Brown's Ferry Federal Road- Who knew?

The weather in Chattanooga wasn't very conducive to being outside this week. We had lots of rain associated with many thunderstorms. I found myself trying to sneak in walking time where I could and I decided not to go places that I couldn't get back to the car quickly. Maybe that proves I'm a novice hiker but I'm good with that. I looked for places close to home this week and remembered a hiking trail I had seen off Pineville Road. I drove the corner of Pineville Road and Riverside Avenue and parked my car at the trailhead knowing nothing about this trail. Secret the Wonder Pup and I got out of the car and I read the very well marked trail information while she got her obligatory sniffs in.


I soon found out that I was standing on what was known as the Moccasin Bend National Archeological District which is a part of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. This road bed had been part of the Trail of Tears as the Cherokee were driven to Brown's Ferry in 1838. It also served as a roadway for the Union army supply wagons during the Civil War. I was standing on historical ground, which is easy to do in Chattanooga.

 The hike was a short round trip 1.2 mile easy walk to the Tennessee River and back. It was obvious that some of the trail way had been worked on lately with new mulch in place but there were times I found myself making a lot of noise because the grass was a little high to walk through and I wanted to make sure all the snakes knew I was coming. Along the walk you could see some foundations of buildings left over from times gone by and I wondered what had been in this location in the past. I would say this was probably one of the easiest natural pathway walks that Secret and I had taken- very flat and well marked.

When we pulled up to the parking area I had noticed another car there. As we came around a bend we saw a couple having lunch on some hewn log seating facing the Tennessee River. I don't know why I surprised to see the river right there...I mean, it made sense geographically but none of the trail information had mentioned the river itself so walking up to it as "the destination" was a pleasant surprise. Secret and I looked at the river for a bit and then turned around to go back the way we had progressed.

On the way back I let Secret off her leash and she ran ahead sniffing and drinking out of puddles. On a Secret the Wonder Pup scale, this trail apparently had the best puddles in Chattanooga! The trail way was wide and the green of the landscape was not lost on me. Everything looked so lush with all the rain we have been experiencing in Chattanooga lately. As we loaded up in the car I thought "this could be a recurring place for us. It's easy to get to, close to home and scenic." Just another opportunity to walk the dog and experience CHA the beautiful in my own backyard.

The Hidden Gem- Walking the Montague Park Sculpture Garden

Shame on me. I work at a school that is known for its fine arts so I knew about the sculpture fields for a long time now but I had not taken the time to go there (in fact, we have several sculptures on our campus by artists represented in this Sculpture Field). Wow, just wow! Secret the Wonder Pup and I headed over to Montague Park at about 8:30am and my first thought driving there was, "Hmmm, this isn't the best of neighborhoods, I hope it is safe." As I pulled up into the parking lot there was just 2 cars there, a Porsche and a Range Rover. I figure if they felt safe parking their cars there then my Forerunner would be just fine.

The Sculpture Fields was a magnificent adventure for Secret and me. Winding paths of gravel take you along these strikingly amazing sculptures. I was shocked with just how many sculptures were on the premises (around 35)- each uniquely different and appealing in their own way. You can even download an app called Otocast and take part in some "creative-based learning" on these 33 acres right in the midst of warehouses on Chattanooga's southside. The app allows you to stand in front of each sculpture and listen to the artist's introduction of the sculpture itself.

My goal for the day was exercise but I found myself quickly getting that out of the way so that I could spend some time just enjoying the art on the grounds. Much like my epiphany moment at the Wheland Foundry Trailhead, my preconceived notion of what Montague Park was like now was quickly shattered by the intentional beauty that exists there.

You see, Montague Park was once a thriving softball park in Chattanooga. Growing up in this area, everyone knew where the park was and knew it was the place to be for softball. In 2003, it was closed down due to the fact that there were methane leaks in the ballfields because it was over a former landfill. I'm sure every person that ever played there and slide into a plate and received the obligatory mouth full of dirt wondered if they were poisoned for life. In 2008 required renovation began to make it usable again.  As I pulled into the parking lot, those were the thoughts in my head.

This park is surrounded by warehouses but is a hidden gem in the midst of industry. The rolling fields lends itself to anticipating the what's over the next corner. As I took out my phone to snap some photos I realized that good ol' Lookout Mountain was once again in the background majestically smiling back at me. That seems to be a recurring theme for many of my hiking days.

