Old Forest, which the Overton Park Conservancy calls the only urban old-growth forest in the southeastern U.S. Of the original 200 acres, 142 remain, and 126 acres have been a Tennessee State Natural Area since June 2011. The conservancy, founded in 2011, cares for the park with the city; call 901-214-5450. The park is also home to the Overton Park Shell, the outdoor music venue.

Greenways

The Wolf River Greenway is a 12-foot-wide paved trail planned to run 26 miles from Mud Island through north Memphis to Shelby Farms Park, Germantown and Collierville. Fourteen miles are open. Access points with parking:

Section Address Parking
Mud Island (1.2-mile loop on the old levee) 1320 N. Mud Island Road Street
Hyde Park / Hollywood 1833 N. Hollywood St. Trailhead lot
McLean Cycle Track 2149 James Road Street
Epping Way (20-acre lake, 1.2 miles of trail) 2630 Epping Way Drive Trailhead lot
Kennedy Park (1.5 miles through forest) 4375 Raleigh LaGrange Road Street and park lots
Wolf Crossing (270-foot bridge) 221 N. Humphreys Blvd. Street
Shady Grove Trailhead 6324 Humphreys Blvd. Trailhead lot

Wolf Crossing, opened in November 2021, links the Wolf River Greenway to the Shelby Farms Greenline.

What this means for you

  • Most big parks close at sunset; Big River Crossing stays open to 10 p.m.
  • For a long ride, combine the Greenline and the Wolf River Greenway at Wolf Crossing.
  • Report broken equipment or lights in city parks to 311.

More guides: things to do this month, getting around Memphis, farmers markets, walking and biking trails and dog-friendly Memphis.

Frequently asked questions

What are the hours at Shelby Farms Park?

Shelby Farms Park and the Shelby Farms Greenline are open from sunrise to sunset, 365 days a year. The park’s information line is 901-222-7275, answered 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

How long is the Shelby Farms Greenline?

10.65 miles of paved trail for walking and cycling, from the heart of Memphis to Cordova through Shelby Farms Park.

When is Tom Lee Park open?

From 6 a.m. to 30 minutes after sunset. The 31-acre riverfront park at the foot of Beale Street reopened after a $61 million rebuild in September 2023.

Is Big River Crossing free?

Yes. The nearly mile-long walking and cycling bridge over the Mississippi River is free and open daily from sunrise to 10 p.m.

How much of the Wolf River Greenway is open?

14 miles of a planned 26-mile, 12-foot-wide paved trail from Mud Island to Shelby Farms Park, Germantown and Collierville, according to the Wolf River Conservancy.