February, 2023
NEW TRAIL TO THE SUMMIT MAKES SHY’S HILL MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL VISITORS
The Battle of Nashville Trust has completed construction of a new, revised trail up to the top of Shy’s Hill and it is now ready for visitors.
Photos by Bobby Whitson
The new design features updated steps up to the trailhead, a specialized stone surface that removes obstacles such as tree roots, and a newly plotted route up the steep slope that makes the climb easier.
For all of the years the Trust has had ownership or control of the Shy’s Hill battleground, maintaining a safe and accessible trail to the top has always been a challenge due to the extreme elevation angle. In an attempt to finally correct that problem, BONT president Bill Ozier said the Trust retained the services of the Atlanta trail-design firm, “Tailored Trails,” which is also rebuilding the walking trails in Nashville’s Percy Warner Park. The trail surface is designed to withstand water erosion to the greatest extent possible on extreme grades like Shy’s Hill.
BONT also had a gravel pad built for the most recent monument addition to the Hill, representing and honoring the 114th Illinois Infantry which was involved in the battle of Dec. 16, 1864, and suffered casualties in the assault on this high ground.
President Ozier stressed that BONT’s board and Shy’s Hill team are working on plans to erect a granite monument at the summit, honoring the various Confederate units that defended the hilltop against the overwhelming Union forces arrayed below it.
Photos by Bobby Whitson
Later in 2023, the two “Mountain Howitzers” that were originally installed on one of the lower plateaus of Shy’s Hill will be returned to their place near the new trail. The two smoothbore 12-pounder replicas were removed in 2022 to be refurbished and repaired from weather damage.