15 Best Chattanooga Parks: Trails, Swimming, Dog Parks, and More

A local’s guide to the best free parks in Chattanooga, Tennessee including trails, amenities, swimming spots, and dog parks for every neighborhood.

By Amanda Collins, a Chattanooga local with 12+ years of experience exploring Chattanooga outdoors.

Chattanooga has numerous parks, but these 15 are the best in the area for covering nearly every neighborhood in the area and offering everything from dog parks to trails, and swimming spots to paddle launches. Want to enjoy amazing views of the Tennessee River or man-made beaches for swimming? Or would you prefer a wooded escape with miles of trails and separated dog parks? Whatever you are looking for in a local park, this guide will help you find the perfect park to meet your activity and location needs. Keep reading to learn all about the best parks located in the Chattanooga area.

Chattanooga Parks Quick Details

All parks listed in this guide:

  • Seasonal Closures: Open year-round
  • Hours: Sunrise to Sunset (with the exception of Enterprise South which has specific clock hours: 7AM to 8PM)
  • Entry Fees: Free entry
  • Restrooms: Public restrooms

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Downtown Chattanooga:

Renaissance and Coolidge Park

Location: 

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Kids, picnic, walking, cycling, fishing, paddling
  • Playground: No, except seasonal fountain park in Coolidge Park
  • Water Access: Spots to launch paddle
  • Swimming: No
  • Dog Park: No
  • Tables and Grills: No

Unique Features:

Although technically two different parks, Renaissance and Coolidge Park are next door neighbors in the heart of downtown Chattanooga overlooking the scenic Tennessee River. These two parks meet under the Market Street Bridge alongside the Tennessee River.

Renaissance Park is more wooded and full of history. There’s both paved trails and dirt trails throughout the park which take you to many Civil War and Chattanooga history plaques. And on the north side of the park you’ll find “Cardboard Hill” where you can slide down the grassy knoll on a piece of cardboard for fun.

Coolidge Park features large green spaces for field games and picnics, a paved walking trail around the park, a water fountain playground during the summer, and even an antique carousel that you can still pay only $1 to ride.

Both parks have their own parking lots, but you must pay to park. And there’s public restrooms. In Coolidge Park the restrooms are on the outer edges of the Walker Pavilion near the carousel. In Renaissance Park they are in their own building near the parking lot.

See more photos of both parks and learn more about the history and more details in my Renaissance and Coolidge Park Guide.

Sculpture Fields at Montague Park

Location: 

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Picnic and walking
  • Playground: No
  • Water Access: No
  • Swimming: No
  • Dog Park: No
  • Tables and Grills: No

Unique Features:

  • Sculptures

The Sculpture Fields at Montague Park is a fun destination to enjoy 33 acres of sprawling green dotted with large sculptures from over 60 artists around the world which can be admired from the 1.5 miles of gravel trail that meanders throughout the park. 

If you appreciate art, this is the park for you. Although this park has minimal amenities, it’s perfect for a few hours of your time. Pack a picnic, get outside, and enjoy some art. There are no tables or grill options, but it does have restrooms. There isn’t much shade so be mindful of the weather when you plan to visit this park.

This is one of the few parks in the area that is not owned by a city or government entity. Learn more about this park, how it started, and what all you can expect to find here in my Sculpture Fields Guide.

North Chattanooga:

Chickamauga Dam Park

Location:

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Kids, picnic, swimming, walking, cycling, fishing 
  • Playground: Yes
  • Water Access: Boat ramp
  • Swimming: Beach swimming area
  • Dog Park: No
  • Tables and Grills: Yes

Unique Features: 

  • Best view of the Chickamauga Dam
  • Connects to the Tennessee Riverpark trail

Chickamauga Dam Park is a go-to park in the summer for its scenic Chickamauga Lake views and beach area that makes for a great swimming location. This park is located as the name suggests, by the Chickamauga Dam on the Tennessee River just north of downtown Chattanooga. This park features picnic areas with grills, a playground, a boat ramp, a man-made beach with swimming area, and paved walking trails.

