Enterprise South Nature Park
Nature preserve
2,029 acres32.8 mi of trail
Horse and Hiking TrailTNT Mountain Bike TrailBlack Forest Mountain Bike TrailHawks' Ridge+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture · CC BY-SA 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Chattanooga
Chattanooga has 181 miles of mapped trails, 1.3 for every square mile of land
14% of Chattanooga’s land is conserved, about 12,454 acres. The biggest trail networks: Enterprise South Nature Park (32.8 mi), Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (22.2 mi), TVA Big Ridge Small Wild Area (4.5 mi). 4,040 acres are parks and preserves, 22 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 84% of U.S. towns · #6 of 177 in Tennessee. What drives it
Conserved land
14%
12,454 acres · of 142.4 sq mi of land
Trails
181 mi
1.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
4,040 ac
22 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
68%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
102 mi
47 mi lanes · 3.3 mi paths
Highest peak
850 ft
Cameron Hill
Lakes & rivers
16
2 beaches · 24 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Chattanooga?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Chattanooga have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Chattanooga is ahead of 84% of U.S. towns, #6 of 177 in Tennessee. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Chattanooga’s overall grade.
Conserved land14% of the land · typical TN town 1% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.3 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (181 mi) · TN 0.2 · U.S. 0.4APark land22 acres of park per 1,000 residents (4,040 acres) · TN 10 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home68% of residents within a half mile of a park · TN 42% · U.S. 72%B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 84%
LessMore
Tennessee towns of 2,500+ (177)Ahead of 97%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Chattanooga ranks #137 on Outdoors.
Few Tennessee towns conserve much land (a typical one, 1%; the U.S., 4%), so Chattanooga’s 14% is ahead of 93% of Tennessee towns, while its trails per square mile lead 98% of them.
Water is 5% of Chattanooga’s area (8 of 150 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 13%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Enterprise South Nature Park, with 32.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Managed by National Park Service
2,256 acres22.2 mi of trail
Skyuka TrailUpper Truck TrailBluff TrailLower Truck Trail+1
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto the trailhead
TVA Big Ridge Small Wild Area
Nature preserve
320 acres4.5 mi of trail
Perimeter Loop TrailBoy Scout TrailUpper PathMiddle Path+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Stringer's Ridge Preserve
Park
74 acres3.8 mi of trail
Hill CityGig CityDouble JCherokee Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Moccasin Bend National Archeological District
Park
385 acres3.1 mi of trail
Blue Blazes Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Walden's Ridge Park
Park
94 acres2.9 mi of trail
Escalator TrailLower Lift TicketMiddle Traverse
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Audubon Acres
Managed by Chattanooga Audubon Society
63 acres2.1 mi of trail
Sarah Key PattenDragging CanoeHauntYucca+1
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Montague Park - Sculpture Fields
Park
46 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 83 parks & preserves
Enterprise South Nature Park2,029 acres · 32.8 mi of trail
DirectionsChickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park2,256 acres · 22.2 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsTVA Big Ridge Small Wild Area320 acres · 4.5 mi of trail
DirectionsStringer's Ridge Preserve74 acres · 3.8 mi of trail
DirectionsMoccasin Bend National Archeological District385 acres · 3.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWalden's Ridge Park94 acres · 2.9 mi of trail
DirectionsAudubon Acres63 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · Chattanooga Audubon Society
DirectionsMontague Park - Sculpture Fields46 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsThe Summit of Softball Complex42 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
Redoubt Soccer Association35 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsCarver Park26 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsSherman Reservation Civil War National Military Park45 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsRivermont Park33 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City of Chattanooga
