Mississippi Greenbelt Park

When I lived at the north end of Mud Island, I would regularly run the loop down to, and some times over the bridge. Every day was a different tableau both on and off the riverbanks.
Today I had the opportunity to actually get down and into the waters of the Wolf River and on into the mighty Mississippi under the expert guidance of Mr. Allen from Allen’s Kayaking Adventures. If you haven’t seen Memphis from the river, you are missing a bet, big time! You can track him down on FaceBook at Kayakerallen.
Now that I know how to leverage the beauty of this local treasure of a park, I’m sure to be back soon!

Love the walking trail, just not sure how many miles I’m walking. Does anyone know the miles on the trail.

Ladies: It’s safe to jog in the early morning if you’re in to those things at this park.
During the spring, the place gets packed but it’s a great place to bring a puppy to take a long walk.

After a long stressful day, I love going out to Green Belt Park for a run.
The only issue I have with the park is that it can be crowded certain times of the day. I have just learned to avoid those times.

MS Greenbelt Park is yet another escape from reality and the city for me!
I LOVE this park for many reasons, but the main reason I come here is to run!
The sidewalk thru the park is flat & exactly 2 miles long if you run from the farthest parking area to the MS River bridge – it’s about 2.5 miles if you add the Harbor Town Bay bridge to the Front Street light.
There is always alot of people walking, running, riding bikes, or playing football, so I do not feel that I am compromising my security when I run there alone.
At dusk, the sidewalk lights up & pours out an ambiance that is so extremely sexy, even the older couples steal kisses from their sweeties :)

I recently found this location to be a retreat from a busy day of working downtown. Now I love to just drop by and watch the mighty Mississippi roll South. The park is always clean and the grounds are kept neat.
There are three evenly separated parking areas, yet varies in sizes from the entry, the first being the smallest. But I usually choose the parking area in the middle, it holds less shade but has the perfect balance of a minimal amount of people and large enough view of the river.
The river itself is tranquilizing if you go at the right time, whatever that may be for you. But you will find your spot.

Whenever people tell me they can’t live in Memphis because they have to live by water… I remind them that the Mississippi River goes right by us.
I completely understand, I like the water too. And this park is an absolutely gorgeous example of why people like walking by the water. It is cooler, you get a nice breeze, plus there is just the calming effect of being by water. I think it has something to do with the way water sounds… or I guess the waves. Granted, you wouldn’t want to go swimming in it, but when do people actually ever get in the water? I lived in LA for 4 years and only saw the insane surfers actually get in the water. Everyone else just kinda waded in like a little girl. And if you are adamant about getting in the water, you can rent a kayak down the way so you can «be in the water.» It doesn’t really look safe though because the current is so strong and I am terrified of the brown water… but still, this place is great.
Another awesome benefit of this place is that there is spectacular people watching. I’m talking a really good show. You can see the college kids playing frisby, the grandparents with their grandkids, couples with their dog baby — all walks of life, etc.
My favorite thing to do is bring a picnic and sit on one of their benches. I kinda wish there was more to do (like a swing or something) but it is a good thinking spot.
Definitely one of the best (and prettiest) parks in the city.

One thing I have not been able to enjoy as much as I have wanted to since I have moved here is to enjoy the outdoors. Yes, I am outdoors about 65 hours a week, but when you work over what used to be a landfill, I don’t really consider that «being outdoors».
I had the chance to come here on Saturday afternoon, as Joelle mentioned we should eat lunch here. And we did! And I am glad we did!
We came from Roxie’s Grocery, which I would say was less than 1 – 2 miles away– fairly easy to get to. Parking is free, and right on the riverfront, and that wasn’t too hard either.
It was fairly humid out, and the river seemed to be on the high side, but not to a point where it raised concern. All of the trees around us kept it bearable– which was nice, because the sun wasn’t beaming down on us.
We went to the first bench, and I realized– those are some big ass benches! They were about 10 feet long, I know 2 people could easily sleep on them. They were pretty comfortable, but after I ate, I just decided to stand up (I move around alot, I am fidgety!).
The actual space is nice, and peaceful. Just to be outside and not get bothered by anyone was pleasant. The views were very nice as well. On the back side of the park, colorful houses lined the street– I bet that is some prime property!
We ended up staying for a few hours (Joelle, Kyle, and I) and just shot the shit, enjoying people watching, and eating lotsa grease. Great times indeed!
In terms of safety, I noticed the MPD circling the parking lot every few minutes. There were trashcans near the parking lots, and working water fountains too. However, I didn’t see any restroom facilities (unless that was the building on the other side of the street and I just failed to realize that). I just needed a place to wash my hands.
This is a great place to just relax and enjoy nature– I will be sure to have to come back here! Hell, I enjoyed it so much, I forgot to check in and take pics!

