Overton Park

Overton Park is a gem in our urban jungle. I absolutely love how diverse it is on a Sunday afternoon. Truly a snapshot of everything I love about our city. I am very concerned about the Memphis Zoo’s using the Greensward for parking. The zoo continues to expand and bring in more visitors without planning for additional parking. Instead they continue to use the free space we use for frisbee and fun to park. This does not happen in Central Park in NYC. I love walking through all the different components that make up the park. Levity Shell, Brooks Museum, Memphis College of Art, the Golf Course and the coolest club house around. The trails through the old forest are always fascinatingly appealing no matter the season. To see a real forest in our city is inspiring. I wish there was a trail around the entire exterior of the park and I wish it was easier to access the park from the North side. Overton Park is VITAL to midtown. If you want to get a real sense of what makes Memphis so special, there is no better place to go.

Wow — it is seriously embarrassing that I have lived in midtown for so long and only recently got aquatinted with this gem! Decided to explore the Old Forest area last weekend, and I love that we have this bit of wilderness here in 38 104. But beware! Bloodsucking monsters lurk within these woods, waiting to taste the sweet flesh of foolish mortals who dare to go without long pants… or mosquito repellant. You have been warned!
Speaking of monsters… what kind of person sets out to enjoy a nature trail… and then shoves their trash into the grooves of trees?!? Not cool, man. Go watch Pocahontas and learn some respect!

I took my niece there on a freakishly warm Saturday in the winter. It was super crowded and we had to park really far away. Even so, she loved walking around the reservoir and watching the dogs jump in after sticks and retrieve them. She also loved climbing the rope bridge. They have upgraded their playground since I was last here years ago. We will definitely be back here again when we are in the area.

Overall, I’m a fan of Overton Bark. It’s a nice place for the dogs to come out and play. There are bags available for you to pick up after your kids, and there is a doggie drinking fountain. I REALLY like that there is an all dogs section and a small dogs section. I generally take mine in the all dog section, unless I sense that there may be trouble makers. The small dog area is nice. There is still plenty of room to run, but typically there aren’t as many other dogs to play with. If you come here, be courteous. If your dog is causing problems, put them back on the leash. Nothing irritates me more than a parent not ensuring that their child is playing nice.

Perfect inner city park that offers anything you’d want in a park…
a pond, extensive playground area for the kids, Overton Bark — a dog park, a huge forrest with many trails, non motorized mile + long paved walking/​jogging/​bicyling trail, golf course, art museum, adjacent to the Memphis Zoo, Levitt Shell (musical stage) for concerts, large grassy field suitable for just about anything. This place is great! As with anywhere these days, just watch your back and make sure you secure any items of ‘potential interest’ in your car. There are police cameras spread throughout the park and to my knowledge the criminial/​dangerous element has been lessened exponentially.

Excellent spot in the city.. . to get out of the city.
Sometimes you just gotta get away. Get away to this lovely green space with a lot to offer.
Home to the zoo, art museum, Levitt Shell, walking/​riding trails, large lawns to watch people who are still into flying kites, dogs, and people happy to lay on grass.
Wander here often, it’s good for you.

Our park is gorgeous and has so much to offer anyone! THe dog park, the greensward, the playground, the Levitt Shell… And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! So much to do and see and I go everyday with either my dog or my step-​daughter. My highest recommendation goes to the free Levitt Shell concerts, they are great and you can BYOB!

This should be a National Monument. All the famous people who have played here is just mind boggling. Elvis Presley played here! It’s not in the best area in Memphis, so I’d stay away after dark.

The location of the Park on E Parkway N is convenient and easy to get to with two entrance/​exits. It is updated with a beautiful and large Gazebo that you can rent for special occasions (call Parks dept), new playground and plenty of picnic tables (large and small) and ground cover for games.
They have an awesome trail and recently included a bike entrance off Sam Cooper. However, parking is limited, so come early for events.

Overton Park is really a great park that offers so much to people in Memphis. It really is a great outdoor space. It has a fabulous dog park and a lot of space for grilling, playing catch and sun bathing. Unfortunately, every time I go here it is SUPER crowded. Parking can be tricky and there are just a ton of people that visit the park. It reminds me of the chaos of a flea market. If you have the opportunity to visit, come during the week. The weekends are just too hectic.