DirectionsEast Lake Park21 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsHeritage Park17 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsWilliams Island State Archaeological Park107 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsBrainerd Park and Rec Center35 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsRenaissance Park18 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsMountain Creek Park10 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsSpiral Park12 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsBooker T Washington State Park43 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Tennessee State Parks
DirectionsJohn A Patten Park9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Chattanooga Parks Division
DirectionsLake Hills Park6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Harris Johnson Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsChoo Choo Gardens2 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMilliken Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsTatum Park1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHubert Fry Center132 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCleveland T. Grimes Soccer Complex26 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLupton Mills Meadow10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Chattanooga
DirectionsShelia M Jennings Westside Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJohn C. Wilson Memorial Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTacoa Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Chattanooga
DirectionsSt. Elmo Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNorth Chickamauga Creek Wildlife Management Area - Varner Unit245 acres · Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
DirectionsNorth Chickamauga Creek Wildlife Management Area - Vandergriff Unit191 acres · Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
DirectionsChickamauga Wildlife Management Area - Rogers Unit110 acres · Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
North Chickamauga Creek Wildlife Management Area - Sutton Unit57 acres · Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
DirectionsWarner Park53 acres
DirectionsBatters Place28 acres
DirectionsSterchi Farm22 acres
DirectionsHixson Ball Fields21 acres
DirectionsRiverwalk Circle Pole16 acres
DirectionsDupont Park12 acres
Tennesse Riverwalk12 acres
DirectionsCoolidge Park12 acres
DirectionsRoss's Landing11 acres
DirectionsBirds Mill Park9 acres
DirectionsDarwin Field9 acres
DirectionsPortland Park9 acres · City of Chattanooga
Boulevard Park7 acres
Avondale Community Center7 acres · City of Chattanooga
DirectionsCaruthers Park6 acres
De Long Reservation - National Military Park5 acres · Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
DirectionsProvence Pocket Forest5 acres
DirectionsLincoln Park4 acres
DirectionsVandergriff Park4 acres
DirectionsEastside Community Schoolyard3 acres · Hamilton County Schools
DirectionsJefferson Heights Park3 acres
DirectionsBlue Goose Hollow3 acres
DirectionsLynnbrook Park3 acres · City of Chattanooga
DirectionsHighland Park Commons2 acres · Higland Park Commons
DirectionsFrances B Wyatt Park2 acres
Riverview Park2 acres
DirectionsHardy Community Schoolyard2 acres · Hamilton County Schools
DirectionsBriar Park2 acres
Tennessee Riverpark Wheland Foundry Trailhead1 acres
DirectionsMain Terrain1 acres
DirectionsMiller Park1 acres
DirectionsOverlook Park1 acres
Benham Williams Park1 acres
Patten Parkway1 acres
DirectionsMiller Plaza1 acres
DirectionsRiverside Park1 acres
Brainerd Hills Community Park1 acres
Watkins Street Park1 acres
DirectionsRoy Nelms Park1 acres
DirectionsJames R. Bryant, Sr. Park1 acres
DirectionsSeagle Park1 acres
DirectionsBluff View Sculpture Garden1 acres
DirectionsUrban Art Garden1 acres
DirectionsCambridge Square1 acres
DirectionsShaw Park1 acres
Who protects it
12,454 conserved acres
14% of Chattanooga’s land. Water is left out: Chattanooga has 142.4 square miles of land and 7.7 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Chattanooga’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State fish & wildlife4,721 ac
National Park Service3,378 ac
Town or city1,451 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1,425 ac
Private owners662 ac
Tennessee Valley Authority479 ac
Other state land457 ac
State Conservation Area · 4,768 acHistoric or Cultural Area · 3,378 acLocal Recreation Area · 1,569 acLocal Park · 814 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 609 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 376 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 40 of 150 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise South Park Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 3,825 | Restricted |
| Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Historic or Cultural Area | National Park Service | 3,378 | Restricted |
| North Chickamauga Creek Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 896 | Restricted |
| Raccoon Mountain Local Recreation Area | Private owners | 657 | Open |
| Williams Island State Historic or Cultural Area | Other state land | 451 | Open |
| Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Not Designated | Tennessee Valley Authority | 407 | Unknown |
| Black Creek 1 Private Other or Unknown | Land trusts & nonprofits | 319 | Unknown |
| South Chickamauga Greenway Local Park | Town or city | 215 | Open |
| Greenway Farms Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 177 | Open |
| Tennessee Riverwalk Local Park | Joint | 163 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
249 places to go in Chattanooga
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Chattanooga
Booker T. Washington Park Beach
DirectionsChickamauga Dam Beach
DirectionsPublic pools in Chattanooga
Big Ridge Pool
DirectionsCarver Center poolIn Carver Park
DirectionsCouncil Fire Neighborhood Pool
DirectionsCouncil Fire Neighborhood Pool
DirectionsStuart Heights Community Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Chattanooga
Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthy Place
DirectionsDiscovery Playground
DirectionsEast Brainerd Church of Christ Playground
DirectionsEast Lake Community Center PlaygroundIn Darwin Field
DirectionsFrances B Wyatt PlaygroundIn Frances B Wyatt Park
DirectionsGreenspace
DirectionsHeavy MetalIn Coolidge Park
DirectionsKids R Kids Playground
Directions11 more playgrounds
Lynnbrook Park PlaygroundIn Lynnbrook Park
DirectionsModular Bike ParkIn Hubert Fry Center
DirectionsMulti Handicap Playground
DirectionsPre-K Playground
DirectionsRiverview Park PlaygroundIn Riverview Park
DirectionsSecond Grade Playground
DirectionsTacoa Park PlaygroundIn Tacoa Park
DirectionsUrban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park
DirectionsYMCA Playground
Directionsbasketball court
Directionsbasketball court
Directions117 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Chattanooga
Chattanooga Chew Chew Canine Park
DirectionsGreenway Farms Dog Park
DirectionsHighlandpark Dog Park
DirectionsPlay Wash Pint
DirectionsRiver's Dog Park
DirectionsPlus 6 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Chattanooga
Chickamauga Dam Marina
DirectionsChickamauga Dam North Shore
DirectionsCoolidge Park Kayak Launch
DirectionsCoolidge Park Market Street (TN RIver)
DirectionsCoolidge Park Tremont Street (TN River)In Coolidge Park
DirectionsCummings Hwy (Lookout Creek)
DirectionsLower Greenway Farm
DirectionsMaclellan Island (TN RIver)
Directions12 more boat launches
PYC Boat Ramp
DirectionsReflection Riding Nature Center Ramp (Lookout Creek)In Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
DirectionsRiver Glade Rd
DirectionsRivermont
DirectionsRiverpark LowerIn Hubert Fry Center
DirectionsRiverpark Upper
DirectionsRiverwalk/Greenway Dock (South Chickamauga Creek)
DirectionsRoss's Landing Duck Boat Ramp (TN River)
DirectionsRoss's Landing Pier (TN River)
DirectionsSterchi Farm Kayak Launch (South Chickamauga Creek)
DirectionsU.S. Coast Guard
DirectionsUpper Greenway Farm
DirectionsPlus 4 boat launches without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Chattanooga
9 fishing spots without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Chattanooga
Glen Falls 15In Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
DirectionsLower Cascades Glen Falls 65In Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
DirectionsUpper Glen Falls 12In Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
DirectionsPlus 1 waterfall without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Chattanooga
Baker Street Overlook
DirectionsChickamauga Limestone
DirectionsCoffey's Cliff
DirectionsRopers RockIn Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
DirectionsSunset RockIn Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
DirectionsWalnut Street Bridge
DirectionsPlus 5 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Chattanooga
Cameron Hill850 ft elevation
DirectionsCardboard HillIn Renaissance Park
DirectionsPicnic areas in Chattanooga
Picnic AreaIn Renaissance Park
DirectionsPicnic Area #2In Enterprise South Nature Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove
Directions62 picnic areas are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Disc golf in Chattanooga
