Ask any local why they love Chattanooga and the outdoors is sure to top their list. From its ridges to its rivers to its rock, the Scenic City brims with opportunity. Let our guide to local hiking, biking, rock climbing, flatwater paddling and more help get you started on the right path.
EXPLORE BY TRAILS
With hundreds of miles of trails located just a short drive from downtown, Chattanooga boasts opportunities for hikers, bikers and runners of all skill levels.
Enterprise South Nature Park
Located next to the Volkswagen assembly plant, the nature park offers an experience for every skill level, featuring a network of paved and unpaved trails winding through 2,800 wooded acres.
Best for: hiking, running, mountain biking
Total trail miles: 40
Trail map: tn-hamiltoncountyparksandrec.civicplus.com
Don’t miss: The ammunition storage bunkers tucked throughout the forest, stored explosives from 1942 to 1977 when the property was part of the Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant and operated by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Trailhead parking: 190 Still Hollow Loop
Lookout Mountain Trails
The majority of this vast trail system lies within the historic site of Lookout Mountain Battlefield, part of the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. The trails range from short and easy to steep and technical.
Best for: hiking, running (mountain biking is permitted only on Guild-Hardy, Upper Truck and Lower Truck trails)
Total trail miles: 40+
Trail map: nps.gov
Don’t miss: Sunset Rock, located on the mountain’s western bluff, boasting a panoramic view of the valley below. There are multiple routes to the overlook.
Trailhead parking (there are numerous trailheads on Lookout Mountain, below are a few of the most accessible):
Guild-Hardy Trailhead, 410 Ochs Highway [hike: easy]
Cravens House Loop Trail, Cravens Terrace, Lookout Mountain, Tennessee [hike: moderate]
Kiddie Trail, Garden Road (As you approach Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center, look for trailhead signs on the left. Parking is across the street.) [hike: challenging]
BREAKOUT
Bonus trails
On the backside of Lookout Mountain, about 30 minutes south of Chattanooga, Five Points Recreation Area features 25 miles of trail, linking North Georgia’s Cloudland Canyon State Park to Lula Lake Land Trust. The singletrack trails are a hotspot for mountain bikers and hikers. Trail runners enjoy the rugged terrain, too.
Trailhead parking: 6742 Hinkle Road, Rising Fawn, Georgia
Prentice Cooper State Forest
Signal Mountain’s picturesque state forest hugs the Tennessee River Gorge and links multiple trail systems including Mullen’s Cove Loop Trail, Pot Point Loop Trail, Cumberland Trail and Rainbow Lake Trail, offering an array of landscapes, from riverfront wildflower fields to soaring overlooks.
Best for: hiking, running (most trails are not suitable for mountain biking; the best biking options are the gravel forest service roads such as Game Reserve Road)
Total trail miles: 100 (trails + forest service roads)
Trail map: tnstateparks.com
Don’t miss: Snooper’s Rock overlooking the river gorge, accessible via Mullen’s Cove or Pot Point loop trails.
Trailhead parking:
Mullen’s Cove Loop Trail, 3998 Game Reserve Road
Pot Point Loop Trail, 17805 River Canyon Road
Rainbow Lake Trail, 304 Ohio Ave., Signal Mountain, Tennessee
Signal Point Park, Signal Point Road, Signal Mountain, Tennessee (The road dead ends in the paved parking area.)
Raccoon Mountain Trails
A few miles west of the city, these trails encircle the TVA Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant. Best known as a mountain biking hotspot, routes range from intermediate to advanced with a few beginner-friendly options available.
Best for: hiking, running, mountain biking
Total trail miles: 30
Trail map: northchick.org
Don’t miss: The Raccoon Mountain reservoir, considered a modern marvel. The 528-acre man-made lake was created by a subterranean pump house, which pumps water from nearby Nickajack Lake to the top of the mountain, used to help generate electricity.
Trailhead parking:
Raccoon Mountain Visitor Center, 7854 Raccoon Mountain Road
Laurel Point Picnic Area, from visitor center, turn right onto Drivepark, follow for 1 mile then follow signs for parking.
East Overlook Trailhead, from visitor center, turn left onto Drivepark, follow for 2 miles then turn right onto Raccoon Mountain Road and follow signs for parking.
Southern Trails
Located on Southern Adventist University’s campus in Collegedale, two well-marked trail systems — Bauxite Ridge and White Oak Mountain Trails — span 800 forested acres, divided by the valley campus. While Bauxite is more beginner friendly, White Oak offers an intermediate experience.
Best for: hiking, running, mountain biking
Total trail miles: 40
Don’t miss: The Sabbath Trail on Bauxite Ridge, a 1.5-mile loop trail marked with biblical inscriptions, a nod to the university’s Seventh-day Adventist affiliation.
Trailhead parking:
Bauxite Ridge, 4889-4935 College Dr. E, Collegedale, Tennessee (The trailhead is across the street from parking, located near Collegedale Memorial Gardens.)
