Germantown's Greenway Now Starts at Poplar Estates, and the Detour Is Becoming the Trail

Where does the Germantown Greenway begin this fall?

Until early December, the answer is the Poplar Estates Trailhead on Wolf River Boulevard. The City of Germantown closed the western project area for construction on Thursday, August 6, and while crews work there is no way onto the Greenway from the Memphis side. That's a bigger change than it sounds. That western edge is where Germantown's trail meets the Wolf River Greenway coming east from Memphis, so for now the two trails don't connect.

This construction closes out a detour that began more than two years ago, when the western boardwalk shut in May 2024. The path being rebuilt was supposed to be temporary, and once it's finished it will be the permanent western stretch of the Greenway.

The detour has been the trail since May 2024

The original western route crossed an old boardwalk. The city closed that section in May 2024 because the boardwalk was badly deteriorated, then removed it. Since then, everyone heading west has used the Beaver Loop Trail. The city describes it as a narrow, 6-foot-wide asphalt path through the woods.

The current project doesn't bring back the boardwalk. It makes Beaver Loop the official route. Here's what's planned, according to the city's July 28 notice:

• Scope: Beaver Loop widened from 6 feet to a 10-foot asphalt trail with 2-foot shoulders
• Contractor: Alexander Construction LLC, on a $214,545 contract the Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved in June
• Design: Kimley-Horn, under an agreement the board approved in January 2026
• Duration: up to 120 days, weather permitting
• Policy tie-in: the city's recently adopted Parks and Recreation Master Plan, which makes reinvesting in parks and trails a priority

That extra 4 feet of width, plus the shoulders, is the real point. The city says the wider trail is meant to make the route safer, hold more people, and stand up better to walkers, runners, and cyclists. Anyone who has passed a stroller on the 6-foot path while a bike comes up behind has seen why.

What the closure cuts off, and for how long

The city's notice says trail users "will not be able to access the Greenway from the Memphis side" during construction. To see what that means on the ground, look west of the city line.

The Wolf River Conservancy says its Greenway East section meets Germantown at the border near Kirby Parkway. From there it runs west past Walnut Grove to the powerline field where the Wolf Crossing section starts, and east of Kirby the trail becomes the Germantown Greenway. The Memphis side has two trailheads with parking lots, Kirby Parkway Trailhead at 6730 Humphreys Boulevard and Shady Grove Trailhead at 6324 Humphreys Boulevard. Further west, Wolf Crossing has a 270-foot cable-stayed bridge over the Wolf River and a raised concrete boardwalk through Lucius Burch State Natural Area.

On a normal day, someone could start in Germantown and ride or walk toward that bridge. Until the work is done, that trip means loading the car.

The timing stands out because the regional trail keeps growing. In August, Action News 5 reported that 16 miles of the Wolf River Greenway were finished, running from Mud Island to Cordova, out of a planned 26 miles that will reach farther into Germantown and Collierville. At that presentation, Wolf River Conservancy Executive Director Erik Houston said:

"My hope for the Wolf River Greenway and the community as a whole is that every Memphian has access to the beautiful green spaces around them."

So while the larger system builds toward Germantown, the spot where it joins Germantown's trail is closed. That's temporary, and when the work is done that link will be wider than it has been in years.

As for timing, 120 days from August 6 lands on about December 4. Today, October 6, marks 61 days, or roughly the halfway point. The city said it would post updates as the work moves along. As of early October, its news feed hasn't announced progress, a reopening, or a delay since the July notice. Treat early December as an estimate and check the city's project notice and news page before planning a trip west.

The trail as it runs right now

The rest of the Germantown Greenway is open. The city describes the system as more than 10 miles built out of a planned 22. Its Wolf River sections are open from the western city line to Farmington Boulevard, and a separate section runs between Johnson Road Park and Houston Levee Park. With the western end closed, the city recommends starting at Poplar Estates.

Here are the open access points from west to east, using the city's parking and restroom details:

Several of those entrances lead into the Wolf River Nature Area, a 150-acre reserve at 7014 Wolf River Boulevard. It has four educational stations, plant displays, picnic areas, overlooks, rest areas, and restrooms.

The open stretch has its own named stops. The city's Greenway page lists Beaver Boondocks, Bottomland Glen, Turtle Bayou, and River History Plaza. Turtle Bayou has a rustic boardwalk out to a dock. It's a separate structure from the one removed on the western end, and it's still open. Between Cameron Brown and the Kimbrough/Wolf River trailhead, the trail doubles as a level-one arboretum with more than 25 tree species. In October, that's the stretch to walk if you want to see the leaves turn.

Two fall dates, one on each side of the closure

The fall calendar shows the closure clearly, because the two big trail events this season fall on opposite sides of it.

Wolf River Fall Fest, Friday, October 23, 5:30 to 8 p.m. The Wolf River Conservancy is holding it at Shady Grove Trailhead, 6324 Humphreys Boulevard, on the Greenway East section. Plans include an arboretum scavenger hunt, a costume parade, and food trucks. Shady Grove is west of the Germantown line, and the trail between Germantown and Memphis is closed, so Germantown families will need to drive and park there instead of walking over. Details are on the Conservancy's event page.

20th Annual Sugar Run 5K, Saturday, November 7, 8 a.m. This race starts at Wolf River Nature Area East, at Wolf River Boulevard and Kimbrough Road, which is inside the open part of the trail. Packet pickup begins at 6:30 a.m., the Kids Fun Run starts at 9:05 a.m., and awards follow at 9:10 a.m. Start 2 Finish Event Management is the event contact. Registration is on the race page.

If the 120-day schedule holds, the western stretch should reopen less than a month after the Sugar Run. When it does, the walk from Poplar Estates west toward Kirby Parkway will be on a 10-foot trail instead of the 6-foot one trail users have taken since May 2024.

Trails and parks like the Greenway are part of everyday life in Germantown, and they're part of what we highlight when we tell a home's story. If you want to talk about what's nearby where you live now, or where you're thinking of moving, Mia Atkinson is glad to help. Book a Call, and we can start with your favorite trailhead.