This park is popular in the summer months for its swimming area. But not just that, now you can walk the trail alongside Highway 153 up to the Chickamauga Dam. From here, you can follow the trail to go under the highway and down to the Tennessee Riverpark on the other side. This makes a longer trail to connect with some of the Tennessee Riverpark sections, one of which is featured below in this guide.

Tennessee Riverpark

Location: 

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Kids, picnic, walking, cycling, fishing 
  • Playground: Yes
  • Water Access: Boat ramp
  • Swimming: No
  • Dog Park: No
  • Tables and Grills: Yes

Unique Features: 

The Tennessee Riverpark is best known for its scenic trail that follows the Tennessee River through downtown Chattanooga. The park covers over 150 acres and is best known for its 16 mile long paved trail, the Tennessee Riverwalk. But if you’re looking for just one section to relax and enjoy the outdoors in, look no further than this Tennessee Riverpark section. This trailhead has plenty of parking areas, additional sidewalks that are not just a part of the Tennessee Riverwalk, a playground, fishing piers, and a boat ramp. There’s also picnic tables, a grill, restrooms, and an event center available for rent.

If you want to ride a bike, there’s a bike rental station here where you can ride around the park, or take it even further down the main trail. Just be aware, if you choose to bike further, your day pass only lasts as long as you turn your bike in once an hour at one of the bike stations. Then you can keep riding all day long. For more info about renting bikes here, see the Bike Chattanooga website. Be sure to check the map on their website to better plan your 1 hour exchanges. And if you’re curious to learn more about this trail, check out my Bike Riding in Chattanooga Guide.

Rivermont Park

Location: 

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Kids, picnic, walking, fishing, baseball, tennis or pickleball
  • Playground: Yes
  • Water Access: Boat ramp
  • Swimming: No
  • Dog Park: No
  • Tables and Grills: Yes

Unique Features:

Rivermont Park is best known for the baseball fields which are organized by Rivermont Youth Athletic Association. It’s also popular for the tennis or pickleball courts. There are a few courts at the front of the park, but if you drive further back to the left, there is the Champions Club which has even more to offer.

On either side of the tennis courts is the start of a short walking trail. The trail is mostly gravel and extends the perimeter of the park, around the ballfields beside the Tennessee River, and back up towards the front parking lot. Overall there’s about three quarters of a mile in total walking trail distance if you add them all up, including the short stints that lead to the neighborhood on the right and the one that goes left towards the Champions Club.

This is also a great spot to launch a boat on the Tennessee River. Just before the Champions Club, there’s a good sized parking lot and boat ramp to the right.

Hixson:

Greenway Farms

Location: 

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Dogs, picnic, walking, cycling, fishing, paddling
  • Playground: No
  • Water Access: Paddle launch
  • Swimming: No
  • Dog Park: Yes (big dogs and small dogs separate)
  • Tables and Grills: Yes

Unique Features: 

  • Wildlife sightings
  • North Chickamauga Creek
  • Old quarry

Greenway Farms, also known simply by “The Greenway,” is located in the heart of Hixson and is a local favorite for dog owners and people who want to walk or run in nature. This park consists of over 200 acres and is a sanctuary for wildlife. It features a dog park, hilly fields, various trails for hiking or biking, paddle launches on the North Chickamauga Creek, and an old quarry that was used to build the Chickamauga Dam.

greenway farms

There’s also picnic tables throughout the park, and a grill behind the conference center. I love visiting this park just to walk the trails, but it’s also a great place to picnic, fly a kite, or just simply relax. Learn more about this park and details of all the trails in my Greenway Farms Guide.

Chester Frost

Location: Lakesite

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Kids, dogs, picnic, fishing, swimming, paddling, camping at campground
  • Playground: Yes
  • Water Access: Boat ramp and spots for paddle launch
  • Swimming: Beach swimming area
  • Dog Park: Yes (big dogs and small dogs separate)
  • Tables and Grills: Yes

Unique Features:

Chester Frost is the perfect park for summer water lovers. The park is just north of Chattanooga off of Hixson Pike. The park sits on Dallas Bay, part of the Tennessee River. It features boat ramps, a man-made beach with a large swimming area, a playground, fishing spots, paddle launch spots, and picnic areas with grills. And in the summer, there’s an inflatable water park called Nooga Splash where you can pay to have even more fun on the water. There are parking spots all throughout the stretch of the park to enjoy the different areas by the water.