This was the first place after the airport my sweetheart took me on my first visit to Memphis (Spring 2013, when he started working in Memphis.) It was perfect to unwind and get back to my sweet sunny self after travelling which I find a challenge. We visited the zoo and then wandered the park. Two days later we went back to the park to check out the outdoor sculptures and bandstand area. We’ll definitely be back this Spring and Summer for picnics and walks!

Overton Park is an open, inviting, and must-​see (if you’re bored and live in midtown and/​or have a dog and/​or are in need of a free place to kill time) spot in the heart of midtown Memphis.
For runners, there is plenty of space and a lot of like-​minded passersby. I enjoy running the outer border of the park because the hilly landscape makes for a good terrain. Also, because you can run along the mansions and momentarily live vicariously through the people you will never be :)
The dog park is always my main focus, because the majority of my trips are to let my doggy play and sniff the butts of his brethren. Let’s focus on that now :
I thought long and hard about giving the park a 4 or even 3 star rating because of how horrible the people you encounter are. There’s no doubt about it: the pretentious dog owners truly dampen the experience — but that can’t be blamed on the park.
There are two conjoined pins adjacent to one another: one for dogs 25 lbs and under, and one for dogs over 25 lbs. Overall the dog park has some really well-​thought-​out and useful features: two doors to go through before entering to help prevent dogs from escaping, really well-​made and secure fencing, stumps to sit on, and a doggy drinking station in the big boy pin.
Just be prepared for the overly-​pretentious snoody dog owners which undoubtedly are in both sides. I have a 100 lb dog and I have a 2 lb dog. When I’m in the big dog pin it Never fails that I have someone come up to me telling me I shouldn’t be there because my dog isn’t neutered. Yeah, that’s not the way it works. Twice I’ve had those people leave because I wouldn’t. And everyone else just watched them walk out and carried on.
In the small pin I usually bump into girls with over-​sized Chanel sun glasses telling me now adorable my dog is as I see their dog not being able to run and play because he/​she is bogged down with a huge doggy sweater. Twice, I kid you not, I’ve had people offer money for my dog. Just for the record, I care about my 2 lb chiweenie more than I care about most of humanity.
LUCKILY, these people are in the minority — but be prepared!
Can’t be Overton park on a breezy spring day :)

This is a sweet park in Midtown. Great open space for lazing about on a picnic blanket, and nice wide trails for running/​hiking/​biking when you’re more on the move. On any given day of the week, you can find families enjoying this spot with multiple generations engaged in any number of activities!
The new-​ish Rainbow Lake Playground is truly fun for all ages of kids. My toddler loves knocking around on the interconnected wooden platforms, and older kids get a kick out of the rope climbing. Maintenance of this spot has also been impressive — one of the metal play «sculptures» had separated from its base, causing metal pieces to protrude into the air. Last time I was there, it had been replaced with a much more stable structure! The playground off of E. Parkway is a good (if less-​polished) backup when Rainbow Lake is overrun, which can happen on really nice days.
As if all of this weren’t enough, the Overton Park Conservancy is working on a project to build an entrance off of E. Parkway/​Sam Cooper and connect the bike trail with the Shelby Farms Greenline, which will be amazing! Thanks, Memphis, for supporting this awesome community spot!

This park has it all.
A playground that makes me wish I had kids so I could take them (no one wants to be the creepy alone grownup at the park).
A world-​class art museum.
An amazing zoo.
An art school which consistently produces amazing art and atmosphere.
A golf course that is convenient, walkable, and beautiful.
An amphitheater that’s an entertainment powerhouse.
Old growth forest, open fields, and a lake, all with running trails.
Overton Bark, the best, most well-​maintained dog park in Memphis.
Thank goodness it wasn’t destroyed by the interstate.
Basically this is the best park I’ve ever been too. Lots of parking, lots of sidewalks, lots to do, and some of the friendliest people in Memphis. Generally safe, very clean, and overall just fantastic.

342-​acre public park right in the middle of our fair city!
And can we talk about how many fun things there are to do there? There is a 9-​hole golf course, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, the Memphis College of Art, the Memphis Zoo (ranked #1 in the country in 2008 and 2009), Levitt Shell (outdoor amphitheatre), Rainbow Lake, Veterans Plaza, the Greensward, 2 playgrounds, a huge fenced-​in dog park of 1.3 acres and a 126-​acre Old Forest State Natural Area? Ummm amaazzzzing! And smack dab in the middle of Memphis.
I grew up in East Memphis but now I kinda understand those «Midtown is Memphis» bumper stickers…

Who doesn’t love Overton Park?
I am so in love with the new Rainbow Lake playground. When we moved from Cordova (thank the lord!) I was sad to leave Shelby Farms behind, but now that this is here my Midtown life is complete. There are hammocks and webs for climbing, a sand pit, slides, swings, a merry go round, and, best of all, it’s enclosed!
For those with dogs, there is a great little enclosed dog park called Overton Bark.
There are are walking/​running/​biking trails.
It is home to some of the best things Memphis has to offer: the Memphis Zoo, Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis College of Art, the Levitt Shell, and a golf course.
There are festivals that happen in the park throughout the year, too!
All of that right smack dab in the middle of the city!

