East Tennessee

Southern Adventist University's newest trail addition in Fenton Forest on Bauxite Ridge provides mountain bikers an additional 10 miles of intermediate singletrack near the university separate from the Biology Trails.  Bauxite Ridge offers mountain bikers a well-rounded experience. The trail system features a good mix of smooth, machine-built singletrack for beginner and intermediate riders along with some technical features on a few outlying trails for advanced riders.

Bauxite is more beginner friendly totaling 10 miles, while Biology trails are intermediate to difficult with 21 miles of trail. The parking area for Bauxite is located off College Dr. E near the Collegedale Memorial Gardens. The trailhead is across the street, between two houses. A large wooden fence marks the way. After a short climb up the ridge, riders can enjoy fast, flowing trails out and back. Bauxite is directional depending on the day and type of use (bikers vs pedestrians), so be sure to check signage before heading out. It's also a great location for night rides in the winter since the trails stay open until 10 PM daily. 

The Benton MacKaye Trail stretches nearly 300 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Davenport Gap in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The lower 200 miles (closest to Chattanooga) follow the western crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The trail is named for Benton MacKaye, the forester, conservationist, and co-founder of the Wilderness Society who originally envisioned this route for the Appalachian Trail (AT). Passing through GA, TN, and NC, it forms a giant figure-8 loop with the AT, a total distance of over 500 miles.

Although there are many access points along the 290 miles of trail, the most convenient access point from Chattanooga is at Thunder Rock Campground, adjacent to TVA Powerhouse No. 3 (hydroelectric) on US HWY 64, a half-hour east of Cleveland, TN or a mile west of the Ocoee Whitewater Center.

Cherokee National Forest Map of Thunder Rock Campground

Located about an hour northeast of Chattanooga, near the Appalachian Mountains and the Cherokee National Forest is Benton Sporting Clays. The club features 15 shooting stations, a tournament grade clays tower, and a fully covered five-stand shooting station.

No appointments or memberships are required, though membership options are available.

Fees apply to all activities.

The technicality of the Biology Trails at White Oak range from easy to extremely difficult and are most appropriate for intermediate to strenuous and technical. It offers a stacked loop system, with the easiest trails closest to the parking lot and the hardest trails further away. Expect lots of roots, rocks, and pebbles offering poor traction on most trails. The trail system drains VERY well, which makes it a great option directly after a rain. The top of the ridge is the rockiest, most technical section, but it also offers incredible views into the Ooltewah valley. It's also a great location for night rides in the winter since the trails stay open until 10 PM daily.

The 353-acre Booker T. Washington State Park is the closest Tennessee State Park to downtown Chattanooga. Located on a hilly peninsula that juts into Chickamauga Lake, the scenic park is a perfect location for family outings. The park offers a swimming pool, pavilion picnic areas, a playground, multiple fishing piers, a boat ramp and 6-miles of hiking and biking trails.

Booker T’s 6-mile singletrack trail is a gnarly, twisty, rooty, challenging ride for intermediate level mountain bikers. Riders attempting the trail should have the skills to safely negotiate steep climbs, roots, and rocks. Hikers and trail runners can also use the trail and enjoy an off-road experience close to town.

Fish are abundant in Lake Chickamauga and Booker T offers one of the best fishing areas near Chattanooga. Primary species of sport fish include white crappie, bluegill, white bass, channel and blue catfish, largemouth bass, and sauger. Anglers can use one of the multiple fishing piers at the park or utilize the motorized boat ramp to get out on the lake.

The Ocoee/Tellico district of the Cherokee National Forest is located in Polk and Monroe Counties, east and northeast of Chattanooga in the Appalachian Mountains. Hiking, biking, paddling, running, camping, horseback riding, and hunting are all popular activities in the area.

Biking
The Tanasi trail system provides the intermediate to expert level mountain biker over 20 miles of single track trail to explore on two wheels near the Ocoee Whitewater Center. There's an additional 20 miles of trail at the Chilhowee Recreation area for both hikers and bikers to explore. Note, there is a $3 day-use parking fee at both areas.
Camping
Overnight accommodations are provided at more than 30 developed campgrounds in the Cherokee National Forest. Visitors can stay at developed campgrounds with large, level campsites, tables, fire rings, electricity, and bathhouses or primitive campgrounds with minimal site amenities. Most campgrounds are on a first come, first served basis. However, reservation services are now available for several popular campgrounds in the Cherokee National Forest including Parksville Lake Campground, Indian Boundary, and Chilhowee Recreation Area, along with others. Reservations can be made at www.recreation.gov or by calling (877) 444-6777.
Hiking
Over 600 miles of non-motorized trails traverse Cherokee National Forest including nearly 150 miles the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (A.T.)  Take a day hike or hike several days on the national forest trails system. 
Horseback Riding
The Little Citco Horse Trail system offers more than 15 miles of backcountry trails in the Citico Creek Wilderness section of the Cherokee National Forest. The Trailhead is located at the Young Branch Campground, near Vonore, Tennessee, about 2 hours northeast of Chattanooga. The campground accommodates up to 25 horses and 35 people in 7 campsites. Sites can be reserved.
Hunting
Covering a combined 298,456 acres, the South Cherokee Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Region III is open for hunting small and large game, including wild hog, black bear, whitetail deer, turkey, and grouse. All hunting areas are managed in cooperation with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and all hunters are subject to TWRA rules and regulations.
Paddling
Cherokee National Forest is home to both the Hiwassee and Ocoee rivers. Each has diverse paddling options like whitewater rafting, kayaking, and playboating on moderate to difficult rapids as well as flatwater sections and lakes suitable for calm kayaking, canoeing, tubing, and paddle boarding.

Located 25 minutes from Chattanooga, Chester Frost County Park contains a power boat launch, boat docks and ramps, a swimming beach, fishing piers, group picnic facilities, an indoor pavilion, and a developed campground for RV, tent, and group camping on the shores of Chickamauga Lake. The Park is operated by Hamilton County and the facility hosts fishing tournaments, competitive events, and the annual Hamilton County Fair each September.

There are 188 RV campsites with water and electrical hookups and a limited number that can accommodate RV’s up to 65ft. There is one centralized dumping station and several bathhouses. There are only 82 sites available during the winter months and tent camping is also available.

Located on Chickamauga Lake, the waters around Chester Frost host abundant sport fish like white crappie, bluegill, white bass, channel and blue catfish, largemouth bass, and sauger.

Chester Frost’s location also allows easy access by paddle craft to adjacent sloughs and marshes for anglers and wildlife watchers.

Located in the Cherokee National Forest, the Chilhowee Recreation Area is an excellent hub for hiking, mountain biking, fishing, camping and wildlife viewing. The 7-acre McKamy Lake offers a swimming area with a sandy beach, fishing from the bank and flatwater paddling opportunities. There are 25 miles of hiking and biking trails, including the easy 1.5-mile trail to Benton Falls. Wildlife is abundant in the recreation area and scenic overlooks on the drive up the mountain provide great sunset views of Parksville lake (pictured), so have your camera ready and tread lightly.

Chilhowee Campground offers more than 70 campsites, electric hookups, RV sites, tent only sites, and multiple bathhouses with warm showers.  The Campground is open from early April to late October, with an overflow area and day use area open year-round. The recreation area is in close proximity to Parksville Lake (Ocoee Lake), the Ocoee River, Big Frog Wilderness, the Tanasi trail system at the Ocoee Whitewater Center, and the Hiwassee River.

Reservations can be made for Chilhowee Group Camp and individual sites at Loops A, B, E, and F.  To make a reservation, please call 1-877-444-6777 or online at www.recreation.gov.