Hiking / Backpacking. Hiking is an easy and flexible way to relax and set daily pressures on a back burner, enjoy the spiritual renewal and beauty of the outdoors, and get exercise. Hiking is a relatively inexpensive sport.
We are blessed with a multitude and variety of hiking and backpacking opportunities in and around the Chattanooga area. There are hiking opportunities in the downtown area, on historic Lookout and Signal Mountains, in nearby state and national parks, natural areas, national forests, and wilderness areas. A 34-mile segment of the Cumberland Trail (a Tennessee linear State Park, to extend 303 miles to Cumberland Gap National Historic Park in Virginia) begins in Prentice Cooper State Forest and runs northward across Signal Mountain, with other open segments close by. Portions of the Pinhoti Trail in north Georgia will eventually connect with the Cumberland Trail. A 2+-hour drive places one in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Hiking opportunities abound along greenways; rivers and streams; on level, unencumbered, terrain; on challenging trails that climb high into the mountains; or combinations of these. There are wonderful panoramic views of mountains, valleys, and rivers, majestic rock formations, and mixed hardwood forests with occasional old growth. Some areas are rich in wildflowers.
One has the option of strolling for an hour or more, spending hours or all day hiking, or backpacking to create a multi-day hike. Regardless of whether one chooses an easy, moderate, or more strenuous hike, it can be therapeutic to the mind and body.