Secret the Wonder Pup loved this outing. It had rained and stormed tremendously the night before, so much so that some paths were not passable but because there were so few people around, I was able to let her off the leash and she ran through the puddles at full speed ahead enjoying the scenery and sniffing the sniffs that only dogs think are desirable.

As we finished our morning at the Sculpture Fields I felt like I knew a new secret about Chattanooga...one that keeps unraveling itself before my eyes this summer. I've lived here for 38 years but the Scenic City keeps pulling me into its wonderfulness. And here is the secret...Chattanooga is represents "rebuilding" in a way that can only be described as an embraced  and acknowledged resurrection. Many cities come back from bad press and sweep that time under the rug, but not Chattanooga. Chattanooga not only bounces back but flourishes in the change and shouts from it's mountain tops, "Hey look at us! Look what we are doing to make the world a better place! Look how far we have come! These were our worst spots but we are making them so lovely! Walk here, play here, enjoy here...Welcome to CHA the beautiful!" I see you Chattanooga and while I have been here for 38 years, I feel like there is a side of you I am just getting to know. The bold you that isn't afraid to be a little edgy and different. I like that about you.


                   

The 3 Bridges Urban Hiking Trek

Secret and I are novice hikers. We missed hiking yesterday because we were toast from the day before. This momma is learning the importance of proper hydration while hiking in June. Yesterday, I had a headache all day and was lethargic. I drank water all day and by suppertime I was back to normal. Lesson learned...

Today we decided to take it a bit easier because of how much we overdid it on Monday and because it was a very gray day in Chattanooga and the clouds were quite ominous. So I opted once again for urban hiking. As I mentioned before, urban hiking is not the favorite of Secret the Wonder Pup- it seems it causes some PTSD for her regarding getting hit by a car a year and a half ago. That being said, she did marvelously. She heeled well and was a very obedient pup. We started off on the "Hip and Historical Northshore" on Frazier Avenue and walked across the Market Street (John Ross) Bridge. We started our trek at about 8:45am so there was still some "eek I'm running late" traffic downtown. Halfway through the bridge I looked down to the Tennessee river that really looked like glass and saw 3 different boats of several rowers piercing the stillness of the water with their blades right off Maclellan Island. It was beautiful to see the wake they were making through an otherwise still body of water.

After walking across Market Street Bridge we crossed the road and went down through the Passage Waterwalk that links Chattanooga to the Tennessee River and marks the beginning of the Trail of Tears. Of course, Secret the Wonder Pup had to sample the water because she is becoming quite the connoisseur of different watering holes in the area.

We then walked up Riverfront Parkway and up the switchback sidewalk that pops out in front of Hunter Museum of Art and the ever popular Bluff View Art District in Chattanooga. And while I really wanted to stop for a baked good and a hot chai tea latte, we persevered across the beautiful landscape of Bluff View and down the steps to Veteran's Bridge. Walking across Veteran's Bridge gives you an amazing view of both sides of the river and the beautiful Chattanooga blue Walnut Street and Market Street bridges. It's a marvelous view of all things Chattanooga with the striking angles of the Tennessee Aquarium in the background and the twist of modern and antebullum of the Hunter Museum of Art on the bluff in the foreground. While the clouds were gray, it did not deter my love and admiration for this beautiful city I call home. It's gorgeous in any kind of weather!
 We took a left at the end of Veteran's Bridge back onto Frazier Avenue and walked down to the Walnut Street Bridge. The history of this bridge has some racial tragedy associated with it due to lynchings that took place in the late 1800's early 1900's but today it serves as one of the longest pedestrian walking bridges in the world and it's beauty is breathtaking. I've had the privilege of attending a wedding on that bridge, holding a bible study group walk and learn on that bridge, I've seen impromptu street performers, listened to music below in Coolidge Park, and been to events hosted on the bridge itself. While once connected with sorrow, the Walnut Street Bridge is a place that I enjoy due to Chattanooga's desire to make it a place of positive memories. As Secret and I walked across and then back, almost every person we passed said "good morning" or "hello"...cause that's how we do in the south. Underneath the bridge in Coolidge Park I could see children playing behind the Outdoor Chattanooga building, I could see the food trucks set up for the day, and I could see the beautiful Tennessee river glistening as the sun peeked through the clouds.