They recently added a new dog park near the front. Simply turn left as soon as you enter the park and you’ll immediately see a sign for the dog park when you turn left again. There’s a small parking lot here and a large dog park near the water.

There is also a campground which is out on a little island in the bay. I haven’t camped here yet, but I’m excited to try it one day as it’s such a picturesque location to do so. This park is not the best for walking, there are no trails, but there are places to set up your hammock and relax. Or get out on the water, as most people do when visiting this park.

Northeast Chattanooga:

Booker T. Washington State Park

Location: 

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Kids, picnic, walking, cycling, fishing, basketball, volleyball 
  • Playground: Yes
  • Water Access: Boat ramp
  • Swimming: Allowed
  • Dog Park: No
  • Tables and Grills: Yes

Unique Features:

  • Fishing pier
  • Chickamauga Lake views
  • Basketball and volleyball courts

Booker T. Washington State Park is a hidden gem, best known for not being too busy and having a beautiful fishing pier. Located just northeast of Chattanooga, off Highway 58, is where you’ll find this Tennessee State Park. It’s a smaller state park with just 353 acres, but this includes almost 10 miles of hiking and biking trails, scenic water views, a boat ramp, a fishing pier, basketball and volleyball courts, and playgrounds.

This is a great park to enjoy an afternoon barbeque or take a hike or mountain bike ride. If you’re interested in hiking or biking, read more about my hike on the Outer Loop Trail, which features some of the best water views in the park, in my Complete Booker T. Washington State Park Guide.

tennessee hiking
booker t washington state park

Harrison Bay State Park

Location: 

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Kids, picnic, walking, cycling, fishing, swimming, paddling, camping at campground 
  • Playground: Yes
  • Water Access: Boat ramp and spots for paddle launch
  • Swimming: Allowed
  • Dog Park: No
  • Tables and Grills: Yes

Unique Features: 

Harrison Bay State Park is a perfect camping destination with plenty to explore and do during your stay. It’s only a little further north up Highway 58 from Booker T. Washington State Park. Harrison Bay State Park consists of 1,200 acres on a peninsula in the Harrison Bay, part of the Tennessee River. There’s campgrounds, a marina and boat ramp, paddle launches and swimming spots, and hiking trails. The marina also features the Dockside Cafe, a small restaurant where you can grab a meal. Further up the road is the Bear Trace at Harrison Bay if you’re wanting to golf beside scenic water views.

This park is large enough to keep you occupied for a day, exploring on foot and water. There’s almost 10 miles of hiking trails spread throughout the park. And there’s a few places you can launch and paddle in the coves. I explored paddling here and highly recommend the experience. All the details are in my Harrison Bay State Park Paddling Guide. 

There’s also the unique Star Walk at the front of the park’s main entrance. Learn more about the Star Walk and the longest hiking trail in the park in my guide about Chattanooga’s Easiest Hike in Harrison Bay State Park.

chattanooga's easiest hike
chattanooga's easiest hike

East Brainerd:

Jack Benson Heritage Park

Location: 

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Kids, dogs, picnic, walking, cycling, fishing 
  • Playground: Yes (new playground under construction) 
  • Water Access: Creek fishing
  • Swimming: Creek wading
  • Dog Park: Yes (big dogs and small dogs separate)
  • Tables and Grills: Yes

Unique Features:

Heritage Park is a beautiful space of peace and quiet in East Brainerd amidst the hustle and bustle of this busy suburb. The park covers 22 acres with a gravel and paved trail around the perimeter plus through the middle that totals nearly a mile. At the center of the park is an old mansion which is now the Don Eaves House Arts & Civic Center, where events are scheduled here throughout the year.

At the back of the park is a large dog park with plenty of space for big and small dogs in their separated areas. There’s also a wild area full of native plants that’s currently being grown. And at the very back and again on the left side of the park along the perimeter trail, is another trail access. This is the Heritage Trail HOA Trail Network, which is owned by the neighborhood that meets up to these edges of the park. From what I understand, these trails are not open to the public as they were created as a space for the homeowners in the neighborhood to utilize.

