Paddle and Biking Report: Montgomery Bell State Park, Dickson County, TN

This is a great Tennessee State Park! It has three lakes that are a nice change of pace from the river kayaking that I have been doing. I got out on the lake early and it was quiet and peaceful. I saw geese, blue heron, huge turtles, extremely large fish in the ultra clear water, and two deer. The leaves are starting to change and the scenery was beautiful! The lakes a little smaller and I paddled across and around several times just to get a good workout only because I'm used to a little more challenging paddles, but is a great place to relax and enjoy all of the natural surroundings. Wildlife abounds!

The park also offers miles of bike trails that are extra challenging for a person from Indiana where everything is relatively flat. The hills and the terrain give you everything you need to challenge a biker. My bike is a hybrid and I can see where a mountain bike would be preferred for this terrain. It can be a little rocky and rugged at times. I am a little sore today from the uphill peddling. The nice thing is that there are plenty of downhill parts of the roads and trails.

Camping is also very affordable--just 11 dollars per night for primitive camping. I stayed two nights and there is plenty to do here. If you bike, boat, or fish this park offers a lot.