I found myself smiling as a beautiful male cardinal flittered ahead of us on our walk. It felt like something out of storybook as I became more and more aware of the colors and sounds around me while passing older couples holding hands, friends exercising together, families pointing things out to their children...and of course, tourists wishing they lived in such a wonder city as Chattanooga. ;) 

After the end of our walk, I stuck my head inside Julie Darling Donuts because Secret's oldest sister is the manager there and I said, "Secret needs a donut hole." Needless to say, any PTSD Secret might have experienced along our walk was forgotten immediately when she saw one of the girls she loves and was given one of the best donut holes in the south! As Secret got in the car with air conditioning running she drank a big bowl of water and I think she decided this urban walking thing isn't a bad gig after all.

Craven's House to Sunset Rock...this southern girl didn't glisten she got her sweat on!

I've often said "I don't sweat, I glisten" but today I got my sweat on. Secret the Wonder Pup and I headed to Craven's House on Lookout Mountain this morning a little before 9am on this warm but overcast June 25th day. (Craven's house is located off Lookout Mountain Scenic Hwy- follow the signs to Ruby Falls and you will see a big brown sign labeled "Craven's House to your right- I think that was Craven's Terrace.) The nice thing about parking here is that it is free, whereas if you parked at Point Park you would need to pay the park fees. Secret and I parked and then did a little sightseeing around the house itself- which isn't open to visitors on a regular basis but you can walk around it and look off its wonderful back porch for an amazing view. In fact, if you are just interested in seeing a view and learning a bit about Chattanooga during the Civil War, this is a pretty good stop. State monuments and cannons on flat surfaces await you from about 50 feet from where you park. Easy and worth it. Craven's House was the headquarters for the confederate soldiers when they occupied Lookout Mountain and is currently part of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. This stronghold was taken over during the renowned Battle Above the Clouds and the Confederate soldiers fell back and off the mountain as the "Union soldiers climbed to Point Lookout just above here and planted the U.S. flag" according to the placard at the house. 

Secret and I walked around the grounds a bit and then headed for the trails. My plan was to hike to Point Park but we were doing so well I decided to go on to Sunset Rock instead. The trails were well traveled and easily marked. Along the way to Sunset Rock, we saw a couple doing some bouldering but we pretty much had the trail to ourselves otherwise. The trail between Craven's House and the turn up to Point Park wasn't too bad. There were definite times one had to focus on one's foot falls but the incline to that point wasn't too hard. Along the way the lush green vegetation was gorgeous and gave us some wonderful shade for our journey. We saw some blackberries growing, as well as some wild hydrangea growing along the path that gave a bit of white contrast against all the green. We even happened upon some beautiful red blooming mountain laurel, which was a surprise and a treat as we worked our way along the edge of a giant boulder to our left and some fairly ominous drops to our right up the side of the mountain. 

Immediately the incline got more intense as we weaved our way around rocks in the path and in some places stepped up some pretty steep nature made stair steps. It was about that time that I realized the gnats were becoming annoying but I feel fairly certain the appearance of gnats was in direct correlation to my stinky sweat at this point! It was also about this time that I'm also quite sure both Secret and myself thought "This hike would be a lot easier if she wasn't along." Secret the Wonder Pup was a lot more sure of her footing than I was at that point and I was slowing her roll.

The hike from Craven's House to Signal Point is labeled as 1 1/2 miles but it's a tricky hike once the incline starts. It had stormed badly the day before in the Chattanooga area so there were some places where Secret got some good drinks of water along the way. I will say, considering how much it had rained, the path wasn't very muddy. As I said before, it is a well used path by hikers and climbers so the dirt is packed down pretty good and because it's literally a one-way footpath during most of the upward climb, the water keeps rolling down the mountain instead of puddling in the trails.

A friend of mine asked if it was kid friendly, I'm going to go with a "no" for little kids. While there was safety "railing" (guide wires) along the path in some places, there were also many places where it would be really easy to lose your footing and tumble way down to the unknown. I even got nervous for Secret a few times. One of my favorite moments along the way was getting a little peep teaser through the trees of the view we were seeking.

