What a peaceful place to take in nature. Overall, this state park was really quiet (not a lot of…read morepeople here) and had a large parking lot. The park itself is a bit smaller if you are looking to do a lot of exploring Beautiful views of the water! There are areas around with a pier for fishing and where you can walk around the water. The park did have restrooms as well that were clean. Beautiful spot for some fishing, a picnic, boating, and a walk along the water.

We stumbled across this place one day while I was letting the grandkiddo pick which way to go…read moreadventure. I'm not a local so I didn't know it was there. I really liked the pond setup and other aspects of this state park. There was a huge pool that apparently they are no longer going to keep operational and that is disappointing. I think they could do better with signage and what this park offers and could possibly keep all the items going for the public

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.

A couple weeks ago I flew into town, the weekend before one of my best friend's shoulder surgery to…read moreget her out for some fun. We decided to check out the Fleetwood Mac tribute band concert on the riverfront. Every Saturday night in the summer here's a concert at Ross's Landing as part of the Riverfront Nights concert series. Although it took a little while to find parking and all parking in downtown Chattanooga costs a bit these days, we enjoyed the night. The lights on the boats on the water and the stage created a magical inviting ambiance. The music sounded great while we sat perched above the river. The crowd was festive. On a hot summer night, music remains a part of this river town experience.

We walked some of the park after we visited the aquarium. This park lines the riverbank of the…read moreTennessee River and is adjacent to the Walnut Street pedestrian bridge. It had been pouring rain and let up to a drizzle for long enough to explore! John went off to read historical markers, while Robert and I walked closer towards the bridge. There are deep steps leading down from the roadside towards the waterfront that I imagine could act as an amphitheater. The park runs all the way toward the Southern Belle Riverboat and the Duck Boat tours. Or the opposite direction towards the art museum and sculpture garden. Even on a dreary, rainy day~ this park is beautiful.

Beautiful, fairly easy hike with clear trails and lots of wildlife. The fall foliage was really…read moregorgeous and even though I hiked this on a Saturday, it wasn't crowded at all. Make sure to hike in the correct direction! I followed the 3.3 mile blue trail from Hill City then Double J then Gig City, with a quick detour to the overlook. Really pleasant relaxing hike and easy to get to. This took me about an hour and half--really enjoyable! I can see it being a good trail for running as well.

Nature is church for me so I have to go every week. And I love experiencing somewhere new to me…read more Even in this small hometown of mine, there are places I have yet to explore. Stringers Ridge was one of them so my fur friend and I headed that way yesterday just before noon. We enjoyed exploring the part of the area at the parking lot level, leaving the main trail for a week day when it may be less populated. The parking lot looked like it could hold about 10 cars. There's a smaller loop trail on one side of the parking lot. We saw beautiful views of the Fall leaves on all the trees and blue sky. The entrance plaque is an art piece. There's a couple benches and a picnic table to relax by. And plenty of new forestry smells for my beagle lady to explore. A great outdoor experience overall. We'll be back.

Nice enough river walk located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I enjoyed my walk along the river as the…read moresun slowly set. Ultimately, the Chattanooga Riverfront is worth checking out.

Kids had so much fun playing in the water in front of the aquarium and down the steps…read more There were groups of moms and littles. Toys and all.

Ruby Falls has been on my "must see" list for years and every time it pops up in a video on my…read moreinstagram account, I'm more determined to come for a visit. Finally, was able to do it last month. Purchased tickets in advance and showed up with enough time to shop in the gift shop and use the restroom. They have a very nice facility here with plenty of parking, a cafe, a large gift shop, and an observation tower. Spotless inside and well-run. Also, a penny press! Our tour guide, Chuck I believe, was wonderful. Extremely friends and funny and knowledgable about the cave but also about Chattanooga and the surrounding area. They are really doing a lot of tours. Since you walk 0.5 miles to the waterfall underground, it's a bit of a slog to keep getting to the side so groups of 30-40 can go by (tight space). We probably had to do this about 5-6x during our tour. The falls are amazing, but, walking the half mile through the cave and seeing all the other formations was wonderful too. There really are a lot of examples of formations and some unique ones like Angel's Wings, Western Sunset and Leo's Passage. Our group was large, but we had a good time and everyone was polite. The only thing I was disappointed in was that the waterfall wasn't illuminated for us to walk up to it - instead, we walked in in the dark and all crowded around it - so, when the lights came on, I wasn't able to get an approach or long shot of it in full length. They do have first tours of the day and adult-only tours so, if I come back again, I may look into that.

