John Shearer: Exploring And Searching For Greenways, Part 38 – Seeing Forgotten Chattanooga Via New South Chickamauga Creek Boardwalk

I was quite happy to learn that a new stretch of the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway had been opened in recent days and is having various opening activities throughout this month.

 

I went down and examined it over the last couple of weekends and almost felt like a discoverer seeing parts of Chattanooga never seen before – or at least by more than 95 percent of the locals.

 

The new part is the stretch along the creek around 4 to 6 miles out from the entry point at the Tennessee River near Amnicola Highway.

Because most of this new link is either a paved trail with little grass on the side or a curving boardwalk almost resembling the support frame of a classic wooden rollercoaster, an exercise path might be a more appropriate term than greenway.

 

But due to the fact this stretch offers such stunning views down toward the creek from around handsome old hardwood trees, it more than qualifies as a place full of rejuvenating aesthetics in the spirit of a greenway.

 

And I unexpectedly even found two additionally pretty scenes – what could basically be described as a bridge museum plus an eye-pleasing hill along the trail at an unlikely place.

 

So, kudos to the Trust for Public Land, the city of Chattanooga, and even the skillful boardwalk laborers for getting the manmade trail open so that the entire South Chickamauga Creek route is linked.

 

The entire South Chickamauga Creek Greenway is a roughly 12-mile stretch running from the Tennessee River all the way out to Camp Jordan by East Ridge. It joins at a perpendicular angle with the Tennessee Riverwalk by the river, so one can easily move from one greenway path to the other, although a bicycle is required to see good chunks of either one at once – unless you are training for the Boston Marathon.

 

Among the previously built stretches of the South Chick Greenway going away from the river, 

a nice bridge that offers a stunning view down at the creek is about the first main highlight. Beyond that a mile or two is the nice Sterchi Farm trailhead that has plenty of grass.

 

The greenway eventually becomes a boardwalk for a period before becoming a nice path surrounded by some grass again until its former ending point down a steep hill from the lightly visited Faith Road trailhead. 

 

But with this recently completed new middle stretch of the greenway, an exerciser can continue going uninterrupted all the way out to the popular Brainerd Levee and Camp Jordan stretches.

 

With all these different places now joined as one big piece, the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway almost appears to have multiple personalities, with the creek that is usually within sight or nearby the only commonality. 

 

The creek winds quietly along, but it is still wide enough to turn a head and create awe and wonder to an observer. In fact, it seems to be as wide a creek as some rivers in the United States, and I almost feel like we are starting to become good friends from my various visits.

 

It also seems to do a great job of linking together such seemingly unconnected features of Chattanooga as light industrial buildings, former farmland, above-average-priced homes, modest and low-income residences, and other protected park space.

 

I had tried to visit the newly opened stretch of the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway in early March after seeing some news reports that it was apparently open. However, when I went out there and tried to go on the part that goes upstream via the Faith Street trailhead, I saw closed signs.

 

I was not sure if it was not quite open or if a tree had fallen across part of the boardwalk, but I turned around after walking along part of the paved path and a small section of the boardwalk heading out in the direction of the Brainerd Levee.

 

A couple of groups of bicycle riders were also out there that day and seemed to think it was supposed to be open as well. 

 

After hearing more in the news within the last couple of weeks that it was now definitely open, I headed out there again on Saturday afternoon, June 4. This time I was going to visit it via the new Youngstown Road trailhead. So, I left my home near Northgate Mall, headed southeast across the Chickamauga Dam on Highway 153, turned right at the Bonny Oaks Drive exit, then left on Lightfoot Mill Road, and finally right on the lightly traveled Youngstown Road.

 

Just 150 or so yards on the left along the latter road is the trailhead with about three or four lined parking places. The beautiful new boardwalk was there to greet me, no more than 10 minutes after I had left my home in the middle of suburbia. I almost felt like I was getting ready to find a comfortable path into a nice piece of wilderness, at least the linear variety, and I was going to enjoy it. 

 

While the part I had examined in early March was to my right as I walked up to the boardwalk by Youngstown Road, I decided this time to go left. Within a short distance after doing that, I came upon a collection of old railroad bridges as well as the newer automobile bridge for Lightfoot Mill Road traffic.

 

Also here were some other limestone piers looking like the ones framing the Walnut Street Bridge, but the roadbed above them had been removed, and they had almost a lonely look. 

 

A water or sewer line pipe also has its own support bridge across the creek here. 

 

While all this manmade infrastructure might have normally taken away from the aesthetic scene of the creek and wooded hillside around it for a greenway traveler, the vintage ages of the bridges and piers created a nice setting.

