Lake Watauga and Centennial Sportsplex

Hi, I’m Trenton Wheeler—musician, producer, and founder of IndigeNash. This stop is part of the Nashville Sites walking tour. To explore more stories, take the full tour on NashvilleSites.org.

Before you turn left to walk around the lake, look straight ahead to spot the Centennial Sportsplex. We’ll tell you more about it shortly, but this is your best chance to catch a glimpse. Now, back to Lake Watauga.

As you continue north along the walking trail that borders the lake, pause for a moment to look out across the water. This manmade lake was created for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition and remains a centerpiece of park activity.

At the center of the lake is a small island that’s buzzing with life—literally. More than 300,000 honeybees have made this their seasonal home every year. The hives, visible from the shore, were introduced by Metro Parks and are now supported by the Nashville Area Beekeepers Association, Centennial Park Conservancy, and the annual Nashville Earth Day Festival.

Just how busy are these bees? To make a single pound of honey, they fly more than 2,400 miles—farther than a trip around the Earth! Here in the park, they produce about 25 gallons of honey each year, which you can purchase at the Parthenon Museum Store or online.

These hardworking pollinators support the park’s native plant life, including what you’ll see later at the Sunken Garden, Cockrill Spring, and the Herb Garden. In fact, the entire park is part of a broader environmental initiative. A recent study documented 2,000 trees and more than 100 species, revealing how urban forests cool cities, clean the air, and sustain biodiversity.

But Lake Watauga isn’t just an environmental gem—it’s also been a place of recreation, competition, and some colorful stories. In the early 1900s, the city introduced alligators to the lake. They were later removed after ducks and geese began disappearing mysteriously. In the 1940s, the lake hosted fishing tournaments, and in cold winters, it transformed into an ice-skating rink. In 1951, the city drained the lake and refilled it with 9 million gallons of water—using a single 4-inch pipe!

Now, I want to go back and bring in Metro Parks’ Centennial Sportsplex, which is located at 222 25th Avenue North. Opened in 1990, this athletic complex houses two ice rinks, tennis courts, and the Tracy Caulkins Competition Pool. From 2013 to 2021, Olympians, World Champions, and NCAA four-time champs Gretchen and Alex Walsh trained here with the Nashville Aquatic Club—continuing the city’s proud tradition of excellence in women’s sports. Want to learn more? Check out our Women’s Sports Driving Tour.

Directions: When you reach the north end of Lake Watauga, continue straight, leaving the Walking Trail and crossing over the road to reach the Centennial Arts Center in front of you. You’ll see a sculpture and a historical marker in front of the building. You can go inside to see the art exhibits and former swimming pool area when the Center is open, Monday-Thursday from 9:00am-5:00pm.