Enjoy a fall foliage scenic drive, hike through fall colors, and explore Mowbray Mountain in Chattanooga this fall.
As the fall foliage starts to turn in Chattanooga, the best way to make the most of the peak fall leaves is to spend a day on Mowbray Mountain. Here you can take in the fall colors by car and on foot. Continue reading for detailed guides of this scenic drive and hiking trails.
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Mowbray Mountain
Mowbray Mountain is located in Soddy Daisy, TN, about 20 minutes north of downtown Chattanooga. This mountain is home to a couple sections of the Cumberland Trail, small waterfalls, and blue holes on the North Chickamauga Creek. The roads of this mountain set the scene for the perfect fall drive. So many different colored trees line the roads and at some spots you can view the valley below.
Download the map of this Fall Day on Mowbray Mountain itinerary so you don’t get lost!
Chattanooga Fall Scenic Drive on Mowbray Mountain
In this itinerary I’ll be sharing two stops to see the Chattanooga fall colors up close and personal. But for now, here’s the directions for the overall drive. Essentially I love making a big, loop drive of Mowbray Mountain to really take in the Chattanooga fall colors.
Mountain Road
My favorite way to start this scenic drive up Mowbray Mountain is by taking Mountain Road also known as Mowbray Pike. It’s a little bit steeper than the main road that you can alternatively take up the mountain but the scenery is well worth it. And don’t worry, we’ll be taking the other road down the mountain to enjoy its scenery too. Stop 1 (details in the next section), will be near the top of the summit off this road.
Montlake Road
After stop 1, turn right onto Montlake Road when you see the Mountain General Store. This road will take you to stop 2 (details in the next section). Enjoy the drive as you watch the many fall colors fly by your window. Be sure to look out for the grand view right as you start the descent down the mountain (see photo below). Take the road all the way down to nearly the bottom where you’ll find stop 2.
Chattanooga Fall Foliage Hikes on Mowbray Mountain
Scenic drives are a great way to take in all the fall foliage Chattanooga has to offer, but if you really want to enjoy the scenery, it’s best to get out of the car and take a little hike. Mowbray Mountain is home to a few different Cumberland Trail trailheads. So, in this itinerary I’ll suggest stopping at two of them to make your fall day exploration even more enjoyable.
The Soddy Segment Mowbray Pike Trailhead
If you take my route and climb Mowbray Mountain via Mountain Road, you’ll reach a great trailhead for the Cumberland Trail. This trailhead is called the Soddy Segment Mowbray Pike Trailhead and you’ll find it on the right side of the road soon after you’ve reached the plateau top of the mountain. I highly suggest having this place ready to go on your maps because it can be easy to miss the turn into the parking lot. The gravel parking lot is small and sits on a hill above the road and the driveway leading to it cuts behind your view from the road.
This trailhead is the start of the Soddy Segment on the Cumberland Trail. It has only a slight descent going out and slight incline coming back. The hike that I always take here is about one mile round trip. The trail goes further, but I always make this a short hike by turning around at the creek. On this hike be sure to pause at the bluff that’s cut out for the power lines. The valley views are beautiful from here and the surrounding trees are full of fall colors. Once you’re done taking it all in, continue just a little ways more to reach the creek. You can walk over the bridge and on the other side, the creek is somewhat easily accessible, although the banks are steep so proceed with caution. After you’ve finished enjoying your time here, head back to your vehicle and get ready to continue your drive.
The North Chickamauga Creek Gorge Trailhead
Once you drive across and descend the mountain via Montlake Road, be prepared to turn right when you get near the bottom. On the right side of the road you’ll find the North Chickamauga Creek Trailhead. I highly suggest having this plugged into your maps too. It can be hard to find coming from this direction because the sign faces the other way.
This is the final stop on our fall day journey on Mowbray Mountain. You can easily make a long hike out of this stop or just a short stroll. The choice is yours. I suggest walking down to the creek and enjoy some peace and quiet while sitting on the large boulders. Then, take the main trail as far as you’d like while walking beneath a canopy of fall colors. You can hike the trail to the blue hole if you feel like crossing the creek (there may not be a dry way to do this) or stick to the main trail which will take you up further to a cascading waterfall (if it’s rained recently, otherwise it’ll be dry). The main trail is fairly easy in elevation, but if you take the fork past the blue hole, you’ll be going uphill towards the top of the mountain. This trailhead is also a part of the Cumberland Trail and you can hike for many miles from here. Once you’re done here and back in your vehicle, turn right onto Montlake Road and you’ll soon be at the traffic light for the main road in Soddy Daisy, Dayton Pike, again.
Chattanooga Fall Colors on Mowbray Mountain Map
For a better visual of this itinerary, here’s a map of the route and all the stops, including the little hikes.
Download the Fall Day on Mowbray Mountain Google map itinerary that already has each location and route saved so you can hit the road with confidence.
Closing Tips
Both hiking locations can get crowded rather quickly. As usual, I suggest doing this on a weekday or in the morning hours of the weekend. This trip can take all day if you’d like, or you can easily make it only take a few hours. This is my absolute favorite fall thing to do here in Chattanooga. Mowbray Mountain has been a favorite of mine since I moved here. If you go on this fall day trip, let me know in the comments below. I’d love to know what you think about it!
Also, I have two YouTube videos of this fall day trip on Mowbray Mountain. Be sure to watch this one to get a better understanding of the first hike on this trip. And watch this one to better understand the the second hike.
Until next time, enjoy exploring Chatt!
Enjoy More Chattanooga Fall Colors:
- The Best Chattanooga Area Fall Hikes
- The Best Chattanooga Parks for Fall Foliage
- A Signal Mountain Fall Hike
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