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    Prentice Cooper State Forest

    4.6 (5 reviews)

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    Sunset Rock Climbing

    Sunset Rock Climbing

    4.7
    (28 reviews)
    9.9 mi

    LOL --- this is my first "non-food" review, but this place is so beautiful --- it needs to be…read moreshared! I was looking for somewhere beautiful to get a panorama of Chattanooga (+ more) from an awesome vantage point, and I found this spot on Google. It's a bit of a winding drive to eventually arrive to the site, and when you do, parking is extremely limited. It's either you got luck or God on your side, to park right where the "rock" is, but I was very fortunate. The steps are very large and irregular getting to the actual "site", and if you are not fit --- just go slow. However, once you arrive --- it's like heaven. A view from the heavens overseeing the Tennessee River Gorge, Prentice Cooper State Forest, and valleys. Spending 20-30 minutes after getting up their will clear your mind. A view that you should not pass up!

    This trail was a bit more challenging than others we've done. For context, I enjoy long hikes on…read morerelatively flat, well-defined paths--l'm not a hardcore hiker. So, from my perspective, I'd rate this as a moderately difficult hike. The trail is about 3.5 miles round trip and took us around 2 hours, not including the time we spent enjoying the view at the top. The summit is absolutely worth the effort-the view is breathtaking. Be sure to bring plenty of water. Thankfully, the trail has lots of shade, which helped keep us cool and protected from the sun.

    Photos
    Pathway down to cliffs
    Pathway down to cliffs
    Sunset Rock Climbing
    Sunset Rock Climbing

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    Signal Point

    Signal Point

    5.0
    (16 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    This was a great, easy trail--about 1.6 miles round trip and took us around 65 minutes, including…read moretime spent at the waterfall. The waterfall at the end is beautiful and made a perfect spot to rest. We let Luna take a quick swim to cool off, but were very cautious about her not drinking the water. I had done quite a bit of research beforehand and found mixed reviews about the water quality. Most concerns centered around contamination within 24-48 hours after rainfall. Since it hadn't rained recently, we felt confident it was safe, and thankfully, Luna had no issues after swimming.

    We were in Chattanooga for the weekend and wanted to visit Signal Mountain. In our limited research…read morewe heard that Signal Point was a special place to visit. We learned there are different ways to get to the top of Signal Point but all are pretty dang curvy and steep. We enjoyed our drive and the area appears to be very charming and peaceful. The Signal Point park is located adjacent to a residential neighborhood and is very well marked and easy to find. There are approximately 20 designated parking spots. It was a very cold afternoon so we bundled up and walked down to the overlook. It was really beautiful, with the Tennessee River flowing below and the array of rock ridges. The history of the area is incredible as well, there are signs within the park to help educate guests on the challenges of those who came before us. We learned that during the Civil War the river was a natural highway through the region but sections of rapids were impassable for large vessels. Supply boats bound for Chattanooga had to be pulled by ropes through the man-made side channels which strengthened the Union army for Sherman's advance on Atlanta in 1864. We also learned when the Confederate forces laid siege to Chattanooga in September 1863, they cut off telegraph lines to the city. The Federals, in order to move messages from Chattanooga, a series of signal stations were established. One of these stations was Signal Point. Incredible history and beautiful location all in one. We would highly recommend to others visiting or living in the area.

    Photos
    Signal Point
    Signal Point
    View from top/beginning of signal point.

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    View from top/beginning of signal point.
    Ruby Falls

    Ruby Falls

    3.7
    (946 reviews)
    9.1 mi

    This really was the highlight of my trip to Chattanooga! I did not get my ticket in advance, but it…read moreis easy to purchase tickets at the two kiosks available. The attendants at the check-in are so helpful. I booked the next available appointment, which was about an hour or so away, but that left me plenty of time to take in views from the observation decks. There is also a restaurant in the castle as well as zip lining, if you want additional things to do while you wait for your guided tour to begin. (I recommend getting your tickets online if you come in a group, especially during the summer months and on weekends.) Parking is free and there are numerous places to park. The experience is really eye-opening and the video at the beginning tells the story of the cave formation and why it was named Ruby Falls. Very interesting! The walk takes about 60-70 minutes back and forth. You will see amazing stalagmites and stalactites along the way. Distinct lighting is added to the cave to enhance your experience. Our guide was very knowledgeable and explained everything in detail. It does get cool down in the caves (around 60 degrees) and I was glad I took a light jacket once I got about halfway through the process. The waterfall and the lighting at the end were something to see! Minor issues-they packed about 40-50 people in our tour group. A group leaves every 10 minutes or so. As such, you have to hug up against a wall NUMEROUS times as previous groups are coming back from the waterfall experience. You have to make room to let them pass. The wait for the elevator to take you back up to the top is also a tedious wait. This could be due to the summer crowds, so plan accordingly. If you are claustrophobic, this may not be the experience for you.

