10 Must-Do Outdoor Activities in Greater Chattanooga

Greater Chattanooga’s natural scenery offers thrilling recreational opportunities.

By Cary Estes on August 7, 2023

With mountains in nearly every direction, intricate networks of underground caves and the Tennessee River cutting through downtown, Greater Chattanooga offers so many ways to enjoy its natural outdoor splendor.

The communities found along the way are the best part of exploring the great outdoors. Whether you’re running, rowing, climbing or cycling, thousands of outdoor enthusiasts choose Greater Chattanooga for its year-round events and competitions.

Here are 10 local events that will help you find your community in Greater Chattanooga.

1. Run Through History

Countless people explore Greater Chattanooga on foot every year. For some, exploration goes beyond a leisurely stroll. Throughout the region, road races run the gamut from tame to wild, with the Chattanooga Track Club alone organizing nearly a dozen annual events. One of the oldest races is the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon, held for more than 40 years in Catoosa County, Georgia. Other popular events in the area include the Cleveland Half Marathon, the Erlanger Chattanooga Marathon and the 7 Bridges Marathon.

2. IRONMAN Chattanooga

If you’re looking to raise your weekend warrior workouts to superhero status, IRONMAN Chattanooga is the race for you. Participants swim for nearly 2.5 miles in the Tennessee River (with spectators watching from the nearby shore), bike for 116 miles south of town and into north Georgia, then run a two-loop marathon through downtown and along the Riverwalk.

3. ChattaJack

The paddling equivalent of an ultramarathon, kayakers and paddleboarders traverse a 31-mile course starting in the Tennessee River and ending at Hales Bar Marina. Even for the world’s best paddlers, ChattaJack can extend into a four-hour endurance event.

4. Head of the Hooch Chattanooga

The Head of the Hooch Regatta brings together more than 5,000 rowers for speed races along a 3.1-mile course on the Tennessee River. It is one of the largest annual regattas in the U.S. and regularly attracts throngs of spectators who watch the action from the Market Street and Walnut Street Bridges in downtown Chattanooga.

5. Wauhatchie BoulderFest

Whether you’re a bouldering novice or have rocked the sport for years, this annual community climbing day is open to all comers. Held at the Lookout Mountain Conservancy on Old Wauhatchie Pike, just south of downtown Chattanooga, BoulderFest allows newcomers to learn the basics, while also offering competitive events for experienced climbers.

6. Gran Fondo Hincapie-Chattanooga

Much like BoulderFest, this cycling event can accommodate various levels of experience, with routes ranging from 15 to 80 miles. While all cyclists enjoy picturesque views of the Tennessee River, those who choose the longer route up Sequatchie Mountain are rewarded with an added sight of paragliders soaring through the valley.

7. StumpJump

This is one of the best combinations of scenic beauty and unrelenting endurance in Greater Chattanooga. StumpJump athletes participate in a 50-kilometer run (31 miles) through the tops of Signal Mountain and Walden Ridge. While the race may be challenging, runners are rewarded with breathtaking views along vast sections of the Cumberland Trail.

8. Cycle Sequatchie

For those looking to cycle the scenic route, the Cycle Sequatchie Century & 3 Mtn Challenge offer many choices. The routes, which run along the backroads of Sequatchie County, Tennessee, range from 15 to 100 miles with three optional climbs. And it takes place in the midst of Oktoberfest, so food and festivities are sure to follow.

9. Swim the Suck

Suck Creek is a 10-mile waterway used for this swimming race that is hosted by the Chattanooga Open Water Swimmers and sanctioned by U.S. Masters Swimming. The course twists through steep canyon walls of the Tennessee River Gorge, though it might be difficult to take in the sights while moving head-down through the water.

10. Fish the Chick

This bass tournament is a program by the United Way of Rhea County, which raises funds for women in the area. Professional angler Jenny Nevans – a native of Dayton, Tennessee – helped get the tournament in the water.