I have been here in the past when I lived in Tn but has never appreciated the view from this park until this recent visit. It has changed some since the last time I was here but the view is still as awesome as it had been in the past.
There is a nice residential area that faces the riverfront. I would totally live there if I ever move back to the South and Memphis. Seems like a quiet and peaceful neighborhood.
The park has a really nice view of the Mississippi River with walking, biking, and jogging trails. There are trees scattered around the park which would provide nice shades in the summer but at the time of the visit, the trees were bare… hehehe. ., benches are also scattered around in the area which would provide nice sitting areas to read a book or just sit around to admire the view. Oh, the park will be nice for wedding photoshoots– very romantic and dreamy. Aside from the Mississippi river view, the Memphis Bridge (I think that’s what it is called) can also be seen from the park.
The park is located on the North end of the Mud Island and can be accessed, I believe, from the Island Dr. It is open year round and has free parking on the parking lot attached to the park.

This place has a beautiful view of the Mississippi River located in Harbortown. Very quite, very clean, and very diverse. The walking trail is spacious and over a mile long. Very nice for exercising or picnics.

Offers one of the most scenic views of the Mississippi River in Memphis. I frequently run the paved stretch of sidewalk from the Harbortown Roundabout to the end of Island drive and back [It is a perfect three miles].
Great place to see an eclectic mix of people. Everyone always seems to be having a good time. I’ve seen lots of photo shoots and have noticed a few wedding ceremonies going on as well.
Awesome park!

The Chippewa called it the big river and the name stuck. Minnesota to Louisiana is over 2,000 miles. The water spills into 30 states.

Whenever I drive into Harbor Town I get goosebumps when I see this little «park.» It takes me right back to Chicago. It is oh so reminiscent of the Lake Front, always littered with joggers, frisbee players, picnickers and the like. I’m not sure which I love more, the uncanny resemblance to my favorite area of the city I call home or the fact that it is always filled with life. There aren’t many parks in the Memphis area that can boast being populated 90% of the time, but this place can do that any day of the week. I’ve yet to come here or drive by and not see a ton of action. In fact, I love it so much, we have often had the discussion of moving to Harbor Town just to be close to this little piece of home.
We have taken our dogs here on many occasions and they love it too. Perhaps they have a sense of home when we come here as well. Either way, they love sniffing the sniffs and running about. We’ve even been known to unleash them if the crowds permit and play a mean game of fetch. For some reason, it is the only spot in the city that they seem to understand the concept of not darting out into oncoming traffic or running free into the great unknown.
The views here are gorgeous. I’m not a huge fan of the cookie-​cutter feel of the houses in Harbor Town, but there is a perfect little spot in this park right in front of these newly constructed Victorian-​esque homes that have the look, feel and charm of the old south. I heart them. We always make sure to claim an area right in front of them.

I love this park. It’s very Memphis and in my opinion has the best riverfront views in town. It has changed a lot over the years for the better with improvements but it has always had the best views. My husband and I had our first date here 20 years ago and this is the spot where he proposed many years later, so needless to say I’m a fan!
You can roller blade, bike ride and run on the path or have a picnic on the grass. We live way out in the burbs now so it’s a good 30 minute trek for us to come here but we do a few times a year and are always glad we made the ‘trip!”

Even though I don’t live on the island, this is one of my favorite places to walk and/​or run.
There is a sidewalk that runs along the upper part of the park, from one end of the island to the other, which is about a mile and a half or so. But there is also a dirt path right on the edge of the water that is just perfect for a run. I try to stay off the pavement whenever possible, so this is a great option. Sadly, there are just not a ton of places to trail run in the area.
With views of the river and the bridge, it’s a lovely place to also just hang out and enjoy the afternoon. It’s rarely crowded, mostly locals out to walk their dogs or go for a run.