Portland Park 9 HoleIn Portland Park
DirectionsThe Sinks Disc Golf Course
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 16 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 61.5 miHorses · 11.3 miUnpaved · 73.2 mi
Horse and Hiking Trail10.0 mi
Atlas Mountain Bike Trail5.5 mi
Skyuka Trail4.8 mi
TNT Mountain Bike Trail3.9 mi
Black Forest Mountain Bike Trail3.3 mi
Upper Truck Trail2.8 mi
Hawks' Ridge2.7 mi
Log Rythm Mountain Bike Trail2.5 mi
Bluff Trail2.2 mi
Blue Loop2.2 mi
15 more trails
Aetna Flyway
2.2 miGuild Trail
1.8 miBlue Blazes Trail
1.5 miPerimeter Loop Trail
1.5 miEscalator Trail
1.4 miBoulder Point Trail
1.4 miHomesite Loop
1.3 miClematis Drive TVA Loop
1.3 miHill City
1.3 miSouth Chickamauga Creek Greenway
1.2 miLower Truck Trail
1.2 miGreen Loop
1.2 miBoy Scout Trail
1.2 miMountain Beautiful Trail
1.1 miDogwood Ridge Trail
1.1 miBiking & sports
102 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
47 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
3.3 mi
off-road bike paths
52 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
South Chickamauga Creek GreenwayBike route
1.4 miCourts & fields
199Tennis
118Baseball
49Soccer
28Golf
17Basketball
16Football
8Pickleball
2Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →90 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 22 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Brown's Ferry TavernBuilding · listed 1971
About itTerminal StationBuilding · listed 1973
About itOld Library BuildingBuilding · listed 1973
About itBrabson HouseBuilding · listed 1973
About itTivoli TheaterBuilding · listed 1973
About itOld Post OfficeBuilding · listed 1973
About itLookout Mountain Incline RailwayStructure · listed 1973
About itRoss's LandingSite · listed 1974
About itCivil War FortificationStructure · listed 1976
About itRead HouseBuilding · listed 1976
About itChattanooga, Harrison, Georgetown & Charleston Railroad TunnelStructure · listed 1978
About itSt. Paul's Episcopal ChurchBuilding · listed 1978
About it78 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Chattanooga: April and May
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.0 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 13.0 | 14.0 | 14.5 | 14.3 | 13.5 | 12.3 | 11.2 | 10.3 | 9.8 |
| High (°F) | 50 | 55 | 63 | 73 | 80 | 87 | 90 | 89 | 84 | 73 | 62 | 53 |
| Rain (in) | 5.1 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 5.4 |
October is the driest month (3.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 90 °F). 5.4 inches fall in December, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 90 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Chattanooga →
Next door
Chattanooga and its neighbors
Chattanooga has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Chattanooga181 miCollegedale48 miHarrison7.4 miEast Ridge5.8 miSoddy-Daisy5.6 miFalling Water2.0 miMiddle Valley1.6 miLookout Mountain0.9 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | 14% | 1.3 | 22 | 68% | A− |
| Harrison | 19% | 1.1 | 56 | 30% | A− |
| East Ridge | 4% | 0.7 | 11 | 33% | B− |
| Lookout Mountain | 2% | 0.7 | 11 | 87% | B |
| Middle Valley | 5% | 0.2 | 19 | 25% | C+ |
| Collegedale | 5% | 3.8 | 9 | 67% | B+ |
| Soddy-Daisy | 4% | 0.2 | 11 | 41% | C+ |
| Falling Water | 14% | 0.4 | under 1 | 10% | C+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Chattanooga
Where can I hike in Chattanooga?
The longest trail networks: Enterprise South Nature Park, 32.8 miles; Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, 22.2 miles; TVA Big Ridge Small Wild Area, 4.5 miles; Stringer's Ridge Preserve, 3.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Chattanooga is conserved land?
14% of its land, against a typical 1% for a Tennessee town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Chattanooga’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Walden's Ridge Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Chattanooga?
102 miles of bike routes are on the map: 47 of painted or protected lanes, 3.3 of off-road paths and 52 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: South Chickamauga Creek Greenway.
Is there public land near Chattanooga?
13,208 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Chattanooga or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 4,040 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Chattanooga have?
Ahead of 84% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #6 of 177 in Tennessee. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Chattanooga neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →