Outdoors + Recreation
Outdoors + Recreation
Chatt Choices™
High Point Climbing & Fitness
Outdoor Chattanooga
Extreme Sports Events in Chattanooga
Options Abound for Nature Lovers and Thrill Seekers Alike
Nestled between the Appalachian Mountains and Cumberland Plateau, Chattanooga presents a wide range of opportunities for nature lovers and thrill seekers to get outdoors. In fact, Outside magazine voted the Scenic City the “Best Town Ever” twice and ranked it No. 13 on the 2022 list of “Best Mountain Towns in the United States” because of the fantastic biking, climbing, hiking, paddling, and other activities on offer.
Parks and Greenways
Over 50,000 acres of canyons, caves, mountains, streams, and rivers in seven state parks make the Chattanooga area a top outdoor destination. Booker T. Washington and Harrison Bay State Parks offer biking, boating, camping, fishing, and hiking. Red Clay State Historic Park is the site of the last Cherokee capital in the eastern United States and features the Blue Hole Spring, and in nearby Georgia, Cloudland Canyon State Park is home to wild caves and waterfalls. Cumberland Trail State Park is only a short drive away and connects state and national parks and wildlife management areas with a trail system that, when completed, will extend 300 miles from the Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia border to the Tennessee River Gorge. Additionally, South Cumberland State Park spans over 30,000 acres in four counties and offers backcountry camping, hiking, and rock climbing. Tennessee’s newest state park, Savage Gulf State Park, includes the nearly 19,000-acre Savage Gulf State Natural Area with waterfalls, scenic vistas, and old-growth forest. Just 10 miles west of Chattanooga, Prentice Cooper State Forest boasts climbing opportunities along with 35 miles of trails and two camping areas.
For those who prefer a more accessible paved walkway, there’s the 16-mile Tennessee Riverwalk with restaurants, shops, and bike rental stations dotted along the way. This local favorite ranked No. 6 on the Fodor’s Travel list of “Best River Walks in the United States.” Recently, a 12-mile continuous trail that connects the Tennessee Riverwalk to Camp Jordan was completed. Other notable greenways and parks in the city include Enterprise South Nature Park, North Chickamauga Creek Greenway, and South Chickamauga Creek Greenway.
Hiking and Mountain Biking
With more than 50 trailheads within half an hour of downtown, there are plenty of independent hiking and biking trails in Chattanooga in addition to the local- and state-run parks. There are several local waterfalls, including Falling Water Falls, Glen Falls, Lula Falls, Rainbow Falls, and the Cherokee and Hemlock Falls in Cloudland Canyon. Seriously impressive views can be found at Lookout Mountain’s Sunset Rock, Prentice Cooper’s Snooper’s Rock, and Signal Mountain’s Edward’s Point. Favorite spots for trail runners include Big Daddy Loop on Lookout Mountain, Raccoon Mountain Reservoir Loop, Stringer’s Ridge on the Northshore, and Mullens Cove Loop at Prentice Cooper.
For mountain bikers, there’s no shortage of options in and around the city, with great trails drawing nearly 17,000 visitors every year. Popular spots include Bauxite Ridge at Southern Adventist University, Enterprise South Nature Park, Five Points, Guild-Hardy trails, Raccoon Mountain, Stringer’s Ridge, and White Oak Mountain trails. Slated to open in 2023 is Walden’s Ridge Park, a 200-acre park focused on conservation and public access for mountain bikers, climbers, hikers, and trail runners.
Rock Climbing, Caving, and Deep Water Soloing
The Chattanooga area is steadily gaining notoriety in the climbing community for having some of the best rock climbing in the country. Soddy-Daisy is home to Stone Fort (also called Little Rock City), one of three locations in the annual Triple Crown Bouldering Series competition, and the Tennessee Wall (or T-Wall), located in Prentice Cooper, features more than 600 documented routes. Lookout Mountain’s Sunset Rock is considered the cradle of Chattanooga’s climbing scene. Woodcock Cove, a recent purchase by the Southeastern Climbers Coalition, is a public climbing area in Sequatchie County that features a freestanding sandstone pillar offering dozens of routes. Both Foster Falls and the 50-foot cliff line at Nickajack Lake are perfect for climbers who love deep water soloing. There’s plenty in the area for cavers, too, with more than 7,000 caves within an hour of Chattanooga – including Raccoon Mountain Caverns, which offers wild cave and walking cavern tours, and Ruby Falls, the deepest public underground waterfall in the nation.
Water and Air Adventures
Chattanooga’s location on the Tennessee River and Chickamauga Lake provides a plethora of water activities to choose from. Chattanooga ranked No. 5 on USA Today’s list of Best Urban Kayaking Spots, and seemingly endless access points for canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing can be found on the Tennessee River. The Hiwassee and Ocoee Rivers are great for fly fishing, kayaking, and whitewater rafting, and according to Bassmaster magazine’s 2022 ranking, Chickamauga Lake is among the best bass lakes in the Southeast. For adventurers who want to take to the skies, organizations such as Chattanooga Skydiving Company and Lookout Mountain Flight Park offer paragliding, hang gliding, skydiving, and more.
