The lot at 2240 N. Thompson Lane holds 60 cars and has trailer parking. It also has picnic tables, restrooms, fishing access and the asphalt start of the Stones River Greenway. This October all of that still looks the same from the driver's seat. Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation and TDOT both say the parking lot stays open during construction.
Past the lot, two of the trailhead's three uses are gone. The trail link to Stones River National Battlefield's McFadden Farm Unit is closed, and so is the canoe ramp onto the West Fork. The National Park Service expects the work behind both closures to wrap up in 2030. For the next few years, Thompson Lane is a trailhead that only sends you south.
What Closed, and Why It Runs Into 2030
TDOT started construction in August 2026 on about 4.3 miles of North Thompson Lane, from Northwest Broad Street to Memorial Boulevard. The project widens the road to four lanes with a center turn lane and replaces the bridge over the West Fork Stones River. The trail crossing to the battlefield runs right next to that bridge. TDOT's project page puts estimated completion at Q2 2030 and marks that date as subject to change.
The Park Service posted the closure on October 3, 2026. The alert on its conditions page is short:
"The trail connecting the McFadden Farm Unit and the Stones River Greenway will be closed to the public while Tennessee Department of Transportation crews work to widen the North Thompson Lane bridge across the West Fork of the Stones River. Work is expected to be completed in 2030."
On October 5, WGNS recorded a Parks and Rec update from the Thompson Lane Greenway. It describes the same picture: the boat launch and the bridge to the Park Service area are temporarily closed, and the main parking is still accessible. As of this week, neither the city nor TDOT has posted an on-trail detour around the closed connector.
South Is the Only Way the Trail Goes From Here
Heading south, the greenway follows the river toward downtown, past a string of named trailheads. The city lists these distances between neighboring stops:
| Segment | Distance |
|---|---|
| Thompson Lane to Broad Street | 0.9 mi |
| Broad Street to General Bragg | 0.5 mi |
| General Bragg to Redoubt Brannan | 0.9 mi |
| Redoubt Brannan to Manson Pike | 0.3 mi |
| Manson Pike to Fortress Rosecrans | 0.4 mi |
| Fortress Rosecrans to Old Fort Park | 0.1 mi |
The city's separate trailhead distance chart puts Old Fort Park Trailhead 2.8 miles from Thompson Lane. That's a solid out-and-back for a weekend run or a stroller loop. Before the closure, the same lot also opened onto a second route, across the river to the Union artillery ground at McFadden's Ford. That route is what's gone.
The official notices name only the McFadden Farm connection and "a section" of greenway at the bridge. They don't say whether every other stretch stays open for the whole project. If you're planning a longer route, check for posted signs at the trailhead before you count on a particular segment.
McFadden's Ford Is a Drive Now
The battlefield unit is still open. You just reach it from a different road. The Park Service says visitors can still get to McFadden Farm by Van Cleve Lane and walk the historic McFadden Lane Trail to the interpretive exhibits. Van Cleve Lane leads to the parking area at Tour Stop 6. TDOT has also said access to McFadden Farm via Van Cleve Lane will stay open during construction.
At the stop, the Park Service marks where the Union cannon stood. Visitors can see the Artillery Monument and look out over the Stones River at McFadden's Ford. The unit's amenities list also includes a scenic viewpoint.
When you used to come on foot from the greenway, the parking gate didn't matter. It does now, and the hours change in a few weeks:
- Through October 31: the McFadden Farm parking gate and the park tour road are open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.
- From November 1 through February: both close at 4:30 p.m.
- Year-round: walkers and cyclists can use park roads and trails from sunrise to sunset.
The visitor center also goes to fall hours on November 1 and closes at 4:00 p.m. instead of 5:00. If you liked catching the river at McFadden's Ford late on a November afternoon, plan to be back at the car by 4:30.
The West Fork Still Has Three Ways In
TDOT says the Thompson Lane Trailhead canoe ramp will stay closed for the whole project. The city's facility page still lists small-watercraft access at the trailhead, but the construction closure overrides that listing until the work is done. TDOT's September 25 project newsletter names three alternate put-ins:
- Manson Pike Boat Ramp, 1208 Searcy Street, Murfreesboro, 2.8 miles or about a 9-minute drive south
- West Fork Boat Ramp, 9012 Florence Road, Smyrna, 6 miles or about an 11-minute drive north
- Nice Mill Recreation Area Boat Ramp, Sulphur Springs Road, Murfreesboro, 6.3 miles or about a 12-minute drive north
TDOT says it will post signs at nearby ramps along the West Stones River about the closure and the alternate access points. Manson Pike is the closest swap and is also a greenway trailhead on the southbound route. Neither TDOT nor the city has published float routes, water levels or shuttle guidance for these ramps. Check conditions before you load the boat.
What Changes Around the Lot Between Now and Spring
The closure is the first visible step in a long schedule. TDOT's newsletter says vegetation clearing could begin after October 1, 2026 and must end by March 31, 2027. Crews start clearing at the West Fork Stones River Bridge, then move from the Northwest Broad Street end toward Memorial Boulevard. That means the area right around the trailhead changes first, before the rest of the corridor, and cleared ground near the bridge is likely to be the first sign of it this season.
Getting to the lot is affected too. TDOT says bike lanes on Thompson Lane will close during construction, and it expects bike lane and shoulder closures "in the coming weeks." Lane closures are allowed from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on school days and until 4:00 p.m. when school is out. A midmorning weekday drive to the trailhead will cross the work zone during the hours crews are allowed to close lanes.
A Fall Weekend at the Battlefield Without the Bridge
Losing the trail connection hasn't shut the battlefield. The Park Service calendar has a full October, all reachable by car through the main park:
- Saturday, October 10, 10:00 a.m.: Battlefield Caravan Tours
- Saturday, October 10, and Sunday, October 11, 1:00 p.m.: "Stories of Service and Sacrifice in Stones River National Cemetery"
- Saturday, October 17, 10:00 a.m.: Arts In Parks Celebration with the Home Sweet Home Band and Two Rivers Fife & Drum
If you want the river views too, follow either Saturday morning program with a drive up Van Cleve Lane to Tour Stop 6. Through October 31, the McFadden Farm gate stays open until 5:00 p.m.
What the Bridge Brings Back
The finished project adds walking access along the road itself. TDOT's plans include sidewalks on both sides of North Thompson Lane. They also include a shared-use path from near the new West Fork bridge to Memorial Boulevard. On the current schedule, that path and a reopened connection to McFadden Farm arrive in 2030. Until then, the Thompson Lane Trailhead is a southbound start, and getting to McFadden's Ford means driving to Van Cleve Lane.
Road projects like this one change how a part of town works for years, and buyers and sellers along the Thompson Lane corridor will be asking about it well before 2030. If you're thinking about a move in Murfreesboro and want someone who follows these projects closely, Move Up Home Group can walk you through it. Let's Get Moving!