White Oak Mountain Trails, 4707 Morningside Dr., Collegedale, Tennessee
Stringers Ridge
This 92-acre urban wilderness provides nature lovers a quick and immersive respite from city life, all while being located just minutes from downtown Chattanooga.
Best for: hiking, running, mountain biking
Total trail miles: 7+
Trail map: trgt.org
Don’t miss: The overlook of downtown, located on the Cherokee Loop Trail.
Trailhead parking: Spears Avenue (the avenue dead ends at the trailhead.)
Walden’s Ridge Park
Opened in 2023, this 200-acre park comprises scenic views, a natural spring and trails designed for downhill mountain biking. However, hikers, runners and even climbers are welcome, too, with several easy-access bouldering areas located along the trail.
Total trail miles: 10+
Trail map: waldensridgepark.com
Don’t miss: The bouldering areas, located about 1 mile from the upper parking lot.
Trailhead parking:
Upper Parking Lot: 4232 W Road, Signal Mountain, Tennessee
Lower Parking Lot: 950 Reads Lake Road
EXPLORE BY PAVED PATHS
For a more casual walking or cycling experience, Chattanooga showcases two paved waterfront paths, connecting parks, restaurants, art districts, lush wooded acres and more.
Tennessee Riverwalk
Considered the backbone of Chattanooga, the Tennessee Riverwalk spans 16.1 miles along the Tennessee River, from Chickamauga Dam to St. Elmo. Walking, running, cycling and skating is permitted; pets are also permitted.
There are 16 trailheads.
South Chickamauga Creek Greenway
Completed in 2022, the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway runs 12 miles alongside the verdant tributary, from Camp Jordan to the Tennessee Riverwalk. The greenway and the riverwalk intersect at the greenway’s Lost Mound Trailhead near Amnicola Highway.
There are 12 trailheads.
PRO TIP
Bike Chattanooga
Don’t have a bicycle of your own? Rent one from Bike Chattanooga. You can buy a day pass for $10 or become an annual member for $50 for access to over 450 bikes at 43 stations citywide, including several located on the Tennessee Riverwalk.
3 State Parks within 30 Minutes of Chattanooga
Booker T. Washington State Park
The closest state park to downtown, Booker T. Washington is a 350-acre park located on a peninsula in Chickamauga Lake. It offers 6-miles of intermediate hiking and biking trails, as well as abundant fishing opportunities.
Address: 5801 Champion Road
Harrison Bay State Park
A 15-minute drive from Booker T. Washington State Park, this park is also situated on Chickamauga Lake, featuring 40 miles of shoreline, ample camping and beginner-friendly hikes.
Address: 7855 Bay Marina Circle, Harrison, Tennessee
North Chickamauga Creek Gorge State Park
Tennessee’s newest state park, deemed “the southern gateway to the Cumberland Trail,” spans nearly 6,000 acres in north Hamilton and Sequatchie counties. With over 20 miles of hiking trails, the park winds through old-growth forests and the deep sandstone gorge of North Chickamauga Creek.
Address: 345 Montlake Road, Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee
EXPLORE BY WATER
With 380 miles of navigable rivers and creeks within an hour’s drive of Chattanooga, on-water adventure abounds in our region.
Here are some of the best options for flatwater canoeing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding within city limits. (Remember to always wear a life jacket when paddling.)
Lookout Creek
With its headwaters in Alabama, this creek journeys north before emptying into the Tennessee River at the base of Lookout Mountain near Moccasin Bend. The most accessible local section runs 2.5 miles from Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center to the Tennessee River.
North Chickamauga Creek
A creek with varying temperaments, “North Chick” flows from the top of Walden’s Ridge, beginning as dangerous whitewater then mellowing into flatwater before dumping into the Tennessee River at the Highway 153 Bridge. The best stretch of calm water begins in Hixson and meanders 2.5 miles around Hixson’s Greenway Farm Park.
South Chickamauga Creek
This picturesque tributary is navigable from Ringgold, Georgia, to the Tennessee River, where it ends near Amnicola Highway. Slow-flowing, the section from Sterchi Farm Park is ideal for beginners, allowing an easy 4-mile paddle upriver or downriver.
Tennessee River
The Chattanooga section of the Tennessee River, also known as the Tennessee River Blueway, flows 50 miles from Chickamauga Dam to Nickajack Dam. With its ever-changing backdrop — from industrial to urban to the wild river gorge, the fourth largest river canyon in the Eastern United States — the stretch provides multiple access points and campsites, allowing for any number of one-day or multi-day trips.
Our recommendation: Paddle to Maclellan Island
In the heart of downtown, the Tennessee River’s Maclellan Island nature sanctuary is accessible only by boat. Bring your own watercraft or rent a stand-up paddleboard from outfitters L2 Outside, Outshine Adventures or Chattanooga Guided Adventures and launch from the Coolidge Park boat ramp under the John Ross Bridge.