    Great cave tour and beautiful falls. The passing other tour…read moregroups and waiting wasn't the best, but didn't take super long. Glad I made the trip to visit

    Photos
    Ruby Falls
    Above the Cave system we walked through
    Above the Cave system we walked through
    Ruby Falls

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    Experience Chattanooga

    Experience Chattanooga

    5.0
    (5 reviews)
    18.7 mi

    Hope and Ryan are absolutely amazing. They made our group feel absolutely safe and excited about…read morehiking in South Cumberland. From pick up to drop off everything was perfect! I can't wait to hike with them again!

    Ryan & Hope are so friendly, easy going, professional and well prepared! If you want to go on some…read morebeautiful hikes and not worry about the logistics, they are your people! They have covered all the details you normally would handle or research yourself, especially if you're from out of state like myself. If you don't have a vehicle or don't want to drive, pick up and drop off is included in the price. As long as you're staying in Downtown Chattanooga. An assortment of pre-packaged snacks & bottles of water are provided. They carry them while you hike so you don't need to! The bonus? They take professional photos of you on the hike to commemorate you & your group in action & posing! They have a quick turnaround also with access to your edited picture gallery. So no timer settings on cameras or one person out of the group pics! Oh! Best of all? The group hike is private! You won't have any randos with you! I had an awesome time! Communication was excellent from the time I inquired about booking a hike all the way through the end! They are highly responsive! I received confirmation via email & text. However, when I had questions I texted directly and a couple of days before the hike and the morning of the hike they sent me texts for updates. A waiver is required to be signed the day of the hike in person. Bug spray was provided prior to our hike. I chose to do the Soul therapy hike for my birthday because it offers a variety of scenery. It was one of my favorite hikes I've done over the years. It ranged from views above the falls down to close up views touching the water. Although, you can take a super short cut to the falls, it is still a steep path down into the gorge. We took the longer trail which is even more scenic involving various beautiful views and overlooks, tall walls of sandstone and one major steep descent of rocks into the gorge which requires a lot of careful footing placement & maybe 1-2 areas ( the rock wall or a random tree trunk) to hold onto for balance. Honestly, if I didn't have Hope & Ryan as guides and I was doing the hike on my own with just friends, I probably would have taken one look down that steep of a sea of rocks and said let's go another way. Hahaha.. But Hope was leading and offered her arm as balance support if needed, which I took a few times. Slow & steady my friends. Along the way, we also crossed two cool bridges as well. The falls were pretty and kind of reminded me of the Salto do Prego waterfall in Sao Miguel. It was a wonderful time with Hope & Ryan where we were able to learn about the area, the wildflowers and rest on the way back to our hotel in their nice, clean , comfortable and AC SUV while snacking on the way back & having good conversation. They also provide some coupons to local restaurants and shops, & an EXPERIENCE CHATTANOOGA sticker. They were kind enough to accommodate picking us up last minute at a local breakfast place that we had walked to from our hotel since, it was close to our pick up time. We really appreciated it! They offer many different hikes and different levels. If I had been there a whole week, I would have probably booked the all day waterfalls tour and the alpaca farm & coffee tour too! Be sure to check out their website! They provide in depth descriptions of their different hikes. Also, some hikes are only done certain days of the week so make sure to check for their availability! Military discounts & discounts for groups over a certain number are offered. Just be sure to mention it to them prior to payment.

    Photos
    Mountain Laurel
    Mountain Laurel
    Experience Chattanooga
    Experience Chattanooga

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    Prentice Cooper State Forest - parks - Updated June 2026

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