Ruby Falls was such a fantastic adventure! I was truly amazed by the beauty of the waterfall and…read moreall of the incredible rock formations we were able to see along the way. It was an unforgettable experience from start to finish. I was a little skeptical about whether my younger kids would be able to handle the walk, but it ended up being very manageable. We just stayed attentive and reminded them not to touch the formations, just as our guide instructed. I also thought the timed viewing at Ruby Falls was a really smart idea. I initially wasn't sure how I'd feel about the time limit, but the coordinated lighting gives everyone enough time to take photos, enjoy the waterfall, and then make room for the next group. It kept everything moving smoothly without taking away from the experience. My kids absolutely loved it, and so did I! We also enjoyed browsing the gift shop and picking up a few souvenirs to remember our visit. Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and we'd love to come back the next time we're in the Chattanooga area.

Nice Short Hike And Nature Visit…read more Located in a residential neighborhood you park at the 90 degree curve in the road across from a house. There are signs... This is probably just under a mile each way to wiggle through the woods and down to the creek. Follow the water flow maybe 800' and you shall find the waterfall. Almost across from the trail that brings you to the creek is a little hill with a small trail that brings you to a good viewpoint on a rock ledge to see the falls from a better angle than straight down. I am not sure if a different trails brings you to the bottom of the fall, maybe rappelling down is the easier way... What are you waiting for? Take a hike!

Falling water falls trail is an out and back trail that has a trail head that can be found in a…read moresmall neighborhood with just a few parking spots at the trail entrance. This is marked by a small brown sign (in our case, on this day the sign was covered with trash). We came here on a day of outdoor adventures, coming from Prentice Cooper state forest, taking several "scenic" routes and finally finding a parking spot at the entrance. When we walked this trail, which truly is a 0.3 mile slightly downhill to flat trail, there was only one other family on this trail, making it pretty isolated, but also making the views all the more sweeter. Here's the thing...maybe it was the extreme and relentless heat this summer or the lack of rain, but as we continued to walk down the trail, neither of us could hear water! Sadly, we didn't hear any water because on this day, there was none. The falls were dry, being limited to a trickle. There are photos of the falls that look lovely. With this said, even if the falls were running at full capacity, you would be looking at them from the top of the falls, not head on. You would have to come at it from below to see that. If the falls were running, instantly this is a 5 star review for me. Because it was dry,i'm only giving it 4 stars, because it still was pretty to look at, and a nice walk overall. The address listed for Falling Water falls trail puts you right near the parking lot. I don't think this is a residential address, although there are homes directly across from the lot. I'd highly recommend coming here after it has rained a few times or at least one heavy time. I'll have to come back myself when it does!

Foster Falls is easily one of the most impressive waterfalls we've visited in Tennessee! From the…read moremoment we arrived, it was clear why this spot is so popular with hikers, photographers, and outdoor enthusiasts. The park is clean, well maintained, and easy to navigate, with a scenic overlook that offers an incredible first view of the falls. We decided to hike down into the gorge, and it was absolutely worth the effort. Crossing the suspension bridge added a fun touch to the adventure, and standing at the base of the 60-foot waterfall was an unforgettable experience. The towering sandstone cliffs, lush greenery, and cool mist from the falls created a peaceful atmosphere that made us want to stay much longer. The trails are well marked, though the descent can be steep in places, so good hiking shoes are definitely recommended. We also loved learning that this area is a favorite destination for rock climbers and serves as the southern end of the famous Fiery Gizzard Trail. Whether you're looking for a scenic day hike, an amazing place to photograph, or simply a beautiful spot to enjoy nature, Foster Falls should absolutely be on your Tennessee itinerary. We had an incredible time and can't wait to return and explore even more of South Cumberland State Park. Highly recommended! Check out our video on our socials @reessroots

Foster Falls, just do it! We are 60 and 66! My body talked to me that night but the memories I…read morehave are so worth it!!