Options Abound for Nature Lovers and Thrill Seekers Alike
Nestled between the Appalachian Mountains and Cumberland Plateau, Chattanooga presents a wide range of opportunities for nature lovers and thrill seekers to get outdoors. In fact, Outside magazine voted the Scenic City the “Best Town Ever” twice and ranked it No. 13 on the 2022 list of “Best Mountain Towns in the United States” because of the fantastic biking, climbing, hiking, paddling, and other activities on offer.
Parks and Greenways
Over 50,000 acres of canyons, caves, mountains, streams, and rivers in seven state parks make the Chattanooga area a top outdoor destination. Booker T. Washington and Harrison Bay State Parks offer biking, boating, camping, fishing, and hiking. Red Clay State Historic Park is the site of the last Cherokee capital in the eastern United States and features the Blue Hole Spring, and in nearby Georgia, Cloudland Canyon State Park is home to wild caves and waterfalls. Cumberland Trail State Park is only a short drive away and connects state and national parks and wildlife management areas with a trail system that, when completed, will extend 300 miles from the Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia border to the Tennessee River Gorge. Additionally, South Cumberland State Park spans over 30,000 acres in four counties and offers backcountry camping, hiking, and rock climbing. Tennessee’s newest state park, Savage Gulf State Park, includes the nearly 19,000-acre Savage Gulf State Natural Area with waterfalls, scenic vistas, and old-growth forest. Just 10 miles west of Chattanooga, Prentice Cooper State Forest boasts climbing opportunities along with 35 miles of trails and two camping areas.
For those who prefer a more accessible paved walkway, there’s the 16-mile Tennessee Riverwalk with restaurants, shops, and bike rental stations dotted along the way. This local favorite ranked No. 6 on the Fodor’s Travel list of “Best River Walks in the United States.” Recently, a 12-mile continuous trail that connects the Tennessee Riverwalk to Camp Jordan was completed. Other notable greenways and parks in the city include Enterprise South Nature Park, North Chickamauga Creek Greenway, and South Chickamauga Creek Greenway.
Hiking and Mountain Biking
With more than 50 trailheads within half an hour of downtown, there are plenty of independent hiking and biking trails in Chattanooga in addition to the local- and state-run parks. There are several local waterfalls, including Falling Water Falls, Glen Falls, Lula Falls, Rainbow Falls, and the Cherokee and Hemlock Falls in Cloudland Canyon. Seriously impressive views can be found at Lookout Mountain’s Sunset Rock, Prentice Cooper’s Snooper’s Rock, and Signal Mountain’s Edward’s Point. Favorite spots for trail runners include Big Daddy Loop on Lookout Mountain, Raccoon Mountain Reservoir Loop, Stringer’s Ridge on the Northshore, and Mullens Cove Loop at Prentice Cooper.
For mountain bikers, there’s no shortage of options in and around the city, with great trails drawing nearly 17,000 visitors every year. Popular spots include Bauxite Ridge at Southern Adventist University, Enterprise South Nature Park, Five Points, Guild-Hardy trails, Raccoon Mountain, Stringer’s Ridge, and White Oak Mountain trails. Slated to open in 2023 is Walden’s Ridge Park, a 200-acre park focused on conservation and public access for mountain bikers, climbers, hikers, and trail runners.
Rock Climbing, Caving, and Deep Water Soloing
The Chattanooga area is steadily gaining notoriety in the climbing community for having some of the best rock climbing in the country. Soddy-Daisy is home to Stone Fort (also called Little Rock City), one of three locations in the annual Triple Crown Bouldering Series competition, and the Tennessee Wall (or T-Wall), located in Prentice Cooper, features more than 600 documented routes. Lookout Mountain’s Sunset Rock is considered the cradle of Chattanooga’s climbing scene. Woodcock Cove, a recent purchase by the Southeastern Climbers Coalition, is a public climbing area in Sequatchie County that features a freestanding sandstone pillar offering dozens of routes. Both Foster Falls and the 50-foot cliff line at Nickajack Lake are perfect for climbers who love deep water soloing. There’s plenty in the area for cavers, too, with more than 7,000 caves within an hour of Chattanooga – including Raccoon Mountain Caverns, which offers wild cave and walking cavern tours, and Ruby Falls, the deepest public underground waterfall in the nation.
Water and Air Adventures
Chattanooga’s location on the Tennessee River and Chickamauga Lake provides a plethora of water activities to choose from. Chattanooga ranked No. 5 on USA Today’s list of Best Urban Kayaking Spots, and seemingly endless access points for canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing can be found on the Tennessee River. The Hiwassee and Ocoee Rivers are great for fly fishing, kayaking, and whitewater rafting, and according to Bassmaster magazine’s 2022 ranking, Chickamauga Lake is among the best bass lakes in the Southeast. For adventurers who want to take to the skies, organizations such as Chattanooga Skydiving Company and Lookout Mountain Flight Park offer paragliding, hang gliding, skydiving, and more.