At the front of the park is the Mackey Branch, a shallow creek with fish near the bridge, and rocks further upstream to enjoy as a wading pool. Currently, a new playground with a farm theme is being built as an all inclusive playground. And one of my favorite features of this park is the bluebird house scavenger hunt.

Red Bank:

White Oak Park

Location: 

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Kids, dogs, picnic, walking, cycling, soccer 
  • Playground: Yes
  • Water Access: No
  • Swimming: No
  • Dog Park: Yes (big dogs and small dogs separate)
  • Tables and Grills: Tables yes, grilling prohibited 

Unique Features:

White Oak Park is a slice of nature in the middle of residential Red Bank. There are two entrances to the park. One from Pine Breeze Road and the other from Midvale Avenue East. At one end of the park the soccer field sits atop a hill. Nearby is one of the parking lots and the beginning of the Ronnie Moore Memorial Walkway which is nearly three-quarters of a mile long.

Following the walkway downhill, the dog park is located in the middle of this length. There’s also a small parking lot here. And if you continue walking, the trail ends at the connector trail for Stringer’s Ridge. This connector trail starts as gravel but soon enters the woods and becomes a beautifully blended dirt trail that joins the Stringer’s Ridge trail system.

East Lake:

East Lake Park

Location: 

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Kids, picnic, walking
  • Playground: Yes
  • Water Access: No
  • Swimming: No
  • Dog Park: No
  • Tables and Grills: Tables yes, grilling prohibited 

Unique Features:

  • Duck pond
  • Paved walking paths

East Lake Park is a perfect piece of nature to enjoy for those who live in the neighborhood. You could easily walk there from your house if you live nearby. Otherwise, there are small parking strips beside the park to drive up to. The main attraction of this park is the large duck pond. The entire park is centered around it. From the paved walking path that encompasses the pond to the bridges and platforms that extend over it, the duck pond is the reason you visit. Here you’ll see ducks, geese, and other waterfowl. But please obey the signs and do not feed them.

There’s covered pavilions on the parking side, and in the corner is a large pavilion that houses the restrooms. Just behind this is a little series of walking trails that meander through a small creek area that flows into the pond. In total, I would say there’s about 1 mile of walking trails in this park.

East Chattanooga and Collegedale:

Enterprise South Nature Park

Location:

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Kids, dogs, picnic, walking, cycling, mountain biking
  • Playground: Yes
  • Water Access: No
  • Swimming: No
  • Dog Park: Yes (big dogs and small dogs separate)
  • Tables and Grills: Tables yes, grilling prohibited 

Unique Features: 

Enterprise South Nature Park is a forest sanctuary loved by mountain bikers and wildlife enthusiasts. The park is a revitalized piece of land that was used for ammunition plants nearly 100 years ago. Now it’s a nature preserve with over 30 miles of trails for hiking and biking. This park is unique in that there’s trails specifically for bikes and trails specifically for hiking. Most trails do not allow both, which makes enjoying either of these activities less stressful. There’s 16 miles of biking trails, 10 miles of hiking trails and a paved trail covering nearly 10 more miles that is for both hiking and biking.

Of course there’s also the new playground, Wildwood Playscape, and picnic areas throughout the park, a hidden lake, and the best part, the old bunkers. Only a few of the 100 bunkers are open for you to explore inside. I highly recommend finding one and experiencing the phenomenon of speaking quietly on one end of the huge dome enclosure while someone at the other end can hear you perfectly. Or be loud and have fun with the echoes that last forever.

Drive around the outer loop before you leave to really take in the scenery of the park. Be sure to download a park map before you go so you can make the most of your visit. And if you’re curious about biking, but not mountain biking here, check out my Chattanooga Bike Trails in One Park Guide.

Little Debbie Park

Location: 

Activities and Amenities:

  • Best For: Kids, picnic, walking, cycling
  • Playground: Yes
  • Water Access: No
  • Swimming: No
  • Dog Park: No
  • Tables and Grills: Table yes, grilling prohibited 

Unique Features:

Little Debbie Park pays homage to the classic snacks with a themed playground and mini outdoor museum recounting their history. There are two entrances and parking lots for the Little Debbie Park. Either the main entrance by the playground on Swinyar Drive, or the back of the park entrance off of Ooltewah Ringgold Road.

