Parks and Recreation Month: Bike Trails

Tennessee Riverpark

A new page on the Parks and Recreation Month guide is Bike Trails. This page leads to many local options for bicycling trails. 

And did you know that there are three rails-to-trails within an hour drive of Chattanooga? They are Eureka Trail in Athens, TN; Mountain Goal Trail in Sewanee; and Silver Comet Trail in Cobb County, GA. All three use former railway tracks for a bicycle trail. Find more about these trails on the Bike Trails page.

Here are some local bike trails that can be found on the Bike Trails page.

Aetna Mountain Trails
The first 4 miles of trails brought to you by the Tennessee River Gorge Trust is the newest addition to the Chattanooga trail scene. Parking can be found off of River Gorge Drive after you drive through the Black Creek subdivision.

Booker T. Washington Biking
Situated on the shores of Chickamauga Lake and not far from downtown Chattanooga is the 353-acre Booker T. Washington State Park. Booker T. Washington offers a single-track bike trail on a six-mile loop. The trail features some long uphill climbs with rewarding, but very fast, downhills. Parking lots with the most convenient trail access are either the upper lot (first one on your right, near the pool) or at the lower lot by the pavilion and restrooms.

Enterprise South Nature Park
Enterprise South is one of the most popular trail systems in the Chattanooga area. Popular for it's beginner-friendly flowing trails, park facilities, and the security of a ranger staff. Ample parking at the ranger station. The amenities at the Ranger Station include restrooms and information kiosk.

Raccoon Mountain
Raccoon Mountain is made up of several trails that circle the TVA Raccoon Mountain pumped storage facility. The trails present a variety of riding environments that are for intermediate and advanced riders. There are several parking areas.

Stringer's Ridge
Stringer’s Ridge is a 92 acre pocket wilderness park in Chattanooga’s urban core. Located on the Northshore, there are 7 miles of multi-use trail for hikers, bikers and trail runners to share. There is a small parking lot at the End of Spears Avenue. 

Tennessee Riverpark
The Tennessee Riverpark is a 13-mile paved, urban greenway that connects downtown Chattanooga to Chickamauga Dam, 8 miles to the east, and to the Historic St. Elmo neighborhood 4 miles to the south. It is opened to cyclists, runners, skaters and walkers and is popularly named “Riverwalk."

The Riverpark can be accessed from various parking areas and trailheads from Chickamauga Dam to St. Elmo. The Riverwalk connects to the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway at Riverpoint off Lost Mound Drive to add an additional 3 miles out to Sterchi Farm Park.

Parks and Recreation Month: Staff pictures

This year, a college professor joined the Library Staff for staff submitted pictures!  This is for many a favorite part for the library staff to show we have fun outside of the library. Thank you to Professor Chris Willis for submitting pictures in a collaborative effort with the library staff.

Find the page for staff submitted pictures at  library.chattanoogastate.edu/parks2026/staff

Find the guide for the 2026 version of Parks and Recreation Month at library.chattanoogastate.edu/parks2026

Let's see some selected pictures from the staff submissions!

 

 

 

 

See more pictures on the staff pictures page of the Parks and Recreation Guide!

Parks and Recreation Collaborative Display with Library Staff and a College Professor!

July is Parks and Recreation Month and the collaborative display for the month of July!

 

This year's theme is the The Power of Parks and Recreation. And we have our libguide updated with links to parks, pictures submitted by library staff and professor Chris Willis, links to videos, a new page about bike trails, and much more! Parks and Recreation Libguide. 

Discover the power of parks & recreation with our display featuring books about sports, parks, and recreation as well as pictures of your favorite library staff out in the wild!

 

July 8 Library Newsletter

In this edition: 
💀 NEW - Anatomy Model Study Room
🛋️ NEW - Comfortable Seating
📚 NEW - Graphic Novels and Manga Display
💼 Work-Study Hiring
📚 Summer Reading
📙 Summer Libby Reads
📘 Parks & Recreation Display 
📚 America 250 Display

NEW - Anatomy Model Study Room
You asked, we listened! The library now has a dedicated anatomy model study room for all A&P students including all of our A&P models, study tables, computers, whiteboards, and a projector. The room is open to use and does not require booking. 

NEW - Comfortable Seating
You asked, we listened again! The library now has 20 bean bag lounge and dorm chairs to use at our low seating tables or anywhere you can find a comfy spot. For library use only! 

NEW: Graphic Novels & Manga
Enjoy easier browsing of graphic novels and manga in their beautiful new home near the library entrance. Relax in our new lounge chairs while you read your favorites or discover something new! 

Summer Reading
The 2026 Summer Reading Challenge continues to roll along, with loads of great books being enjoyed by our participants. The June Bonus Challenge asked readers to choose a book written by an author who was born in June, and we saw representation of authors from Nikki Giovanni to Patricia Cornwell, and as far apart as Ken Follett and Yasunari Kawabata. This month's winner was Pam Gitta, who has been working her way through Dorothy Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey novels for years, and marked this June with The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club. Congratulations, Pam! Your $10 gift certificate for Pennington's Books on Main Street will be at the front desk whenever you stop by to pick it up!

If you are feeling left out and want to join the Summer Reading Challenge, it's not too late! Just email (sara.coffman@chattanoogastate.edu) or stop by the library, and we will make sure you get signed up! Happy Summer Reading!


Summer Libby Reads
We are excited to participate in this summer's Libby Reads event, offering unlimited, simultaneous access to the ebook or audiobook version of John Kenney's I See You've Called in Dead -- no waitlist or holds! Booklist called it "Razor-sharp, darkly comedic, and emotionally piercing" and "a witty and heartwarming reminder of the bottomless despair, limitless absurdity, and undeniable joy of the human experience." 

Bud Stanley, an obituary writer, is afraid to live. After his wife leaves him, Bud hits rock bottom, and in a drunken haze, accidentally publishes his own obituary—leading to a bureaucratic mix-up that makes him "officially" dead and temporarily unfireable. Given a second chance, Bud, with the help of his eccentric best friend, starts attending strangers’ funerals to learn a thing or two.
Check out the book's trailer and then check out the book! Available on Libby July 9-23.

Parks & Recreation Display
Discover the power of parks & recreation with our display featuring books about sports, parks, and recreation as well as pictures of your favorite library staff out in the wild! 

Did you know Chattanooga is a National Park City? Find more resources about local and state parks, bike trails, and more on our Parks & Recreation Guide. 

America 250 Display
We hope you enjoyed celebrating America's 250th birthday! July 4th may be over, but you can still enjoy reading about the rich history of and reflections on these United States. 

Come see us at the library!