As we got near the top of our destination, getting to Sunset Rock meant walking up some pretty steep rock steps. Along with this came a wonderful breeze that was a needed refreshment in that moment.  Climbing that part with Secret the Wonder Pup with the hip issue got a little intense but she was a champ and made it to the top without any problem. Once there, we sat on the rock for ten minutes or so and enjoyed the breeze and the view of the gorgeous Tennessee Valley. Once again I found myself thinking "Wow! Chattanooga the beautiful!" There really is something magical about hiking on Lookout and Signal. The meandering trails in the woods feel so much cooler than down in the valley. It is as if you have left Chattanooga but yet it is right there below with Mocassin Bend waving it's currents at you as you are perched high above the Scenic City!

On our way back to the car we passed just a few more hikers and the boulder climbers were making progress. And then off in the distance I heard a train whistle and I thought, "Yes, this is Chattanooga!" I imagined being a visitor to our fair city doing that hike this morning and it felt like the sound of the train was the perfect cue to a true Chattanooga experience. Welcome to Choo Choo city!

I will say when we made it back to Craven's House (it probably took us 1 1/2 hours), there wasn't a dry thread on me but it was a good sweat because it was a good hike. Secret made a few friends along the way, we chatted with a few people on the trails and before getting in the car we sat on the porch of Craven's house and cooled down while Secret bobbed for blueberries in her bowl of water. Have I mentioned that I am thoroughly enjoying this challenge I've set of walking the dog and seeing more of #CHAthebeautiful?

Rainbow Lake Wilderness Area- Upping our Hiking Game

So here is something I am learning fast...you better have a backup plan if you want to hike in Chattanooga. Two times this week my destination has been changed due to some unforeseen reason. Yesterday, I drove to Soddy Daisy, Tennessee thinking that Secret the Wonder Pup and myself would hike to the blue hole off Montlake Road. I start driving there and see that the parking area is closed for maintenance but our goal of hiking was not thwarted! Secret and I went to the Rainbow Lake Wilderness Area on Signal Mountain. We parked at the entrance off Ohio Avenue in the historic part of Signal Mountain (which I might say is worth looking up and reading about and just driving around before you go). This parking area is located right beside the Signal Mountain Golf Course and you actually walk right along the edge of the course for a little bit of this journey.  

So when I looked up the rating for this trail it was considered easy but I will say that Secret and I did not find it quite easy compared to some of the other walks I have done. Perhaps it was because it had rained a lot the previous day but there were times I found myself walking across larger rocks that seemed a little slick and you definitely need to be aware of your footing on this trail. 

  My goal was to take Secret to the lake and let her splash around a bit. She isn't a swimmer if she has her choice but she usually loves to splash around in shallow water. After a mostly downhill trek to the lake (which I kept thinking, "hmmmm, this is going to be fun going back") we were greeted by the sound of laughing children, swimming teen couples, moms on boulders, and dogs...lots of dogs. Lots of dogs not on leashes. I'll admit though, that had been my plan as well. Take the Super Pup to the water and let her roam a bit within my sight. Once I got down there I did not do that because some very large dogs were off their leashes and when we walked up the owners immediately started yelling at them to get them back on leashes. Another small dog ran right up to Secret to meet her. As a rule, Secret is a friendly pup unless you aren't. I'm thankful I didn't have a dog fight on my hands. 

The view was gorgeous and you could hang out in the shade or bask in the sun. We walked around the lake and worked our way down by jumping on boulders to the base of the dam's overflow.  There were probably 15-20 people there in the small area on a Friday morning so it did feel a bit crowded at times but it was still enjoyable. We sat for a while and watched the other people around us. Secret loved drinking water from the creek and there was this cute little dog there that she really wanted to get to know better, but we played it cool and started back up the trail. 

I'm going to be really honest here, that pull back up the trail made me feel the burn and sweet little Secret the Wonder Pup with a repaired hip had a wobble in her step on the way back up. I noticed on the way down that there was some strategically placed seating options after some of the switchback inclines. I didn't take advantage of them...out of pride, but boy I could have. I do think Secret and I will do this one again and go over to the Edward's Point overlook. I'll be honest, I had a hard time trying to figure out where I needed to go to stay on the trail once I got to the lake area but I think adding the trek over will be part of our summer as we continue to grow our stamina in this hiking challenge we have placed on ourselves (we being me, Secret is just along for the ride). 

I've thought about leveling these hikes based on a "Secret Score" because once we got back to the car, she was toast. I'm going to give this one a strenuous rating for a bad doggy hip and an old lady with a trick knee. But worth it, so worth it! Get out into #CHA the beautiful and explore more!