The Tennessee River Gorge Trust invites the community to experience and celebrate the grand opening of roughly four miles of multi-use, single track mountain biking trails on Aetna Mountain on Friday, Sept. 29 from 2-3:30 p.m.
The celebration will include a ceremony, opportunities to learn about the trails and an inaugural hike and bike ride. Food and beverages will be provided, and various vendors, including outdoor and adventure focused companies, will be at the event.
The trailhead is located at River Gorge Drive in Chattanooga.
Signs will be displayed in the Black Creek neighborhood, directing participants to the correct location. Parking is limited at the trailhead, and overflow parking will be available at the top of the mountain, .8 miles past the trailhead.
“This project was designed with community input every step of the way,” TRGT Executive Director Rick Huffines said. “Chattanoogans asked for world-class, sustainable mountain biking trails that cater to all skill and accessibility levels, and we are overjoyed to officially open these trails to the public.”
"The high-quality trails, which were funded and created by the community, are open to the public and located within Chattanooga city limits on Aetna Mountain," officials said. "The trails are designed for mountain bikers, hikers and runners. Mountain bikers will enjoy beginner-friendly to intermediate level trails, with optional advanced features built in for more experienced riders. These trails will eventually be expanded to include additional trail segments in the coming years.
"The trails were built by the International Mountain Biking Association’s Trail Solutions, a recognized leader in trail development and builder of world-class trails across the country. Designed with adaptive mountain bikes in mind, these trails will be compatible for a variety of riders."
“These trails are incredibly valuable additions for Chattanooga’s outdoor community,” advanced mountain biker Charlie Mix said. “As an avid mountain biker with a 10-month-old son, I am excited to see the addition of these trails so close to our home in North Chattanooga, and I hope to share them with him soon. Aetna will offer a place for newer riders to ride and progress in the Tennessee River Gorge, while providing additional options for more seasoned riders.”
This project was made possible by land donations from Black Creek and funding from the community members, Lyndhurst Foundation, International Mountain Biking Association, Tower Community Bank, Chattanooga Tourism Co. Rock Creek, Fox Factory and RH Aviation.
Registration for the grand opening and the Aetna Mountain Trails donation page can be found at
trgt.org/aetna-trails.