 

A related treat that day in this area was seeing a Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum train go over the bridge and make its hauntingly beautiful whistle sound. I realized after coming back the following Saturday that this new greenway might not only give some additional free advertising for the museum after people see a vintage passenger train pass overhead, but it might also make for some good photo ops. 

 

I also discovered after waiting for one train to pass the second Saturday to photograph it that the museum trains come and go on two different tracks.

 

Because of the trains, part of the boardwalk under these bridges is covered for safety reasons. 

 

Right past the bridges is a unique switchback part of the boardwalk to keep it from being so steep, while just beyond it heading east is a path and area of open grass covered by trees that lead down to the TVRM facility. Signs saying not to trespass are at several places, probably for safety reasons, but it would be neat if this could somehow become another trailhead.

 

As I continued east on the curving and snakelike boardwalk, including by going past an old oak with a large limb hanging overhead like an arm shielding someone from the sun, I realized a lot of nice trees are here, not to mention handsomely steep views down to the creek.

 

Among the trees were dozens of maples, so this area will no doubt be fun to visit in the fall when the leaves are turning their beautiful colors. Even more views of the creek will also be available in the winter, creating all kinds of other photo ops.

 

As I continued jogging east, I came into an open area without any shade, so I realized one should be careful jogging, walking, or biking here in the middle of a summer afternoon. A cleared right of way below some power lines can also be found here, so it is not the prettiest part of the journey.

 

Also along this stretch, I found a small piece of one of the boards that was jutting up slightly and could perhaps cause a walker or runner to trip or a bike tire to be damaged. Hopefully, someone helping maintain the boardwalk will soon find it and fix it.

 

As I continued to head in an upstream direction via land, the boardwalk gave way to a paved trail. To my left were the non-descript Cromwell Hills publicly subsidized housing development and the Cromwell Hills trailhead. But across the path to the right was a nice surprise – a large hill covered with grass.

 

I am not sure if this hill is privately owned or part of the greenway, but it was beautiful to see, especially considering that developers are grabbing every unspoiled local hillside for development. And when I came back this past Saturday and inspected it via automobile, the hill area had been mowed and looked even prettier.

 

If this is public land, I could see some neat events taking place there, like a small music concert with a natural amphitheater for seating. Or maybe a few trees can be planted at minimal spots, and picnic tables can be placed there. Or maybe they could put a restroom like at the Sterchi Farm trailhead stretch of this greenway farther downstream.

 

If this land is indeed still in private hands, maybe it can become public space. And to have such a nice hillside next to the Cromwell Hills development no doubt adds to the quality of life for residents.

 

When I drove through that area this past Saturday, I realized a small number of eye-catching homes with large lots can also be found amongst the mostly modest residences just beyond the hillside and away from Cromwell Hills.

 

The greenway part pretty much ends here, although in a dramatic fashion with the hill, and the rest of the trail the mile or so out to the Brainerd Levee is via a sidewalk along Caine Lane. The path eventually follows along Lakewood Memory Gardens, East, before crossing over to Shallowford Road. 

 

For some reason I had envisioned part of the path cutting in a more aesthetically pleasing way across the field by the Wilcox golf driving range to hook up with the Brainerd Levee trailhead, but that is not the case at present.

 

A glance at an online map after I got back home also revealed that South Chickamauga Creek behind the Wilcox facility and in the direction of Dalewood Middle School makes sort of a hairpin turn and creates a small Moccasin Bend-like shape for the land. So, maybe having a link to this spot should certainly be a part of any future plans. At least we idealists think it should be!

 

I also thought when I saw a sidewalk path going down by Shallowford Road across from the cemetery that it might also be another path to the levee, but it abruptly stops like a path to nowhere after one switchback. It is also now getting overtaken with poison ivy and other weeds. Maybe it is also part of a future link.

 

But overall, this newly completed link, which I also examined in an opposite way this past Saturday and saw where I had been back in March farther downstream, is very nice. 

 

While I prefer to jog on grass to save my shins and knees, even though I did find some grassy place to run a couple of wind sprints by the hillsides that first Saturday, I love this new stretch. It even made me want to go buy a used bicycle, or at least feel regret over selling my older one three or four years ago.

 

That is in part because I saw several people probably representing a wide range of bike riding skill levels pass me while also enjoying the new stretch. Several waved and spoke to me in a more friendly manner than is typical at some other parks or paths in Chattanooga.

 

We were all happy to be enjoying a new greenway area that is no doubt good for our hearts,  eyes, and souls.

 

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To see the previous story in this series, read here.

https://www.chattanoogan.com/2022/4/5/446619/John-Shearer-Exploring-And-Searching.aspx

 

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Jcshearer2@comcast.net