I love coming here! I’ve recently started a new workout regimen, and, given that I live half a mile from here, I figured that OP was a great place to start. There is so much in this park to do and see. Not only does OP house the park itself, but it is home to Overton Bark (dog park), Brooks Museum, Levitt Shell, Memphis College of Art, and the Memphis Zoo. During the day, you’ll find all manner of Memphian enjoying the parks amenities and space. In the morning, you’ll see a few dedicated runners and local dog walkers.
If you’re looking for a place to relax, exercise, or meet new people, OP is definitely a place to do that. I love it.

This is a great little doggie oasis right in the middle of the city. If you’re a downtowner or midtowner, Shelby Farms Dog Park is probably kinda far for you. While you won’t get the wide open field/​forest/​lake experience you get at Shelby Farms, Overton Bark is really cool in its own way. You can tell they really put a lot of thought into it when designing it. It has all the things that the City of Memphis Dog Park (which I still appreciate very much) does not have: lots of seating (made out of, it’s fun to assume, the trees they cut down to build the park?), lots of shade, and a water station. There’s a little bit more for dogs to explore than at the city dog park.
There is a small dog side and a large dog side. I would encourage you, if you have a small dog, to use the large dog side at your peril… even if your dog is not scared of bigger dogs and you’re not concerned about them eating her, they could still step on her or run into her and seriously hurt her if she’s small enough. My dog stepped on a tiny puppy once and I felt SO BAD.
And I’m just gonna say it… I’m not a huge fan of people bringing small children to any dog park. Once someone brought a baby to one of the parks and I was stressed out the whole time. If you do bring kids, make sure they are old enough to understand how to behave. For example, do not taunt a dog and then run away. That is literally what I have seen happen. Remember that not every dog is good around kids, and it’s a good idea for you not to encourage your child to approach every dog in there.

Put simply: my dogs loved it. Plenty of shade, plenty of space, plenty of four-​legged friends. The double gate is guarded by a park worker, the fence is secure, and (in my experience) all the dog owners looked after each other’s furry babies. A great off-​the-​leash experience for everyone.
There were plenty of waste bags donated by Hollywood Feed and even a few toys. The ground was covered in grass and woodchips… no concrete-​burned paws in this dog park. It was quite busy when I went (25 or more dogs), but there was plenty of room for everyone to feel part of the pack without their personal space being infringed. The fence of the smaller dog area backs up to the all-​sizes portion so Fluffy can go nose-​to-​nose with Bruno and not feel threatened.
Because it was so busy, there was a shortage of seating for the human crowd (even including the territory-​marked, low tree stumps). One of my dogs had no problem finding his seat, however, and decided it would be relaxing to wallow in the only mud hole in sight. This is where my only real suggestion comes in: there needs to be a washing station. One could easily be added using the water line for the drinking bowl/​fountain, and since pets aren’t allowed in Rainbow Lake, it really is necessary. Just ask someone who drove 20 miles with a muddy Labrador in the back seat.

When it comes to Memphians, you’ll find that they either love or hate Overton Park. I fall into the first category. Overton is a rather large park for Memphis, especially when you compare it to the other parks around town. I come here quite often with a book and a blanket, and I am never shocked at anything I see here.
Overton Park doesn’t have any specific demographic. I’ve seen everything from families with their kids, people with dogs and cats, folks frisbee playing, picnicking, golfing, and even smoking pot on occasion. Just to give you an idea of how random this park is– our neighbor owns 3 very large snakes. He takes them here and lets them run amok in the grassy knolls. No one says anything and no one bothers him. Odd? Yes, but I dare you to find another place in Memphis with snakes and pot smoking. (Besides that guy across the street’s basement)
Needless to say, I love to come here on cooler days and people watch. There is always so much going on. Overton also has some pretty cool festivals on premises.