As you can imagine, the Little Debbie Park’s main feature is the playground which showcases Little Debbie snacks alongside nature themes. The playground is broken into sections for younger and older children, allowing play and exploration at any age level.

Outside of this starts the paved walking loop that is close to three quarters of a mile in total that has no shade. At the back it connects with the Collegedale Greenway Trail which at full distance is 3 miles long and fairly well shaded.

The park is also wide open with plenty of field space for activities and picnics. And on the left side of the walking loop is a mini museum of Little Debbie. There are plaques that go through the history of the company from the beginning up until present day.

The Tennessee Riverpark covers over 150 acres and is best known for its 13 mile long paved trail, the Tennessee Riverwalk. But if you’re looking for just one section to relax and enjoy the outdoors in, look no further than the Hubert Fry Fishing Section. This trailhead has plenty of parking areas, additional sidewalks that are not just a part of the Tennessee Riverwalk, a playground, fishing piers, and a boat ramp. There’s also picnic tables, a grill, restrooms, and an event center available for rent.

If you want to ride a bike, there’s a bike rental station here where you can ride around the park, or take it even further down the main trail. Just be aware, if you choose to bike further, your day pass only lasts as long as you turn your bike in once an hour at one of the bike stations. Then you can keep riding all day long. For more info about renting bikes here, see the Bike Chattanooga website. Be sure to check the map on their website to better plan your 1 hour exchanges. And if you’re curious to learn more about this trail, check out my Bike Riding in Chattanooga blog post.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are pets allowed? Yes, dogs are allowed on leash at all of these parks, and off-leash play is allowed within a designated dog park. The exception is that dogs are not allowed to enter any beach swimming areas. Please pick up after your pets.
  • Which Chattanooga park is best for dogs? There are numerous Chattanooga parks with their own dog parks. The five mentioned in this guide are found at Greenway Farms (Hixson), Chester Frost (Hixson), Enterprise South (East Chattanooga), Heritage (East Brainerd), and White Oak (Red Bank). Your best option is to simply choose the one that is closest to you.
  • Which park has the easiest trails? Harrison Bay State Park has one of the easiest hiking trails in Chattanooga. It is one of the flattest trails you’ll find in the area and has beautiful water views.
  • Can I reserve a picnic area? Yes, most parks offer you the ability to pay to reserve a pavilion. Please visit the park’s management website for more information.
  • Which Chattanooga park is best for mountain biking? Enterprise South has the most mountain biking trails, but also White Oak Park connects to Stringer’s Ridge which makes another great spot for mountain biking in Chattanooga.
  • Can I camp at Chattanooga parks? Camping is only allowed in designated areas for a fee. For this guide that would only include Chester Frost and Harrison Bay State Park. Planning ahead and making reservations is advised.
  • Which Chattanooga park is best for swimming? The best parks in this guide that have designated swimming areas with man-made beaches would be Chester Frost and Chickamauga Dam. Chester Frost also has the seasonal Nooga Splash for a more well-rounded swimming experience. Both beaches get busy fast during the summer weekends so plan to arrive early in the day.
  • Which Chattanooga parks have boat ramps? In this guide are six Chattanooga parks with boat ramps. Each boat ramp gives you immediate access to the Tennessee River. Chester Frost, Chickamauga Dam, Booker T. Washington, and Harrison Bay boat ramps all lead into Chickamauga Lake which is on the north side of Chickamauga Dam. Tennessee Riverpark and Rivermont all have boat ramps that lead directly into the Tennessee River where you don’t have to lock through the Chickamauga Dam in order to get downtown on the river.

In Closing

Whether you’re looking to relax outside and read a book, or adventure on a bike ride or walk in the woods, these local Chattanooga parks are the place to be. Chattanooga has so many parks, and these are some of the best ones with free admission and year-round access to enjoy your favorite park activities. Let me know in the comments below which Chattanooga park is your favorite, I’d love to know! Until next time, enjoy exploring Chatt!

~Amanda

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