Aetna Mountain Bike Trails Coming Soon!
Photo by Nathalie DuPre
The greater Chattanooga area has been celebrated as one of the best outdoor towns in the country, and this esteemed label was given for good reason. The vast expanses of public land in the surrounding area offer opportunities from breathtaking hikes to world class climbing, kayaking, and mountain biking. Whether you are enjoying the outdoors by foot, boat, bike, or with a fishing rod in hand, you will find a way to satisfy that innate desire to get outside. The Tennessee River Gorge Trust (TRGT) is thrilled to announce the addition of a new mountain biking trail system in the Tennessee River Gorge to help continue making Chattanooga the best outdoor town around!
Photo by Nathalie DuPre
The Aetna Mountain project was made possible through a partnership with the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a generous donation from Black Creek, and grant funding from the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA). The new trail system will offer 10+ miles of high-quality singletrack trails atop Aetna Mountain for mountain bikers, hikers, and trail runners. The initial stages of the planning process are already underway. Trail Solutions, a top-notch trail development organization, will be visiting the site in 2021 to lay the foundation for this exciting new recreation area. Phase one will entail all the planning and mapping for the area, then phase two will include the on the ground trail building.
As a conservation organization, TRGT is already taking steps to inventory natural communities on the property. The trail development process will prioritize maintaining healthy, functioning habitat for wildlife while also providing a space for the community to get outside. TRGT will be closely working with the community to build this trail system, and your input is wanted. The most important stakeholders are you, the community. One of TRGT and IMBA’s greatest goals is to create a space that is accessible and utilized by everyone in our community. Stay tuned for ways to get involved. In the meantime, please consider sending us a message through the community input form on our Aetna Mountain Trails page. We want to hear your thoughts, questions, and recommendations!
By Eliot Berz
