Trails

The Center for Sustainable Stewardship (CSS) is 501(c)3 non-profit on a 714-acre campus extending from the 4-pole Barn on Big East Fork Rd to Parker Branch Rd in Franklin, Tennessee. It is bordered by Firetower Rd, Poor House Road, Backbone Ridge Road, and Parker Branch Rd. The trails of CSS begin at the Parking Lot. All guests who use our trails must be pre-registered and have signed the Waiver which is available on-line or available at the BEF parking lot.

Some CSS trails pass near private houses. Do not visit or disturb private propery or you may be trespassing!

Trails

Rosie’s Loop Trail (0.8 miles) starts by Big East Fork Parking Lot then crosses a small wooden bridge and proceeds through Big East Fork Farm before turning left before private greenhouses, and ascends gently behind the greenhouse to the forrest. It continues to the fenceline, turns left and returns on the farm road adjacent to the Big East Fork Farm and the CSS community garden.

The Short Farm Loop Trail passes through the picnic area and on through Peach Orchard Hollow creek, crosses the central meadow, ascends moderately to Sunset meadow, wanders through forest, and down through the backwoods, before returning alongside the forest pond and joins Rosie’s Trail back to Big East Fork Far.

The Farm Loop Trail passes through the picnic area and up into the forest to a view of Big East Fork Farm, climbs to Firetower Road and then turns west through old growth forest to Sunset Meadow before it descends through deep forest on old logging roads to a brackish pond and the 4-pole barn. It then returns back to the Farm along the edge of the forest.

Sunset Meadow trail starts at an orange pylon a short way up Peach Orchard Hollow, turns left and up a steady incline to Sunset Meadow.

The Fork Henge trail

The Timberland Trail is operated by the Williamson County Department of Parks and Recreation

The CSS logo of three leaves represents the three pillars of our organization:

Stewardship of the Land -

We protect our watershed, pastures, soil, and forests so we may receive their many blessings.

We do unto downstream as we would have upstream do unto us.

We identify and invest in watershed rural lands to place forest and farmland in the hands of the next generation of stewards.


Stewardship of Others -

We provide safety, resources, support, and encouragement to those around us.

We contribute financial reserves, food to our food bank, or work in our community..

We provide and support education to the future stewards of our various overlapping communities.

Stewardship of Self -

We cultivate our own physical, mental, and spiritual health

We communicate with intention, to understand and uplift.

We treasure our creativity and give ourselves time and place in which to play.