Enterprise South Nature Park

Secret the Wonder Pup was still recovering from partying too hard on Independence Day and I had some errands to run near Hamilton Place Mall. So being someone not at all like myself, I got up early on this steamy July 6th day and headed towards Enterprise South Nature Park. To get to this park, one most drive through the newest industrial area in Chattanooga- past the Amazon Distribution Center and the Volkswagen plant. I can't help but drive down this road and think "jobs, jobs, jobs..." So many new jobs for our area thanks to these two newer mega hiring entities in our city. Enterprise South Nature Park is situated on "2,800 wooded acres and was once a part of the Volunteer Army Ammunitions Plant. The property’s heritage has been preserved in the concrete magazines used to store explosives during the days TNT was manufactured on the property." (http://www.hamiltontn.gov/esnp/)  So don't be surprised to see bunkers along your walk! 
I parked early, trying to beat the summer heat and headed out on Poe Run Path. Along the way I enjoyed the coolness of being in the shade the entire walk. 
If I lived in this area this would definitely be a place of escape for me. The trails are well maintained and you feel safe in this area. While I didn't go to the welcome center, it was nice to see it there as a if it was standing vigilant over the area. 

The trail I was on was about 3 miles round trip. On the way back around I took the upper Poe Trail just to mix things up a bit. It also was a bit more challenging and less of a flat walk- but easy nonetheless. 

I passed bunkers and very woodsy feeling varieties of plants. The mix between seeing a bunker and feeling you were in the middle of nowhere left you with an eery feeling. My favorite part of this walk was the number of chipmunks that would run across the path about 7-10 feet in front of me as I travelled along. I bet that happened about 6 or 7 times. The first time it was startling but the more it happened the funnier it became. I imagined a morning meeting of the Poe Trail Chipmunks and duties assigned for the day. Let me just say that this little brigade of chipmunks did an excellent job of keeping this hiker on her toes. 

It was a quick but sweaty hike that ended with me back at my car putting on new deodorant and spraying myself down with Axe Body Spray so I could run my errands...cause let's be honest, as an educator around middle schoolers everyone knows the way to defeat unwanted body odor is to mix it with Axe Body Spray and hope for the best. (As educators we also know it just leads to a nauseating combination- but heck, it also signals "I tried!") 

I then went on to Hamilton Place Mall to run my errands and hope that I wouldn't run into anyone I knew. Thankfully, only strangers had to deal with my eau de toilette.