Chattanooga, one weekend.

[bpitt]

Looks like I'll be in Chattanooga for two weeks working on a project. I'll have the weekend between the two weeks off. I'm looking for some input for a hike. I was thinking about heading to a trail Saturday morning, hike out, or do a loop, stay one night (Saturday night), and be back at the truck Sunday around lunchtime. Any suggestions on trails within an hour or two of Chattanooga? Will be the first two weeks of January, and I have a 20 degree bag, will that be enough?

[Rain Man]

Prentiss Cooper Wildlife Management Area might be worth a look-see. It has the end of the Cumberland Trail and two loops that form a figure-8 of sorts. Not much elevation change, but some nice views of the Tennessee River. Twenty-degree bag depends on that weekend's weather and you, of course.

Rain Man

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[Tennessee Viking]

Benton Mackaye Trail. There are several trailheads around the area. The main one will be US 64 at Thunder Rock Rec Area along the Ocoee River.

Cumberland Trail. The southern terminus is at Signal Point Park on top of Signal Mountain. Cabin Fever just posted something about it on his blog. He's in Chattanooga. http://jacobmmitchell.blogspot.com/

Bald River Wilderness

Big Frog Mountain Wilderness.

Joyce Kilmer.

Bearpaw just posted something on his section hike of the GA Pinhoti Trail. He is also from around Chattanooga.

[SullyJoe]

I must have hiked prentice cooper at least 20 times over in the past year, and like rain man said, beautiful views of the Tennessee river gorge, but not much elevation gain.
The firey gizzard trail is a great hike. It starts in tracy city and goes 13 miles to foster falls. You'll definitely want to go north to south to get the elevation gain, but after the first half, it's all level terrain - some beautiful views and falls along the way though.

[kofritz]

Fort Mountain State Park outside Dalton is about an 1 away from Chattanooga. it has an 8 mile loop trail (Cohutti).

[Sierra Echo]

Avoid Ruby Falls at all costs. Run screaming if you must.

[Bearpaw]

Savage Gulf State Natural Area is about an hour away with tons of good hikes, both loops and out-and-backs.

If you head up to Cleveland, then east on 64, you have a number of options around Thunder Rock Campground (about a mile west of the Ocoee Whitewater Center), less than 90 minutes.

From there, you can hike north or south on the Benton MacKaye Trail and take other trails to loop back to your vehicle.

You could also park at Signal Point National Historic Site on Signal Mountain. This is the southern end of the Cumberland Trail. You can out-and-back pretty easily from there.

And yes, Prentiss Cooper also offers options for a 10-mile or 20-mile loop with nice winter views down to the TN River. This figure 8 also connects to the last 14 miles of the Cumberland Trail, again ending at Signal Point.

To me, the best option is still Savage Gulf State Natural Area.

[Cabin Fever]

For a one night trip, I say Prentice Cooper. As Rain Man says, there is a figure 8. Do the northernmost loop because the full loop is too long for a one night trip. I recommend staying at the Hemlock Branch campsite. Nice water source and shielded from the wind.

http://jacobmmitchell.blogspot.com/2...per-state.html

[Loneoak]

Deer season is open at that time, be sure and wear Blaze orange

[SullyJoe]

Just went to do day day hike in prentice coopet, and the road is closed. You can still access the trail from signal point, or from suk creek road. I wouldn't park my car along the road overnight, there are multiple reports of breakins along that road.
If you can arrange a ride, I still highly recomend the firey gizzard trail.