February 29th, 2024
Chattanooga and North Georgia are notorious for having some of the best hiking trails in the Southeast. With breathtaking views and unique natural features, there’s no wonder why many people travel to this area for outdoor adventures. There are many trails from beginner-friendly, to intermediate and advanced, but no matter what trail you choose, you are guaranteed to have a good time and a great view. Here are 8 of the best hikes in the Chattanooga and North Georgia area.
Distance: 3.4 Miles
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Lookout Mountain, TN
Photo Credit: https://www.southeasttennessee.com/hiking-to-lookout-mountains-sunset-rock/
Sunset rock may have some of the most rewarding views when you reach the top. It is easily the best place to watch the sunset, hence the name. One of the best trails to get to this beautiful location is via the Bluff Trail, this hike offers incredible rock walls as well as mountain views. A fun adventure for family and friends.
Distance: 2 & 5 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
Location: Rising Fawn, GA
Photo Credit: https://www.atlantatrails.com/hiking-trails/cloudland-canyon-winter-hiking-georgia/
Cloudland Canyon has two amazing hiking trails that lead to its beautiful waterfalls and up to the West Rim for some mountainous views. The most unique part about the 2-mile hike down to the waterfall scenery is you climb down 600 metal stairs. So you can imagine that although this hike brings an awesome view, it can be quite strenuous, especially trekking back up. The West Rim Loop trail offers amazing views of Cloudland Canyon as well as other terrains on its 5-mile looping journey. Nonetheless, if you are an avid hiker, these two2 hikes are some you do not want to miss out on.
Distance: 5.9 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Photo Credit: Logan Moore https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/snoopers-rock-chattanooga/
This mostly shaded hike follows the Cumberland Trail and takes you around the Tennessee River George up to Snoopers Rock. The trail has numerous rock formations and a few water crossings. It can also be pretty crowded at times with many hikers out and about but the views make this one worth the trip.
Distance: 3.2 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Altamont, TN
Photo Credit: https://huntsvilleadventurer.com/greeter-falls/
This moderate loop trail located just northwest of Chattanooga in the South Cumberland State Park, offers two breathtaking waterfall views, the upper 150-foot waterfall, and the lower 50-foot waterfall, the latter being extraordinary and breathtaking. These waterfalls are considered the most beautiful waterfalls on the East Coast and are definitely ones you don’t want to skip out on!
Distance: 13.5 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Photo Credit: https://tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/entries/tva-raccoon-mountain-reservoir/adffe6e0-461a-452d-9d05-abf65eff543a
This trail sits high above Chattanooga and is perfect for hikers, trail runners, and mountain bikers. This hike can easily last over 5 hours with large and small loops to hike around taking you to a water reservoir. The views are immaculate with sightings of Lookout Mountain and Chattanooga, this loop trail is definitely one to try.
Distance: 2.3 Miles
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Photo Credit: https://choosechatt.com/2021/05/27/chasing-chattanooga-waterfalls/
The Glenn Falls trail is a nice and short hiking adventure along the east side of Lookout Mountain and is perfect for a friendly family outing. This trail has footbridges, rock stairs, and rock formations along the way as you head towards the main centerpiece, the beautiful waterfall. Grab your friends and family because this hike is sure to be a fun time for all.
Distance: 10 Miles
Difficulty: Hard
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Photo Credit: Fynn Glover https://rootsrated.com/chattanooga-tn/trail-running/big-daddy-loop-on-the-bluff-trail
Just minutes from Downtown Chattanooga, the Big Daddy Loop trail sits on the west side of Lookout Mountain and offers some of the best running trails. This trail is not for the faint of heart as it can be quite challenging and a good leg workout for all the runners. Don’t let that shy you away though because the views are quite breathtaking of Sand and Raccoon Mountains. So if you’re a trail runner and looking for a challenge make sure to check this loop out.
Distance: 12 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Soddy Daisy, TN
Photo Credit: Kris Whorton https://rootsrated.com/chattanooga-tn/hiking/soddy-creek-gorge-south-cumberland-trail
This hike, which is a section of the Cumberland Trail, has abandoned mines, deep valley views, gorges, rock and wooden steps, and more. The Soddy Creek Gorge can be a challenging trail as it passes through major watersheds but being surrounded by so many neat features of this trail makes it worth the hike.
The Chattanooga and North Georgia areas offer so many of the best hikes with quality trails that it’s hard to name them all. Whether you are an avid hiker or a casual one, there are sure to be some exciting trails waiting for you. Lace up those shoes and boots and get hiking to see some of the most beautiful views in the Southeast.
