Shelby Farms Park

Shelby Farms Park is 4,500 acres — roughly five Central Parks — sitting in the middle of the Memphis metro, and it keeps changing: the Greenline grew by 2.29 miles just last October. So here's the current, verified version of everything the park holds, from the buffalo to the boat rentals. (Weighing it against the Old Forest or a riverfront afternoon? The Memphis parks guide compares the whole map.)

The park is free and open roughly sunrise to sunset, 365 days a year, run by the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy. It anchors our things to do in Memphis with kids list for a reason — but it's just as much a cyclists', anglers', and dog-people's park. (What's happening this week has the park's events as they come.)

The essentials

Verified in July 2026 — including the brand-new Greenline mileage.

• The buffalo herd

  Real American bison — a herd of about 15 on a ~50-acre range, in the park since 1989. Free to see anytime the park's open; the viewing area sits along the main park drive.

• The Shelby Farms Greenline — now 12.94 miles

  The rails-to-trails path grew a 2.29-mile extension in October 2025 — it now runs 12.94 paved, car-free miles from Tillman Street in Midtown to the Cordova Depot. (If you've seen 10.65 miles somewhere, that was the pre-extension number.)

• 40+ miles of trails inside the park

  The paved Chickasaw Trail (2.75 mi) and the lake-loop promenade are the strolls; Tour de Wolf (6 mi, unpaved) is the mountain-bike classic. Pick your surface.

• Woodland Discovery Playground

  The destination playground — six themed 'play nests' for ages 2–12, free, opening 9am daily and closing an hour before sunset.

• Water Play Sprayground

  4,000 square feet of jets for ages 12 and under — free one-hour sessions every Tuesday, noon to 5pm, first come first soaked. Other days run on reservations (rates aren't published — book through the park's site).

• Paddling Hyde Lake & Pine Lake

  Kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards rent at the Hyde Lake Boat House; pedal boats at Pine Lake Outpost (spring–summer; rates unpublished — call ahead). Kids 12 and under wear PFDs, no exceptions.

• Fishing on 20+ lakes

  Catfish, crappie, bream, and largemouth across Hyde, Beaver, Pine, Chickasaw and more — with trout stocked in Jones Pond every December–January. TWRA license required at 13+; carp go back.

• Horseback at Shelby Farms Stables

  The operator's own 2026 rates: pony rides $30 (age 4+), 30-minute trail rides $50 (7+), the popular one-hour ride $75 (8+), up to two-hour and private sunset options. Daily 9am–5pm on Pine Lake Drive.

• The Outback — 100 acres off-leash

  One of America's biggest dog parks (100 acres — not the 120 you'll read elsewhere). One dog per person, voice control required — and heads up: an algae advisory currently has the Outback lakes off-limits to swimming and drinking dogs until it lifts.

• Go Ape, BMX, disc golf & paintball

  The adrenaline wing: Go Ape's treetop courses (from $34.95 for the junior Journey, 3'3"+), a BMX track, disc golf, and paintball/laser tag via Battlefront Memphis.

• The Visitor Center & Belltower Coffeehouse

  The lakeside First Horizon Foundation Visitor Center holds Belltower Coffeehouse (coffee and snacks — the park's food is a coffeehouse, not a restaurant), a gift shop whose proceeds fund the park, restrooms, and the Adirondack-chair front porch.

• Starry Nights (mark the calendar)

  The park's biggest annual event: the drive-through holiday light show returns roughly Thanksgiving weekend through early January at the Farm Road gate — it's the conservancy's largest fundraiser, so the ticket is a donation with headlights.

The honest answers