From there, the paddle around the island is about 2 miles. Paddlers are temporarily not permitted on the island in order to protect a herd of grazing goats. The goats are part of Chattanooga Audubon Society’s effort to control invasive plant species.
EXPLORE BY ROCK
Surrounded by sandstone, the Southeastern U.S. is world-famous for its rock climbing. With 21 climbing areas within an hour’s drive of Chattanooga, plus multiple indoor climbing gyms and guiding services, there are numerous ways to get involved with the local climbing scene.
Here are some climbing areas within 30 minutes of the Scenic City.
Bouldering
While bouldering is considered beginner friendly, proper gear such as climbing shoes, chalk and a crash pad are still required. And be sure to bring a friend as a “spotter.”
The Boulders on Old Wauhatchie Pike feature 27 boulders ranging in difficulty from the easiest grade, V-0, to the more difficult V-10. The bouldering area is located next to St. Elmo neighborhood following an easy 0.8-mile hike from the parking lot at 1832 Old Wauhatchie Pike.
The Cumberland Boulders, aka Pep Boys, include a number of overhung climbs known for their roof problems. Situated along the Cumberland Trail, the parking lot is located at 809 County Highway 1126, Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee. From the back of the lot, a short trail leads to the bouldering area.
The Lower Pot Point Boulder Field in Prentice Cooper State Forest boasts over 30 boulders with unique problems and a variety of grades. From the Pot Point Loop Trailhead, 17805 River Canyon Road, it is a steep 1.5-mile hike to the boulders. There are three free backcountry campsites at the site.
Each year, Stone Fort, aka “Little Rock City,” hosts the Triple Crown Bouldering Series competition with more than 500 high-quality boulder problems. Located on Montlake Golf Course, 9104 Brow Lake Road, Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, its accessibility and variety make it a popular, sometimes crowded, spot. Climbers must stop by the field house to pay for a pass and sign a waiver before continuing to the boulders.
Walden’s Ridge Park boulders are most easily accessed via the upper parking lot located at 4232 W Road, Signal Mountain, Tennessee. A short and easy trail leads to the climbing area, which features a wide variety of styles and grades.
Sport & Traditional Climbing
Deep Creek climbing area features about 150 sport climbs with most of the routes ranging from the mid-5.11s and up. To get there, take a sharp right onto Old Howater Road on Soddy-Daisy’s Mowbray Mountain. Drive 0.5 miles then turn sharp-left onto a private drive and follow signs. Before arriving, climbers will need to have completed the gate code form in order to access the parking lot. The trail is located at the far end of the lot, and the hike to the cliff takes about 30 minutes.
Overlooking the Sequatchie Valley, Castle Rock is a privately owned cliff with nearly 100 sport and traditional routes, including one of the hardest sport climbs in the state: the 5.13d Apes on Acid. Upon arrival, climbers are required to text the landowner (whose phone number can be found at the kiosk) their vehicle information. Get directions to the parking lot here.
Offering both sport and traditional lines, Leda is a roadside crag best known as a learning wall due to its convenience and moderate grades. A small parking lot is located across from Terrace Falls Drive on the hairpin turn coming up Montlake Road. From there, the hike is about 15 minutes. Owned by Montlake Golf Course, climbers are required to visit the course field house to pay for a pass and sign a waiver before their climb.
The Tennessee Wall, or T-Wall, is considered a top traditional climbing destination with grades ranging from 5.6-5.13. A south-facing crag in full sun, it is best enjoyed October through May. Parking and an access trail are located at 12200 Mullen’s Cove Road (a.k.a. River Canyon Road) in Prentice Cooper State Forest.
Part of the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, Sunset Rock showcases difficult single pitch trad routes coupled with unparalleled views of the Tennessee Valley. Climbers must park at Cravens House Trailhead located at Cravens Terrace, Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. From there, the hike to the cliff is approximately 1 mile.
For more beta on all of the region’s climbing areas, visit seclimbers.org.
Indoor Climbing
High Point Climbing and Fitness
High Point gyms offer ample indoor climbing opportunities as well as classes, clinics and coaching for all skill levels.
Downtown, 219 Broad St., 423-602-7625
Riverside, 1007 Appling St., 423-475-6578
Cleveland, 2499 Keith St NW, Cleveland, Tennessee, 423-250-8023
Synergy Climbing and Ninja
With 10,000 square feet of climbing walls and bouldering problems, plus outdoor guided trip packages, Synergy has something for every climbing style.
427 E Main St., 423-206-2800
EXPLORE BY AIR
Hang glide or paraglide.
In 2022, Outside Magazine named Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, one of the best hang gliding destinations in the U.S.
Family-owned since 1980, Lookout Mountain Flight Park is the largest full-time hang gliding and paragliding school in the U.S. According to the flight park, spring is the best time to fly as warmer temperatures and better thermals keep you flying longer.
The flight park offers a range of ways to experience the Tennessee Valley from 3,000 feet, from one-time tandem flights to daylong introductory courses to pilot training programs. Learn more at flylookout.com.
